John Wick: Chapter 4

Chad Stahelski may have bitten off more than he can chew when he tries to build a world and mythology around John Wick, because he's not very good at it. But all those clumsy attempts at worldbuilding are forgivable when it comes to action. The fourth John Wick is crammed with great shootouts and fights that once again show Hollywood that the action genre is far from having the last word, and that when the right people get their hands on it, the result is breathtaking, and you don't even notice that it's three hours long. In terms of action, John Wick stands at the absolute cinematic pinnacle. It may handle the in-between scenes a lot worse, but nobody goes to the movies to see this franchise for that filler anyway. (03/22/2023)

Nearly ten years of Wick's revenge for his killed dog and destroyed car have flown by. The huge mythology revolving around the rules and the code of assassins slowly swells, but as glue for fantastic action scenes it is enough. As a result, Keanu Reeves will not be remembered as Neo, but as the "loving husband" of John Wick. The climactic sequences at the Arc de Triomphe and the Osaka Massacre will one day be in the textbooks. The scenes with my favourite nunchucks really put a smile on my face. Donnie Yen relishes Cain to the full, and Reddick's last scene in the film gives me chills. Awesome. (04/04/2023)

The best action franchise ever, now it is clear. But the fourth entry is three hours long? Of course, every action scene lasts like thirty minutes, and there are plenty of them. I've never really seen anything like it, let alone in the cinema, and I don't think I ever will again, unless they make Chapter 5. Chad Stahelski uses everything he has taught himself and John Wick in previous episodes, putting new obstacles in his path and forcing him to find new solutions. But most important of all, the story that connects the horribly grotesque slaughter is not stupid. The opening reference to Lawrence of Arabia is more of a joke, but after a while we get to the "Leone-like" clockwork and a sense that although the bad guys will die by the hundreds again, it will end up in a one-on-one duel like in a western. John Wick works his way up to it in a Bond-like globetrotting way, and in the interesting company of assassins who, though at his throat, are so well written and motivated that you actually root for them too. The story also puts a lot of emphasis on different forms of friendship, and I like that. If this film is the end of Wick's journey, he couldn't have asked for a better ending. (04/09/2023)

As a full-fledged film with a meaningful and meaty plot, it's pretty lame, but as an fully devoted fanservice full of fantastic action sequences and eye candy gadgets, it delivers exactly what die-hard fans expect. Whether it's a passage from Japan, Berlin or Paris, all is world-class level, with amazing production design, lightning and, of course, the stunt work and the choreography of the fights. A superb Scott Adkins, a charismatic Donnie Yen and of course Reeves, who doesn't say much, but fights with all his heart. (04/30/2023)

Will the bulletproof man deliver, or will he end up being just an Air Wick to freshen up the air near a rotting body? It’s as certain as the fact that Zatoichi Donnie Yen can’t step in manure because he can’t see the shit. The dawn over Paris and the opulent, unyielding environments are more artificial than Ian McShane’s dentures. The descent down the stairs on Rue Foyatier feels more like a joke, similar to the Kevlar umbrella of the tailor Fishburne. Stereotypes are usually soothing, but I’m starting to get fed up with this self-absorbed, mythical vengeance nonsense. I don’t believe in the ending, not at all. Loving husbands don’t die, just like profitable business ventures. (04/02/2024)