John Wick 4: Exactly What You Expect
John Wick, a franchise known for its extreme action and gore, started in 2014 with a movie about a man killing everyone in his path to simply avenge his dog. It has now grown into a franchise depicting an entire world beneath ours, one of murder for hire yet strict rules that dare not be broken. With each installment in the series, the action in these films has become increasingly ludicrous, even reaching the point of satire by the third one. John Wick 4 is therefore exactly what you expect: a three hour long epic with some of the best fight scenes you will see in an American blockbuster.
There is basically nothing for you in this film if you are not a fan of action movies. The choreography for the fight scenes is incredibly over the top, but so satisfying. Although there is some shaky camera work, the camera moves fluidly which allows you to ACTUALLY see each individual movement (unlike many other mainstream blockbuster films.) With such precise choreography comes impressive martial arts that make you look forward to what the next segment of action will bring. the action rarely gets stale and always brings moments that will make you audibly react or even laugh.
Besides the action, I was surprised by how artistic the film could be. I am by no means claiming that it is an artistic masterpiece akin to Citizen Kane, but I need to give some credit to the actual attention to style, shot composition, and colors. The film consistently shows very vibrant and well-composed shots. There is one in particular near the beginning where John Wick is standing next to a cherry blossom tree: the angle of the camera and the vibrant red shining on his face looked captivating. There is also one fight scene that was shot uniquely; it uses a directly top-down camera (a possible reference to top-down shooter games) where you can see the enemies behind the walls and John Wick’s position in relation to them. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I liked how it gave the opportunity for long-takes and created a different type of tension than the average action scene. Furthermore, in relation to style, the set design was always visually pleasing, vibrant, and managed to enhance the action as actors interacted with the backgrounds.
It was not a perfect movie, even as an action film, by any means. My biggest complaint is the length. I was never necessarily bored throughout the film, but by the end, I definitely felt the nearly three hour runtime. Some of the fight scenes went on for a little too long (particularly the first major one) where it was enjoyable to watch, but the characters just fought unnamed underlings for way too long and I started looking at my watch.
Another major complaint I have is the use of certain side characters. I know this is not the type of movie that cares about developing characters, but Tracker and Akira were extremely under-utilized. By the end, I still know NOTHING about Tracker’s motives and Akira is introduced and then goes away for the rest of the film twenty minutes later. I also feel there is a place for Akira throughout the film, and it wouldn't feel bloated or illogical if she stuck around.
My final complaint involves line delivery and acting. Although I think Bill Skarsgård genuinely gives it his all, Keeanu in particular leaves a lot to be desired (nothing new). Many of his dialogue sounds stilted, but luckily I bet you could count the amount of lines he actually has. Also, a consistent aspect of the John Wick franchise is its use of vague cliches and ideas that it tries to pay off as profound in the script. I do not necessarily mind because I find this element to be part of the “camp”, but I could see how it would be bothersome for particular audiences.
Overall, if you are looking for an over-the-top action extravaganza or just a fan of the franchise, this is the film for you. I don’t know if it is the best action movie in the last couple years, but it is definitely up there, and my favorite in the John Wick franchise. As a side note, it might be helpful to at least rewatch the previous movie, as this entire movie is about the consequences of Parabellum. It is not super important especially since, let’s be honest…you are not seeing this movie for the story, but it might be helpful. Thank you for reading, and go see John Wick 4 for yourself (IMAX is definitely worth it for this one.)