Movie Review: JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 (2024)

Audiences are riding a wave of franchises in 2023 so far and over the year, the experiences have been all over the place. It’s easy to not expect much, especially as a series gets a little “long in the tooth.” John Wick debuted in 2014 and here we are, nine years later with the fourth installment. Will John Wick: Chapter 4 continue the rollicking rush of the series? Or is the action getting a little slow?

John Wick: Chapter 4 plunges viewers back into the familiar world of the “John Wick” franchise. John Wick, the “Baba Yaga” with a heart of gold, (Keanu Reeves) must match wits against evil Marquis (Bill Skarsgård) to once and for all be rid of not only “The High Table”, but his old life.

The only problem is, “The Marquis” is perfectly ready to punish anyone Wick comes into contact with. Donnie Yen, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Shamier Anderson co-star in the movie. Chad Stahelski directs John Wick: Chapter 4 from a script by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch.

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I will admit to being worried about John Wick: Chapter 4 as I walked into the theater. First of all, this is the fourth film in the franchise. How often is the fourth in any series as good as the first? To make matters even more… complicated… at more than two hours and forty minutes, this movie dwarfs all the previous entries. Why? How can you stretch this formula out by more than forty minutes?

Kids, all of my concerns were for naught. Watching John Wick: Chapter 4 in a packed theater on the biggest screen possible saw yours truly leaving with a large, giddy grin plastered across her face. As a theatrical experience, the movie is a hoot. In fact, it’s a big, colorful, frenetic hoot.

It must be said, when going to a “John Wick” movie, you get a “John Wick” movie. The script is not the most developed and the characters might be a touch thin. Instead, the real joy is in this fascinating world and the frenetic nature of everyone populating it.

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This series walks a thin and unforgiving line between action and comedic absurdity. This becomes crystal clear when viewing the movie with an audience. This isn’t a bad thing though, especially for those who know what to expect.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is quite simply a video game played on easy mode come to life. The narrative is crafted around three major action set-pieces and the violence is unrelenting for long stretches of screentime. The headshots are effortless as the action moves through different stages of consecutive fights. This doesn’t even factor in when different weapons are used. Nunchucks. Axes. Tracer bullets capable of setting a body on fire. The blood is relatively light, but the action is intense.

It’s interesting to sit down and listen to a crowded theater react to these manic fight sequences. While involvement in these scenes may be terrifying in reality, a lot of laughter rolls through the crowd. Is it the perceived safety of the screen separating us from the action? Certainly.

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I believe though that we can take this a step further. In the choreography’s pacing, crafting and intensity, Stahelski and his team have pushed the boundaries an action film has as far as it’s able to go.

In recent years, this has been tempered by what I like to call the “Jason Bourne” style of shooting. In order to ratchet up the tension, an action sequence is shot through an indecipherable mass of lightening fast cuts. While it adds a frenetic pace to the scene, any real impact is lost in a haze of over-stylization.

In John Wick: Chapter 4, Stahelski isn’t afraid to let his camera run with uninterrupted fluidity. Stunt teams are some of the most underappreciated groups on a film set and Stahelski allows his shots to run, basking in their finely tuned work. In fact, there is a shot midway through the final action set-piece which is an undisputed work of art. As John Wick fights his way through a Parisian house, Stahelski’s camera runs in a continuous high-angle shot rivaling Phil Abraham‘s direction in the iconic staircase fight in the second episode of Daredevil‘s first season.

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In utilizing these continuous, highly unstylized shots, John Wick: Chapter 4 breaks the brain. This level of violence is largely reserved for video games. However, this looks real. It feels real and there’s no place to hide. As such, it’s all too easy to laugh at the sheer insanity.

It was riveting to see how this film somehow skates through its more than 160-minute runtime and never seems to lag. A lot of this falls (once again) on Stahelski who brings an auteur-like flair to his direction. The career stuntman has honed his voice on this series and his style is clear and confident as he brings the action to life in vivid and often lurid colors. Few action movies look like this and this is why “John Wick” continues to grow in strength.

John Wick: Chapter 4 also hones in on a subject that is becoming increasingly important in the contemporary action climate. While there are certainly computer graphics shots, in a world of hazy brown action films set in fantastic realms, John Wick: Chapter 4 is rooted in reality. These are real people and well-trained stunt teams working through painstakingly crafted choreography in real locations. From a filmmaking perspective, it is real. It’s tangible and the theatrical experience doesn’t get much better than this.

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The cast gels behind Keanu Reeves achieving a beautiful flow from the previous films. Ian McShane and Laurence Fishburne look to be having a blast in the roles they’ve played since the first installment. Meanwhile, Donnie Yen is a seamlessly integrated and welcomed addition. He cuts a formidable figure as assassin Cane.

Bill Skarsgård meanwhile proves a fascinating villain. The actor, best known for his 2017 breakout as Pennywise in IT brings a restrained and threatening presence as the Marquis. It is unfortunate, however, that the script is unsure of how to treat this character. While his evil tendencies shine through, the narrative sees him equally as an entitled rich boy who’s overly willing to use his resources for evil. In the grand scheme of things, Skarsgård could have ultimately had more to do.

All in all, to see a fourth installment in a popular franchise roar onto the screen with a vengeance is a real rarity. John Wick: Chapter 4 is an even bigger rarity. This is a fourth film which makes a legitimate claim at being a franchise best. This fast-paced, frenetic, action film takes chances, it shakes expectations and it’s a heck of a fun ride along the way. Be sure to stay all the way through the credits.

John Wick: Chapter 4 opens in theaters around the country beginning March 24, 2023.

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