‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review: Keanu Attains Action Nirvana

Look, let’s simply put all our playing cards on the (excessive) desk. Yes, John Wick: Chapter 4 is 169 minutes lengthy. Any certainly one of its many (many) set items incorporates extra motion all by itself than most complete films. This factor ain’t a “chapter.” It’s an entire rattling guide — a wonderful, nightmarish, biblical compendium of all manners of asskickery.

The artistic group, headed by longtime franchise director Chad Stahelski, managed to prime the size of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, which in flip raised the stakes of John Wick: Chapter 2, which was already a reasonably sizable step up from the unique John Wick, which was a comparatively humble thriller a couple of retired hitman on a quest for revenge in opposition to the jerks who killed his beloved pet. In its first hour alone, John Wick: Chapter 4 globetrots from New York to Paris to Osaka — with a quick pitstop within the Sahara desert. Along the best way, it consists of chases on horseback, shootouts, sword battles, and the occasional tussle with nunchucks. Again, that is simply the primary hour.

If that sounds good to you, terrific! Go see John Wick: Chapter 4 with confidence. However, if the prospect of a near-three-hour Keanu kerfuffle sounds like an ordeal — your alternative is obvious: Do not go. What you need to not do is go see John Wick: Chapter 4 after which complain that’s too lengthy. Why is it three hours lengthy? Why does Gene Kelly sing and dance within the rain? Why does Ferris Bueller break the fourth wall and speak on to the viewers? We go to the flicks to see the inexplicable and the unimaginable. Such chic moments require no justification past the pleasure they present to viewers. And should you like motion films, John Wick: Chapter 4 offers you loads of pleasure — actually, as roughly half of this three hour fever dream of a film is battle scenes of varied sorts.

READ MORE: Chad Stahelski On the Unresolved Cliffhanger from John Wick: Chapter 2

All of it facilities round John Wick (Keanu Reeves), a person of few phrases and lots of bullets. (Even although Chapter 4 is the longest John Wick by far, Reeves may even have fewer traces in it than in any of the earlier movies.) Wick’s ongoing struggle with the “High Table” that controls the prison underworld reaches its apex right here, with a sadistic Marquis (Bill Skarsgard) sending seemingly countless waves of thugs to take down Wick. Meanwhile, Wick makes use of his seemingly limitless capacity to kill folks to strike again on the Marquis.

As at all times within the John Wick universe, the story is extremely easy, however the mythology surrounding it is amusingly advanced. There are codes of honor to be adhered to, bounties to be collected, money owed to be repaid, and lavish underworld resorts to be explored. This outing, Wick depends on the hospitality of an outdated good friend in Osaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), and battles one other former ally everywhere in the globe, an murderer named Caine (Donnie Yen) whose identify alludes to the violent, brotherly bond between he and John Wick. (It’s additionally a playful wink at the truth that Caine is blind; in between outlandish bursts of athletic martial arts, he depends on his cane — which naturally doubles as a sword when wanted — to assist him get round.)

Like John Wick, Caine tried to go away the lifetime of an murderer behind, however he accepts the contract on Wick’s life to be able to shield his daughter. And in between the extended bursts of extravagant violence, Chapter 4 consists of many discussions in regards to the nature of loyalty, honor, responsibility, redemption, spirituality, and even the that means of life itself.

For all of the complaints this film is certain to come across for its over-the-top runtime, it fits the movie, which can be in regards to the passage of time. An early scene hinges on using a comically outsized hourglass. (Look intently on the movie’s poster, and also you’ll discover that it replaces his tie with an hour glass stuffed with bullets.) Later, a giant motion sequence takes place across the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which John Wick circles in a muscle automobile just like the swooping palms of a clock. Just a few scenes later, John frantically checks his personal wristwatch again and again as he races to an vital assembly. Time is slipping away for poor outdated John Wick.

That looming sense of finality is just enhanced by the scope of the motion, which sees Wick battling dozens (or a whole lot?) of males in shut fight, along with his fists, pistols, blades, and infrequently a rifle that shoots explosive rounds. (That’s gotta harm.) All of those fights are staged for optimum readability, with takes that often stretch on for minutes at a time. (There’s that point theme once more.) Reeves’ dedication to doing most of his personal stunt work stays spectacular, particularly since he’s now pushing 60 years outdated. One mind-boggling sequence adopts as God’s eye view of the proceedings as John Wick battles a complete military of baddies in an deserted constructing, a symbolic echo of the themes about heaven and hell that permeate the story.

At this level within the John Wick saga, spatial coherence is much extra vital than narrative logic. Wick is pursued endlessly across the planet, with dudes popping up round each nook, then he someway jumps on a aircraft and flies to the following location for extra combating. Rules relating to the High Table are made in a single scene and damaged the following. The John Wick franchise left the recognizable actual world behind a number of films in the past; it now exists in a dreamlike, neon-lit purgatory seemingly devoid of any authorities or police. (The solely legal guidelines are those set down by the High Table, which has apparently controls a world economic system constructed completely on homicide for rent.)

Again, I’m sure folks will complain that the film is absurd, that it’s bought an excessive amount of stuff, that it doesn’t want half this many motion scenes. To which I might reply: Go see one other film that’s not John Wick. These films take their craft as significantly as John Wick takes his. One sequence of pictures in Chapter 4 I can’t spoil made me happier than any sequence I’ve seen in a movie show in months and months. (It includes John Wick and a stairwell, however that’s all I’ll say.) I’m going to the flicks for a dwelling chasing the excessive; the type of cinematic ecstasy solely a novel second may give you. For a pair seconds, John Wick achieved that euphoric state of motion nirvana. John Wick could also be on the lookout for a manner into heaven. Action followers don’t have to look any additional for that than this film.

RATING: 9/10