After “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” came out in 2019, Keanu Reeves (one of my Top 5 favorite actors) signed on to reprise his role as the character in a fourth installment. However, he was busy working on “The Matrix Resurrections.” Once he finished the sequel that butchered The Matrix Trilogy,” Keanu finally reprises his role Baba Yaga in “John Wick: Chapter 4.” The latest movie in the “John Wick” series earned positive reviews from critics and movie goers. Rumor has it there’s a fifth movie in development. A spin-off titled, ” Ballerina” starring Ana De Armas will be released in 2024. Kenau will also come back as Wick. A prequel mini-series titled, “The Continental” set before the first movie is slated to stream on Peacock in late 2023.
This review contains no crucial SPOILERS. Feel free to check out my non-spoiler article. Is this the best installment of the John Wick series? Let’s find out. Shall we?
Loaded & Empty
Loaded: Keanu Reeves reprises his role as the titular character and he did an excellent job for his performance. He also did his own stunts.
Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne & Lance Reddick reprise their roles from previous movies and they all did a great job for their respective performances.
Newcomers to the series such as Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård & Clancy Brown (voice of Mr. Krabs) all did a great job for their respective performances.
This isn’t the first time Donnie played a Daredevil type character. He played blind combat expert in Star Wars: Rogue One.”
Derek Kolstad & Shay Hatten co-wrote the script.
Action Sequences ups the ante giving us more gun-fu, amazing fight choreography, stuntwork and a body count higher than all three movies combined. In the words of Keanu. “Guns, lots of guns!” I tell you what, the Climatic Battle near the end is worth the price of admission. Every fight scene earns Bonus Points.
Tyler Bates (300, Watchmen, Guardians of the Galaxy 1-2) orchestrated the soundtrack.
Special Effects contain a mix of Practical and Visual Effects.
Cinematography captures impressive shots without the camera glitching.
Justice’s “Genesis” is played effectively during an intense gun-fu battle. The song was also used in a trailer for “Assassin’s Creed II,” “The Punisher: War Zone” & “DJ Hero.”
Pacing didn’t take forever getting into the action. My eyes were glued to the screen. It’s almost a three-hour movie. Go to the bathroom before you see it.
A Post-Credits Scene sets up the next installment of the franchise. Afterwards, the movie dedicates Lance Reddick’s memory. May he Rest in Peace.
Empty: I couldn’t find nothing wrong. I’m giving the cast and crew an Extra Point for making a flawless movie as possible.
The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX
John Wick: Chapter 4 might be the best installment in the series. It’s extremely rare for an intellectual property surpassing one installment to another. Unlike The Matrix Resurrections, John Wick’s fourth movie throws everything at you in terms of giving a crud about Wick and continuity. If you’re fan of Keanu Reeves like me, get off your butt and see it right now. So far, John Wick: Chapter 4 is my favorite movie of 2023. This is just a warm-up, until more upcoming movies come out for the remainder of the year.
Nickthemoviecritic.com 