If there’s one thing I’ve harped on when it comes to mainstream cinema, it’s the lack of style or verve to a film’s craft. I think about so many of these modern day blockbusters, and how so much of are shot plainly with flat aesthetics, dour color schemes, and functional boring cinematography. These films don’t feel **cinematic**. Make no mistake about it, “John Wick: Chapter 4” is pure uncut cinema. It knows why we bought the ticket. It knows why we’re there. And, it over-delivers on everything promised. Is there such a thing as “too much of a good thing”? Maybe. But, I’d argue if that “good thing” is absolutely amazing, then too much should be a starting point.

This is an action film first and foremost. Yet even still, there’s this grace and style to how it’s shot and edited that’s so unique and individual to this series. It doesn’t feel gross and gratuitous like it would in the hands of a lesser filmmaker. The reason for this, I feel, is because the film deals with big epic themes that are mostly reserved for Greek tragedies. Loyalty, sacrifice, purpose, etc. All of it gets treated with a refreshing bit of seriousness and earnesty.

It helps that we have a cast here that can imbue the film with gravitas. They paint these characters effectively with broad strokes, relying on classic tropes. However, the tropes here are applied skillfully with some fun tweaks to the formula. Keanu Reeves as the semi-silent badass is essentially a canvas for others to paint on with their performances. It’s precisely why Reeves works so well in this role. That, and the physicality of this role. He just has this presence here that lights up the screen.

There’s new characters here that add fun wrinkles to the franchise. All of which represent some big weighty idea. Donnie Yen as “Caine” is a clear stand-out. He’s so charismatic and magnetic to watch, he jumps out on screen. His character is conflicted, weighing loyalty and family in how he proceeds throughout the film. Another stand-out is Shamier Anderson as “Nobody”. His motivations are mysterious, but it’s clear he has a code of honor similar to John Wick’s. Shamier brings a fun energy to the film when it threatens to buckle under its big epic themes. Another stand-out (amongst many) is Bill Skarsgård as the “Marquis Vincent de Gramont”. He’s a smug, irritating, conniving a**hole, and he’s an insanely fun villain to root against.

I could list more and more of the cast, because it really does go a long way in making this world feel alive. This world, by the way, is so vividly built and lived-in. It truly does feel alive in all the best ways. The lore of the underworld. Its rules and codes of conduct. It’s so rich and immersive, I legitimately get angry at other movies for not trying as hard, or giving as much effort. Same goes for the visuals. The cinematography, set design, etc. It’s beautiful to look at. It’s a colorful visually dense world they’ve built, and I really enjoyed spending nearly three hours inside of it.

Even for the somewhat long runtime, this screenplay is tight and well-constructed. It moves briskly with a flow and momentum that makes the near three hours just fly by. The brief bits of dialogue feel meaningful, making the actual action scenes matter. The skillful writing here works so well, because no scenes or sequences are half-assed. Each scene sets up the next, and builds upon what came before. But, it never forgets the emotional hooks that made the previous films so well-made. It comes back around to the stakes of the first film, making that a core focus of Wick’s arc. The mechanics of storytelling are so finely tuned here, it’s honestly shocking how well-written this is compared to other higher-tier franchises. It would’ve been easy to rely on the action sequences, and coast through everything else. But, the writers showed up.

These action scenes are astonishing. Impressive stunt-work throughout (including one sequence towards the end that might be one of the most impressive stunts I’ve ever seen). Like, these sequences build on each other, adding new wrinkles to the action, new POVs, new stakes. So much so, that it never feels repetitive. Take, for instance, the final hour of the movie, taking place entirely in Paris. We have these locations that add new obstacles to the action. We start out on a street corner, which transitions to a jaw-dropping sequence at the Arc de Triomphe, which leads to a scene in an abandoned building that’s fu*king insane, which crescendos with a sequence on the Montmarte stairs that must be seen to be believed. It’s this ever-escalating roller coaster ride that just builds in intensity. This all leads to an absolute stunner of a climax that wraps up the film in such a ballsy distinct way, I had to applaud it.

Are there quibbles and complaints? Ehhh... Probably, but who gives a fu*k? If the audience is invested, if we’re made to care, if we are engaged, it doesn’t matter. 2023 has its first great movie. And, it’s “John Wick: Chapter 4”. I love this movie. Completely and totally. This is a new high-bar for action filmmaking that’ll take some time to be cleared. The effort, the energy, the inventiveness, the imagination, etc. It’s all there. And, you’d be foolish to miss this on the big screen. See this at your earliest convenience. This is the best movie of 2023 thus far. EASILY.

Cool.

I just cant do john wick series.Its just to unrealistic to me.I could see if he was going against civilians but man is unkillable vs trained a*sassins/killers from what I saw.Didn't see 3 or 4tho.

After seeing that 1 scene with 15 trained k*llers on the steps and john at the bottom and they literally all wait 1 by 1 to die and they got guns and they literally see him first I was like nah.

I tried watching 2 a few times.I might peep 4 and then go back if I like it.but hate skipping story lines.

1st movie was fire tho.

ddash said I just cant do john wick series.Its just to unrealistic to me.I could see if he was going against civilians but man is unkillable vs trained a*sassins/killers from what I saw.Didn't see 3 or 4tho. After seeing that 1 scene with 15 trained k*llers on the steps and john at the bottom and they literally all wait 1 by 1 to die and they got guns and they literally see him first I was like nah. I tried watching 2 a few times.I might peep 4 and then go back if I like it.but hate skipping story lines. 1st movie was fire tho.

I don't really care that much about realism, personally speaking. It's cinema. It's supposed to be a subjective vision, realism ain't as important as formalism.

DaOmega_1 said I don't really care that much about realism, personally speaking. It's cinema. It's supposed to be a subjective vision, realism ain't as important as formalism.

Yea I feel you but nah man he wasn't suppose to survive hella sh*t and that was to blatant to me.Like Neo I understand, but john nah lol.

Now I like the equalizer series a bit more due to the realism factor and possibility. But story wise and cinematic look wise its not on JW level.I love action flicks but was like aint no way with john wick.I watch about 1 movie a week and maybe 10 mins of tv a day so I aint no movie buff or care for movies like that but I might peep this on the weekend.

movie was amazing...so much detail involved, def want to see again...

donnie stole the show and marko zaror did great for his first big stateside movie...punches and kicks were so streamlined.


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This movie/universe is basically a video game. And in the 4th movie the final act literally turns into a video game.

This was a 15/10. I don't even think a video game could be this epic. The commitment to excellence from all parties involved, especially with Donnie and Keanu with the stunt team speaks volumes. If they don't win multiple awards it will be a shame, especially since Top Gun got nominations

ddash said Yea I feel you but nah man he wasn't suppose to survive hella sh*t and that was to blatant to me.Like Neo I understand, but john nah lol. Now I like the equalizer series a bit more due to the realism factor and possibility. But story wise and cinematic look wise its not on JW level.I love action flicks but was like aint not way with john wick.I watch about 1 movie a week and maybe 10 mins of tv a day so I aint no movie buff or care for movies like that but I might peep this on the weekend.

I guess I don't get how 2, 3, or 4 are anymore unrealistic than 1. In that first one, he's still portrayed as an unkillable badass. I think the established base level of realism isn't really violated in any of the other films, imo.

Rico23 said This movie/universe is basically a video game. And in the 4th movie the final act literally turns into a video game. This was a 15/10. I don't even think a video game could be this epic. The commitment to excellence from all parties involved, especially with Donnie and Keanu with the stunt team speaks volumes. If they don't win multiple awards it will be a shame, especially since Top Gun got nominations

This film is a very VERY strong case for the Oscars to FINALLY add a stunt category. Like, these stunts here are truly astonishing.

DaOmega_1 said This film is a very VERY strong case for the Oscars to FINALLY add a stunt category. Like, these stunts here are truly astonishing.

I want to know how long it took for Keanu to perfect that drifting stunt with 1 hand while holding the gun.

For everyone saying that it's not realistic enough, it really is. All of Keanu's f*ghts u can see him laboring and running out of steam. He always appears to be f*ghting on sheer will, determination, and adrenaline. It looks like how a person would look when they are leaving it all on the line, like Boxing/MMA or even like an MJ during the Flu Game etc.

The most underrated action segment was when Keanu "unlocked" the nunchuck ability. The "imperfections" were perfect. He wasn't trying to be Bruce Lee. sh*t he wasn't even trying to be Maxi (Soul Calibur fans iykyk). Everything about Japan and Paris was just perfection.

I can't wait to see this at home. After a while my eyes started hurting and i got a headache cuz I didn't eat or drink anything cuz i didn't wanna miss a single second

Rico23 said I want to know how long it took for Keanu to perfect that drifting stunt with 1 hand while holding the gun. For everyone saying that it's not realistic enough, it really is. All of Keanu's f*ghts u can see him laboring and running out of steam. He always appears to be f*ghting on sheer will, determination, and adrenaline. It looks like how a person would look when they are leaving it all on the line, like Boxing/MMA or even like an MJ during the Flu Game etc. The most underrated action segment was when Keanu "unlocked" the nunchuck ability. The "imperfections" were perfect. He wasn't trying to be Bruce. sh*t he wasn't even trying to be Maxi (Soul Calibur fans iukyk). Everything about Japan and Paris was just perfection. I can't wait to see this at home. After a while my eyes started hurting and i got a headache cuz I didn't eat or drink anything cuz i didn't wanna miss a single second

Oh, Maxi was always my main in SC2.

There was a desperation with how Reeves approached each f*ght that made it so believable. Didn't seem like someone in control at all. Felt like someone being forced to improvise. I love that element of it. He always seems outgunned, but pulls through based on a sheer refusal to lose. I love that you can see his "HP" decreasing throughout the whole movie.

DaOmega_1 said Oh, Maxi was always my main in SC2. There was a desperation with how Reeves approached each f*ght that made it so believable. Didn't seem like someone in control at all. Felt like someone being forced to improvise. I love that element of it. He always seems outgunned, but pulls through based on a sheer refusal to lose. I love that you can see his "HP" decreasing throughout the whole movie.

You honestly should talk more about the cinematography in your review, especially with the contrast between Wick and Skarsgard. His character set pieces and sceney were amazing and didn't even have any thing to do with action. The scene in the Museum, which was probably a spare house, juxtaposed to the art and Ian Mcshane chewing up the scene was gold. The villain and his set pieces were a character as well. Impeccably dressed, u fathomable wealth (especially the scene were he meets Mr Nobody and takes his "pound of flesh".. with the knife...that definitely needs to be highlighted. It was literally like how every character from a Street f*ghter/Soul Calibur/MK game have elaborate sets and unique f*ghting stages based off individual characters

Everything about him was bright, bold, and rich. Everything about Wick was dark and gritty. Outside of the opening (which essentially was the ending of part 3) i don't think they showed JW in the light until that sunrise and . And obviously u don't need to be a film Major to understand the significance of the church stair f*ght (Dante's inferno) and the duel.

Also i wanna take time out to tell ppl that if you saw Keanu's 2013 movie "Man of Tai Chi" u can see the path that led him to these Wick movies and ultimately this 4th one.

I hope ppl go back and revisit that one, for all the ppl who complain about realism

why wont someone just shoot him in the head?

Rico23 said You honestly should talk more about the cinematography in your review, especially with the contrast between Wick and Skarsgard. His character set pieces and sceney were amazing and didn't even have any thing to do with action. The scene in the Museum, which was probably a spare house, juxtaposed to the art and Ian Mcshane chewing up the scene was gold. The villain and his set pieces were a character as well. Impeccably dressed, u fathomable wealth (especially the scene were he meets Mr Nobody and takes his "pound of flesh".. with the knife...that definitely needs to be highlighted. It was literally like how every character from a Street f*ghter/Soul Calibur/MK game have elaborate sets and unique f*ghting stages based off individual characters Everything about him was bright, bold, and rich. Everything about Wick was dark and gritty. Outside of the opening (which essentially was the ending of part 3) i don't think they showed JW in the light until that sunrise and . And obviously u don't need to be a film Major to understand the significance of the church stair f*ght (Dante's inferno) and the duel.

Y'know, I definitely could write an entire separate review on just the cinematography alone. This thing is GORGEOUS. I guess it figures, since the cinematographer is Guillermo Del Toro's regular go-to DP.

I loved that museum scene. Particularly, the long shot of McShane just walking in one long unbroken tracking shot. Ballsy filmmaking that reveals a lot about both Winston and the Marquis. Just that one shot tells a story.

I think the parallels are important here. Showing the high table vs those under the table conjures thoughts of a class struggle, and a conflict between the workers and the corporate interests. It's a lot of really strong imagery, metaphor, and visual ideas throughout.

droid3000 said why wont someone just shoot him in the head?

They tried. They either missed or Wick pulled his bulletproof suit jacket over to avoid getting hit.

I think you can ask this question about every movie.

Always appreciate the reviews! Props

droid3000 said why wont someone just shoot him in the head?

Kept his head covered most of the time, plus, if that happened wouldn’t be much of a movie series right?

xratede said Kept his head covered most of the time, plus, if that happened wouldn’t be much of a movie series right?

I mean, this is a movie. Idk why we're complaining that gunplay isn't exactly realistic.

Similar to the fast & the furious series, i liked it when things were relatively closer to the ground. Yeah, u have anywhere but up to go if u successful, but raising the stakes again and again leaves the whole thing unenjoyable for me cuz i can no longer relate to it. I can resonate with his need to seek revenge. But before you know it theres this godly being out in the sands that is so important in this world, we are being told that we should revere him too. Nah b

Felt too long and some of the action sequences bordered on the absurd (stairs). Way too much deus ex machina. Left me feeling like they were forcing the idea that he was invincible.

DaOmega_1

Do you put your reviews on YouTube?

Blafy said DaOmega_1 Do you put your reviews on YouTube?

Not yet.

I've been thinking about doing a podcast. I even have a few test recordings.

DaOmega_1 said Not yet. I've been thinking about doing a podcast. I even have a few test recordings.

Oh nice, that’s cool

You can read some of your reviews and talk about the movie too, I know just straight reading it will be boring

master fu*king piece