John Wick: Chapters 1-4 Collection
Overview -
Blu-ray Review By: Bryan Kluger
John Wick is probably the best action character in recent memory. There isn't anything he can't do or nothing he can't survive. There are theories he is still out there. These films utilize the best action scenes in the business that have earned their way into the hearts and minds of anyone who watches. Keanu Reeves is simply brilliant here. The 1080p HD transfers look great and the Dolby Atmos audio tracks sound amazing. The tons of extras are all worth the time too. For those who don't already have these films or for those who want new artwork and lobby cards, and with its very affordable price, this is all HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take
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Ten years ago, Keanu Reeves reinvented himself and became a pop icon with his assassin character John Wick. This character did what everyone in the world would want to do - verbatim if someone came over, beat you up, stole your car, and killed your brand-new puppy dog. You would kill EVERYONE, and that's just what John Wick does with his amazing gun-fu skills and take-down techniques. This film would spawn three movie sequels with big-named co-stars, a mysterious and cool new universe filled with assassins, and some epic fight scenes that are still talked about today. There is even a new TV series that acts as a prequel streaming right to your home (if you're a Peacock subscriber). Even though this character John Wick is an assassin for hire, his charm and way of life are that of a hero, and always wants to do the right thing. Plus it's Keanu Reeves, what's not to like?
Adding in horses, vehicles, loads of different guns, knives, axes, machetes, dogs, and incendiary shotgun shells to the action mix only livens up this original movie franchise. The action choreography is always top-notch, and the universe-building of this shadowy network of assassins only gets better with each installment. The world only hopes that Reeves comes back to make more films because these movies are better than great and if the Oscars mentioned stuntwork at all, these John Wick films would win all the awards.
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Click Here for John Wick 2 4K Review
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Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
The John Wick Chapters 1-4 Blu-ray Collection shoots its way to Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code via Lionsgate. These 8 Discs are all housed inside a hard, blue plastic case with a hard cardboard sleeve. Four discs are the Blu-ray versions and the other four are the DVD copies. There is an insert for a digital code as well for all four films. The artwork features an image of John Wick with some nunchaku in a pink and black color palette. There are also four lobby art cards inside that feature newly illustrated images from the film and of the characters of the film that have some amazing colors and a metallic look about them.
Video Review
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These four John Wick films all come with a 1080p HD transfer that looks amazing. The 4K releases all look a bit better than these standard 1080p discs, but these Blu-rays are quite outstanding. The colors are bold and strong, and give way to those brighter neon signs throughout the franchise, especially in the latter two films. The first two movies utilize blue hues very well and darker interiors with inky black levels and natural skin tones. The detail is always sharp and vivid as well. These video presentations are the same 1080p transfers from the previous releases.
Audio Review
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All four films come with impressive Dolby Atmos tracks that rumble those walls with amazing bass. The sound effects of different types of gun blasts, explosions, and vehicle chases are excellent and make full use of all the speakers. Spanish and French language options are all available as well, along with English and Spanish subtitles. There are even those amazing 2.0 stereo options for late-night listening to not disturb those who are sleeping. Overall, these Dolby Atmos tracks are demo-worthy.
Special Features
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There are hours worth of amazing bonus material on each disc. Extensive behind-the-scenes featurettes are available, commentary tracks, interviews with the cast and crew, and more are here. There is nothing new, but all of the previous extras have been transported over into one set.
John Wick
- Audio Commentary — Director Chad Stahelski is joined by co-director David Leitch to deliver a surprisingly entertaining and informative track that largely focuses on the technical aspects of the production. The two men also share a variety of onset anecdotes, the creative decisions during the filming, and various other insights to make this a great listen.
- Calling in the Cavalry (HD, 12 min) — A discussion on those involved in bringing this production together and the work that went into making it a reality.
- Destiny of a Collective (HD, 6 min) — An interesting talk about the collaboration between Stahelski and Leitch.
- The Red Circle (HD, 6 min) — A closer, more detailed look at the nightclub sequence.
- N.Y.C. Noir (HD, 6 min) — A great featurette on the look and feel of the movie.
- Don't F*#% With John Wick (HD, 5 min) — Mixed with revealing BTS footage, this assortment of interviews looks at fight and stunt choreography and Keanu Reeve's training.
- The Assassin's Code (HD, 5 min) — As the title implies, the very brief piece details the rules and guidelines of the fictional killers in the movie.
John Wick 2
- Audio Commentary: Director Chad Stahelski is joined by star Keanu Reeves where the two men talk extensively about the production and share various memories from the set. Although much of the conversation is scene-specific with several pockets of silence, there is much to glean from their chat.
- Training John Wick (HD, 12 min): Interviews discuss the rigorous and demanding training of the actors.
- Friends, Confidantes: The Keanu/Chad Partnership (HD, 10 min): A discussion on the relationship of the two men, how they originally met, and the camaraderie that makes them a good team.
- Chamber Check: Evolution of a Fight Scene (HD, 10 min): Cast & crew talk broadly about the action, planning, and extensive training specific to the sequel.
- Wick's Toolbox (HD, 8 min): A closer look at the weapons with a detailed education on a few of the guns.
- Retro Wick: Exploring the Unexpected Success of John Wick (HD, 5 min): As the title implies, the piece is an assortment of cast & crew interviews expressing their thoughts on the first movie.
- WICK-Vizzed (HD, 5 min): A look at how pre-visualization assisted in the stunt, fight, and gun choreography.
- As Above, So Below: The Underworld of John Wick (HD, 5 min): The work and attention to detail that went into expanding the mythology of the film's crime world and shooting on location.
- Car Fu Ride-Along (HD, 5 min): Interviews and BTS footage on the car choreography and collisions.
- Kill Count (HD, 3 min): A couple of minutes recounting the kills with a mix of BTS footage and film clips.
- A Museum Tour with Sir Jonathan Wick (HD, 2 min): A somewhat comical guided tour through some of the rooms of the museum spliced with violent scenes from the movie.
- Dog Wick Short (HD, 2 min): A funny but cute remix trailer of a dog pursuing vengeance.
- Deleted Scenes (HD, 8 min): A few deleted scenes to go through.
- Trailers (HD, 2 Mins.) - A trailer for the film.
John Wick 3
- Parabellum: Legacy of The High Table (HD, 11 min): Short EPK-like piece made up of cast & crew interviews discussing the plot, characters, and aspirations mixed with BTS footage.
- Excommunicado (HD, 10 min): More interviews focused on John Wick's banishment.
- Check Your Sights (HD, 10 min): This looks at the work that went into the fight and stunt choreography.
- Continental in the Desert (HD, 10 min): Discussion on the exotic Moroccan locations.
- Shot by Shot (HD, 9 min): Informative chat on editing action sequences.
- Dog Fu (HD, 8 min): Interviews on the shootout sequences with Sofia's dogs.
- Bikes, Blades, Bridges, and Bits (HD, 7 min): Just as the title implies, made from various BTS footage and interviews.
- House of Transparency (HD, 7 min): On the production design of Winston Glass Office.
- Behind the Scenes of John Wick Hex (HD, 7 min): Closer look at the video game.
- Saddle up Wick (HD, 5 min): A closer look at the horse action sequence.
- Trailers (HD, 2 Mins.) - Trailer for the film.
John Wick 4
- Chad and Keanu: Through Wick and Thin (HD, 6 Mins.) - The director and star of the film franchise talk about their relationship, how they met, and all about their collaborative creative process goes with some great on-set footage.
- Train Like A Killer (HD, 6 Mins.) - The training and rehearsal footage is discussed here with some footage from the sessions.
- Making A Killing (HD, 7 Mins.) - The look and cinematography are touched on here with interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
- The Psychology of a Killer (HD, 5 Mins.) - The cast and crew examine the anti-hero elements throughout each character of the franchise.
- The Blind Leading the Fight (HD, 10 Mins.) - Donnie Yen is the spotlight in this extra and it's amazing.
- Suit Up/Shoot Up (HD, 6 Mins.) - The wardrobe and weapons are talked about.
- Packing A Punch (HD, 5 Mins.) - An overview of some of the bigger action sequences is discussed.
- One Killer Shot (HD, 3 Mins.) - Here is a funny and great look at how one of the big action beats was made.
- Killing At The Speed of Traffic (HD, 10 Mins.) - This examines how that big fight scene in traffic was filmed and executed.
- A Shot in the Dark (HD, 6 Mins.) - Nighttime is a big factor in this film where the crew talks about the challenges of lighting the darkness for the camera.
- In Honor of the Dead (HD, 6 Mins.) - A cool extra where the cast and crew discuss the influences and inspirations for John Wick.
- Trailers (HD, 4 Mins.) - Two trailers for the film.
- The Continental: First Look (HD, 3 Mins.) - A brand new, exclusive scene from the upcoming series on Peacock that takes place in the '70s and is quite violent.
Final Thoughts
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The John Wick franchise is one of the best action films in the world. There is no doubt that more films will be made and that the character of John Wick will remain a cultural icon for decades to come. This set comes with great 1080p HD transfers and Dolby Atmos audio mixes to satisfy all viewers. The wealth of bonus materials is exquisite and all worth the time. For those that don't already own these films or if new artwork and lobby art cards are part of the collectible want list, then this set is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
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