John Wick Chapter 4 Movie Review: Keanu Reeves Impresses for the Fourth Time in This High-Adrenaline Actioner with Masterful Stuntwork! (LatestLY Exclusive)

John Wick Chapter 4 Movie Review: What an incredible journey the John Wick franchise has taken! Starting with a film that gained a cult following before becoming the juggernaut that it is now, each entry of Keanu Reeves-led action franchise have always attempted to outdo the previous one when it comes to fights and stunts. With John Wick: Chapter 4, to no one's surprise, the team has outdone themselves again with a film so relentlessly hell-bent on entertaining you that you will be left exhausted by the end in the best possible way. John Wick-Chapter 4: Keanu Reeves Pays Tribute to Lance Reddick, Cast Members Honour Late Co-star by Wearing Blue Pins at Film's Premiere.

John Wick: Chapter 4, directed by Chad Stahelski, picks up a few months after the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. When we last saw John, he had been betrayed by his best friend and was wounded, battered and left for dead. Now, he is ready for vengeance as he takes the fight to the High Table, putting him on a path that will put him at odds with friends from the past and enemies from the future.

I was nervous going into John Wick: Chapter 4. Was a little disappointed with how John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum ended because I felt the story should have concluded there, instead we got a set up for another movie. The story was spread out thin, and there was a heavy reliance on action there. That's why the most satisfying aspect of John Wick: Chapter 4 is how it gets around that complaint and tells a more satisfying story.

This is the story of a man who is completely exhausted. John looks miserable here, and one gets the impression that he simply wants to walk out of it all. There are times when he appears to be done with a fight, and Keanu does a good job of conveying that emotion. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a hardened killer, though. Keanu still delivers a "yeah" with the weight of the entire world behind him, and he has that great feeling of a stoic '80s action star behind him that is all the more apparent in this film.

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Donnie Yen's Caine, a blind killer hired by the High Table to assassinate John, joins Keanu. He and John have a history, and it's a sight to behold when they clash. Yen's physicality is so cool that it reminded me of his role as Chirrut in Rogue One, who was aesthetically similar to Caine. Ian McShane’s Winston returns alongside Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, and they are a treat to watch. Hiroyuki Sanada plays Shimazu Koji, and he completely nails the one action sequence he gets. The late and great Lance Reddick who plays the series' regular Charon, however, is a bit underutilised, but he gets his moment to shine.

Bill Skarsgard's Marquis Vincent de Gramont, a powerful member of the high table, is a notable antagonist. He is a brash and arrogant figure who, at the end of the day, is a coward, and you will love hating him. If there is one underwhelming character in John Wick: Chapter 4, it is Shamier Anderson's Tracker/Mr Nobody, a bounty hunter on Wicks' trail and whose presence didn't add much to the overall story. He gets some cool action scenes and has a dog that kills people, but he doesn't add much to the already-packed plot.

But you don't go to a John Wick film for the story; you go for the action, which is the franchise's bread and butter, and John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers big time. Chad Stahelski has essentially directed his magnum opus with this film. It's a masterclass in building up to a perfect needle drop, which has long been lacking in action films (or at least action movies that aren’t Mission: Impossible).

The best comparison to describe the scope here would be the jump from The Raid: Redemption to The Raid 2. Stahelski and his team refine the fight-stance of gun-fu, resulting in some of the most energetic action set-pieces I've seen on the big screen. Every hit and head shot lands and you can feel it. From a neon-soaked bloodbath in Osaka to a high-speed car chase in Paris that culminates in a fight on a flight of stairs, I was completely spent and still yearned for more.

Everything is handled and shot with such care that it feels impactful. This is by far the best-looking John Wick film with cinematographer Dan Laustsen doing an outstanding job. One fight in particular, which took place in a run-down building, was shot in one take and from the top down - it's such an impressive way of showcasing the carnage unfolding on-screen. Tyler Bates and Joel J Richard's pumping score adds to the overall effect. John Wick Chapter 4: Throwback! Looking Back at 7 Best Fight Scenes in Keanu Reeves' Action Franchise (Watch Videos).

John Wick: Chapter 4 possibly has the best pacing I've seen for a nearly three-hour film as well. I had some issues with the movie's opening where it jumps from one location to another, but once you get past that, you won't notice the runtime at all. It's like drinking a shot of espresso and watching time fly by.

Yay!

The Action

Cinematography

Music

Characters and Pace

Nay!

Mr Nobody’s Role in the Movie

The Opening is a Bit Choppy

Final Thoughts

John Wick: Chapter 4 does for grounded street level action films what Mission: Impossible - Fallout did for the massive spectacles in 2018. It's a masterclass in action filmmaking and stuntwork that delivers one fantastic set-piece after another with only one goal in mind: to enthrall you. This movie is something we will talk about for a long time. John Wick: Chapter 4 from Lionsgate Pictures releases in theatres on March 24, 2023.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 23, 2023 02:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).