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Welcome back, Mr. Wick. Four years after " John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum ," director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves have returned to theaters with "John Wick: Chapter 4," a film that was supposed to hit theaters almost two full years ago. Trust me. It was worth the wait. Stahelski and writers Shay Hatten and Michael Finch have distilled the mythology-heavy approach of the last couple chapters with the streamlined action of the first film, resulting in a final hour here that stands among the best of the genre. 

"John Wick: Chapter 4" opens with its title character (Reeves) on the run again as the villainous Powers That Be known as the High Table get in his way. The main villain of the series is the Marquis de Gramont ( Bill Skarsgård ), a leader of the High Table who keeps raising the bounty on Wick's head while he also cleans up the messes left behind, including potentially eliminating Winston Scott ( Ian McShane ) and his part of this nefarious organization. The opening scenes take Wick to Japan, where he seeks help from the head of the Osaka Continental, Shimazu ( Hiroyuki Sanada ), and runs afoul of a blind High Table assassin named Caine (the badass Donnie Yen ). Laurence Fishburne pops up now and then as Wick's Q when the killer needs a new bulletproof suit, and Shamier Anderson plays an assassin who seems to be waiting for the price on Wick's head to hit the right level for him to get his payday. More than the last couple of films, the plot here, despite the movie's epic runtime (169 minutes), feels refreshingly focused again. Here's John Wick. Here are the bad guys. Go!

And go they do. Stahelski and his team construct action sequences in a manner that somehow feels both urgent and artistically choreographed at the same time. Filmmakers who over-think their shoot-outs often land on a tone that feels distant, lacking in stakes, and feeling more stylish than substantial. The great action directors figure out how to film combat in a way that doesn't sacrifice tension for showmanship. The action sequences in "John Wick: Chapter 4" are long battles, gun-fu shoot-outs between John and dozens of people who underestimate him, but they have so much momentum that they don't overstay their welcome. 

They also have wonderfully defined stakes. At one point in the film, John and an enemy decide on the parameters of a battle, including time, weapons, and variables. But this is really true of all the major action scenes, in which we very clearly understand what John needs to do and who he needs to go through to "finish the level." The simplicity of objectives allows for complex choreography. We know what needs to happen for John to keep pushing forward as he has since the beginning of the first film. So much modern action is cluttered with characters or muddled objectives, but the "Wick" films have such brilliant clarity of intention that they can then have fun within those simple constructs.

So much fun. The choreography of the action here can be simply breathtaking. I loved how often the world goes on around Wick and his unfortunate combatants. In a sequence that would be the best in almost any other recent action movie (but is like 3 rd or 4 th here), Wick has to battle a makeup-covered Scott Adkins and his army of unlucky idiots in a crowded nightclub. The dancers barely notice. They sometimes part a little bit to let them through, but they don't stop and stare. With water pouring into the club, the writhing, and dancing bodies make for such a visually inventive backdrop. Later, in one of my favorite action sequences of all time, Wick and his predators battle in the traffic circle around the Arc de Triomphe. The cars don't stop. In fact, it feels like they speed up. As shots ring out in the streets in this film, no one opens the window to see what the hell is going on. The world outside of Wick and the mythology of this world almost feels like they can't even see the legendary assassin and the hundred or so people he ends up killing. It's a fascinating, visually striking choice.

And then there's what I would call Action Geography. So many people have tried to mimic the frenetic approach of the "Bourne" movies, and the results have often been more incoherent than not. The amazing cinematographer Dan Laustsen (a regular Guillermo del Toro collaborator on " The Shape of Water ," " Nightmare Alley ," and more) works with Stahelski to make sure the action here is clean and brutal, never confusing. The stunt work is phenomenal, and, again, the shoot-outs have the feel of dance choreography more than the bland plot-pushing of so many studio films. There's just so much grace and ingenuity whenever Wick goes to work. 

Of course, a great cast helps too. Reeves might have fewer lines in this movie than any so far in the franchise, but he completely sells Wick's commitment while also imbuing him with emotional exhaustion that adds more gravity to this chapter. The vengeful Wick of the first film is a different one than the survivor three movies later, and Reeves knows exactly what this character needs. So many performers would add unnecessary touches to a character that's already this popular, but Reeves is smart about streamlining this performance to fit the film around him. It also allows for a few supporters to shine in different performance registers, especially Yen and Anderson. The legendary Yen is fantastic here, not just in combat but the moments in between. Most people who know who Donnie Yen is won't be surprised to hear that he fits in here perfectly, but he's even better than you expect. Anderson also gives a fun performance as a man who just seems to be a mercenary waiting for the right price, but fans of the series will note from the beginning that this badass has a dog, and this universe values puppies and people who love them.

The only minor flaw in Wick's armor here is a bit of narrative self-indulgence. There are a few scenes, especially early, when it feels like a beat is going on a bit too long, and I do think there's a slightly tighter (if you can say 150 minutes would be tight) version of this film that's simply perfect.

Fans won't care. Much has been made of what brings people out to theaters in the post-pandemic, streaming-heavy world, and this is a movie that should be seen with a cheering, excited crowd. It has that contagious energy we love in action films—a whole room of people marveling at the ingenuity and intensity of what's unfolding in front of them. It's a movie that's meant to be watched loud and big. John Wick has fought hard for it.

This review was filed from the North American premiere at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival. "John Wick: Chapter 4" opens on March 24 th .

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

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Film Credits

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

169 minutes

Keanu Reeves as John Wick

Donnie Yen as Caine

Ian McShane as Winston

Bill Skarsgård as Marquis de Gramont

Laurence Fishburne as Bowery King

Clancy Brown as The Harbinger

Hiroyuki Sanada as Shimazu

Lance Reddick as Charon

Shamier Anderson as Tracker

Rina Sawayama as Akira

Scott Adkins as Killa

Marko Zaror as Chidi

Natalia Tena as Katia

George Georgiou as The Elder

• Chad Stahelski

Writer (based on characters created by)

• Derek Kolstad
• Shay Hatten
• Michael Finch

Cinematographer

• Dan Laustsen
• Evan Schiff
• Tyler Bates
• Joel J. Richard

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• Movie Review

John Wick: Chapter 4 is unrelenting in every sense of the word

John wick 4 is a supersized all-you-can-eat buffet of the franchise’s signature dishes: bullet-riddled revenge, teeth-chattering action sequences, and gossamer-thin characters..

By Charles Pulliam-Moore , a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years.

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Lionsgate’s John Wick movies have always been over-the-top action / thriller joyrides more focused on dazzling you with visceral, expertly choreographed action sequences than trying to tell the most coherent stories about stylish assassins . Director Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4 is no exception. And it abundantly delivers on the franchise’s hallmarks — snazzy guns, lovable dogs, and one very haggard man in black — by picking up right where 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum left off.

Were this just any old chapter in the John Wick saga, it’d be fair to call the newest film slightly above average compared to its predecessors — and a testament to how far the franchise has come. But John Wick: Chapter 4 wants to be as monumental and seminal as it is bombastic — aspirations that the feature doesn’t quite manage to achieve despite giving it its best shot.

After three films of simply wanting to be left the hell alone, then wanting revenge, wanting to be left alone some more, and then being forced to go on the run, dog-loving widower and super-assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is tired but still very intent on making sure that the High Table gets what’s coming to it for trying to kill him. John Wick: Chapter 4 presumes Parabellum is still fresh in your mind as it immediately drops you right back into Wick’s jet-setting life of journeying to far-off places and popping off as many shots as it takes until his various targets are chock full of bullet wounds and quite dead.

With Wick still running around the world and demolishing virtually every single person who crosses his path, the High Table’s powers that be have every reason to be scared that he’ll find them and put them in the ground. That fear is what pushes the shadowy organization to start making the bold changes that set John Wick: Chapter 4 ’s story in motion.

Though John Wick’s just a man, Chapter 4 leans into the idea of him being the man (in black) — an assassin so clad in plot armor that he simply can’t be killed by conventional means or by following the ancient rules that made the High Table into the thriving operation that it is.

The Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård) isn’t just another trained killer gunner for Wick’s head. He’s a high-ranking High Table member who speaks for the entire organization when he lets Wick’s longtime allies Winston Scott (Ian McShane) and Charon (Lance Reddick) know that their ties to him will bring nothing but ruin into their lives. But John Wick: Chapter 4 also frames the Marquis as the High Table’s destructive arbiter of change — an embodiment of the future clashing with the past — and the existential fear he elicits in his fellow killers is one of the more interesting elements of the film.

The Marquis also gives Wick a singular convenient target to focus on as he works toward making the High Table pay for what it’s done to him and giving him back his freedom. But between Wick and the Marquis are hundreds, if not thousands, of trained killers, like blind swordsman Caine (Donnie Yen) dead set on collecting the ever-increasing bounty looming over the excommunicado-ed man’s head.

When Chapter 4 ’s purely focused on detailing how Wick methodically mows down his pursuers, you can feel just how in their elements stuntman-turned-director Stahelski and Reeves are. But in its many moments where the movie’s either building up to or cooling down from its big set pieces, there’s both a wobbliness and a narrative thinness that ends up highlighting how overlong and somewhat repetitive Chapter 4 ultimately feels.

While Chapter 4 does eventually pit Wick against the Marquis, it’s only after the former goes on a globe-trekking journey to get all the right tools and make the right alliances to be able to challenge the High Table head-on. Wick’s quest takes him to a Japanese branch of the Continental run by series newcomers Koji Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada) and his daughter Akira (Rina Sawayama) — neither of whom know what to make of the mysterious Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson), a notebook-toting tracker who travels with a German shepherd.

Because Chapter 4 ’s really about contemplating the future, and because the movie couldn’t just be about Wick taking on the world, all of the new faces are welcome additions. Both Sawayama and Anderson are captivating as two of the movie’s most distinct, personality-forward fighters who — because of their charisma and solid acting choices — stand out in sprawling fight sequences overstuffed with large groups of stunt performers brawling. But John Wick: Chapter 4 spends so much of its 169-minute runtime focused on Wick doing things we’ve seen him do a few times over at this point that few of the movie’s characters end up feeling like real people.

The John Wick movies are about action first, character second, and plot maybe fourth, after tailored suits, but there is so little depth to a lot of the Shay Hatten and Michael Finch script that even John Wick himself sometimes comes across as if he isn’t sure why he’s fighting or how he feels about it. As with the previous John Wick movies, Chapter 4 ’s prolonged fight scenes are kinetic, brutally beautiful odes to the art of stunt work, and each feels crafted with diehard fans of the franchise in mind. But the film’s approach to fan service — letting less action-filled scenes run more than a bit too long and making sure that almost every one of its background fistfights gets ample screen time — has the effect of making John Wick: Chapter 4 feel needlessly drawn out.

The ability of the John Wick movies to make you feel the blows as you watch Wick take and dole out beatings is one of the more impressive things about them, and it’s something Chapter 4 ’s able to do well to a point. But the movie is so chock full of battles that feel like they were stuffed into the movie to make it bigger that they start to mean less as the story unfolds and the body count rises.

The movie’s length also has an interesting way of emphasizing just how little John Wick actually says, which has a curious way of making him seem a bit checked out and disengaged from the people around him, who all speak almost exclusively in grim aphorisms. But Reeves’ aloof deadpan does work as a counterbalance to Chapter 4 ’s forays into goofy physical comedy. Some of them work, like a scene involving Wick fighting his way up a flight of stairs and then falling back down it. But others, like Wick’s fight with an obese High Table head from Germany named Killa (portrayed by Scott Adkins in a fat suit), do not — and come across as cringe at best, mean-spirited at worst.

John Wick: Chapter 4 isn’t a movie you casually sit down to watch apropos of nothing. It’s a commitment, both in terms of how long it is and in how invested you really have to be in the idea of John Wick for the film to be engaging. To its credit, John Wick: Chapter 4 does an admirable job of leaving open possibilities for a future filled with stories of some of the movie’s new supporting characters. It comes as a pleasant surprise given how much time this story spends trying to remind you that Wick is the baddest man in town.

John Wick: Chapter 4 also stars Laurence Fishburne, Clancy Brown, Natalia Tena, Marko Zaror, Bridget Moynahan, and George Georgiou. The movie hits theaters on March 24th.

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‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review: Keanu Reeves in a Three-Hour Action Epic That’s Like a Spaghetti Western Meets John Woo in Times Square

It's conceived as a knowingly overstuffed gift to "John Wick" fans, and on that level it succeeds.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

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What no one could have anticipated is how well the counterintuitive casting worked. Reeves, an actor who even at his most stoic can’t hide his innate likability, was warmer than the role called for — and that’s just what made it connect. His John Wick was a savage badass looking into the abyss…with a quiver of decency. He started off as a noirish antihero, but with each film the series grew more grandiose, as Wick, his name a reference to his short fuse (but it’s also short for “wicked”), got elevated into a kind of superhero. He didn’t have unearthly powers, but he had the quality of invincibility, which is the only superpower you need. “John Wick: Chapter 2” and “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum” were styled as pulp revels, built around action set pieces that were now knowingly and gloriously over-the-top. It almost didn’t matter if the plot and dialogue were cut-rate. The fans experienced those scenes like drugs.

“John Wick: Chapter 4” is 2 hours and 49 minutes long, but it has a story that, if it were told more briskly, could fit into an 83-minute potboiler that you might have seen in a grindhouse in 1977. Yet the way that Chad Stahelski , the series’ stuntman-turned-director, has staged it, full of hushed, portentous, ritualistic verbal showdowns that are meant to be hypnotic as they build up to each new action scene, “Chapter 4” feels like the first “John Wick” movie that wants to be a Clint Eastwood spaghetti Western. It’s like Sergio Leone crossed with John Woo as seen in Times Square.

The film completes the series’ cosmology with an elemental revenge-meets-liberation plot. Wick is still chained to his obligation to the High Table, the shadow-world consortium that controls…everything. Because of the high crime he committed at the Continental Hotel (a strict breach of High Table law), it’s as if he’s now under lifetime contract to the devil. But the devil has a face: It’s the Marquis de Gramont, a fascist preppie played by the baby-faced Bill Skarsgård (who’s like the young Matt Damon or Stephen Dorff as the world’s most entitled rich kid). And there’s a way out of the contract. Wick can challenge the Marquis to a duel to the death, which will take place at sunrise in front of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris.

Is “Chapter 4” too long? You bet it is. At moments, it’s like the action film as liturgical church service. Yet the movie is conceived as a knowingly overstuffed gift to “John Wick” fans, and on that level it succeeds. The Marquis keeps trying to assassinate Wick before the morning of the duel, and this results in several delectable fight sequences. One is set in the middle of the speeding centrifugal traffic that surrounds the Arc de Triomphe, one is shot thrillingly from an overhead doll’s-house view, and then there’s the spectacular climax, which unfolds on the Rue Foyatier in Montmartre, the 222-step stairway that leads to the Basilica. With Wick spinning into action (and, at one point, rolling down the entire flight), it becomes an exhilarating stairway to hell, one that winds up delivering John Wick to the gratifying karmic destination he has spent this series earning.

Reviewed at AMC Lincoln Square, March 8, 2023. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 169 MIN.

• Production: A Lionsgate release of a Summit Entertainment, Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Productions production. Producers: Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Chad Stahelski. Executive producers: Keanu Reeves, Louise Rosner, David Leitch, Michael Paseornek.
• Crew: Director: Chad Stahelski. Screenplay: Shay Hatten, Michael French. Camera: Dan Laustsen. Editor: Nathan Orloff. Music: Tyler Bates, Joel J. Richard.
• With: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown, Ian McShane, Marko Zazor, Natalia Tena.

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‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review: The Best Action Blockbuster Since ‘Fury Road’

Rafael motamayor.

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The “John Wick” franchise has evolved from a small-scale tale of revenge for the death of a wife and the killing of a do  to a globe-trotting epic that spans continents, dozens of characters, and an intricate mythology. In its fourth chapter, director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves bring this franchise back to its roots while expanding the world and the story to bigger and bolder places. The result is not only the best movie in the franchise, but the best American action blockbuster since George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

After going to war with essentially the entire world, and causing the deaths of hundreds of people, “Chapter 4” finally starts pondering the question of just how far John Wick is willing to go for revenge, how many people close to him he’s willing to endanger, and whether it was all worth it. At this point, this is no longer about the killing of his wife and dog, it’s about burning down a system that always resented Wick for abandoning it.

The problem is that now, John Wick’s friends and acquaintances are paying the price of his little insurrection. This starts with the closure and then destruction of the Continental Hotel by the enigmatic High Table, who have now resorted to hiring The Marquis. This is Bill Skarsgård doing his best French Joker, playing the Marquis as a ruthless, often hilarious, always chaotic and intelligent villain.

Like with every film in the series, “ John Wick: Chapter 4 ” adds to its ludicrously complex mythology, introducing new rules to the High Table’s command, new sections of the franchise’s secret world of assassins, and new unique characters. There’s Shamier Anderson’s Mr. Nobody, a tracker who knows exactly where John Wick will be next but waits patiently until his bounty is large enough to be worth it to him, and who is always accompanied by a faithful (and scene-stealer) German Shepherd. While the film goes bigger in scope, it also manages to stay fairly grounded in the idea of relationships, focusing on John Wick and his allies and friends, such as Winston — who take on a larger role this time around — or Wick’s former friend, Caine.

Caine is the best character in the film, with Donnie Yen bringing his martial arts superstardom to the “John Wick” universe with an intimidating yet charismatic blind assassin with a similar backstory to Wick, who is forced to hunt him at the request of the High Table. Even when he’s not fighting, Yen steals every scene he’s in, even by just slurping on noodles while his henchmen die all around him, or when he uses Wifi-controlled doorbells to track his enemies.

Creator Derek Kolstad steps down as the screenwriter of the film, leaving scribe duties entirely to the co-writer of the previous entry in the franchise, Shay Hatten, as well as Michael Finch. Despite the long running time, “John Wick: Chapter 4” has impeccable pacing. It never drags, but feels tightly focused, and manages to develop even the new supporting cast, like Rina Sawayama’s assassin Akira — a standout — or Scott Adkins having the time of his life as a German assassin covered in heavy prosthetics. It also helps that this chapter in the story is almost non-stop action, having each of the film’s three acts revolving around breathtaking set piece after breathtaking set piece — each with its own enemies, weapons, and sets.

Indeed, the best way to describe “John Wick: Chapter 4” is that it often feels like watching “Mad Max: Fury Road” and marveling at how they pulled that movie off without killing half the crew. As mentioned, each set takes advantage of the different locations and crews to deliver wholly unique fight scenes, and like in every movie of the franchise, it continues to be a delight to see Keanu Reeves’ John Wick constantly be out of breath, knocked down, and then beaten up before he stands back up. The last arc, in particular, should be placed in the Louvre, with a fight in the middle of a transited Arc de Triomphe.

And yet, as cool as it is to see a vulnerable John Wick, he still needs a few gadgets. Clear among them, however, is his superpowered magical suit that seems to completely deflect bullets, which turns the characters into superheroes about as actually vulnerable as a cartoon character. It never stops being a bit too ridiculous to see these assassins cover their face with their suits and just not take any damage — just as John Wick is now apparently immune to pain from being hit by a car — but it is easy to let this slide when the action scenes are so good.

Returning cinematographer Dan Laustsen continues to really understand and utilize neon blues and reds, but he also gives us an incredible fight done as a one-liner with an overhead shot that makes the scene look like the “Hotline Miami” video game.

We’re four movies in, and about to get spin-offs. This is a movie that looks not forward toward some cash-grab sequel, but toward the past and how we got here. Whether he gets out alive or dead, John Wick has to start thinking about where this quest leads, where the road built on all the dead bodies he’s been laying in front of him leads. The answer is surprisingly meditative and poignant, one that makes this the most emotionally resonant movie of the franchise.

The “John Wick” saga has changed and evolved throughout the years, For this film, there is no denying how it has made Chad Stahelski one of our best action filmmakers, and how the franchise gave Keanu yet another career-redefining role. It’s been a wild ride, and one of the best and most consistent movie series ever. No matter where the roads lead, however, “I’m thinking John Wick is back.”

“John Wick: Chapter 4” premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival. Lionsgate will release it in theaters on Friday, March 24.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 Review

“rules and consequences”… heavy emphasis on rules..

John Wick Chapter 4 opens in theaters on March 24, 2023 (March 23 in Australia)

From the moment the Baba Yaga first dropped a gold coin in front of Charon at The Continental, the John Wick series established an instantly fascinating mythology: a global chessboard where an archaic code pits those of service to the villainous High Table against those looking to suplex 300-pound bodyguards through that very table. In Chapter 4 of this story, John Wick’s vendetta has forced the Table into open warfare, and it thrives on John’s acceptance of the fact that even he can’t win that war on his own. The rules and consequences the John Wick universe has taken such care to establish provide its fourth chapter a rock-solid structure that allows for director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves to stage an symphony of onscreen action, with every component driving to elevate the others. It is the longest John Wick movie. It is the most John Wick movie. And it is the best John Wick movie.

An early maneuver on John’s part forces the High Table past the point of no return: Wick must be made an example of, and that task falls to Bill Skarsgård’s very willing Marquis de Gramont. With Skarsgård, the John Wick universe gets its first supervillain. As the High Table’s emissary, he drips entitlement and hypocrisy with each very French-accented word he purrs. In contrast to Chapter 2’s Santino D’Antonio, whose primary leverage over John was personal (an unpaid blood debt), the sadist Marquis wields the authority of the High Table like a dandy Darth Vader, and the cruelties in which he indulges go a long way towards making him an ideal foil to John and his cohorts. The High Table bureaucracy has long hidden behind intermediaries like Winston (Ian McShane) and The Adjudicator, and Skarsgard does a great job of embodying the decadence and rot that permeates the organization with increasing severity the higher up the ladder you go.

John Wick 4: The Cast of the Action Sequel

Chapter 4 firmly cements John Wick as standing shoulder to shoulder with The Matrix’s Neo as part of Keanu Reeves’ nearly unparalleled action hero lineup. The raw-nerved rage of the freshly widowed Wick that wowed in the original movie has progressed into something even more deadly: resolve and focus. Reeves conveys these qualities with practiced restraint, so complete here that the occasional one-liners or subtly raised eyebrow come off as authentic to the character and not beholden to representing any cliches of the genre… sometimes if you bake your cake well enough, you get to eat it, too.

Reeves’ (not to mention Stahelski’s) contributions to The Matrix’s success can’t be overstated, but the Wick films have always felt like more personal celebrations of the actor’s dedication to the craft of highly choreographed action. The pure thrill of seeing John Wick’s continuing battle to reclaim his soul work so well is doubly gratifying when you consider it as the labor of love it clearly is for Reeves.

John Wick may be the namesake of the franchise, but his journey has increasingly emphasized the importance of social contracts and shared history. That investment fully blossoms with Chapter 4’s Murderer’s Row of John Wick characters. Winston, Charon (Lance Reddick), and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) serve as John’s counsel, and while Reddick and Fishburne’s presence is limited to only a few scenes, their impact is maximized thanks to those performers’ signature gravitas and command of their characters. Despite having shot John off the roof of the Continental at the end of Chapter 3 (something no one’s got any hard feelings over; that’s like accidentally tripping someone in this world) Winston continues in his role as a surrogate father to John, and McShane’s characteristic confidence both bolsters the myth of John Wick and maintains the Continental manager’s reputation of being the smoothest operator in the game.

Of all the excellent new additions to the cast, Donnie Yen’s Caine stands apart. An imposing antagonist introduced as a longtime contemporary of Wick’s, the blind assassin’s reluctance to enforce The Marquis’ orders without question echoes John’s rejection of his own call to “serve and be of service.” That parallel adds a surprising amount of empathy to their encounters, but it doesn’t keep Caine from going after John with everything he has. Yen’s affable demeanor and brutal efficiency give his flavor of the series’ “Gun Fu” a lightness and style all its own, and Caine’s wild ingenuity in battle leads to delightful, laugh-out-loud finishers.

What's your favorite John Wick movie leading up to Chapter 4?

Also in the mix is Shamier Anderson’s unnamed Tracker, an operative who bears the heavy burden of having a dog in a John Wick movie. Tracker’s shifting allegiances, combat skills, and close relationship to his canine companion provide a nice, simmering paranoia for Chapter 4 to employ when a wildcard is needed to spice up Wick’s progress. There’s also Klaus, and I just need to shout that dude out. I know two things about him: he’s a big boy and his name is Klaus. His involvement takes up less time than you’ve spent reading about him here, but I promise he’s both unmissable and unforgettable.

In an age of increased grumbling about films with two-plus-hour runtimes, Chapter 4’s roaring pace serves as a counter argument that proclaims movies should be as long as they need to be. Over the course of three Wick chapters, director Chad Stahelski has developed a keen sense of when to speed John through a room full of heavies with surgical precision and when to let him and those of us watching luxuriate in the carnage he can unleash in more intimate encounters. Stahelski’s attention to detail across every element of the action in Chapter 4 is appreciable, and well-communicated by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch’s script.

For instance, it’s established early on that the High Table forces that are now coming after John wear impenetrable body armor from head to toe – which yes, sounds like something out of a video game. But Stahelski pays that off through action, not dialogue, as the armored foes force Wick to adjust his traditional strategy of shooting people in whatever part of their body was asking for it most. I hope you came hungry for neck shots, because you’ll be leaving Chapter 4 well-fed. Similarly, the droll introduction of homemade incendiary rounds is established in a throwaway line of dialogue… one which will very likely instantly resurface in your mind the first time an unlucky thug gets obliterated by one. To call a movie that’s nearly three hours long “economical” may sound contradictory, but nothing established in Chapter 4 goes to waste.

The High Table’s lengthy siege of the Osaka Continental may just be the single best action sequence in the John Wick films to date – and this is a series that has already outdone nearly every other contender in that category. Stahelski balances multiple perspectives on the assault expertly, and sustains the momentum of each character’s efforts through the extended bloodbath. Chapter 3 gave us a taste of what happens when a Continental manager crosses the Table, but as Winston’s counterpart in cool, Hiroyuki Sanada’s Koji Shimazu faces their full wrath with unwavering conviction.

Stahelski uses Shimazu’s relationship with his daughter Akira (Rina Samayawa) to underline what morality looks like in a world full of killers, and Sanada is just as impressive in their tender father-daughter moments as he is with a blade in hand. What makes the Osaka sequence even more satisfying is how it reinforces Chapter 4’s friendship theme: Wick doesn’t try to escape the Table with any great speed or stealth; he’s going for maximum damage, and only because he knows that he’s responsible for bringing this mess to his friend’s doorstep. The action’s close tie to John’s interior condition is wonderfully demonstrated later in a sickeningly stressful chase and fight around the Arc de Triomphe, deployed when John is at his most harried. The most effective action sequences in films also reflect and reinforce character, and Chapter 4 never forgets that.

For a series which has always looked stylish as hell, Chapter 4 sets a new standard for production design and cinematography. Locations across Osaka, Paris, Berlin, and New York have distinctive architectural qualities which allow director of photography Dan Laustsen varied opportunities to wash characters in the series’ iconic candy-colored neon hues. The Osaka Continental’s hyper-modern light installations, Paris’ warm streetlamps, a Manhattan sunset cutting through a story-tall bank of shades in the Marquis’ office all give each movement of the story a quickly readable palette that bestows each city a unique visual identity and makes sure we always know exactly where John is. That’s all complimented by a punchy score from Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard, which traces Chapter 4’s movements from culture to culture and converses with the action in ways that alternatingly emphasize and undercut big moments to great effect.

It seemed like an impossible task, but the Baba Yaga has a history of delivering on those: John Wick: Chapter 4 stands above its predecessors – and the past decade’s worth of action films as a whole – as a modern epic, something Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski have been driving at since 2014. Wick’s world war is bursting at the seams with creative, thrillingly staged action choreography and cinematography, perfectly pitched performances from an outstanding and unforgettable cast of allies and villains heralded by a merciless Bill Skarsgård, all without losing its grip on the sensitivity that keeps John’s struggle for absolution at the heart of every bullet fired and every edged weapon swung. Slide Chapter 4 a gold coin across the table and see what happens when John Wick lands a perfect shot.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 First Reviews: The Best in the Franchise, with Epic Wall-to-Wall Action

Critics say the latest john wick adventure might be the best action film of the year, full of spectacular thrills, memorable supporting performances, and at least one set piece you won't forget..

Here’s what critics are saying about John Wick: Chapter 4 :

Where does it rank in the franchise?

John Wick: Chapter 4 outdoes its formidable predecessors in nearly every respect. –  Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

John Wick: Chapter 4 once again exceeds expectations. –  Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

It is the most John Wick movie. And it is the best John Wick movie. –  Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

John Wick: Chapter 4 takes cinema to the next level once again. –  Fred Topel, United Press International

There’s a strong argument to be made that it’s the best of the sequels. –  Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

It may not be consistent enough to rank as the franchise’s finest, but when it gets going, it cooks with gas. –  Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

In this gradual development and expansion of the Wickaverse, the filmmakers seem to have lost the thread of what makes the first and, at times, second film in the series work so well. –  Derek Smith, Slant Magazine

(Photo by ©Lionsgate)

Will it go down as one of the best action movies ever?

John Wick: Chapter 4 is one of the best modern American action films this side of a Mission: Impossible . –  Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

John Wick: Chapter 4 stands above… the past decade’s worth of action films as a whole. – Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

This fourth adventure — like those that preceded it — thrillingly and savagely slays its modern action competition. – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

John Wick: Chapter 4 is one of the best action movies of the past few years. –  JimmyO, JoBlo’s Movie Network

John Wick: Chapter 4 boasts truly innovative action — not only by the standards of the John Wick series, but also for all of cinema. – Fred Topel, United Press International

This is sure to become a highly rewatched, often quoted classic. –  Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex

What other movies could we compare it to?

John Wick: Chapter 4 feels like the first John Wick movie that wants to be a Clint Eastwood spaghetti Western. It’s like Sergio Leone crossed with John Woo. –  Owen Gleiberman, Variety

It fits in with the likes of Leone, Walter Hill, John Woo, and George Miller. – Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

It is near non-stop wall-to-wall combat, car chases, and shoot-outs on a level not seen since Mad Max: Fury Road . –  Karl Delossantos, Smash Cut Reviews

It’s the best American action blockbuster since George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road . –  Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire

(Photo by Murray Close/©Lionsgate)

Does Chad Stahelski outdo himself?

Chad Stahelski has once again delivered the goods and then some. –  Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

Director Chad Stahelski, who helmed all the previous films, and his formidable stunt team have outshone their previous work, and that’s saying something. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

John Wick: Chapter 4 strongly suggests that he is the finest Hollywood director of gun battles, fist fights, sword duels, and car chases working at the moment. –  Jacob Hall, Slashfilm

Throughout John Wick: Chapter 4 director Chad Stahelski has been flexing his directorial muscles with extended action scenes that have a visual style and cohesion that highlights how he’s become one of the best action filmmakers in the world. And then in the wild finale, Stahelski pulls out all the stops. –  Sean Mulvihill, Mulviews

Chad Stahelski lacks the showman’s instinct for building and payoff. –  Charles Bramesco, Guardian

So the action is good?

Stunt coordinator Scott Rogers makes a bombastic return, choreographing the most bonkers fight sequences ever to hit the silver screen. – Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

John… participates in perhaps the greatest action sequence of all time. – Karl Delossantos, Smash Cut Reviews

The action in John Wick: Chapter 4 is out of this world fantastic. – Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

Between the range of action we see, the creativity of the various settings and set pieces, and the way Reeves acts all through it, it’s a true wonder to behold. – Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

Every action scene in John Wick: Chapter 4 could be the climax of any other movie. There is no small fight in this movie. – Fred Topel, United Press International

The final hour of the film is essentially one large action scene, and one staged with such bravura skill and visual wit that it exposes the vast majority of American action direction as the lazy sham it is. – Jacob Hall, Slashfilm

Does it get a little ridiculous?

This is a nutso film packed with over-the-top characters, on-the-nose line readings, and skewed levels of plausibility that rival the Fast & Furious franchise. However, once again, this series stays true to itself. – Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

It is patently ridiculous and mostly very fun: the platonic ideal of a globe-hopping meatbag action thriller taken to its gloriously illogical extreme. –  Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly

The action in John Wick movies wouldn’t seem out of place in Looney Tunes . For Chapter 4 , the filmmakers seem in on the joke though as there’s a playfulness to the set pieces. –  Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

With a willingness to use slapstick in the middle of action beats, John Wick: Chapter 4 is maybe the funniest entry in the series. –  Brandon Zachary, CBR.com

Is there more to enjoy than just the action?

The secret weapon of the John Wick films has always been the emotion that fuels John… The fact that this latest film ends in such a character-focused way inspires awe of a different, incredibly welcome kind. – Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

Director Chad Stahelski and screenwriters Shay Hatten and Michael Finch carry through themes surrounding consequence and the passage of time while also strengthening them with added sentiments on absolution, fate, fidelity and friendship. –  Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

This is a movie that looks not forward toward some cash-grab sequel, but toward the past and how we got here… [It’s] the most emotionally resonant movie of the franchise. – Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire

How does the movie look?

This movie is gorgeous. It’s a symphony of violence, wonderfully captured by cinematographer Dan Lausten… Every shot of this film has something going on. – Aaron Neuwirth, We Live Entertainment

For a series which has always looked stylish as hell, Chapter 4 sets a new standard for production design and cinematography. – Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

Cinematographer Dan Laustsen’s lush visuals makes sure the film is dazzling to look at even when there isn’t any action happening. – Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

Through cinematographer Dan Laustsen’s lens, the saturated colorscape burns vivid and vibrant. He captures an incredibly seductive depth of field with the imagery, making the characters and action pop. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

What about Keanu Reeves’ performance?

Reeves truly continues to impress, seemingly getting better at this stuff with each franchise. –  Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily

Keanu Reeves continues his action-hero dominance with another incredibly physical, supernaturally charismatic performance that pushes the boundaries of what any actor should be willing to put themselves through but he seems to take great pleasure in with tremendous skill. – Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

Reeves does solid work bringing out flashes of humanity and exhaustion in the character, even as he dispatches untold numbers of enemies through plenty of amazing stunt work. – Brandon Zachary, CBR.com

Reeves might have fewer lines in this film than any so far in the franchise, but he completely sells Wick’s commitment while also imbuing him with emotional exhaustion that adds more gravity to this chapter. –  Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

How is the film’s villain?

Skarsgård builds depth and dimension into his ostentatious, arrogant, weaselly baddie. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

While Skarsgård’s Gramont is an arrogant upper-cruster who likes to hold court in the Louvre and the Paris Opera House, he’s more of a functional than unique villain. – Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

What lets Chapter 4 down is its central villain. Bill Skarsgård is entertaining… but there’s no development there. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Does anyone in the cast stand out?

Donnie Yen delivers such a physically witty and charismatic performance that you can’t wait for the inevitable spinoff. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

The legendary Donnie Yen gives a brilliant performance and effortlessly steals scenes as Caine. –  Simon Thompson, The Playlist

Honorable mention to Scott Adkins, whose scene-stealing turn as a purple-clad, poker-playing gangster with chrome-plated front teeth deserves its own spinoff. –  Brent Hankins, The Lamplight Review

Shamier Anderson, playing a new character… is destined to be a fan-favorite (and whose loyal dog nearly walks away with the movie). –  Jacob Hall, Slashfilm

Anderson steals the film during several scenes… It’s a star-making supporting role, and we would love to see him headline his own franchise in the near future. – Alan French, Sunshine State Cineplex

Rina Sawayama is an absolute firecracker in her film debut. – Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

Ian McShane and Lance Reddick are given their moments to shine. They both make a meal out of their screen time. –  Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

Will we feel the runtime?

At just hair under three hours, John Wick: Chapter 4 is indulgent for sure, but it’s earned the running time at this point. – Jacob Hall, Slashfilm

John Wick: Chapter 4 can certainly be accused of being too long. But I doubt many fans will be complaining. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Is Chapter 4 too long? You bet it is… yet the movie is conceived as a knowingly overstuffed gift to John Wick fans, and on that level it succeeds. –  Owen Gleiberman, Variety

In an age of increased grumbling about films with two-plus-hour runtimes, Chapter 4’ s roaring pace serves as a counter argument that proclaims movies should be as long as they need to be. – Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

Don’t let the length fool you; John Wick: Chapter 4 may be the most exhilarating two-hour and thirty-eight minutes you’ll spend in theaters this year. – JimmyO, JoBlo’s Movie Network

I do think there’s a slightly tighter (if you can say 150 minutes would be tight) version of this film that’s simply perfect. – Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

John Wick: Chapter 4 opens in theaters everywhere on March 24, 2023.

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'John Wick: Chapter 4' review: There's still plenty to love about Keanu Reeves' hard-luck hitman

“John Wick: Chapter 4” delivers on the ballet of bullets and fiesta of firearms you expect while also successfully showcasing the dynamic, reluctantly unretired title hitman as a real underdog.

And as the saying goes: This dog can hunt.

Keanu Reeves reteams with director Chad Stahelski for one of the better “Wick” films in the consistently impressive action franchise. The hard-luck antihero again battles fellow assassins and ambitious power players all over the world in fantastic action scenes, and “Chapter 4” (★★★½ out of four; rated R; in theaters Friday) also unfurls a bit of Wick’s past so we root for him a little more, especially when the chips are down.

'John Wick: Chapter 4': Don't expect a 'happy ending' for Keanu Reeves

The newest "John Wick" doesn't bother catching you up but it's pretty straightforward: Wick was roped back into the hitman game when his puppy was murdered (“John Wick”), killed a rival on the “consecrated” grounds of the New York Continental Hotel (“Chapter 2”) – a major no-no – and had a multimillion-dollar bounty put on his head (“Chapter 3”). 

“Chapter 4” begins with John done running and taking the fight to the High Table, the shadowy group of global crime lords. He kills one of their elders, which puts him on the radar of the Marquis (Bill Skarsgård). This young and vicious French emissary raises the bounty and sends a variety of killers after Wick, from the mysterious Tracker (Shamier Anderson) to one of Wick’s oldest friends, blind martial-arts master Caine (Donnie Yen).

'John Wick' franchise once killed off Keanu Reeves' puppy: Now it's a full-on 'dog movie'

Seeing his only chance for freedom from the Table, Wick challenges the Marquis to a duel in Paris, though just getting to the final showdown takes a herculean effort. Fortunately, our main man is decked out in a kevlar suit plus has an endless supply of ammunition, a penchant for head shots (for real, no one’s as obsessed with deadly follow-through) and a decent handle on nunchucks.

Even for an action-movie lover, 169 minutes of “Chapter 4” is a smidge much: You’d never call a “Wick” film chatty but the middle lags between the bullet-ridden onslaughts. Not that one has to wait long for the next epic action sequence. This one is chock-full of bangers, including a festival of samurai swords in a Japanese hotel, a waterfall-filled throwdown in a German nightclub, one particularly cool fight from a nifty floorplan view where Wick lights people up with fire bullets, and a most excellent and electrifying traffic jam at the Arc de Triomphe.

The casting is as on point as the momentous brawls. Ian McShane (as NYC Continental owner Winston) and Laurence Fishburne (as the Bowery King) both bring a comedic edge as returning Wick allies while the late Lance Reddick , who made everything he was in better, provides wise words yet again as Winston’s right-hand concierge Charon.

As for the fresh faces, Yen brings a cool cockiness to Caine, Scott Adkins is a hoot as the portly but still deadly ex-assassin Killa, and Skarsgård is an antagonistic gem as the sadistic and despicable Marquis. 

Lance Reddick dies at 60: Halle Berry, Viola Davis pay tribute to 'The Wire,' 'John Wick' actor

But, of course, it’s Reeves who fuels these movies, giving Wick the usual world-weary charm but with a knowing depth. There’s a hitman “Christmas Carol” conceit at play, as Wick is forced to revisit his past, thanks to Caine’s return, sees almost a present-day version of himself with Tracker (complete with a canine partner) and has a look at his future if he can’t escape the Table’s clutches in Harbinger (Clancy Brown), the aging man overseeing Wick’s challenge to the Marquis.

“John Wick: Chapter 4” definitely satisfies on an action-packed level and also makes good on some killer food for thought.

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review: The Wickiverse at Its Most Ambitious, Goofy, and Thrilling

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'Sugarcane' Review: A Shattering Confrontation With Horrors Both Historic and Painfully Present

'infinite summer' review: this sci-fi horror is unmissable | fantasia 2024, 'mothers’ instinct' review: anne hathaway & jessica chastain girlboss, gaslight, and grieve.

John Wick: Chapter 4 begins with a punch so hard and so loud, it jolts you upright in your seat. After that punch, we get another, and another, and another. Even though we expect every subsequent punch, the impact never lessens, as John Wick aka Baba Yaga ( Keanu Reeves ) prepares for yet another fight. The same is true of the John Wick franchise, a series that began almost a decade ago with a mid-budget action film that became a hit thanks to some of the most intense and insane fights in modern cinema, and has continually upped the stakes and scale with each new release.

But even though John Wick has been a reliable source of some of the best action scenes in the 21st century, there’s only so far this franchise can go without showing its seams or going to even more absurd lengths that undercut it. Even with 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum , it often felt like some of the same concepts were being reused, just with new weaponry and different colored neon lights illuminating the fights. But with John Wick: Chapter 4 , series director Chad Stahelski and 4 ’s writers Shay Hatten and Michael Finch do give us an opening half that feels like a sort-of greatest hits of elements we’ve seen before—but with enough added blood (literal and figurative)—and a second half that feels wholly original, with some of the best, most exciting work this franchise has given us so far.

Chapter 4 keeps the plot to a minimum, as John Wick is continuing his fight against The High Table, attempting to get out from under their thumb. In the opening moments, Wick heads to Morocco and kills the Elder, which sets off an even stronger hunt for Wick, led by Marquis Vincent de Gramont ( Bill Skarsgård ), a high-ranking member of The High Table. Wick once again sets on a mission to kill his way to his freedom, taking him around the world, meeting old friends and new enemies.

RELATED: Keanu Reeves' Most Ruthless Role Isn't John Wick — It's This

For the first half of Chapter 4 , it’s understandable to feel a bit uneasy about how this story is being handled, especially with that three-hour runtime looming in the back of your head. Some of the fights occasionally feel reminiscent of those from previous films, while this first half also spends plenty of time setting the table for The High Table. But despite, that, Stahelski knows how to reinvigorate these fight sequences in new ways. For example, a fight early on in Osaka reminds of several other fights set among large panes of glass in a mostly empty floor of a building. And yet, this only comes to mind in passing, as there are enough new pieces to make this all work, such as new characters like the blind assassin Caine ( Donnie Yen ), who has been tasked by the High Table to take out Wick, as well as Shimazu Koji ( Hiroyuki Sanada ), the manager of the Osaka Continental Hotel, and his kickass daughter/concierge Akira ( Rina Sawayama )—who might just be the best addition to this series yet. Also, this scene gives John Wick nunchucks, and that is more than enough.

Another scene later on is a bit more questionable, centering around Killa, the head of Germany’s Table. Played by Scott Adkins , Killa is in a fat suit for no particular reason, other than to make him someone to laugh at as he holds his own against Wick. This fight also takes place in a nightclub, which certainly reminds of the first John Wick , but it just doesn’t leave the same impact as the other fights in the film.

But this sort of revisiting set pieces of the past feels intentional, not just as a sign of fan service, but almost as a celebration of this series after nearly a decade. These sequences might not feel familiar to those who only saw these films once in theaters, but for those who love this series, the nods to the other films in this series feel purposeful. That’s because by and large, John Wick: Chapter 4 feels at least like this series saying goodbye to this piece of the Wick -iverse, and decide to do so in style.

This is especially true in the film’s back half, which is quite literally the most insane fight scenes in the entire franchise put back-to-back-to-back. It’s not hyperbole to say John Wick: Chapter 4 ends with some of the most impressive sequences Wick has ever seen, but some of the best action scenes in recent memory. Narratively, Chapter 4 isn’t reinventing the wheel from what we’ve seen before, yet Stahelski knows how to up the ante in shocking fashion. If Parabellum added knives and dogs to the equation, Chapter 4 adds car crashes, overhead angles, and some of the most absurd ways for Wick to get hurt and yet still survive. Wick is like a live-action Wile E. Coyote.

Stahelski relishes the video game logic and style for this film, as Wick’s mission sets him on side quests with different achievements to meet, mini-bosses, and even fights that feel straight from a game. For example, the aforementioned club fight almost feels like Wick and Killa could be fighting in a Street Fighter level, as dancers continue their partying, despite people dancing all around them, and one scene set at the Arc de Triomphe feels similarly gamey, but in a good way. Even one segment near the end is as if Stahelski put Wick in Smash TV or Hotline Miami .

Chapter 4 also does the best job so far in this series of building out this world in ways that don’t overcomplicate or overtake the narrative at hand. The High Table is kept deliberately vague—as it probably should be, as it only adds intrigue to this mysterious group—while it’s still a joy to see Wick’s usual companions like Ian McShane ’s Winston and Laurence Fishburne ’s Bowery King. But adding to the fleshing out of this world are these new characters that feel as though they’ve belonged this entire time. Rina Sawayama, in particular, is a fantastic addition, and watching her fight alongside Wick almost makes you wish the series could follow her as well. Skarsgård is also a perfect villain for this story, more interested in rules and planning than actual fighting, and Yen adds a great amount of comedy and stakes to a story that can often get bogged down in the constant fighting. Additionally, Shamier Anderson ’s Mr. Nobody also adds plenty of mystery and intrigue to this story, while his reliance on his dog reminds of Halle Berry ’s Sofia Al-Azwar from Parabellum .

But, of course, Reeves is still brilliant in this role, and it’s largely thanks to him that this franchise has remained one of the best action series maybe ever. Reeves can not only provide beat downs in pretty much every way imaginable, but his fighting is often extremely funny in its execution, and even though Wick is a man of few words, Hatten and Finch’s script makes the most of them, reminding us why Wick started this fight in the first place. Reeves is the glue that makes this entire arc work, and this is the best he’s been in this series.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is a goofy, ridiculous, three-hours of fun that manages to not overstay its welcome. Stahelski continues to find ways to keep this series from getting stale, and Chapter 4 pushes the ambition to the brink. John Wick: Chapter 4 brings this part of the story to a close with some of the most unhinged action scenes ever put on screen, but shows that there’s still so much to do within this world. Yeah, I’m thinking John Wick is back, and better than ever.

John Wick: Chapter 4 comes to theaters on March 24.

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‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review: There Will Be Blood, Yeah

In the latest and longest movie set in Wick World, Keanu Reeves’s titular assassin visits Paris and paints the town red.

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By Manohla Dargis

A vulgar pleasure of the “John Wick” series is that it aestheticizes violence without the usual blah-blah rationales and appeals to conscience. At once basic and off-the-charts nuts, each movie — the fourth opens this week — centers on a laconic assassin with a hazy back story and extraordinary skills. A virtuoso of death, Wick (Keanu Reeves) has his reasons, or so the series insists, but he kills because it is what he does. It’s his thing. “Deserves got nothing to do with it,” as Clint Eastwood says in “Unforgiven.”

Eastwood is in the DNA of the “Wick” series — and in the way Reeves deliberately draws out the word yeah — and so too are Jean-Pierre Melville, Jackie Chan, Buster Keaton, John Woo, Fred Astaire, “ Point Blank ,” the Three Stooges and “ Get Carter .” That said, the overall story is stripped down to the point of minimalism, especially when compared to the average superhero bloat-a-thon. In the first Wick movie, the assassin resumes his bloody ways after gangsters kill his puppy — a gift from his dead wife — and steal his car. Before long, he has antagonized his former employers, a villainous syndicate called the High Table.

Despite its seemingly Hobbesian aspect, Wick World does have rules, and by the second movie, the character is declared “excommunicado,” a word that underscores the High Table’s profile as a shadowy, quasi-religious elite manifestation of absolute power. The conceit of an all-knowing, all-seeing group of underworld puppet-masters is primo movieland conspiracy-theory and very of the moment; it’s silly, nebulously political, and it gives viewers wide latitude to interpret the movie however they prefer — or they can just groove on the plush trappings, exotic locations, exploding heads and bodies in glorious motion.

The series’s director, Chad Stahelski, is a stunt veteran (he’s doubled for Reeves), so he understandably likes to show off bodies as they move — pivot, soar and fall — in space. He uses plenty of close-ups and medium shots, but he also likes to pull back for full-figure framing à la Astaire. This allows you to see and luxuriate in the performers’ physicality, in their grace and steely power, as well as to appreciate the geometry and precision of the fight choreography. This focus underscores the frailty and impermanence of these bodies, their humanness, especially Wick’s as this seemingly invincible man is repeatedly brutalized.

Written by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, “John Wick: Chapter 4” pretty much plays out like the previous movies, though at a generally fast-moving 169 minutes it’s longer. Even so, it rarely drags because there’s relatively little dialogue and down time. For the most part, Wick chases or is chased by other assassins, shooting and stabbing, grappling and grunting in a series of visually distinct, meticulously staged and filmed set pieces. Every so often, he confers with old comrades, notably the sonorous, bassy trio of Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne and Lance Reddick ( who recently died ), performers who add luster and history to the series with their singular faces, hard-boiled résumés and perfectly tuned arch deliveries.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 Review: Keanu Reeves’ Action Epic Earns Every Second Of Its Nearly Three Hour Runtime

John wick: chapter 4 earns every second of its epic runtime, and there’s a strong argument to be made that it’s the best of the sequels..

As I imagine many movie-goers will/have, I initially balked when learning about the two hour and 49 minute runtime of director Chad Stahelski ’s John Wick: Chapter 4 . This is partly because any film that rounds up to three hours is automatically rendered a kind of gamble, but also because I am of the opinion that John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum , while great overall, is a tad overlong. Discovering in recent weeks that the sequel is nearly 40 minutes longer, I immediately had concerns.

Release Date:  March 24, 2023 Directed By:  Chad Stahelski Written By:  Shay Hatten and Michael Finch Starring:  Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane, Lance Riddick, and Scott Adkins Runtime:  169 minutes

These concerns stayed with me after the lights dimmed in the theater and the film began – the story beginning with John Wick ( Keanu Reeves ) having fully recovered from being shot and falling off of a roof. As a bit of backtracking is done, memories are jogged, exposition is delivered, and new antagonists are introduced, things start off on the slow side… but then a gear shift occurs when the action (literally) arrives in Japan. The titular assassin, on a mission of vengeance against the mythical and sinister High Table, takes haven at the Osaka Continental. The ex-communicated killer has the support of the hotel’s manager (Hiroyuki Sanada), but that means exactly nothing as far as rules are concerned when the High Table’s armored soldiers roll in alongside a special hired gun: the blind, bespoke Caine ( Donnie Yen ). As an extend battle plays out – with everything from an army of archers raining down arrows, to John cracking skulls with nunchaku, to Caine laying traps with motion sensing doorbells – we are provided the most important first act reminder of all, which is that John Wick movies are fucking awesome.

Two hours and 49 minutes may sound like an exhausting amount of John Wick , but John Wick: Chapter 4 earns every second of its epic runtime, and there’s a strong argument to be made that it’s the best of the sequels.

John Wick: Chapter 4's smart pacing means the mind-blowing fights are always exciting. 

The biggest issue that I have with John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is the fact that there is a big energy drop off in the second act as the protagonist manages to escape from New York City to Casablanca, Morocco, but the sequel has much stronger pacing – beginning with the fact that it lets the engine rev up before slamming its foot on the gas. Screenwriters Shay Hatten and Michael Finch equip the film with a strong structure that sees John Wick work to complete side missions on his way to accomplishing his ultimate goal (a duel with the High Table’s Marquis, played by Bill Skarsgård), and while this simple but well-executed plotting unfurls, there are, of course, brilliant opportunities for the franchise’s trademark insane action.

Phenomenal as the assault on the Osaka Continental is, it really is just a warmup for the excellence to come, but what’s vital to the success of the movie is that it never wears you out. Effective and engaging worldbuilding/politics are employed whenever it’s necessary to lower heart rates after a wild round of gun fu, and the way that the third act plays out is fantastic. Without giving away too much, John Wick: Chapter 4 manages to feature both the craziest continuous action sequence in the franchise as well as a final showdown that is slow, intense and intimate.

All of John Wick: Chapter 4's stars are great, but the lightning hands of Donnie Yen make him the MVP.

The film is built on a strong foundation between the solid script and the honed creative instincts of Chad Stahelski, but the craft and skill of the performers make it sing – including both the standout stars and the committed members of the 87eleven stunt team. Even after four of these movies it’s still hard not to be in awe of everything that Keanu Reeves brings to the role of John Wick, physically and emotionally, and once again in this series he is surrounded by exceptional talent. As you watch Donnie Yen as Caine, it’s hard to fathom how a human being can move so fast, and also demonstrating exceptional talent are Shamier Anderson, Hiroyuki Sanada and big screen newcomer Rina Sawayama, who plays Sanada’s character’s daughter and unleashes some jaw dropping moves protecting the Osaka Continental.

Again being mindful of spoilers, I will also add that John Wick’s second act fight with a gangster named is Killa is nothing like what anybody could have expected from Keanu Reeves battling Scott Adkins, but it’s also one of the most memorable in the franchise to date.

It’s also not just the ass kickers who get to shine. There admittedly aren’t a great number of dimensions to be found or big arcs to trace with their characters, but franchise stalwarts Laurence Fishburne , Ian McShane and Lance Riddick all provide their bravado, flair, and prestige that brings extra, special energy to the John Wick world. Bill Skarsgård as the ruthless Marquis shows that he doesn’t need to be wearing clown makeup to provide chill-inducing sinister vibes – he can do it with nothing more than a calm strut and an hourglass.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is exactly the spectacle-filled epic that it needs to be.

Expectations for the John Wick movies have evolved greatly since the launch of the series with the story of a retired assassin looking for revenge against the people who killed his dog and stole his car. With each film, the stakes have been effectively raised, the breadth of the world has expanded, and the scope of the action has grown. That’s not an easy trend to sustain by a third sequel, but John Wick: Chapter 4 carries the weight of all of that and sprints. The characters are enthralling and fun, and the variety of set pieces are audacious in style and feature mind boggling physicality by the performers. It’s everything that fans could want out of it.

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.

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John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that tur... Read all John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes. John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

• Chad Stahelski
• Shay Hatten
• Michael Finch
• Derek Kolstad
• Keanu Reeves
• Laurence Fishburne
• George Georgiou
• 1.7K User reviews
• 328 Critic reviews
• 78 Metascore
• 36 wins & 46 nominations

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• Bowery King

• (as Asuka Riedl)

• (as Milena Rendon)
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• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Keanu Reeves and Cast Talk Getting Into Character

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• Trivia Keanu Reeves gifted each stunt worker with a personalized t-shirt detailing how many times that performer met their demise in the film. His five-person stunt team also received Rolex Submariner watches, each costing around $10,000, with a personalized message on the back of each one when filming wrapped.
• Goofs The Arc de Triomphe is missing the eternal flame which crowns France's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As its name suggests, it is never ever allowed to go out.

Shimazu : Friendship means little when it's convenient.

• Crazy credits There is a small scene after the credits have finished where you can see Caine on the way to his daughter encountering Akira.
• Alternate versions The end title for the theatrical version shows "John Wick Baba Yaga" while in home media version shows "John Wick Chapter 4".
• Connections Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Most Anticipated Franchises Returning in 2023 (2023)
• Soundtracks Nocturne No. 20 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. Written by Frédéric Chopin Arranged by Joel J. Richard Performed by Lola Bates (as Lola Colette) and Mark Robertson

User reviews 1.7K

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• Apr 21, 2023
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• March 24, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• John Wick (Japan)
• Sát Thủ John Wick: Chương 4
• Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan (location)
• 87Eleven Entertainment
• Lionsgate Films
• Studio Babelsberg
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• $100,000,000 (estimated)
• $187,131,806
• $73,817,950
• Mar 26, 2023
• $440,157,245

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• Runtime 2 hours 49 minutes
• Dolby Atmos

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John Wick 4 Review: A Long and Loving Embrace of the Action Genre

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To be honest upfront, John Wick: Chapter 4 is not the greatest action movie ever made , because of course it's not. That's a ridiculous expectation to place on any film. Over the past decade, though, the franchise has legitimized the idea; it's been so fantastic that, sure, one could feasibly expect this next installment to be the best action film of all time. Beyond all the history and hype, though, a more realistic and authoritative view emerges — John Wick 4 is excellent. It's silly, a bit repetitive, and overlong at nearly three hours, and yet it is so overstuffed with jaw-dropping perfection (from a single shot to a whole sequence), it's hard to call it anything but incredible from the perspective of an action fan.

Obviously, if you're not a lover of great action cinema , then this is not the film for you. It is long, excessive, and obsessed with its own choreography, so anyone who doesn't love action movies will find the whole affair to be tedious. For those who do, however, John Wick 4 may not be the best action film ever made, but it sure does feel like a mixtape of the greatest action sequences of all time. It's a best-of, a playlist, a compilation for the diehards; it's Now That's What I Call Action! Combining subgenres, stories, and styles from around the world, this is one supremely cool, immensely enjoyable, and utterly epic love letter to action cinema as a whole.

John Wick 4 Takes Its Time

John Wick: Chapter 4 obviously picks up on the plot and ending of the previous installment, although some time has passed. Wick, who has already defied the odds of survival after emerging from being shot and falling off a tall building, is back in fine shape. The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) has taken in the rebellious hit man and nursed him back to health; they both have a bitter grudge against the High Table, and the Bowery King hopes that he can unleash Wick on its world and take it down.

Already, John Wick 4 feels different from all the other films. There is a breathability, an atmosphere that time can pass without hundreds of hidden assassins trying to kill you. The first three films took place within roughly two weeks, but it seems like quite some time has passed for the new movie. There's a spacious quality, not just temporally but also geographically, that makes John Wick 4 feel more expansive, more epic, and more patient (and a nearly three-hour runtime certainly helps).

Wick travels to Osaka to see one of his few remaining friends, Shimazu, who runs the Continental Hotel in the area with his daughter. By this point, everyone knows that if they harbor or help Wick, they are essentially disowning the High Table and admitting that they're fair game. Shimazu (a heartbreaking and dignified Hiroyuki Sanada performance ) decides to stand with John WIck, and Shimazu's men stand with him. The High Table, looking to eliminate Wick after his rebellion in the third film, invade the hotel and begin a ferocious manhunt.

Even in its massive action set pieces, John Wick 4 breathes and has room to maneuver. By incorporating more and more characters (from Shimazu and his daughter, to a mysterious bounty hunter named The Tracker and old friends like Winston), the film has an abundance of editing options, meaning that a skillfully choreographed set piece can literally last half an hour. That's about how long the hotel siege lasts, as we are given glimpses into multiple characters, their personalities, and their motivation.

The Incredible Look and Stunts of John Wick 4

And boy are those glimpses gorgeous. Dan Laustsen, cinematographer on the past two John Wick films (not to mention the visually stunning Crimson Peak, Brotherhood of the Wolf , and Nightmare Alley ), truly outdoes himself here. Laustsen and the increasingly imaginative and brilliant stuntman-turned-director Chad Stahelski have come up with some truly ingenious fight scenes that involve camerawork like you've hardly ever seen.

Related: Best Action Movies of All Time, Ranked

Wick edges closer to the High Table, believing he can stop them by dueling one of their members, the psychotic dandy known as The Marquis (played with wicked glee by Bill Skarsgård). Along the way, Wick engages in sublime set pieces, whether he's facing off against dozens of descending men as he climbs stairs in a race against the clock, or uses a motorcycle to fight several goons in a battle around the Arc de Triomphe during rush hour. The film will occasionally abandon a realistic, grounded perspective in order to watch the action from a bird's eye view, as if studying a bullet-ridden blueprint, or will slow everything down into stylistically pure action melodrama. Laustsen and Stahelski capture it all, and it's glorious.

New Characters Enhance the Wick Franchise

The new character additions are some of the high points of John Wick: Chapter 4 . The Tracker, played by Shamier Anderson , is an infinitely charming character who, like the film itself, seems almost like a mash-up of the greatest elements in John Wick . He's dressed like the Bowery King's legion of unsheltered assassins; he has a deep connection with his canine companion like Wick in the films and Halle Berry's character in the third film; he has changing names and a mysterious past, referred to as The Tracker but going by Mr. Nobody. It's a very cool character, and a thrill to watch him actually help Wick so that the bounty on the protagonist's head will rise. The Tracker isn't a fool — he isn't going to take on John Wick until he's worth the right amount of money.

Shimazu is also a great character. While many people pop up in the John Wick world who have deep respect and admiration for the titular killer, few seem to be so emotionally bound to him. Shimazu and Wick have a genuine connection, which makes the former's sacrifice that more heartbreaking. Meanwhile, another close friend of Wick's is forced into hunting him down, otherwise his daughter will be killed. This is Caine, played by Donnie Yen, and he's possibly the best new addition to the franchise.

Related: Exclusive: John Wick 4 Stars on Playing Keanu Reeves' Friend and Foe

Yen, so renowned for his amazing skills in the Ip Man series of films, among many others, gives a breathtaking performance here as a blind man who sides with the High Table and the forces of an evil status quo in order to keep himself and his family safe. There's a lot of guilt and grief to the performance, but Caine is also just an extremely suave and charismatic man. Watching him slurp down noodles while people kill each other around him, or listen to the sounds of bullets so that he knows where to duck, it's clear that Yen is an absolute star. The conflicted, complicated, and infinitely charming character is frankly one of the best ever created in action cinema.

John Wick 4 Represents the Best of Action

Caine is emblematic of how John Wick: Chapter 4 takes from the action genre in order to celebrate it, almost like how Tarantino took from it extensively for Kill Bill . Caine clearly references Zatoichi, the blind samurai character of many excellent films. The trajectory toward a sunrise duel between two skilled characters undoubtedly honors the Hiroshi Inagaki Samurai trilogy of the 1950s. One tense card game (with a mind-blowing and unrecognizable Scott Adkins) hearkens back to so many James Bond films.

Motorcycle sequences seem indebted to Police Story . The films of John Woo ( Hard Boiled, The Killer, Face/Off ) feel especially prescient when considering the evolving allegiances of some characters. The stair scene brings to mind The Raid , and The Marquis seems straight from a Takeshi Kitano film. Meanwhile, Johnnie To looms over some of the overhead and tracking shots.

None of this is a bad thing; John Wick: Chapter 4 is entirely its own. The point is, however, that the film is head-over-heels enamored with the action genre, and while it may not be the best of all action cinema, it certainly represents the best of it. It reflects all that is exciting, gripping, and joyous about the genre.

While the ending is a bit mysterious and will surely spark discussions, it doesn't necessarily set up John Wick 5 . The film almost exists in its own universe, separate from the breathless and relentless trilogy of the first three films, and able to stand alone as a kind of epic epilogue. There honestly doesn't need to be a sequel to this, and if there is, it might actually diminish the power of John Wick: Chapter 4 .

Prequels and spin-offs are already in the works, which should satisfy the understandably rapacious fans. Instead of immediately anticipating another film, however, John Wick 4 encourages all of us to take a breath and admire just how meticulously brilliant and jaw-dropping it is. This is a film that appreciates action, and which, in turn, deserves active appreciation.

Produced by Summit Entertainment, Thunder Road Pictures, and 87Eleven Productions, Lionsgate is releasing John Wick: Chapter 4 in theaters on March 24.

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“John Wick: Chapter 4,” Reviewed: A Slog with a Sensational Ending

“John Wick: Chapter 4” is by far the best of the four films starring Keanu Reeves as the eponymous hit man, the first of the cycle that I’d recommend—albeit with an asterisk. The new film (which opens Friday) has many of the same problems as its predecessors; although these problems are interesting, they’re far more fun to contemplate in the rearview mirror of thought than in the real-time forward motion of viewing. But something happens, fairly late in the game, that converts the film’s merely technical displays of bloody murder into something suspenseful and romantic, if no less silly. The details are too good to give away, but there’s no harm and much pleasure in considering how the movie climbs, slowly but surely, to that light-headed summit.

One of the curiosities of the John Wick series is that, as an entirely original creation dependent on no prior properties, it has nonetheless given rise to an alluring and self-perpetuating mythology of its own. The premise of Wickworld is cleverly paranoiac, built around the tentacular connections between the crude underworld of contract killers and the shadowy overlords who keep them in action. That wicked authority is called the High Table; it dispenses orders to kill on pain of being killed, ratifies contracts for murder, and brokers the deals for bounty hunters. It commands John to kill, and it sets him up to be killed, but it also sets the tone of the movie. The High Table exemplifies a super-élite of secret societies with elaborate rites, deeply rooted aristocracies, a flaunting of mind-bending wealth, and the executive ruthlessness of a transnational shadow government that has the power to wreak havoc in public with impunity.

It also has the power of information—an enormous database on its registered killers (it apparently goes back centuries) and a terrifyingly comprehensive surveillance network that tracks the hunters and the hunted during their mortal maneuvers and discloses their whereabouts to devastating effect. Its agents hide in plain sight at, for instance, a hotel called the New York Continental, in Manhattan’s financial district. ( Delmonico’s plays the role of the hotel.) Its stern manager, Winston (Ian McShane), is John’s handler, and is aided by his discerning and tight-lipped concierge (played by Lance Reddick, who died on March 17th). Another High Table agent on John’s team, the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), disguises his crew of spies as unhoused people in a shelter that he runs.

The High Table itself reveals its enduring traditions in the anachronistic equipment and furnishings of its central intelligence office (complete with card files, blackboards, rubber stamps, and switchboards). The venerable sect of hired killers can trace its lineage to a few authorized families, an aristocracy of blood (pun intended) that pulls the death dealers out of the grubby streets and endows their gruesome trade with a faux dignity. Their rigorous code of conduct dominates the movie’s, and the franchise’s, over-all tone and import: the intricate set of seemingly nonsensical rules plays the role of military discipline and order, but it also signifies, with a politicized wink at the rites and manners of high society, the implacable law of violence, which pretensions to refinement both embody and conceal.

“Chapter 4” takes off from the third installment , which concluded with John killing a High Table assassin at the New York Continental, with Winston’s help, and then teaming up with the Bowery King to fight against the High Table. At the start of “Chapter 4,” the King gets John suited up for battle, and the High Table takes devastating revenge against Winston for helping John—for starters, Winston is excommunicated, and the hotel is demolished. John heads to Morocco (the actual location is in Jordan) to dispatch a High Table overlord called the Elder (George Georgiou) and his minions, then goes to Osaka—to the Osaka Continental hotel, another High Table base—where he learns from its manager (Hiroyuki Sanada), who is his friend, what happened to Winston and the New York hotel. John vows to “kill them all.”

But the manager’s daughter, Akira (Rina Sawayama), who is also John’s friend, wishes he hadn’t come. There’s a contract on John for having killed High Table notables, and Akira is well aware that any place he sets foot is a target, including her father’s hotel. The assassins pursuing him there include a bounty hunter called Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson), who shows up with his beloved dog (a cheeky reference back to the premise of the first John Wick movie), and a nasty nebbish called Chidi (Marko Zaror). There’s also a remarkable blind assassin named Caine (Donnie Yen), who has been dispatched by a High Table potentate called the Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), an effete and sadistic nobleman who has laid waste to the New York hotel and threatened to kill Caine’s daughter unless Caine kills John.

Yet John, for all his seething lust for revenge, is burdened—he is (to quote Charlie Chaplin’s parody of Hollywood violence in “ A King in New York ”) a killer with a soul. The very premise of “Chapter 4” evinces sequel fatigue. John Wick wants out. Reeves may well enjoy the role, but he convincingly portrays John’s weariness bordering on exasperation at the absurdity of living under the orders—and in the crosshairs—of the implacable High Table. Even though he shoots and stabs and even nunchucks his way out of the Osaka Continental, leaving a trail of bodies and blood behind, he can’t kill his way out of his indenture to the High Table or its pursuit of him.

What happens in Osaka doesn’t stay in Osaka, and neither does John. He flits to New York, where Winston advises him to duel the Marquis for his freedom, and then to Berlin, where, in a series of set pieces ranging from the sententious to the ridiculous, he has to do some more killing in order to be deemed duel-worthy. What results is a grisly form of multidimensional chess, in which John’s enemies also target one another in order to keep for themselves the privilege of killing John, and in which John allies himself, according to the demands of the moment, with one or another of his prospective killers.

Much of the movie’s delight is in its details, many of them gory (a little trick with a knife that the Marquis pulls on Mr. Nobody), others merely menacing (John’s surprise encounter on an eerily empty subway car), some location-dependent (a brutalist night club with a waterlogged dance floor), and some design-based (including a deck of cards made of glass, and a picturesque molten-gold method for branding flesh). Some of these flourishes nod toward the breezy suaveness in the face of danger that marks the best of the early 007 films. Here, though, the stakes are lowered beneath the absurdity line by the relentless mayhem, which is at once cartoonish and mostly humorless. That’s why, as Caine, Donnie Yen nearly steals the film. His humor is as sly as it is insolent (as when he eats a snack between killings), and his comedic gestures are as tiny and deft as his action maneuvers, which are so fast as to border on sleight of hand.

The comic relief is welcome, but it’s never so extreme or so self-aware as to threaten the grim earnestness and grotesque exaggerations of the violence. (With a little more self-awareness, the movie would have a place in the body-horror genre.) A recent report places John’s estimated body count throughout the series at four hundred and fifty. I’m not sure how many of them pile up in “Chapter 4,” but, assuming a rough average of a hundred and twelve, the killings are (as in the first three chapters) classist and trivializing. Only a few of John’s opponents have names, identities, and personalities; most are woefully anonymous, dispatched into oblivion by John with neither a name nor a story, with nothing but the misfortune to square off against him. They are mere fodder for John’s deathcraft, their heads vaporizing in pink mist inside their battle helmets, their bodies catching fire from his incendiary weaponry, their blood spurting fountain-like from slash wounds.

The director, Chad Stahelski, works these elaborate fights and their flimsy killings with flashy but insignificant embellishments (such as filming an indoor battle royal from overhead, as if by drone). He displays little imagination regarding the characters’ activity, or even existence, outside the realm of combat. The many unnamed victims’ mechanical dispatch is a logical function of the franchise’s basic premise: that John (like his co-starring killers) is a member of a breed apart, dealing and eluding death with aplomb but never enduring the petty cares that go with the job. Does John Wick have a passport? He may be superheroic with firearms, fists, and whatever other weapons are within arm’s reach, but he doesn’t fly like Superman. Does he go first class or economy? What does he say when he reaches passport control and is asked, “Business or pleasure?” Does he have an array of forged documents, under a variety of pseudonyms and nationalities, that he switches around to fit his sense of the circumstances? With all the killing that he’s done, has he never come under suspicion? Does he ever worry about it? His exploits may be extraordinary, but they’re nonetheless dependent upon ordinary, unseen necessities. (If, as he leaves Osaka for New York, he’s as filled with regrets as he’d have one believe, spending sixteen hours sandwiched in a middle seat between two snorers would be an apt setting to ponder where he went wrong.) Does he listen to music, does he read a book, does he have a favorite food?

Most of “Chapter 4” is an amusingly punctuated slog. It’s distinguished from its predecessors by the starkly drawn yet complex lines of conflict. The promised duel, ingeniously plotted and cleverly staged, depends on a droll race against the clock—one that gives new meaning to the notion of fighting one’s way through traffic—and a long staircase that becomes a virtual agent of destiny. In short, the last half hour or so of the movie’s nearly three-hour span is giddily intense, swoony, swashbuckling, and sensational yet superficial fun. Right after I saw the movie, I couldn’t stop talking about that ending. It makes the rest of the movie worth sitting through. ♦

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Review: Something ‘Wick’-ed this way comes (again)

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Near the end of a recent press screening of “John Wick: Chapter 4,” a wave of groans and gasps swept through the audience, followed by a woman’s spontaneous cry of encouragement: “C’mon, Johnny, you got this!”

He does indeed, though for a moment you have to wonder. By this point, John Wick — the not-so-retired assassin played to melancholy perfection by Keanu Reeves — has spent roughly two hours falling from back-breaking heights and getting tossed about by fast-moving vehicles, and that’s only when he isn’t punching, kicking, stabbing and shooting his way through phalanxes of armed assailants. Now, like a beleaguered video-game avatar staggering to the big-bang finish, he faces an uphill climb and a series of smackdowns to make both Sisyphus and Wile E. Coyote grunt in sympathy.

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Really, the only sane response is to laugh, not that the deathly serious John Wick would be so inclined even if he could muster the energy. He’s exhausted, and “John Wick: Chapter 4,” for good and for ill, is exhausting. Directed, like its three predecessors, by the stuntman turned filmmaker Chad Stahelski, it’s the saga’s latest and longest entry (169 minutes), and while future chapters and offshoots may await, this one presents itself with the self-admiring grandiosity of a closing statement.

Barely five minutes in, Stahelski and editor Nathan Orloff blatantly reference one of the most famous cuts in film history, a puckish mashup of Laurence Fishburne and “Lawrence of Arabia.” This is John Wick gone global; it’s “The Wick Ultimatum.” Leaping from sun-scorched Moroccan deserts to neon-lit Japanese courtyards to rain-drenched German outdoor nightclub, the movie unleashes hell in grand, globe-trotting style. Even by series standards, it’s an astonishingly staged and sustained panorama of violence, much of it mediated (and attenuated) by the usual inventive weaponry and bulletproof menswear, and meted out by international action stars including Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada.

Enjoyable as it is, all this maximalist showmanship can feel antithetical to the first film’s sleek, witty economy. A modestly scaled 2014 hit, the original “John Wick” turned on an ingeniously simple premise — grieving ex-hit man versus the Russian mobsters who murdered his dog — and moved with brooding finesse from one beautifully staged action sequence to the next. But while it worked nicely as a stand-alone revenge flick, it also ushered us into an assassins’ underworld so densely and stylishly imagined that future visits seemed inevitable.

And so they were. I don’t remember much of what happened in “John Wick: Chapter 2” and “John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum,” and I don’t have time right now to catch up on Wickipedia. But amid all the arcana and arms deals, the enemies and excommunications, the series had a few key sustaining constants. There was Reeves, of course, a perfect killer for a grimly imperfect world. There was also the gleaming precision of Stahelski’s filmmaking, rooted in the unfashionable belief that the camera should savor, rather than compete with, the spectacle of bodies in violent motion.

Happily, that belief is more than upheld in “Chapter 4,” whose commitment to compositional elegance (courtesy of the returning cinematographer Dan Laustsen) is as inviolable as an assassin’s blood oath. Given the inscrutably murky digital melees that pass for so much Hollywood action filmmaking these days, a fight scene in which you can actually see what the hell’s going on is nothing to take for granted.

It can also justify a lot — not all, but a lot — of the extraneous world-building hooey in Shay Hatten and Michael Finch’s script. As the saga recommences, Wick has declared war on the High Table, which is not a club for standing-desk enthusiasts but rather an elite, all-powerful assassins’ council. Wick’s actions incur the wrath of the Marquis (Bill Skarsgard), the callow and sadistic Table head who, like a Rick Steves guide in a three-piece suit, prefers to conduct his business against Paris’ most famous landmarks.

The Marquis has powerful weapons at his disposal, none more formidable than Caine (Yen), a latter-day Zatoichi who, with the help of a sword, a Kevlar suit and some hilariously deployed motion sensors, turns his lack of sight into a lethal attribute. A figure of spidery elegance, Caine is, like Wick, a reluctant killer, pressed into service against his will and better judgment. That places him in direct conflict with Wick’s unfailingly loyal ally Shimazu (Sanada, soulful as ever), who owns the shimmering Osaka branch of the Continental, that luxury hotel chain where murderers are welcome but murder itself is as verboten as a dress-code violation.

Needless to say, that rule is about to be thrown out the window, along with several efficiently dispatched corpses. Skulking in the shadows of all this mayhem is a shifty-eyed tracker (Shamier Anderson) whose allegiance would be more of a mystery if he didn’t come equipped with a faithful Belgian Malinois. Whether cuddly or lethal or both, canine companions continue to occupy a privileged place of honor, commanding an allegiance more powerful than all the codes and bounties in the Wickiverse. You know a killer is redeemable if he has a dog — or, in Shimazu’s case, a daughter (Rina Sawayama), whom he’s raised to be as lethal as her doubtless many enemies to come.

The meticulous foreshadowing of future conflicts feels appropriate to a world built, destroyed and rebuilt by endless cycles of killing; conveniently enough, it also lays the groundwork for future “John Wick” spinoffs. If any do materialize, I hope they’ll be as lustrous-looking as this one, though also a bit more disciplined. There are moments when the pummeling virtuosity of “Chapter 4” sputters and stalls, when its entrancing beauty takes an unproductive, ponderous turn. It’s telling that one early action highlight finds Wick and Caine waging a battle of wits and senses (and swords and nunchaku) against an elaborate display of Japanese paintings. Look, the movie says, and see how the destruction of an art gallery can become a work of art unto itself.

That self-regard is justifiable, though only up to a point. After a while, I lost count of how many scenes take place in chambers and grottos illuminated, to an almost oppressive degree, by candlelight. (The effect is suitably eerie, though nowhere near as scary as the wax budget.) I also lost count of the various other baddies the movie tries to squeeze into the mix, including a fat-suited Scott Adkins as an especially hard-to-kill cardsharp. At this point, minor villains can only be an encumbrance. Best to keep them as nameless as the various thugs that Wick takes down in the movie’s deliriously drawn-out Paris climax, whether during a jaw-dropping God’s-eye-view tracking shot, with fiery carnage spilling from room to room, or an Arc de Triomphe stopover that brings new meaning to the term “hit-and-run.”

Through it all, Reeves somehow barrels through the picture with equal parts rampaging force and Zen-like cool. Never one to upstage his fellow actors, he succeeds, as few movie stars could, at both drawing and deflecting the camera’s attention. Wick’s gun-fu is peerless, his endurance herculean, his weariness palpable. But through circumstances that none could have foreseen, the movie’s strongest surge of emotion doesn’t belong to him. That honor understandably goes to Lance Reddick , here making his fourth and final appearance as Charon, the faithful Manhattan concierge and trusted ally of Wick’s old associate Winston (the invaluable Ian McShane).

Reddick died last week at the age of 60, a tragedy that casts an inevitable pall over his impeccably grave performance and over the movie as a whole. For the most part, Charon, whose name has never felt more gloomily appropriate, stood at an elegant, watchful remove from the violence of Wick’s world; he was a fixer and a facilitator, not a participant. But Reddick, with his bone-dry wit and his eyes that seemed to miss nothing, never seemed detached or checked out; he could give even chilly efficiency a human pulse. In a series of movies that trafficked so beautifully and brutally in death, here was an actor who flooded the image with life.

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

Rating: R, for pervasive strong violence and some language Running time: 2 hours, 49 minutes Playing: Starts March 24 in general release

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The Limits and Wonders of John Wick’s Last Fight

John Wick: Chapter 4 , like entries in the franchise before it, treats the body with the elasticity and deranged joy of a Looney Tunes cartoon. Consider Homeless Hare, a 1950 Chuck Jones short in which Bugs Bunny resorts to gleeful violence against a construction worker, Hercules, who uproots the trickster’s home. Bugs begins by dropping a brick from the height of the building on the head of his foe. Attached is a single slip of paper warning Hercules that Bugs is coming for that ass. What follows in this delightful short is defined by wild, violent revenge. So is the John Wick franchise’s approach, and it reflects a similarly potent understanding of the body’s seductive vulnerabilities.

In Chapter 4, Keanu Reeves endures so many violent falls that would kill anyone else, but he always gets up and continues to fight another day — the humor of this inevitability hitting at the same moment as the fear of what could actually end him. This action is crucial to character building and styled specifically for each — though almost everyone in the world is balletic, smooth, and endlessly cool in the face of guns, knives, swords, and all other weaponry on the table. Even the lighting understands this specific fiction, punctuating darkness with cartoonish pops of neon. This approach to action has been broadly adopted in Hollywood, but those that seek to replicate its charms often fail with a lack of clarity, a use of darkness through which the audience can’t see a damn thing. They forget how badly we want to watch — and really see — a star with the heft of Reeves commit these acts of glorious violence.

Chapter 4 is blissfully entertaining, full of pratfalls and acting turns that lead to the audience swelling with oohs, aahs , and yelps. It’s far more narratively focused than its previous sequels, still managing to globe-trot a behemoth cast à la Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 while returning to a simpler conflict reminiscent of the original John Wick. Here, John Wick seeks to finally buy his freedom by dueling the Marquis (Bill Skarsgård), a crime-world fixture of inherited power who has been emboldened to bend and break the rules by the High Table in an effort to maintain its supremacy in the face of Wick’s flagrant disruption. Why make the Marquis the target of Wick’s vengeance and freedom instead of letting him take that heat directly to the High Table? The franchise needs to keep the status quo intact for the plentiful spinoffs that filmmakers have in mind — including Ballerina , starring Ana de Armas. I have some reservations about these narrative choices, but the cinematic violence of Chapter 4 brought me the joy and erotic rush that has long powered the series. It synthesizes the zaniness of Looney Tunes and gags of Buster Keaton with martial-arts master classes that call back to the career of Jackie Chan and learn from more recent films like 2017’s South Korean action flick The Villainess . It’s a history lesson on what the body can do onscreen — its limits and its wonders.

Director Chad Stahelski and cinematographer Dan Laustsen create arguably the best-looking of the John Wick films. The quiet moments are evocative — like when Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King blows out a match before the camera cuts to a cresting sunset (a cheeky homage to Lawrence of Arabia and one of the most famous cuts in film history ) — and the unleashing of violence is clear and easy to follow. There’s no confusion when it comes to how and where characters are inhabiting space. The stellar production design deserves credit as well, particularly in the way the Osaka Continental (run by Hiroyuki Sanada’s Shimazu Koji and his concierge and daughter, Akira, played by Rina Sawayama) is dressed and designed. Its clean lines, glossy surfaces, glass-encased weapons and artifacts, and all-around cool tones diligently build out this world defined by the intertwining of beauty and blood. I was struck by the use of so many shades of red against this backdrop — magenta, crimson, cherry. One of the most tantalizing shots positions Reeves in the left corner, the field of vision otherwise dominated by cherry blossoms in full bloom and a circular building sliced with lights of arterial red. Stahelski and Laustsen make profound use of horizontal space even when one of its best blunders, played out by Reeves on the 222 steps of Paris’s Sacré Coeur basilica, is obviously vertically defined.

And it’s not just Reeves but the many actors in his orbit who shine with a blend of vengeful grace and humorous beats. Bodies everywhere are cut, shot through, flipped, broken, and strangely beautiful when meeting their ends. Although not every end feels quite earned. The late Lance Reddick becomes a sacrificial lamb early on in this chapter, and his story line is shuffled away too quickly. Fishburne’s Shakespearean Bowery King and Clancy Brown’s Harbinger are not used to the full degree that they should be either, but anytime their booming voices are used, the film shines brighter. Until Scott Adkins walks in wearing a grotesque fat suit as Killa. Hollywood’s doubling down on anti-fatness with Colin Farrell’s turn in The Batman and Brendan Fraser’s Oscar-winning performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale will not age well, and it’s frustrating that John Wick ’s final installment has something as loathsome as this. But Chapter 4 offers greater turns by beloved actors and martial artists new and seasoned alike. Donnie Yen plays Caine, a close friend of Wick’s who is pulled back into the life of an assassin to kill his comrade. He has already given up his eyesight in order to protect his daughter and get out, but here, he is forced to endure. He’s delightfully cheeky in his fight scenes, moving with quick-witted, silken force, making Wick’s brutality all the more blatant.

Yen is the film’s MVP — whether he’s slurping down food and ignoring the violence blooming around him or shit-talking the Marquis to his face. Then there’s Sanada’s beautifully rendered Shimazu, dear and determined, who puts his life on the line out of love for Wick and a belief in honor. The friendship between these three men is crucial to the emotional world of the film and gives it layers I wasn’t expecting but wanted more of. When Wick speaks Japanese to Shimazu or shares a long gaze with Caine, these relationships are given an intimacy that relies on Reeves’s own three-decade-long history as a star undergirded by considerations of race, identity, and history. But I was especially surprised by just how damn good pop star Sawayama is in her role. She’s giving looks, poses, the right angles, charisma, grit. She’s so eye-catching that I got lost in the beauty of her performance whenever she was onscreen.

So what about Skarsgård? In many ways, the Marquis and Wick are a study in opposites. Where Wick is stoic and terse, the Marquis is the kind of man who says lines like “Second chances are the refuge of men who fail.” He likes his espresso sweet, his waistcoats fabulous, and his violence flowing endlessly. While Wick earned his reputation, the Marquis was bequeathed his. Wick believes in formality, and the Marquis flouts the rules. Costuming is a strength of the series, which is apparent in this chapter’s fine suits, particularly the Marquis’s — of crimson, of navy, of twilight. Skarsgård leans into the camp and archness roiling under the surface of this franchise. His accent is mellifluous. It dips, flutters, and stretches in ways that feel both studied and hilarious. His face scrunches and has a flexibility that borders on comical while never losing sight of the necessary tone.

Yet by the end, I held a nagging belief that Stahelski and the Chapter 4 script didn’t quite capitalize on all of Reeves’s strengths. This Wick is exceedingly, almost frustratingly, terse and stoic, muttering one-liners and yeah s that could easily trip into the parodic. Reeves is good and game. But the story doesn’t capitulate with earnestness or heartfelt dialogue, choosing to highlight his physical grace and determination above all else. Reeves has always been a performer defined not just by the delicate beauty of his body but an emotional clarity and sweetness that is almost nowhere to be found in this film. Moments with Yen, including a candlelit church scene, are where Chapter 4 comes closest to Reeves’s complexity as an actor who lies at the nexus of virility and vulnerability. Wick’s interactions with a tracker who likes to call himself Mr. Nobody (Shamier Anderson) allows Reeves to, at least, add notes of befuddlement and curiosity. Mr. Nobody is an obsessive fan of Wick’s — following him and drawing him in a firmly kept notebook while hunting him as the price over Wick’s head accelerates. Mr. Nobody even has a beloved dog he uses in his action sequences. It’s a meta nod to the obsession around Reeves himself and those who seek to duplicate his elegance while not understanding its roots.

What ends up most intriguing about his performance is the subtext of the movie’s denouement: the idea that Reeves is, for however long, ceding the John Wick spotlight — unlike his aging-star cohort (think Brad Pitt in Bullet Train and Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick ), who welcome neophytes into their fold but insist on outlasting them. Reeves is a star who doesn’t suck up all of the oxygen. He’s able to mold himself to the work and pull back when necessary — but maybe too far back this time, as his performance tips into laconic and guarded by the close. (Reeves missed his calling as a silent-film actor, but his best characters aren’t muted.) The Chapter 4 ending, an echo of a crucial one in the beloved ’90s anime Cowboy Bebop, feels like it’s fighting the gravitational force of Reeves rather than submitting to it. Shouldn’t Wick be coming at the High Table, not a proxy? Shouldn’t Wick’s last fight reflect the grandness and dynamism of its focal point? Chapter 4 is a deliriously entertaining entry into the franchise, but its final moments can’t help but put into harsh relief the fact that this ridiculous world of glory and gut punches is evolving to exist without its namesake, yet it still needs him to feel alive.

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‘John Wick: Chapter 4’: Keanu Reeves Saves Action Movies Again

• By David Fear

Fess up: You had no idea John Wick would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Not an inkling. Not a hint. Not even a teeny, tiny clue.

No one could have predicted that a movie burdened with a title taken from the name of its lead character — who is John Wick? Why should we even care? — and that starred an actor who’d been off the public’s radar for a bit, would synthesize a decade’s worth of genre cinema and revolutionize American action movies . Keanu Reeves still looked fit, still wore those slim black suits like a boss, still utilized his signature monotone to suggest stoner-like awe and/or menace. But here was the ‘90s posterboy edging into his 50s, playing a hit man who gets dragged back into the life one last time, forced to use his particular set of skills in the name of revenge. The inciting factor: Bad guys killed his puppy.

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The gent responsible for that pistols-at-dawn tête-à-tête is known as the Marquis ( Bill Skarsgård ), a part-time French aristocrat and full-time sadist who has designs on taking control of the High Table, i.e. the secret council that rules over a vast, international underworld. His first move is to send a message by punishing Winston ( Ian McShane ), the New York Continental’s manager, for helping the excommunicado Wick. Never mind that the hotel’s boss shot his friend off the five-star accommodation’s roof at the end of Chapter 3 ; the Marquis is still going to demolish the building, much to Winston and his concierge’s horror. (That latter role is once again played by Lance Reddick , which only adds an extra layer of eulogistic pathos to the proceedings. R.I.P. to a legend .) His next plan is to call in a marker on Caine (martial arts godhead Donnie Yen), a retired blind assassin and old pal of Wick’s, in order to terminate the fugitive with extreme prejudice.

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Merely listing an inventory of John Wick: Chapter 4 ’s greatest hits — that phrase can be taken literally in this case — doesn’t do justice to the way that everyone involved with this final chapter maintains the high standard that’s made the franchise so deliriously pleasurable. Or at the very least, pure manna for those of us who like our screen action to feel like they’re putting the “motion” into motion pictures, as if the folks behind the scenes took pride in constructing these thrilling sequences with a sense of professionalism and imagination. Even its conservative streak (has any other action franchise been so obsessed with rules, traditions, bylaws, bloodlines, codes of conduct?) and tough-guy corniness still feels freshly retro-styled and amped up after four outings.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 Review

23 Mar 2023

John Wick: Chapter 4

John Wick: Chapter 4  is relentlessly violent. It just does not stop. It bludgeons you like the endless array of assassins bludgeoning its hero. It is so incessantly, expensively savage, it may well be the end of civilisation. Weaponry this time around includes the following: swords, guns (sometimes both together), fists, feet, elbows, nunchucks, knives, dogs, bows and arrows, pickaxes, cars, motorbikes, a pencil. Notoriously, 80-something people were killed in the first instalment. In this one it seems 80-something people are killed in each set-piece. It is insane. This is mania.

The third film ended with John ( Keanu Reeves ) left for dead and out for blood. It felt like the franchise had been milked dry, but Reeves and director Chad Stahelski can’t help themselves, and here they are again, taking that cliffhanger and running with it, barely stopping for breath. This is the first  Wick  that doesn’t have the involvement of series creator and writer Derek Kolstad , and story takes a back seat. You thought the plots were, well, modest before? Haha. Here, plot is an obligation, existing to string together the fighting. And anything goes. A shootout in the desert, on camels? Sure.

Yes, it’s a love letter to action cinema, but so much so that action cinema might want to take out a restraining order.

Chapter 4  is especially episodic, jumping from one country to another, conjuring up different friends and foes each time. There’s Donnie Yen , nearly 60 but looking 40 and fighting like 20, his blind hitman Caine a graceful murderer. Reeves’  47 Ronin  co-star Hiroyuki Sanada brings samurai chops as Wick ally Shimazu, whose lethal daughter Akira is played by a formidable Rina Sawayama. A very entertaining Scott Adkins , in a fat suit and an accent as German High Table boss Killa – yes, Killa – shows up for a riotous sequence in a packed nightclub where not a single raver pays the blind bit of notice to these two lunatics attempting to kill each other among them. And so on.

Throughout, the action is gobsmacking, with inventive set-pieces including an aerial view of a brawl smashing through a succession of rooms, and a breathtaking fight among speeding cars around the Arc de Triomphe in which you spend every second wondering how the hell they’re pulling it off.

And yet… well, it’s all a bit much. Yes, it’s a love letter to action cinema, but so much so that action cinema might want to take out a restraining order. Assassins keep appearing, from every angle, infinitely, like re-spawning videogame characters. Some of the fighting goes on and on and on until you’re begging for someone to win so we can all get to the next bit – the slugfest is, at its worst, a slog. And it is of course as portentous as ever. The High Table, an amorphous, abstract concept anyway, is even slipperier here, while Laurence Fishburne and Ian McShane have less to do than before, facsimiles of what were thin archetypes in the first place.

Things happen that you really should care about, but you don’t. Not much. Although oddly, considering the stakes, the film seems maybe disinterested in having an emotional impact. Unless wincing is an emotion. Reeves basically operates with one register (mythologically gruff). But then again, that’s what this series is, and even with that narrow remit, Reeves is ceaselessly charismatic. With  Point Break  and  Speed  he reinvented the action hero, and it’s pretty great that he’s still going this hard three decades on.

Besides, if you’re going to watch this, the action’s what you want, and as far as that goes, you just can’t knock it. It is incredibly tactile – it  hurts . You can see that Reeves really is doing a huge amount of it himself, and it counts. You feel it. He’s treated like a rag doll in this one, towards the end bringing to mind Buster Keaton – the extremity is funny, intentionally so. He gets knocked down, but he gets up again. And again, and again, and again. Pray for his bones.

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John Wick Chapter 4 review: A perfectly bloated mess

Enter the john wick cinematic universe.

Tom's Guide Verdict

John Wick: Chapter 4 is arguably far too much — as evidenced by its running time — but every piece counts. It proves, yet again, that Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski know exactly how to make an elevated action movie.

Inventive action

Soulful performances from Reeves & Co.

Hilarious comedic moments

Not enough Lance Reddick

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Writing a John Wick: Chapter 4 review may sound like a foolhardy mission. Movies like this are almost review-proof — people will see them no matter what. But when you enjoy a movie as much as I enjoyed this chapter, it's not an impossible task that will remind you of John Wick taking down Tarasov's enemies. It's a labor of love.

But, to get this out of the way up front, John Wick 4 has a problem with excess. Not necessarily in its plot, but in its running time. This movie should not be two hours and 49 minutes long. We've come a long way — too far one might say — from the first John Wick, which was an efficient 96-minute ride.

That said, as much as John Wick: Chapter 4 would have benefitted from a shorter runtime, it's still just as good as any other chapter of the series. Allow me to explain why. While I'm going to put a brief spoiler warning up front, I'll keep things to a minimum, and not say anything I wouldn't have wanted to know before I saw it.

Oh, and if you're curious, we expect John Wick: Chapter 4 on Peacock in early summer. Need to catch up? You can watch the other John Wick movies online right now.

John Wick: Chapter 4 opens up the JWCU

While Mr. Wick (Keanu Reeves) does get plenty to do in this movie, this chapter stands out by opening up the field to potential new heroes. Unfortunately for John, two of them are out to kill him. 

That would be a nameless tracker (Shamier Anderson) and Caine (Donny Yen), both have reason to kill John, thanks to the vengeful Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), who sees Wick as a threat to be eliminated. And while Caine and Wick have a shared past and respect, the tracker (aka Mr. Nobody) is a new figure. 

While the Marquis is completely devoid of the enigmatic cool of Wick and Winston, his scene-chewing swagger — completed with a killer opulent wardrobe — screams he's the villain with blunt-force obviousness. But everyone else made me think 'I want to know more.'

Caine and Mr. Nobody come off as remarkably cool and worthy of spinoff movies, and will have you ready for a John Wick Cinematic Universe. Oh, and make sure to keep an eye out for Akira — the character played by actor/singer/model Rina Sawayama. 

While the Marquis is completely devoid of the enigmatic cool of Wick and Winston, his scene-chewing swagger — completed with a killer opulent wardrobe — screams he's the villain with blunt-force obviousness. But everyone else made me think 'I want to know more.' This a sure sign that Stahelski and Reeves are ready to tell new stories.

Unfortunately, the late Lance Reddick is barely in the movie. 

John Wick: Chapter 4 is a delightful global adventure

While a video game-esque scene in Paris — which looks like either John Wick: Hex or the Hotline: Miami games — was one of the film's most memorable action scenes, the fourth Wick film partially rules thanks to its excellent changes of scenery. From the wild west-style chaos early on, to the Osaka Continental hotel and excellent big Arc de Triomphe set piece, John Wick: Chapter 4 continues to offer the getaway escapism that we seek at the multiplex.

And, throughout, comedic notes constantly keep the audience guessing about what's happening. In particular, a stairs scene — and the way Mr. Nobody communicates to his dog — had me laughing hard.

And throughout, especially with a touching sunrise shot at the near-end of the film, you may find yourself 'ooh'ing and 'ahh'ing — as John Wick's fourth adventure is as delightful to the eye as it is gory. Credit goes to cinematographer Dan Laustsen — who had the same role for John Wick chapters 2 and 3 — for the elevated aesthetics in this action movie. They're part of what makes John Wick movies feel like action movies for film nerds with Letterbox accounts.

John Wick: Chapter 4 fights between excess and bloat

For as much as I loved to turn the pages of Chapter 4, I did find myself looking at my watch during the third hour. Once I saw the running time, I kept thinking "what is this, John Wick: Endgame?" While Stahelski loves his maximalism, there's a bit of just-too-much happening that veers into bloat. 

The biggest issue I have is how many different fights we get at the Osaka Continental. While the green-light-soaked brawl is neat, the rooftop shoot-out, the kitchen scene and the chaos in the museum were far better. Each could have been trimmed down in parts, and it would have been all the better for it. Just don't lose the nunchucks. 

There's also the entire Berlin subplot, which serves the plot a little more than it serves everything else. Wick's adoptive sister Katia (Natalia Tena) is a welcome addition, but when she doesn't get much to do, her introduction feels more like padding than a skeletal addition. While John Wick movies have always felt all-killer, no-filler, I do wonder what a two-hour cut would have looked like.

Bottom line: Keanu Reeves' biggest opus yet

Throughout the John Wick films, there have been two constants: action and momentum. Both, mostly, are driven and perfected by Reeves' pitch-perfect work as the Baba Yaga himself. Chapter 4, though, doesn't forget to take its time to remember where it all started, with John Wick's eternal love for his late wife Helen (Bridget Moynahan) and an appreciation of dogs.

For as unrealistic as the John Wick movies are — and the clinking of bullet shells falling from our heroes jacket as he disrobes is a fun reminder of the over-the-top nature — Reeves' ability to emote and show care truly helps the John Wick movies steer away from farce. 

I left the theater excited for the future of the John Wick cinematic universe, and ready to see what's next for all parties involved.

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John Wick 4 is getting a TV sequel series — will Keanu Reeves return after that ambiguous ending?

So far Reeves is attached to executive-produce "John Wick: Under the High Table," alongside filmmaker Chad Stahelski.

Christian Holub is a writer covering comics and other geeky pop culture. He's still mad about 'Firefly' getting canceled.

More John Wick stories are coming to a screen near you. But how much we'll see of Keanu Reeves ' eponymous assassin remains an open question.

Lionsgate Television is developing a new TV series called John Wick:   Under the High Table and shopping it to prospective buyers, Entertainment Weekly has confirmed. The titular High Table refers to the leaders of the criminal underworld that dominates the John Wick universe.

Billed as a "high-octane action series," Under the High Table picks up immediately following the events of John Wick: Chapter 4 — which ended with Wick's apparent (but not unequivocal) death and the establishment of a tombstone bearing his name. The project features a collection of new characters looking to make a name for themselves while some of the franchise's faithful characters remain committed to the old-world order. The series is intended to combine new and old and thrust the Wick universe into a new age.

Under the High Table comes as the second TV series set in the John Wick universe, but unlike its prequel predecessor The Continental , this show is being overseen by the same creative team as the movies. Chad Stahelski , who directed all four John Wick films, is an executive producer and will direct the pilot episode. Robert Levine ( The Old Man , Black Sails ) will be showrunner.

Reeves is also on board as an executive producer. There's no word yet on whether Wick himself will make a return for the show, and representatives for Reeves didn't immediately respond to EW's request for comment Monday. But last year, when Chapter 4 hit theaters, EW asked Reeves if the character's death was intended to be permanent or not.

"I don't know, I guess I'm going to have to lean on  never say never ," Reeves said . "I mean, I wouldn't do a  John Wick  film without Chad Stahelski. We'd have to see what that looked like. For me, it feels really right that John Wick finds peace."

Given Stahelski's involvement in Under the High Table , it sure sounds like the door is open (or at least ajar) for Reeves to reprise his role. The logline does promise the return of some of the franchise's "stalwart characters," which also sounds like a great description of  Ian McShane 's enigmatic Winston.

Reeves is already set for at least one more appearance in Wick's trademark black suit. He previously confirmed to EW that he filmed scenes for the upcoming spinoff movie  Ballerina , which stars Ana de Armas . Another spinoff movie, focused on Donnie Yen 's blind assassin Caine, is also in the works.

Reeves' upcoming schedule is looking a little busy, though. It was announced last week that the actor will be making his Broadway debut in a 2025 production of Waiting for Godot , alongside his old Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure costar Alex Winter .

Deadline Hollywood first reported the Under the High Table news.

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John Wick: Chapter 4: Official Clip - The Duel With Pistols

Where to watch john wick: chapter 4.

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John Wick universe to expand with Chapter 4 sequel series Under The High Table

The John Wick universe is expanding again at Lionsgate.

Per Deadline, the next spinoff in the John Wick franchise will be John Wick: Under The High Table . The action series will be produced by Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski, with the latter directing the pilot episode.

John Wick: Under The High Table  will pick up directly after the events of John Wick: Chapter 4 . “John Wick has left the world of the High Table in a tenuous position and a collection of new characters will look to make a name for themselves while some of the franchise stalwart characters remain committed to the old-world order,” Deadline’s description of the series reads.

'John Wick 4' Sequel Series From Keanu Reeves & Chad Stahelski Heats Up TV Marketplace https://t.co/hv4LB8ECFa — Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) August 5, 2024

At the end of Chapter 4 , John Wick appears to succumb to his injuries and is buried next to his wife, Helen. Reeves is only attached to Under The High Table  as an executive producer, not an actor. However, Reeves is reportedly very “hands-on” with the project. Under The High Table  is currently being shopped as it looks for a home at a network or streamer.

The Old Man co-creator Robert Levine will serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner of Under The High Table . Additional executive producers include Thunder Road’s Erica Lee and Basil Iwanyk, who produce the John Wick movies.

In 2023, Lionsgate launched the first John Wick TV series spinoff, The Continental: From the World of John Wick .  The three-episode miniseries followed a young Winston Scott’s (Colin Woodell) rise to power in 1970s New York City before becoming the proprietor of The Continental Hotel. Premiering in September 2023,  The Continental became Peacock’s biggest original launch of the year.

Besides  Under The High Table , a fifth John Wick chapter and a movie centered around Donnie Yen’s Caine are in development. Additionally, John Wick Presents: Ballerina , a neo-noir starring Ana de Armas, is coming to theaters on June 5, 2025.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Everything you need to know about John Wick: Chapter 5
• Is there going to be a John Wick: Chapter 5? Here’s what we want to see happen
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• How did they pull off those amazing action scenes in John Wick: Chapter 4?
• Shay Hatten on the secret to writing John Wick: Chapter 4

To quote the Bowery King (John Wick: Chapter 2's Laurence Fishburne), "Somebody please get this man a gun." Keanu Reeves (The Matrix Resurrections) returns as the world's greatest, angriest, and deadliest assassin in John Wick: Chapter 4. After the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John is alive and joins forces with the Bowery King to dismantle and destroy the High Table.

It won't come easy, though, as the Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Barbarian's Bill Skarsgård), a powerful member of the High Table whose mission is to end John's warpath. To earn his freedom from the High Table, John challenges the de Gramont to a duel, which he accepts. However, the price on John's head continues to increase, forcing the hitman to kill opposing forces from all around the world. Chapter 4 is an action-packed adventure with more conflicts and kills as John fights for his independence.

Warning: This post contains spoilers for the first three John Wick films. 

Yeah, we're thinking he's back. Keanu Reeves has a number of legendary franchises to his name, and he can certainly count John Wick among them now. Following a four-year absence, John Wick: Chapter 4 is set to hit theaters soon.

If there's one thing the John Wick franchise has taught us, it's that the titular character (The Matrix Resurrections's Keanu Reeves) wants one thing and one thing only: freedom. John will do anything for freedom, as evidenced in the final trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4, even if that means taking down the entire High Table.

Set to Nas' Got Yourself a Gun,  the trailer follows John as he discovers a way to earn his freedom. He must challenge a member of the High Table, The Marquis de Gramont (It's Bill Skarsgård), to single combat. However, getting to that challenge will be difficult, as many assassins come after John. The adventure spans all across the globe, including New York City, Paris, and Japan. And everywhere John visits, he brings his gun and kills a lot of people. Anyone that stands in his way will be met with a bullet.

Screen Rant

John wick 4 sequel show from keanu reeves & franchise director chad stahelski in development.

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John Wick 4 Ending Explained

Keanu reeves’ upcoming john wick show already sounds better than the franchise's first spinoff, john wick: under the high table - confirmation, story & everything we know.

• A sequel series titled J ohn Wick: Under the High Table is in development from Keanu Reeves and Chad Stahelski.
• The TV show will pick up where John Wick 4 left off, exploring the High Table world.
• The John Wick franchise is also expanding with new spinoff projects like The Continental and Ballerina .

A sequel series to John Wick: Chapter 4 , titled John Wick: Under the High Table , is in development from Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves. Reeves is known for starring as the titular John Wick in the John Wick franchise. The franchise began in 2014 and has since had four films in the main franchise. Stahelski is the director of all four John Wick movies , the most recent of which was released last year in 2023.

John Wick: Chapter 4 builds to the bloodiest ending of the entire franchise, but does Keanu Reeves' titular assassin get to walk into the sunset?

Now, Deadline has revealed that a sequel show to John Wick: Chapter 4 is in development. The series will be called John Wick: Under the High Table and will be set in the same universe as the popular film franchise. Reeves and Stahelski will both executive produce the series, and the latter will also direct Under the High Table 's pilot episode. The TV series will pick up right where John Wick 4 left off , exploring where the world of the High Table is at. Reeves will not take on an acting role, but will be very involved in the project.

How The John Wick Franchise Has Been Expanding In Recent Years

John Wick: Under the High Table is not the first spinoff of the John Wick series released since the series' debut a decade ago. In addition to John Wick: Chapter 4 , 2023 also saw the release of the three-part Peacock series The Continental: From the World of John Wick . Set in the 1970s, The Continental explored the origins of John Wick 's iconic hotel. In addition to that series, the John Wick franchise will also see the release of Ballerina , a spinoff film which is set for release in 2025.

Already, John Wick: Under the High Table has been compared to The Continental in that it will also blend old and new characters . The exact nature of who those characters will be in Under the High Table have yet to be confirmed, but the fact that some characters from the films will reoccur is confirmed. With Under the High Table taking place directly after the events of John Wick: Chapter 4 , it seems more likely that the sequel show will include more characters from the film franchises.

In addition to the prequel show and Ballerina , the John Wick franchise will also continue in the cinematic context with John Wick: Chapter 5 . According to the announcement for John Wick: Under the High Table , the show's production will not disrupt the status of Chapter 5 . This is good for the health of the John Wick franchise, as it will continue to expand its lore on the small screen while the cinematic universe continues.

Source: Deadline

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John Wick 4 Sequel Series in the Works — How Is Keanu Reeves Involved?

Matt webb mitovich, chief content officer.

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What happens next after John Wick… um, after the events of John Wick: Chapter 4 ?

A follow-up TV series executive-produced by franchise front man Keanu Reeves will aim to answer that.

John Wick: Under The High Table is in development at Lionsgate, TVLine has confirmed, with Reeves executive-producing alongside franchise director Chad Stalheski (who would helm the pilot episode), Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee.

Though John Wick: Under The High Table promises to “combine new and old and thrust the Wick universe into a new age,” and Reeves reportedly is very hands-on with the project, the film vet has no plans to reprise his action hero role on-screen.

Deadline first reported on the series’ development.

Other John Wick: Chapter 4 follow-ups already in the works include The Ballerina , due out June 6, 2025, and in which Ana de Armas ( Knives Out ) plays an assassin trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma, and an untitled film that continues the story of Caine, the highly skilled, blind assassin played by Donnie Yen in Chapter 4 .

On the TV side, last fall gave us The Continental: From the World of John Wick , Peacock’s three-part, 1970s-set prequel series that starred Colin Woodell ( The Flight Attendant ) as Winston Scott, the titular New York hotel’s eventual proprietor played by Ian McShane on the big screen. (Reeves had no EP credit on that one.) TVLine readers gave the “three-night event” an average grade of “A-.”

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