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Ranking:
Release Date: March 24th, 2023 Movie Release Year: 2023

John Wick: Chapter 4 - Film Review

Overview -

How is it possible after four installments of the John Wick franchise to keep getting better than the last? Maybe it's because the same cast and crew return with higher stakes, and more creative ways for one man to fight through an ocean of assassins. All this is true in John Wick: Chapter 4 as the franchise comes to a head, at least for a little while, until Part Five. Keanu Reeves is back and better than ever with a new cast of characters as he battles for survival in the best-looking John Wick to date. John Wick: Chapter 4 is Highly Recommended!

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OVERALL:
Highly Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Length:
169
Release Date:
March 24th, 2023

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

Perhaps what makes John Wick: Chapter 4 so great is its ability to still display new and inventive ways to unmask this world of assassins and stage exciting fight sequences. Whether it be scenes with dogs, knives, swords, guns, horses, or motorcycles, the stunt team, Reeves, and the creatives behind the franchise have always found a way to bring new life into this action world. In John Wick: Chapter 4, there are more than 30 minutes of movie than the longest John Wick film, allowing it to breathe with more character development, world-building, and big set pieces. On the other side of this coin are the action scenes themselves, and they take their cue this time around from The Raid and The Raid 2

There might not be a ton of scenes where there is an action beat every few minutes, but the fight sequences that come with John Wick: Chapter 4 are expansive and have a long run-time that tells an over-arcing story. Pistols, shotguns, nunchaku, knives, and vehicles of all kinds play a part in the violence of this fourth film. A new, wonderful dog is also in the mix, which has such a fantastic moment that brings everything full circle. New characters also breathe new life into the series with the addition of Bill Skarsgård as the Marquis Vincent de Gramont, who is a member of the High Table who wants nothing more than John Wick to die. He's the most cowardly of all the villains in the franchise so far, which makes him much more nefarious and unlikable with no redeeming quality. 

Shamier Anderson as Mr. Nobody brings a different element to this assassin world who is only hired to track and kill Wick with his pet dog. His performance and character are not only one of the strongest in the series but also shed light on how certain assassins know when to walk down the right path. Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada bring their incredible physical presence and wonderful acting chops to the screen as well with Yen having one of the more powerful characters in the franchise. Of course, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick (RIP), and Laurence Fishburne shine in this fourth film.

John Wick: Chapter 4 picks up where Parabellum one left off with Wick healing up from his fall off the hotel with help from his few friends. Wick wants out of the game, but as the High Table tried to kill him, he wants revenge. With all the rules that separate these assassins from the regular killers, Wick must go through a series of events in order to challenge his aggressor to an old-fashioned duel. But Marquis Vincent won't go down so easily as he sets Wick's bounty the highest it's ever been, sending almost every assassin after him. It's an amazing set of events that spans various locations and weapons where Wick takes some brutal abuse just as well as he delivers it. 

Video Review

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Audio Review

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Special Features

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Final Thoughts

John Wick: Chapter 4 is by far the best-looking Wick film yet. Cinematographer Dan Laustsen and Production Designer Kevin Kavanaugh worked on the last few John Wick films, but in this fourth one, they take things to a grander scale with more colors and elaborate set pieces to make the film feel even more epic. The emotional themes and tone of the film are reflected in these nuanced locations and colors as Wick travels through the world translating into a beautiful Western piece of storytelling. There isn't anything like it. Plus, Keanu Reeves just owns the character John Wick inside and out with intense physical combat. Highly Recommended!

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