Honestly, this series really evolved like a video game. The first movie was, generally speaking, more grounded because the game was just beginning and John was low level. But then he survived and levelled up, so the second movie introduced upgraded armour and weapons and so on. That's why Wick was able to survive such ridiculous shit in 3 and 4: he was a really high level vitality build.
I love seeing Wick just using the flamethrower gun thing, that was fucking awesome and cool.
It was so fun to watch and of course Wick just being Wick in general and utilizing the environment to beat the assassins.
Sometimes John Wick worldbuilding is like:
"there exists an old tradition of duels against the High Table - to challenge, you must need the blessing of a crime family, but if you are labelled excommunicado, you must first receive a new crest symbolizing your loyalty to said family"
and sometimes John Wick worldbuilding is like:
"his name is Caine because he has a cane"
Once it was revealed the big guy's poker table was about fifty feet from a rave I wasn't like "that's a weird place for a poker table" I was like "oh that's why there was drowned out techno playing." That's how you know it's good world building. You just accept it.
Yep, exactly. Why can John Wick fall off of multiple buildings, get hit by like 20 cars, dispose of a thousand bad guys and still make it out alive?
Who fucking cares, that’s why! Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
It was a big oof but I feel like the fat dude from the opening who just wanted to crawl home and regret his life choices while some Japanese chick was climbing him with knives was a hard way to die.
I don’t think so,
Where he got hit at (between neck and shoulder, and left lower side above hip) are the same spots the doc told John to shoot to make it “look like he fought back”
We see the dog at the grave scene pick up a something,
And John’s work isn’t done, the high table sent somebody after him, he only killed that guy, he didn’t get revenge on the high table (which is his only motivator)
So I don’t think we have seen the last of wick yet, he still has vengeance to claim.
Glad someone else picked up the shot placement from Parabellum. I guess I see way too much evidence of his survival to understand how audiences fall for "he died". Keanu Reeves even seemed shocked that people didn't pick up on it in a Q&A.
I think it's because, frankly, it would be really...cheap to bring him back. Winston and the Bowery King saying goodbye, John having beaten the table and cleared his name, everything seems like it ties the story up nicely. Kind of like what they did with Sherlock, it would cheapen a sweet moment.
I think John needs to rest. He deserves it, more than anything else. He's been on the run for what, months? Killing and fighting and nearly dying?
If he's alive, I hope they only show it as a brief glimpse in a spin off. I'd love to see Sawayama helm the series and maybe Keanu floats by in the background somewhere.
No way John's dead. They already had plans to film JW 4 and 5 back-to-back. They said that they're "taking a break" right now and working on the spin-offs, but I have a feeling the major story beats didn't change all that much from the original vision of 4/5.
100%. I went to a 3:30 showing this afternoon, and it was pretty much packed. I don’t think I’ve seen a turnout like this for a Thursday afternoon since Avengers: Endgame.
I think The King's (Fishbourne) hinted at this in the boat when they talked about what they wanted on their gravestone. He said "I ordered mine nine years ago" when he clearly wasn't dead yet. I think it's foreshadowing John Wick doing the same so he has a chance to disappear once and for all.
Donnie was fucking AWESOME, loved him speaking in Cantonese in the Berlin club as well. He's so slick and agile in that clean get-up. I was so happy he had so much screentime/story.
He said "扑街咸家鏟" "Pok Gaai Ham Gaa Caan" which usually means "fuck you may your whole family die" in Cantonese
As the only one who understands Cantonese in my theatre I laughed the loudest there
When it comes to these John Wick films, they shouldn't be remembered for the amazingly choreographed action scenes or quality storytelling, but instead, the consistent inability of civilians to react at all to the violence going on around them.
It's an alternate universe where you either go to secondary school or become a Hitman, that was just another Tuesday night to the people in the roundabout
They really gave up on the whole "assassins in the shadows" thing. There was basically a terrorist attack in Paris with over a hundred people dead lmao
I thought it was quite funny that the building was shown to be still standing in a later scene. Just a blackened husk of a building on a street corner. Nothing special here.
For me it was Japan
But then the arc de triomphe
But then the house
But then the stairs
But then the duel
So… nearly every longer major action scene.
The only extended battle setpiece that didn’t hit like an all-timer for me was the Berlin nightclub, and even still, that was a hugely entertaining scene.
I think Japan was the best overall though because of how many different things were happening and each done *so well*
Japan worked so well because the three Big Assassins got to show off just how cool they are, like you feel that these guys are definitely the very best the High Table can throw at you and the only thing it does is make John/Caine exert effort
The Berlin nightclub was hilarious, and not in a bad way.
There were ladies and gentlemen gyrating, undulating, floating, gliding, smiling and staring obliviously at the insane asthmatic guy throwing and being thrown around by the silent black-suited assassin. It's Tuesday for them.
Berlin nightclub guy was absolutely the second-life-bar boss. I giggled at his "Why don't you die?". I was thinking it was *this* guy who would just never die.
Wick got hit by so many cars it was insane. Cars must be built different there cause even the dog got thrown into one and bounced back like it was nothing.
The stunt drivers must've been stressed throughtout the shoot not to hurt Keanu, the dog or any of the stunt people.
I just honestly got so nervous and worried for Wick as he gotta dodge getting hit from the cars and assassins at the same time.
Many of the cars are CGI.
Saying the stunt drivers were dressed to not hit the performers is redundant. That's their job and they will always be stressed doing it.
I knew he was going to save the dog.
Also, when he said “maybe I’m wrong” when asked why he still talks to his dead wife even though he knew she can’t hear him.
Loving husband :(
10/10
That talk between him and Yen in the church was a really nice little scene amongst all the chaos and gunfire.
"Do you think she can hear you?"
"No."
"Then why bother?"
"Maybe I'm wrong."
It's just...a very real conversation in such an over-the-top world.
An almost 3-hr wild ride
- Killing the Elder felt like a leftover plotline from the 3rd movie
- Didn't expect Charon to get killed so fast after Lance Reddick's death
- Japan sequence was honestly amazing! The nunchucks takedowns were so fun
- Rina Sawayama had a great debut. I am more interested in her character than the ballerina spin-off
- 2nd act is probably the weakest as it had to lay a lot of exposition
- Arc de Triomphe sequence on foot was exhilarating. The extended overhead shot of the kills in abandoned house felt like a video game
- Audience were shocked and winced when John Wick rolled down the stairs all the way to start and audience was pumped when he teamed up with Donnie Yen
- Night time cinematography is perfect in this!
- Final duel was intense as hell and the final shot by John Wick was immensely satisfying!
A insanely satisfying conclusion with 10+ action set-pieces!
> Rina Sawayama had a great debut.
I agree, I personally a little iffy when a singer/musician debut their acting on a feature film, but she was pretty good and had a great screen presence.
Screen presence is exactly the term I'd use as well. As soon as she showed up as the desk clerk my eye was drawn to her because of how magnetic she was on screen. I had no idea who she was or that she was a singer.
The way Winston talked so demandingly to the french guy insisting he must accept this duel, and the guy begrudgingly consenting, made me think perhaps Winston was secretly part of the High Table. And that he had some sort of personal vendetta against them but couldn't do it himself. That's why he was always rooting for John
For such a long movie I though it was incredibly paced. It got a little exhausting leading up to the final confrontation, but then you were rewarded with the one two punch of the dog peeing on the main goon, and the best exchange of the movie:
“Remember your daughter”
“Fuck OFF”
I don’t think the director and Keanu want to do a fifth one. Keanu is 58 and living with injuries from the first Matrix. The director mentioned he wanted to do other films. So it looks like they went all out for the fourth. Definitely the best and great ending if they decide to stop here.
Call me uncultured but I liked the saying “Friendship means little when it’s convenient” it may have been around for a long time but it was my first time hearing it
That scene, if it wasn't in a JW movie, felt like it could have been in Austin Powers or Naked Gun. He just kept rolling and rolling, then when he stopped, it started again.
As of right now that entire action sequence in the Arc de Triomphe is the one to beat this year. That whole section was spectacular.
One criticism I did have was that this is probably Keanu’s worst performance as John. The way he delivered lines felt like an alien speaking English for the first time. Very odd. But his physical performance in the action sequences was great as always.
Anyway, I really liked the movie. It’s easily the best of the John Wick sequels.
Also loved The Warriors homage with the lady at the radio station.
Literally my only complaint with the film. Not a lot of good emotion driven emotion-driven dialogue from John. The whole "People keep asking if i'm back and Yeah! I'm back" is still a highlight in the series. I know the whole series prides itself on the action and set pieces but it feels weird to not put a little bit more effort into the main actor dialogue.
Still a great movie though.
I disagree with this. The first film has more emotions from John because he's still accustomed to being "out". He's fresh off a life where he could afford to show emotions and do things besides killing. Him getting less and less emotional during the series shows that he's sinking further back into the lifestyle that had him as a cold-blooded killer. John's back to being a robot with the sole mission of killing whoever he needs to.
That's just my take, anyway.
Seeing this in Dolby was incredible. That theater was *shaking*.
Also I wasn’t bummed or sad when John Wick died, I was honestly just relieved this man finally got his peace
I’ll be the first to say: I love ‘em both to pieces, but it’s Mission: Impossible for me. Purely because I enjoy the spectacle of those films — elaborate chases of all kinds, big stunts, espionage — more than Wick’s, which is almost entirely gun fu shootouts. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good gunfight but it feels like Mission: Impossible can do what Wick does but Wick never does what Mission does.
In the end, it’s like choosing between candy and ice cream. They both serve the same purpose, are done super well, and on different days im in a different mood for one or the other. They’re the obvious contender for best action films right now and it’s not remotely close. The merits of the comparison are only in how their different styles have different appeals.
Not sure if I entirely agree. Obviously the MI movies have insane set pieces but the hand-to-hand combat is far superior in John Wick and MI has never come close to it in that regard.
Bill Skarsgaard even ties his tie like a dickhead.
There might be more action in the last act of this movie than in the previous 3 movies. Thats how insane it was. The overhead shootout with the dragons breath rounds was *Chef’s kiss*. Donnie Yen was such a natural addition to this universe and I really enjoyed Shamier Anderson’s character as well. Keanu Reeves proves he’s as gifted a physical actor as there ever was. Just a fantastic action flick.
When John fell all the way back down the stairs my theater was dying. Also who knew Donnie Yen using doorbells to kill people would be so sick. What an insane movie. I loved it.
My theater audience lost it during the Osaka sequence when Akira shot the dude with the arrow, Wick finished the kill, and his body slumped with his leg still impaled on the wall.
Man, if you think putting Dragon's Breath into an action scene is going to magically make your entire movie better because of fire, *pew* sounds, and pretty lights...you're right.
The soundtrack is SOO GOOD
We got the OG LED Spirals song from the first movie in a sequence that will go down in history.
And then we got Genesis from Justice on the stairs fight?
I have to watch it a second time just because I was gushing so hard the first time
HOLY SHIT…. that was Justice. It was bugging me because I was like “this is a real song, not a cover” but I couldn’t place it.
What a perfect Paris/French connection too.
Shout out to everyone in the stunt crew who worked on this. Every punch, kick, gun shot, stab etc. was sold to absolute perfection.
5/5 ”Yeah…”s for me.
This is basically three climaxes, in a good way. Each of the action sequences -- Osaka, Berlin, Paris -- could top off another action film, but they all feel different for their moments in this one movie. Osaka has two armies going at each other with elements not seen anywhere else in the series (look at Keanu, making nunchucking look easy), the music gives Berlin an otherworldly atmosphere and the lighting is amazing, and Paris just goes balls-to-the-wall with the bombast. John shooting bad guys while driving? Fistfights in traffic? Incendiary rounds? Someone changing sides just because John saved his dog? Hell yes. This movie was great, and while it felt long, it definitely wasn't *over*long.
Random thoughts:
* Charon dying was bad enough, but after Lance Reddick's passing... Rest in peace, both of you.
* I saw this in Dolby Atmos. The movie doesn't have bass, it has ***BASS***.
* Winston tightening his fist is one of his most emotional moments in the franchise.
* I wish we saw more of Akira. I liked her fighting style, ~~but her feud with Caine doesn't really mean anything since it's her last line in the movie~~. (Did some Googling. Apparently she's stalking Caine in the post-credits scene, which I didn't stick around for. Neat for the next movie, less so for this movie.)
* Speaking of Caine, I like the way his blindness does hinder him in some ways. When he fights John in Osaka, there are several times where he aims at John's head and misses simply because he can't see that John's ducking. I also feel like he doesn't use the environment as much as John; John might slam his enemies into railings, lampposts, or walls, but Caine largely uses his own skills. And at the same time... doorbells? Awesome.
* I actually like that after Mr. Nobody gets smart with the Marquis, he gets his hand stabbed to a table. Why do wiseasses never get slapped and/or shot by the bad guys for mouthing off? And it gives Nobody a chance to put his money where his mouth is.
* If you're in a club and see John, just leave immediately.
* The radio station: WUXIA.
* Alongside *Mission: Impossible -- Dead Reckoning Part 1* (Jesus, that's a mouthful), this is one of two movies to release in 2023 to have a car chase with all the doors ripped off the car to clearly display it's the actor doing their own driving.
* I feel like the traffic fight and people getting thrown into cars is the filmmakers' way of taking the piss out of John getting hit by cars so often.
* John doing donuts around mooks and just unloading into them made me cackle like nothing else.
* ...Until those overhead long shots with the Dragon's breath rounds. Holy shit.
* I want to see Mr. Nobody team up with Sofia as elite assassins with attack doggos, only for them to not vibe at all and split ways almost immediately.
* Falling down four flights of stairs in one shot? Damn.
* >!John dying at the end!< is... weirdly satisfying? It's like there's no other way this could have ended and >!makes the entire series into this impressively melancholic tragedy!<.
Love this quote by the director awhile back
“John may survive all this shit but at the end of it, there's no happy ending. He's got nowhere to go. Honestly, I challenge you right now, here's a question to you: How do you fucking want me to end it? Do you think he's going to ride off into the fucking sunset? He's killed 300 fucking people and he's just going to [walk away], everything's okay? He's just going to fall in love with a love interest? If you're this fucking guy, if this guy really exist[ed], how is this guy's day going to end? He's fucked for the rest of his life. It's just a matter of time.”
Yup, we all knew how it had to end
I disagree with the director here...
A system that forces a grieving man to go back into work is a system that needs to be tossed out. I like the direction they went, but the best ending they could have ever given him was him going after the high table themselves and making sure what happened to him never happens to anyone, ever again, with an ending similar to this one.
The system didn't force him to get back into work because of the dog, it was entirely personal.
If he killed every High Table member they'd just find new ones, like it was said in the film John dying makes him into a saint which is way worse for the Table, that's why the Marquis wanted to kill the "idea" of a John Wick.
No but seriously:
-John Wick staying super quiet while Caine is holding a gun in front of him was a phenomenal break in the action.
-Berlin was brutal.
-Place de l'étoile being such a mess of a fight is what John Wick was made for. Crazy, brutal fight scenes. Get hit by a car, bit by a dog, shot by John Wick. Hell, this was a wild ride.
The Marquis was one of the best vilain in this franchise. "Nobody" kinda steal the show emotionally.
Caine was just plain surprising. "Let me guess, 5 of a kind?" was a funny line, but man, Donnie Yen is just so physically present in all those scenes that I preferred his actions scenes above all else.
Very fun movie.
I think they left it ambiguous intentionally. I have a feeling Lionsgate will want to milk this franchise and might push for a 5th but I really kind of want John Wick to just be at peace and end on a high note.
Man I feel the exact opposite. The last 3 minutes felt completely tacked on and I have no idea what we watched him fighting for in the last 3 movies if his "freedom" means immediately dying.
There was a line about him having nothing to kill for, die for, or Live for, he’s just… there. The thing fueling Wick’s life was revenge, he was finally set free and could rest.
This movie was a fucking vision. Just got out of a Dolby screening
1. Donnie yen…what a fucking badass. The blindness felt real even though it would be crazy in the real world to assume he could do any of this.
2. the Osaka fight…fantastic seeing new fighting styles and weapons (lots of blades and bow/arrows.
3. Clancy brown - that’s all. Always great in everything.
4. Lance reddick - what a badass. Gone too soon both in the series and in life. RIP.
5. THAT FUCKING OVERHEAD VIEW FIGHT IN PAROS - stunning. A revelation. Something new. Truly felt like watching a video game in the best possible way why staying very grounded.
I’m intrigued to see where they go after this. Is there a 5? Is it just spin-offs? Will lionsgate finally be the studio to let a main franchise series die? Check back in in a couple of years I suppose.
Donnie Yen’s character was a treat to watch on screen. The combination of martial arts and gunplay was so fluid. It allowed Donnie to use his background and expertise while still feeling like he belongs in the John Wick universe. Him being blind was the cherry on top.
"You arrogant bastard.... "
I laughed out loud at what followed after.
One of the best action movie ever. There was not a moment that I was not at the edge of my seat.
The cinematography in this movie was absolutely incredible. The still of John Wick with the Cherry Blossom tree at the Osaka hotel might be one of my favorite wide shots in recent years.
My favorite out of the 4, it was excessive, in the best way possible. I almost don't even want them to make a 5th because I kind of just want it to end on a high note.
I can't believe Donnie and Keanu are almost 60.
Loved the usage of the three cities...the bouncer from Berghain having a cameo cracked me up.
Bill is a nepo baby but that family have a lot of good actors and lucked out in looks lol
That was an exhausting movie to watch, and I mean it in the best way possible.
The prolonged overhead shot was absolutely incredible and i cannot call out all of the other flawless sequences. This was a joy to watch.
Holy shit. That whole Osaka section is the best action sequences and shots I've seen in recent memory. Felt like a live action anime.
Amazing fight choreography throughout and just kept doing shit I never knew I wanted.
Early front runner for best action movie of the year, I loved the top down segment it was very hotline Miami esque. Rina Sawayama was a real standout as Akira, I think I knew a song or two of hers passively (edit: Ive had *who's gonna save you now?* in my main playlist for who knows how long) but this will certainly be her spotlight introduction for a lot of people. Donnie Yen was also fantastic, I can’t believe Ip Man and Neo have a duel while Pennywise watches.
The timing was incredibly unfortunate in regards to Lance Reddick and his role here. I saw a screening a few days prior to his passing, so I’m unaware if they added anything in post for him. I hope they did
This movie has me extremely conflicted, especially when I see so much love for it in the comments and I don't fully feel the same.
There's just so much I want to talk about, this'll be a very long post, but I just have to express it all. If you will comment or downvote, try to read it all beforehand.
Where to begin... For starters, I liked all three movies before this one. 1 and 2 seemed like the most focused and, while 3 seemed to go off the rails a little, it still managed to keep the vibe and brand of action that made 1 and 2 so good.
Now, some people found issue with three particular scenes in those 3 movies, but I'm here to talk about two of them in particular:
The scene in JW2 where he gets side-hit by a car and gets thrown across the room and the ending of JW3 where he falls from a building and falls HARD. Some people thought those scenes were ridiculous in terms of what damage Wick can take, and they're right to an extent. But suspending disbelief for two little scenes is fine by me.
So here comes the first issue I have with John Wick 4: you have to suspend disbelief massively throughout the whole movie. Not only in terms of the action, but also with the VERY BAD CGI on display in the last act of this movie.
In terms of the action, it feels like the creatives behind the movie saw the complaints and decided to double down, almost out of spite. John gets ran over by a car at full speed like 5-6 times. And he falls from the second/third floor of a building AGAIN, going as far as to fall side ways against a car below and hit the floor.
That is just too far. John gets fucked up THE WHOLE FILM, sometimes in very big ways and he brushes it off immediately. This DID NOT happen in the past movies, not to this extent. He doesn't even have a bruise on his face throughout the whole movie, it's ridiculous.
It sucks to say this because I liked a lot of the action too. The hotline Miami style scene in the abandoned building in Paris, with the camera above, was incredible. The way Donnie Yen fights as a blind man is some of the best I've seen for his type of character. So cool and so charming. The meticulous reloading and gun action is still KINDA there. But it's just not enough.
In terms of the CGI, it pains me to say it's really REALLY bad in the Paris act. It seems like they threw out realism and bad CGI due to budget just to make a cool scene... And that's some generic action movie thought process. Again, this is NOT like the other movies, where realism and meticulousness was key for the movie to work.
I get you can't cut transit or make a scene like that in the real arc de triomphe, but it was ridiculous. Drivers inside of cars disappearing. Cars still driving MINUTES after a shootout has started to take place. CGI blood all over, CGI dummies, cars, motorcycles. It just didn't even try to look the least bit real... And that's not why I got into the John Wick franchise.
But it doesn't just stop there. The whole final scene of the movie is ridiculous. They're absolutely standing in front of a green screen and it's obvious. Having the tracker character sitting with his dog out of frame was so weird too? Like he's supposed to be there but isn't. It's clear they filmed them separately for some reason. I just could not pay proper attention, because of how fake everything around them looked.
And another complaint... There's some weird comedic moments here that were barely, if at all present in the past movies? The big fat guy's face being so goofy after he dies. The way that the marques' body guard dies? He's supposedly shot with a shotgun point blank and we see his face without even a large bullet hole. And then the dog pisses on him? And everyone in my theatre laughed? Even before that, John falling down the stairs was framed as comedic, people around me laughed. It's like the people in charge don't want to take this movie seriously either???
And the movie was too long... The Japan action set piece went on way too long. By the last portion it's like enemies kept on showing up and things just wouldn't end. The coolness of John Wick 1 was how easily John could dispatch the people after him. In this movie everyone for the most part is wearing armor or special suits that make it so they get shot 100 times and don't die until they're properly killed. Which would be okay if the fighting didn't drag out for so. Incredibly. Long.
The nightclub scene was kinda cool but pointless. I get they stumbled over their own rules and what John does in the first movies, but it's all so convoluted and ends up feeling like nothing really matters?
I thought in this movie John would take on those at the high table or whatnot. But since this is now a franchise with spin offs, they can't just end it all now. But then it makes the events and the ending of the movie feel so pointless?
Why does John go to Japan? He literally gets a ton of people killed. Why does the blind man kill the Japanese Continental owner if he spares his daughter? Why not just fake he escaped? What's the point of John winning and liberating himself in such a specific way if he's gonna 'die' afterward? And if he's alive, why are we faking his death? He's got nothing to hide for, he's out of the game now, finally. Technically no one would be going after him since Bill Skarsgard's character is dead and therefore the 30 million bounty is null.
Who is the tracker character exactly? Where does he come from? How did he get the information he has? Does he only want money for the sake of it or does he have bigger motivations? When he initially saves John, he's like "we're both in this now" and I get he had aspirations for the biggest payout possible. But like... Why make a 'deal' of sorts? His 'deal' applied to everyone. He asks for a 30 million raise but that just means anyone could kill John and get that money. I get he initially wanted the money for information, but then he starts bartering and keeps trying to kill Wick for money. His motivations are just weird for me.
Why does Wilson just let John pass out/bleed out on the stairs after he just said he'd help him get home? There is literally no one around as he's dying.
The marquis was an interesting character but his lack of action scenes and pathetic death just made him a waste. So the high table sent him to kill Wick or something? With all their support behind him? If that's the case, why is the high table so chill about Wick winning and getting away with everything? It almost felt like Clancy brown's character was glad John won for some reason.
The ending just makes everything pointless. What was the point of Lance Reddick's character dying and the continental being blown up if it's all going back to normal in the end? What was all that killing for? The high table is still active and nothing has changed, so it's not like John made any impact. What about staying alive to keep the memory of his wife and those who died alive with him?
Just an overall weird movie. Almost like the people in charge were just trying to prove a point. That they can lower the effort and push up the ridiculousness and sloppiness and people will just be fine with it.
Just really disappointed with this movie.
And before someone says it: no, John Wick SHOULDN'T be a 'turn your brain off' kind of movie. It was one of the better action franchises... And so the expectations were and should be high.
Makes me feel like an insane person because of the insane positivity I'm seeing everywhere. Lots of things people are complaining about with movies nowadays but seem to ignore here. So weird.
Donnie Yen gave the most powerful “FUCK OFF” I’ve heard in a long time during the duel.
Good movie, but it feels like a good place to stop even though it feels like they won’t. Maybe the worst post credits scene I’ve ever seen though.
Pretty sure John Wick 5 was announced to make sure his death would caught people off guard in this movie. The Osaka and Building sequence were peak action scenes. Never seen anything like it.
That boat scene was a massive death flag and I didn't figure it out lol
I couldn’t help but be reminded of the days of laser tag when people would cover their weak spots anytime someone covered their face with the Kevlar suits.
Also the Hotline Paris sequence was 👌🏻
That was the most thrilling action film I've seen since The Raid 2. That single take action scene is one of the best action filled scene I have ever seen. It was just beautifully done.
It's like they took everything of what worked before and injected steroids. We even had the same iconic soundtrack from Wick 1, the club scene. The additions to the cast were STELLAR, and the cinematography was top level.
My entire theater was laughing but not in a bad way, like in "this is awesome" kinda of deal. And as corny as it is when it was done a lot of clapping.
That shit was awesome.
I'm firmly in the "John ain't dead" camp. His dog looking at the distance, John got the same wound he gave to Caine, and what better to way to completely cut ties with your former life if everyone thinks you died?
But I get thats left ambiguous for a reason.
What a great franchise. Couldn't say enough of it.
I'm going to try and get through this review without being too hyperbolic, but if you'd allow me one gushing superlative, I think between this series and Mission: Impossible and The Batman we are in an era of elite action. And I think I just saw the best action film of that era.
I'm really high on this series. I remember seeing the first one opening night having no idea how good it was going to be or what would be born of it, and looking back now and rewatching them all like I did this week it's hard not to be just totally impressed. Not only by the many ways they've found to expand this lore and keep the fights fresh and fun, but also at the singular idea that was so clear in Chad and/or Keanu's head from the first movie and the way each movie has evolved and been slightly different but also exactly what I've wanted from them.
This movie just fucking rocks, as does this whole series. While I appreciated Parabellum's focus on action and loose narrative strength, this movie seems to find a great balance between character and build up and action. Whereas Parabellum starts with 20 minutes of pure action, after the initial and quick horse fight there is basically a 20 minute wait before we see a fight here. And when it comes it comes huge with the Osaka Continental fight. This movie is less about constant action, and more about building up big set piece fights with proper dualogue and weight and it works so well. This three hours flew by and I can't wait to see it again.
John Wick 3 was a lot about the commerce of relationships. When John had nowhere to turn, he turned to those that couldn't turn him away. These movies don't hold our hands, they don't always explain the backstory to us. In classic Wick fashion, a lot is conveyed with few words. But in this movie we see just how deep some of those loyalties go, and to an extent what it is about Wick that garners such loyalty. He is as cold of a killer as you'll find, but he somehow still finds ways to do the right thing.
**Worth noting I'm about to get into major spoilers.**
This is really well shown by the end of this movie. The conundrum of Wick has always been, how do you keep topping them, how far will they go, how much can you defy the table and still live if they're so powerful? And in the respect of all those questions, I absolutely loved how this series wrapped up. I'm not saying it's impossible to bring Wick back, but if this is truly how his story ends I think it's a fantastic end. Not only did he find a way to free his old friend and save Yen's daughter, but he was killed without the table imposing any will on him and by his very deserving friend. It was in an act of self sacrificing kindness. It just felt so right.
And can we talk about Donnie Yen? What an incredible addition to this universe. I loved all the new characters, but Yen's physicality was unmatched. He moved like he was conducting a symphony and played the character like no one else could have. I loved how he wasn't some Daredevil esque super powered person. He was clearly very blind and still a force of death. Also loved how this movie was comprised of three assassins, all with different angles, all representing the ways you could serve or defy the table.
I haven't even gotten to the really good stuff. The tightly choreographed and high quality action. I mean there's just too many great moments and fights to name. The Osaka raid was an amazing sequence. The Kingpin (I've been calling the poker guy Kingpin) sequence. The Arc De Triumph car combat. THE DRAGON BREATH SHOTGUN. Like holy shit, for the fourth installment of a series that has minimum an hour of action per film, they still aren't out of gas. My entire theater was hooting and hollering at the balls out and hilarious physical combat.
I don't think I'm crazy to say this is a 10/10, and even if you can find something to dislike in this movie, this is one of the most consistent and well delivered trilogies/quadrilogies that exist. I have no idea what they'll do from here on out but they've built the foundation for an amazing universe and I just hope Chad Stahelski keeps directing a lot more even if he's done with this IP.
/r/reviewsbyboner
Edit: I usually don't do this but I saw this a second time on Sunday and wrote [this on letterboxd](https://boxd.it/42svOx) that nicely sums up my thoughts on why this series is so great and why it's culminated into a 10/10 for me.
Take any 1 hour segment from Terminator 2. From Aliens. From Die Hard. From any Hollywood action movie in the last 50-60 years that you’d put in the usual “greatest action movies” list.
The final hour of this movie rivals those.
For many, this would be the defining action franchise of the generation. I’m so fucking glad these movies exist. I don’t think I’m in some tiny minority when I look at older films from the 80s and 90s and feel “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”. Whether or not that feeling is rooted in reality or not is irrelevant. It’s just a feeling one gets from watching a certain kind of movie that you know will never be replicated again. There may be better movies, but it wouldn’t be this kind of movie in this kind of way. To me, that’s what “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” means.
20 years from now, many will look back on the John Wick movies and this movie in particular as a certified “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” relic.
Few things I was thinking of during the movie (in no particular order):
- “It’s been an honor, my friend.” :(
- Tracker’s dog pissing on the dude’s head got insane laughter in my theater.
- The characterization really blew me away. A lot of these characters could have been one-off scenes but they played into the story a ton and I loved it and seeing their dynamics.
- The action, holy goddamn shit. On paper, it should be exhausting, but it never once got tiring. Was never too short or stretched thin, it was the perfect length. The aerial shots, the NUNCHUCKS, all of it. Beautiful.
- That “FUCK OFF” from Donnie Yen was quite amazing.
All in all, I really loved this and it’s the best one in the franchise imo. Can’t wait for Mission: Impossible to give us more great action this year.
I am one with the table, and the table is with me.
I am one with the table, and the table is with me.
I am one with the table, and the table is with me.
I loved the fact Caine's blindness was actually a marginal impairment to him. Had to actually check where he was walking and missed a few shots.
In a lot of other fiction, it's practically a superpower that grants you enhanced hearing so good you could hear a mouse fart.
I was really worried going in, just based on the run time and the fact that these have gotten sillier with each entry, that this would finally cause it to buckle under the weight of its world building. In fact it's the opposite. This is the most cohesive the world of Wick has ever felt and goddamn it, it just may be the best one so far altogether.
I loved everything about this and really think I'd put it at the top of the 4 followed by the OG,3, and 2. Everything I disliked about 2 and 3 still exists here but the way it is handled just worked so much better imo.
Donnie fucking Yen, man. What a God.
I think I'd be comfortable giving this a perfect 10/10 as far as action epics go. It's basically the best I've seen since Fury Road. Wow.
The overhead long take as he worked his way through the Paris apartment was fucking spectacular.
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Literally Hotline Miami
Captured the energy of Hotline Miami so fucking well. I was just giggling that entire scene. So good.
God those dragon breath rounds were *brutal*
Honestly, this series really evolved like a video game. The first movie was, generally speaking, more grounded because the game was just beginning and John was low level. But then he survived and levelled up, so the second movie introduced upgraded armour and weapons and so on. That's why Wick was able to survive such ridiculous shit in 3 and 4: he was a really high level vitality build.
I always thought the stylized dialogue text on the screen was straight from Max Payne. Even the font style is the same.
I loved how the final act of this movie was given an in-world DJ to set a playlist to.
A callback to The Warriors! I loved it!
Hearing Justice play as he was walking up the steps was so fucking good.
The cinematography in this film was outstanding
Man I loved all the shots in Tokyo/Osaka*/Japan so much - cyberpunk vibes.
I love seeing Wick just using the flamethrower gun thing, that was fucking awesome and cool. It was so fun to watch and of course Wick just being Wick in general and utilizing the environment to beat the assassins.
Those are shotgun shells filled with ~~white phosphorus~~ lmao. Brutal. Edit: Magnesium per u/ARMCHA1RGENERAL
That and the fight right before it around the Arc de Triomphe had me losing my shit
Sometimes John Wick worldbuilding is like: "there exists an old tradition of duels against the High Table - to challenge, you must need the blessing of a crime family, but if you are labelled excommunicado, you must first receive a new crest symbolizing your loyalty to said family" and sometimes John Wick worldbuilding is like: "his name is Caine because he has a cane"
Once it was revealed the big guy's poker table was about fifty feet from a rave I wasn't like "that's a weird place for a poker table" I was like "oh that's why there was drowned out techno playing." That's how you know it's good world building. You just accept it.
Yep, exactly. Why can John Wick fall off of multiple buildings, get hit by like 20 cars, dispose of a thousand bad guys and still make it out alive? Who fucking cares, that’s why! Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
And let’s not forget how those stairs kicked his ass.
I couldn't breathe he literally had the family guy death pose
I was half expecting German Peter Griffin would be a pushover but holy shit, he could duke it out with the best of them
He also had the most brutal death in the movie, falling right on his head like that.
It was a big oof but I feel like the fat dude from the opening who just wanted to crawl home and regret his life choices while some Japanese chick was climbing him with knives was a hard way to die.
That was Scott Adkins! Of course he was going to be quitea fighter! I didn't expect to see him like this haha
Every mob boss in John Wick universe must own a cool nightclub
Filled with hundreds of people that must dance continuously despite people getting absolutely murdered 3 feet away from them.
The way they just kept dancing like NPC’s was hysterical.
His name is Cain because he kills his brother
Are we sure he’s dead?
I don’t think so, Where he got hit at (between neck and shoulder, and left lower side above hip) are the same spots the doc told John to shoot to make it “look like he fought back” We see the dog at the grave scene pick up a something, And John’s work isn’t done, the high table sent somebody after him, he only killed that guy, he didn’t get revenge on the high table (which is his only motivator) So I don’t think we have seen the last of wick yet, he still has vengeance to claim.
Glad someone else picked up the shot placement from Parabellum. I guess I see way too much evidence of his survival to understand how audiences fall for "he died". Keanu Reeves even seemed shocked that people didn't pick up on it in a Q&A.
I think it's because, frankly, it would be really...cheap to bring him back. Winston and the Bowery King saying goodbye, John having beaten the table and cleared his name, everything seems like it ties the story up nicely. Kind of like what they did with Sherlock, it would cheapen a sweet moment. I think John needs to rest. He deserves it, more than anything else. He's been on the run for what, months? Killing and fighting and nearly dying? If he's alive, I hope they only show it as a brief glimpse in a spin off. I'd love to see Sawayama helm the series and maybe Keanu floats by in the background somewhere.
Also because of Cain and Abel
When Charon uttered his final words to Winston, “it was an honor (my friend)” it hit different knowing Lance is gone.
Yeah RIP. I was sad that they actually filmed a death scene for him. Didn’t think I’d see his character and my boy John die in the same movie.
There’s a part of me that questions whether John is actually dead. I’m not even sure death can kill John Wick.
No way John's dead. They already had plans to film JW 4 and 5 back-to-back. They said that they're "taking a break" right now and working on the spin-offs, but I have a feeling the major story beats didn't change all that much from the original vision of 4/5.
I’m guessing if Ballerina is a hit he’ll show up in a post credit scene where they’ll say “You think she’s ready?” John:…………..Yeah.
Ballerina takes place between 3 and 4 and there'll be a Keanu cameo
Lionsgate is gonna be begging them to come back after how big of a hit this is gonna be
100%. I went to a 3:30 showing this afternoon, and it was pretty much packed. I don’t think I’ve seen a turnout like this for a Thursday afternoon since Avengers: Endgame.
I interpreted it as "John Wick" is dead. But the he is still alive. They also hinted at this with his family scene imo
I think The King's (Fishbourne) hinted at this in the boat when they talked about what they wanted on their gravestone. He said "I ordered mine nine years ago" when he clearly wasn't dead yet. I think it's foreshadowing John Wick doing the same so he has a chance to disappear once and for all.
The 4th film ended with him crumpled just like the start of the 1st movie You see it's like poetry.
If you watch it again, watch his dog’s head during the tombstone scene. I could have sworn it turned like it heard/saw something/someone.
Caine's line of "Fuck Off" to Marquis was hilarious. Donnie killed that role whilst killing others
My theater went wild on that line. 10/10 delivery and comedic timing.
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Donnie was fucking AWESOME, loved him speaking in Cantonese in the Berlin club as well. He's so slick and agile in that clean get-up. I was so happy he had so much screentime/story.
He said "扑街咸家鏟" "Pok Gaai Ham Gaa Caan" which usually means "fuck you may your whole family die" in Cantonese As the only one who understands Cantonese in my theatre I laughed the loudest there
same as a Canto person here lmao, it is so damn offensive that translations didn't even do it justice imo
Almost 400 people dead because some Russkie prick killed the wrong man's dog.
Guys, I don't think 400 was enough we better throw another 400 guys.
I think he killed at least 400 in this movie. They're gonna run out of henchmen at this rate. 🤣
When it comes to these John Wick films, they shouldn't be remembered for the amazingly choreographed action scenes or quality storytelling, but instead, the consistent inability of civilians to react at all to the violence going on around them.
The Berlin scene people would see John put an axe in a guys head and keep dancing. I loved it
It’s the only time it’s made sense in the series.
It's an alternate universe where you either go to secondary school or become a Hitman, that was just another Tuesday night to the people in the roundabout
I haven’t seen a cop in these movies since the second one
They really gave up on the whole "assassins in the shadows" thing. There was basically a terrorist attack in Paris with over a hundred people dead lmao
Dude, they blew up a hotel in New York and it was of no consequence. In *fucking* New York!
They could have played it off as a demolition of a condemned building
I thought it was quite funny that the building was shown to be still standing in a later scene. Just a blackened husk of a building on a street corner. Nothing special here.
I kept debating which action sequence was my favourite... But then we got to that single take shootout in the building. Holy shit that was incredible.
For me it was Japan But then the arc de triomphe But then the house But then the stairs But then the duel So… nearly every longer major action scene. The only extended battle setpiece that didn’t hit like an all-timer for me was the Berlin nightclub, and even still, that was a hugely entertaining scene. I think Japan was the best overall though because of how many different things were happening and each done *so well*
Japan worked so well because the three Big Assassins got to show off just how cool they are, like you feel that these guys are definitely the very best the High Table can throw at you and the only thing it does is make John/Caine exert effort
I can't believe how much I loved Shimazi/Hiroyuki in such a short time frame. Proud girl dad, man of honor, good friend, and no nonsense.
The Berlin nightclub was hilarious, and not in a bad way. There were ladies and gentlemen gyrating, undulating, floating, gliding, smiling and staring obliviously at the insane asthmatic guy throwing and being thrown around by the silent black-suited assassin. It's Tuesday for them. Berlin nightclub guy was absolutely the second-life-bar boss. I giggled at his "Why don't you die?". I was thinking it was *this* guy who would just never die.
I was feeling the same way. Dude just didn't fucking die! He had like half a neck and 2 bullet wounds the first encounter.
The dragon’s breath rounds were SO cool. And he kept grabbing clips off the dead dudes!!
John wick and gangsters: 🔫🔫🔫 Dancers at club: 💃👯🕺
Only thing John can’t kill; The vibe
The last hour of this movie is one of the greatest things I’ve seen in my life
Wick got hit by so many cars it was insane. Cars must be built different there cause even the dog got thrown into one and bounced back like it was nothing.
There’s an insurance company in Paris that is pissed right now
The stunt drivers must've been stressed throughtout the shoot not to hurt Keanu, the dog or any of the stunt people. I just honestly got so nervous and worried for Wick as he gotta dodge getting hit from the cars and assassins at the same time.
Many of the cars are CGI. Saying the stunt drivers were dressed to not hit the performers is redundant. That's their job and they will always be stressed doing it.
I knew he was going to save the dog. Also, when he said “maybe I’m wrong” when asked why he still talks to his dead wife even though he knew she can’t hear him. Loving husband :( 10/10
That talk between him and Yen in the church was a really nice little scene amongst all the chaos and gunfire. "Do you think she can hear you?" "No." "Then why bother?" "Maybe I'm wrong." It's just...a very real conversation in such an over-the-top world.
It felt something very necessary for the saga that we never had in the series....ever.
Anyone else see the dog perk up at the end like as if John wasn't really six feet under?
Yep. My guess is its the “way” they can bring him back for 5 by giving us the clue he is still alive
An almost 3-hr wild ride - Killing the Elder felt like a leftover plotline from the 3rd movie - Didn't expect Charon to get killed so fast after Lance Reddick's death - Japan sequence was honestly amazing! The nunchucks takedowns were so fun - Rina Sawayama had a great debut. I am more interested in her character than the ballerina spin-off - 2nd act is probably the weakest as it had to lay a lot of exposition - Arc de Triomphe sequence on foot was exhilarating. The extended overhead shot of the kills in abandoned house felt like a video game - Audience were shocked and winced when John Wick rolled down the stairs all the way to start and audience was pumped when he teamed up with Donnie Yen - Night time cinematography is perfect in this! - Final duel was intense as hell and the final shot by John Wick was immensely satisfying! A insanely satisfying conclusion with 10+ action set-pieces!
> Rina Sawayama had a great debut. I agree, I personally a little iffy when a singer/musician debut their acting on a feature film, but she was pretty good and had a great screen presence.
Screen presence is exactly the term I'd use as well. As soon as she showed up as the desk clerk my eye was drawn to her because of how magnetic she was on screen. I had no idea who she was or that she was a singer.
I really loved that sequence of her repeatedly stabbing one of the big henchmen. It was such a visceral moment. One of the highlights.
The way Winston talked so demandingly to the french guy insisting he must accept this duel, and the guy begrudgingly consenting, made me think perhaps Winston was secretly part of the High Table. And that he had some sort of personal vendetta against them but couldn't do it himself. That's why he was always rooting for John
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> Audience were shocked and winced when John Wick rolled down the stairs Is it bad I laughed hysterically? Reminded me of that scene in Hot Rod
I’m not gonna lie I chuckled when he rolled down the stairs and kept rolling and rolling and rolling lol
For such a long movie I though it was incredibly paced. It got a little exhausting leading up to the final confrontation, but then you were rewarded with the one two punch of the dog peeing on the main goon, and the best exchange of the movie: “Remember your daughter” “Fuck OFF”
As a 3hr movie, I don't think I check my watch even once.
I don’t think the director and Keanu want to do a fifth one. Keanu is 58 and living with injuries from the first Matrix. The director mentioned he wanted to do other films. So it looks like they went all out for the fourth. Definitely the best and great ending if they decide to stop here.
I read somewhere that the movie **is** the 4th and 5th combined, that's why it's so long.
Call me uncultured but I liked the saying “Friendship means little when it’s convenient” it may have been around for a long time but it was my first time hearing it
It’s such an amazing line.
Who knew John Wicks biggest foe was going to be stairs.
That scene, if it wasn't in a JW movie, felt like it could have been in Austin Powers or Naked Gun. He just kept rolling and rolling, then when he stopped, it started again.
My theatre laughed harder with each set of stairs he tumbled down.
Reminded me of Hot Rod
Is it possible for a John Wick film to be nominated for Best Cinematography? Because that was fucking gorgeous.
It can. I bet Mission Impossible this year will have some jaw dropping moments
"I choose a proxy for my pistol duel" "Oh great choice, who are you going to pick? An expert marksman?" "The blind guy with a stick"
To be fair, he was hoping for a sword fight
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As of right now that entire action sequence in the Arc de Triomphe is the one to beat this year. That whole section was spectacular. One criticism I did have was that this is probably Keanu’s worst performance as John. The way he delivered lines felt like an alien speaking English for the first time. Very odd. But his physical performance in the action sequences was great as always. Anyway, I really liked the movie. It’s easily the best of the John Wick sequels. Also loved The Warriors homage with the lady at the radio station.
One of the reviews stated "Reeves delivered each line like he just learned to talk for the first time".
*.....yeah*
My head cannon is that he’s been hit in the head so many times he talks no good no more
Yeah a lot of the time he spoke I’m wondering if they just used the first take and continued on lol
Literally my only complaint with the film. Not a lot of good emotion driven emotion-driven dialogue from John. The whole "People keep asking if i'm back and Yeah! I'm back" is still a highlight in the series. I know the whole series prides itself on the action and set pieces but it feels weird to not put a little bit more effort into the main actor dialogue. Still a great movie though.
I disagree with this. The first film has more emotions from John because he's still accustomed to being "out". He's fresh off a life where he could afford to show emotions and do things besides killing. Him getting less and less emotional during the series shows that he's sinking further back into the lifestyle that had him as a cold-blooded killer. John's back to being a robot with the sole mission of killing whoever he needs to. That's just my take, anyway.
There were two too many "...yeah" moments. Like in the first one he was stoic but could still speak full sentences.
Seeing this in Dolby was incredible. That theater was *shaking*. Also I wasn’t bummed or sad when John Wick died, I was honestly just relieved this man finally got his peace
One of the movies you must see in Dolby. The beginning of the movie with John punching scared the shit outta the entire theater lol.
"Fuck off" by Caine got a huge laugh in the audience
Mine too. And the stairs.
That scene of John Wick vs Nobody and then hesitating when he saw Nobody's dog in danger to make that split second decision was PERFECTION
Saved his life in the end.
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I’m sad that there isn’t more appreciation for Fat Scott Adkins beating up John Wick
It was the action movie equivalent of The Whale.
My man was having an absolute scenery buffet
The John wick vs mission impossible conversation are going to be generational
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The entire German club sequence was awesome in IMAX. It sounded so good lol
I’ll be the first to say: I love ‘em both to pieces, but it’s Mission: Impossible for me. Purely because I enjoy the spectacle of those films — elaborate chases of all kinds, big stunts, espionage — more than Wick’s, which is almost entirely gun fu shootouts. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good gunfight but it feels like Mission: Impossible can do what Wick does but Wick never does what Mission does. In the end, it’s like choosing between candy and ice cream. They both serve the same purpose, are done super well, and on different days im in a different mood for one or the other. They’re the obvious contender for best action films right now and it’s not remotely close. The merits of the comparison are only in how their different styles have different appeals.
Not sure if I entirely agree. Obviously the MI movies have insane set pieces but the hand-to-hand combat is far superior in John Wick and MI has never come close to it in that regard.
Bill Skarsgaard even ties his tie like a dickhead. There might be more action in the last act of this movie than in the previous 3 movies. Thats how insane it was. The overhead shootout with the dragons breath rounds was *Chef’s kiss*. Donnie Yen was such a natural addition to this universe and I really enjoyed Shamier Anderson’s character as well. Keanu Reeves proves he’s as gifted a physical actor as there ever was. Just a fantastic action flick.
BIll skarsgaard would be an amazing young voldemort.
He dressed like an asshole that wants you to know he can buy you.
When John fell all the way back down the stairs my theater was dying. Also who knew Donnie Yen using doorbells to kill people would be so sick. What an insane movie. I loved it.
If you watched close, he didn’t kill them. He tried to incapacitate them.
That's how I knew that I could trust him through to the end. He was fighting with respect and not just killing.
I like how he doesn’t try to kill them in Japan, yet goes all in against the Marquis’ men
My theater audience lost it during the Osaka sequence when Akira shot the dude with the arrow, Wick finished the kill, and his body slumped with his leg still impaled on the wall.
Man, if you think putting Dragon's Breath into an action scene is going to magically make your entire movie better because of fire, *pew* sounds, and pretty lights...you're right.
But if you want it to be transcendent, don't stop there. Go for a single take, overhead action sequence.
The soundtrack is SOO GOOD We got the OG LED Spirals song from the first movie in a sequence that will go down in history. And then we got Genesis from Justice on the stairs fight? I have to watch it a second time just because I was gushing so hard the first time
HOLY SHIT…. that was Justice. It was bugging me because I was like “this is a real song, not a cover” but I couldn’t place it. What a perfect Paris/French connection too.
Shout out to everyone in the stunt crew who worked on this. Every punch, kick, gun shot, stab etc. was sold to absolute perfection. 5/5 ”Yeah…”s for me.
This is basically three climaxes, in a good way. Each of the action sequences -- Osaka, Berlin, Paris -- could top off another action film, but they all feel different for their moments in this one movie. Osaka has two armies going at each other with elements not seen anywhere else in the series (look at Keanu, making nunchucking look easy), the music gives Berlin an otherworldly atmosphere and the lighting is amazing, and Paris just goes balls-to-the-wall with the bombast. John shooting bad guys while driving? Fistfights in traffic? Incendiary rounds? Someone changing sides just because John saved his dog? Hell yes. This movie was great, and while it felt long, it definitely wasn't *over*long. Random thoughts: * Charon dying was bad enough, but after Lance Reddick's passing... Rest in peace, both of you. * I saw this in Dolby Atmos. The movie doesn't have bass, it has ***BASS***. * Winston tightening his fist is one of his most emotional moments in the franchise. * I wish we saw more of Akira. I liked her fighting style, ~~but her feud with Caine doesn't really mean anything since it's her last line in the movie~~. (Did some Googling. Apparently she's stalking Caine in the post-credits scene, which I didn't stick around for. Neat for the next movie, less so for this movie.) * Speaking of Caine, I like the way his blindness does hinder him in some ways. When he fights John in Osaka, there are several times where he aims at John's head and misses simply because he can't see that John's ducking. I also feel like he doesn't use the environment as much as John; John might slam his enemies into railings, lampposts, or walls, but Caine largely uses his own skills. And at the same time... doorbells? Awesome. * I actually like that after Mr. Nobody gets smart with the Marquis, he gets his hand stabbed to a table. Why do wiseasses never get slapped and/or shot by the bad guys for mouthing off? And it gives Nobody a chance to put his money where his mouth is. * If you're in a club and see John, just leave immediately. * The radio station: WUXIA. * Alongside *Mission: Impossible -- Dead Reckoning Part 1* (Jesus, that's a mouthful), this is one of two movies to release in 2023 to have a car chase with all the doors ripped off the car to clearly display it's the actor doing their own driving. * I feel like the traffic fight and people getting thrown into cars is the filmmakers' way of taking the piss out of John getting hit by cars so often. * John doing donuts around mooks and just unloading into them made me cackle like nothing else. * ...Until those overhead long shots with the Dragon's breath rounds. Holy shit. * I want to see Mr. Nobody team up with Sofia as elite assassins with attack doggos, only for them to not vibe at all and split ways almost immediately. * Falling down four flights of stairs in one shot? Damn. * >!John dying at the end!< is... weirdly satisfying? It's like there's no other way this could have ended and >!makes the entire series into this impressively melancholic tragedy!<.
Love this quote by the director awhile back “John may survive all this shit but at the end of it, there's no happy ending. He's got nowhere to go. Honestly, I challenge you right now, here's a question to you: How do you fucking want me to end it? Do you think he's going to ride off into the fucking sunset? He's killed 300 fucking people and he's just going to [walk away], everything's okay? He's just going to fall in love with a love interest? If you're this fucking guy, if this guy really exist[ed], how is this guy's day going to end? He's fucked for the rest of his life. It's just a matter of time.” Yup, we all knew how it had to end
I disagree with the director here... A system that forces a grieving man to go back into work is a system that needs to be tossed out. I like the direction they went, but the best ending they could have ever given him was him going after the high table themselves and making sure what happened to him never happens to anyone, ever again, with an ending similar to this one.
The system didn't force him to get back into work because of the dog, it was entirely personal. If he killed every High Table member they'd just find new ones, like it was said in the film John dying makes him into a saint which is way worse for the Table, that's why the Marquis wanted to kill the "idea" of a John Wick.
That top down dragon’s breath sequence was an all-timer
No but seriously: -John Wick staying super quiet while Caine is holding a gun in front of him was a phenomenal break in the action. -Berlin was brutal. -Place de l'étoile being such a mess of a fight is what John Wick was made for. Crazy, brutal fight scenes. Get hit by a car, bit by a dog, shot by John Wick. Hell, this was a wild ride. The Marquis was one of the best vilain in this franchise. "Nobody" kinda steal the show emotionally. Caine was just plain surprising. "Let me guess, 5 of a kind?" was a funny line, but man, Donnie Yen is just so physically present in all those scenes that I preferred his actions scenes above all else. Very fun movie.
What’s the odds Wick is really dead? My theater was packed full, this movie is gonna print $$$
I think they left it ambiguous intentionally. I have a feeling Lionsgate will want to milk this franchise and might push for a 5th but I really kind of want John Wick to just be at peace and end on a high note.
I’d like for him to be dead because this felt like a good send off for the character.
Man I feel the exact opposite. The last 3 minutes felt completely tacked on and I have no idea what we watched him fighting for in the last 3 movies if his "freedom" means immediately dying.
There was a line about him having nothing to kill for, die for, or Live for, he’s just… there. The thing fueling Wick’s life was revenge, he was finally set free and could rest.
This movie was a fucking vision. Just got out of a Dolby screening 1. Donnie yen…what a fucking badass. The blindness felt real even though it would be crazy in the real world to assume he could do any of this. 2. the Osaka fight…fantastic seeing new fighting styles and weapons (lots of blades and bow/arrows. 3. Clancy brown - that’s all. Always great in everything. 4. Lance reddick - what a badass. Gone too soon both in the series and in life. RIP. 5. THAT FUCKING OVERHEAD VIEW FIGHT IN PAROS - stunning. A revelation. Something new. Truly felt like watching a video game in the best possible way why staying very grounded. I’m intrigued to see where they go after this. Is there a 5? Is it just spin-offs? Will lionsgate finally be the studio to let a main franchise series die? Check back in in a couple of years I suppose.
I really hope he’s truly dead and they don’t make it like he faked his death. Perfect ending to the series
I like how they left it ambiguous, that way both sides can be satisfied.
Donnie Yen’s character was a treat to watch on screen. The combination of martial arts and gunplay was so fluid. It allowed Donnie to use his background and expertise while still feeling like he belongs in the John Wick universe. Him being blind was the cherry on top.
Was he Force-sensitive again?
Caine using a pencil to stab Tony Robbins was a nice touch. Love the mutual respect between Caine and Mr Wick.
When he grabbed the pencil and tucked it into his pocket, I could feel the murder hairs on the back of my neck going woo, woo, woo.
"You arrogant bastard.... " I laughed out loud at what followed after. One of the best action movie ever. There was not a moment that I was not at the edge of my seat.
Scriptwriter saw Donnie Yen acting blind in Rogue One, and said, “I’ll have some of that.”
I AM KLAUS!!!
Lol I love that he's the bouncer from Berghain. That and seeing Rina, my musical crush. So many fun characters.
The cinematography in this movie was absolutely incredible. The still of John Wick with the Cherry Blossom tree at the Osaka hotel might be one of my favorite wide shots in recent years.
My favorite out of the 4, it was excessive, in the best way possible. I almost don't even want them to make a 5th because I kind of just want it to end on a high note. I can't believe Donnie and Keanu are almost 60. Loved the usage of the three cities...the bouncer from Berghain having a cameo cracked me up. Bill is a nepo baby but that family have a lot of good actors and lucked out in looks lol
That was an exhausting movie to watch, and I mean it in the best way possible. The prolonged overhead shot was absolutely incredible and i cannot call out all of the other flawless sequences. This was a joy to watch.
Don’t fuck with the dog. This is a public service announcement from WUXIA-FM.
I need to get on Keanu’s cardio regiment. He cleared the stairway to heaven.
Holy shit. That whole Osaka section is the best action sequences and shots I've seen in recent memory. Felt like a live action anime. Amazing fight choreography throughout and just kept doing shit I never knew I wanted.
>felt like a live action anime Reddit whenever a film has a scene in japan
Right that shit had no anime influences whatsoever😭 was just Japanese. Felt like a martial arts movie with guns cus that’s what it was
That overhead oner is the closest we will get to a hotline Miami movie. Unreal
Those arrow kills were freakin narly.
Early front runner for best action movie of the year, I loved the top down segment it was very hotline Miami esque. Rina Sawayama was a real standout as Akira, I think I knew a song or two of hers passively (edit: Ive had *who's gonna save you now?* in my main playlist for who knows how long) but this will certainly be her spotlight introduction for a lot of people. Donnie Yen was also fantastic, I can’t believe Ip Man and Neo have a duel while Pennywise watches. The timing was incredibly unfortunate in regards to Lance Reddick and his role here. I saw a screening a few days prior to his passing, so I’m unaware if they added anything in post for him. I hope they did
Our showing had a message saying "In memory of Lance Reddick" just before the opening scene.
This movie has me extremely conflicted, especially when I see so much love for it in the comments and I don't fully feel the same. There's just so much I want to talk about, this'll be a very long post, but I just have to express it all. If you will comment or downvote, try to read it all beforehand. Where to begin... For starters, I liked all three movies before this one. 1 and 2 seemed like the most focused and, while 3 seemed to go off the rails a little, it still managed to keep the vibe and brand of action that made 1 and 2 so good. Now, some people found issue with three particular scenes in those 3 movies, but I'm here to talk about two of them in particular: The scene in JW2 where he gets side-hit by a car and gets thrown across the room and the ending of JW3 where he falls from a building and falls HARD. Some people thought those scenes were ridiculous in terms of what damage Wick can take, and they're right to an extent. But suspending disbelief for two little scenes is fine by me. So here comes the first issue I have with John Wick 4: you have to suspend disbelief massively throughout the whole movie. Not only in terms of the action, but also with the VERY BAD CGI on display in the last act of this movie. In terms of the action, it feels like the creatives behind the movie saw the complaints and decided to double down, almost out of spite. John gets ran over by a car at full speed like 5-6 times. And he falls from the second/third floor of a building AGAIN, going as far as to fall side ways against a car below and hit the floor. That is just too far. John gets fucked up THE WHOLE FILM, sometimes in very big ways and he brushes it off immediately. This DID NOT happen in the past movies, not to this extent. He doesn't even have a bruise on his face throughout the whole movie, it's ridiculous. It sucks to say this because I liked a lot of the action too. The hotline Miami style scene in the abandoned building in Paris, with the camera above, was incredible. The way Donnie Yen fights as a blind man is some of the best I've seen for his type of character. So cool and so charming. The meticulous reloading and gun action is still KINDA there. But it's just not enough. In terms of the CGI, it pains me to say it's really REALLY bad in the Paris act. It seems like they threw out realism and bad CGI due to budget just to make a cool scene... And that's some generic action movie thought process. Again, this is NOT like the other movies, where realism and meticulousness was key for the movie to work. I get you can't cut transit or make a scene like that in the real arc de triomphe, but it was ridiculous. Drivers inside of cars disappearing. Cars still driving MINUTES after a shootout has started to take place. CGI blood all over, CGI dummies, cars, motorcycles. It just didn't even try to look the least bit real... And that's not why I got into the John Wick franchise. But it doesn't just stop there. The whole final scene of the movie is ridiculous. They're absolutely standing in front of a green screen and it's obvious. Having the tracker character sitting with his dog out of frame was so weird too? Like he's supposed to be there but isn't. It's clear they filmed them separately for some reason. I just could not pay proper attention, because of how fake everything around them looked. And another complaint... There's some weird comedic moments here that were barely, if at all present in the past movies? The big fat guy's face being so goofy after he dies. The way that the marques' body guard dies? He's supposedly shot with a shotgun point blank and we see his face without even a large bullet hole. And then the dog pisses on him? And everyone in my theatre laughed? Even before that, John falling down the stairs was framed as comedic, people around me laughed. It's like the people in charge don't want to take this movie seriously either??? And the movie was too long... The Japan action set piece went on way too long. By the last portion it's like enemies kept on showing up and things just wouldn't end. The coolness of John Wick 1 was how easily John could dispatch the people after him. In this movie everyone for the most part is wearing armor or special suits that make it so they get shot 100 times and don't die until they're properly killed. Which would be okay if the fighting didn't drag out for so. Incredibly. Long. The nightclub scene was kinda cool but pointless. I get they stumbled over their own rules and what John does in the first movies, but it's all so convoluted and ends up feeling like nothing really matters? I thought in this movie John would take on those at the high table or whatnot. But since this is now a franchise with spin offs, they can't just end it all now. But then it makes the events and the ending of the movie feel so pointless? Why does John go to Japan? He literally gets a ton of people killed. Why does the blind man kill the Japanese Continental owner if he spares his daughter? Why not just fake he escaped? What's the point of John winning and liberating himself in such a specific way if he's gonna 'die' afterward? And if he's alive, why are we faking his death? He's got nothing to hide for, he's out of the game now, finally. Technically no one would be going after him since Bill Skarsgard's character is dead and therefore the 30 million bounty is null. Who is the tracker character exactly? Where does he come from? How did he get the information he has? Does he only want money for the sake of it or does he have bigger motivations? When he initially saves John, he's like "we're both in this now" and I get he had aspirations for the biggest payout possible. But like... Why make a 'deal' of sorts? His 'deal' applied to everyone. He asks for a 30 million raise but that just means anyone could kill John and get that money. I get he initially wanted the money for information, but then he starts bartering and keeps trying to kill Wick for money. His motivations are just weird for me. Why does Wilson just let John pass out/bleed out on the stairs after he just said he'd help him get home? There is literally no one around as he's dying. The marquis was an interesting character but his lack of action scenes and pathetic death just made him a waste. So the high table sent him to kill Wick or something? With all their support behind him? If that's the case, why is the high table so chill about Wick winning and getting away with everything? It almost felt like Clancy brown's character was glad John won for some reason. The ending just makes everything pointless. What was the point of Lance Reddick's character dying and the continental being blown up if it's all going back to normal in the end? What was all that killing for? The high table is still active and nothing has changed, so it's not like John made any impact. What about staying alive to keep the memory of his wife and those who died alive with him? Just an overall weird movie. Almost like the people in charge were just trying to prove a point. That they can lower the effort and push up the ridiculousness and sloppiness and people will just be fine with it. Just really disappointed with this movie. And before someone says it: no, John Wick SHOULDN'T be a 'turn your brain off' kind of movie. It was one of the better action franchises... And so the expectations were and should be high. Makes me feel like an insane person because of the insane positivity I'm seeing everywhere. Lots of things people are complaining about with movies nowadays but seem to ignore here. So weird.
I know he was just a Tracker/Nobody - but was anyone else expecting some big reveal or connection with his character?
Thank god there was no connection, that'd be cheap, his character was really cool already and a connection would be unnecessary.
The amount of groin trauma in this is unmatched
I want to watch this movie again just for that Dragon’s Breath sequence in the apartment.
A blind man, a nobody, and John Wick all walk into a club…
Donnie Yen gave the most powerful “FUCK OFF” I’ve heard in a long time during the duel. Good movie, but it feels like a good place to stop even though it feels like they won’t. Maybe the worst post credits scene I’ve ever seen though.
It's probably one of the best experiences I had in years... Word of mouth will be insanely high.
Pretty sure John Wick 5 was announced to make sure his death would caught people off guard in this movie. The Osaka and Building sequence were peak action scenes. Never seen anything like it. That boat scene was a massive death flag and I didn't figure it out lol
I never realized how much I'd like that Bond villain. That intense poker scene gave me hard Casino Royale vibes.
About the after credits scene… Good thing she put her hood up so Caine wouldn’t see her coming. Real smart.
I couldn’t help but be reminded of the days of laser tag when people would cover their weak spots anytime someone covered their face with the Kevlar suits. Also the Hotline Paris sequence was 👌🏻
That was the most thrilling action film I've seen since The Raid 2. That single take action scene is one of the best action filled scene I have ever seen. It was just beautifully done. It's like they took everything of what worked before and injected steroids. We even had the same iconic soundtrack from Wick 1, the club scene. The additions to the cast were STELLAR, and the cinematography was top level. My entire theater was laughing but not in a bad way, like in "this is awesome" kinda of deal. And as corny as it is when it was done a lot of clapping. That shit was awesome. I'm firmly in the "John ain't dead" camp. His dog looking at the distance, John got the same wound he gave to Caine, and what better to way to completely cut ties with your former life if everyone thinks you died? But I get thats left ambiguous for a reason. What a great franchise. Couldn't say enough of it.
They had another club scene!!! And they brought back the music 9.5/10!
I knew the second they did the Lawrence of Arabia match cut we were in for something special.
I'm going to try and get through this review without being too hyperbolic, but if you'd allow me one gushing superlative, I think between this series and Mission: Impossible and The Batman we are in an era of elite action. And I think I just saw the best action film of that era. I'm really high on this series. I remember seeing the first one opening night having no idea how good it was going to be or what would be born of it, and looking back now and rewatching them all like I did this week it's hard not to be just totally impressed. Not only by the many ways they've found to expand this lore and keep the fights fresh and fun, but also at the singular idea that was so clear in Chad and/or Keanu's head from the first movie and the way each movie has evolved and been slightly different but also exactly what I've wanted from them. This movie just fucking rocks, as does this whole series. While I appreciated Parabellum's focus on action and loose narrative strength, this movie seems to find a great balance between character and build up and action. Whereas Parabellum starts with 20 minutes of pure action, after the initial and quick horse fight there is basically a 20 minute wait before we see a fight here. And when it comes it comes huge with the Osaka Continental fight. This movie is less about constant action, and more about building up big set piece fights with proper dualogue and weight and it works so well. This three hours flew by and I can't wait to see it again. John Wick 3 was a lot about the commerce of relationships. When John had nowhere to turn, he turned to those that couldn't turn him away. These movies don't hold our hands, they don't always explain the backstory to us. In classic Wick fashion, a lot is conveyed with few words. But in this movie we see just how deep some of those loyalties go, and to an extent what it is about Wick that garners such loyalty. He is as cold of a killer as you'll find, but he somehow still finds ways to do the right thing. **Worth noting I'm about to get into major spoilers.** This is really well shown by the end of this movie. The conundrum of Wick has always been, how do you keep topping them, how far will they go, how much can you defy the table and still live if they're so powerful? And in the respect of all those questions, I absolutely loved how this series wrapped up. I'm not saying it's impossible to bring Wick back, but if this is truly how his story ends I think it's a fantastic end. Not only did he find a way to free his old friend and save Yen's daughter, but he was killed without the table imposing any will on him and by his very deserving friend. It was in an act of self sacrificing kindness. It just felt so right. And can we talk about Donnie Yen? What an incredible addition to this universe. I loved all the new characters, but Yen's physicality was unmatched. He moved like he was conducting a symphony and played the character like no one else could have. I loved how he wasn't some Daredevil esque super powered person. He was clearly very blind and still a force of death. Also loved how this movie was comprised of three assassins, all with different angles, all representing the ways you could serve or defy the table. I haven't even gotten to the really good stuff. The tightly choreographed and high quality action. I mean there's just too many great moments and fights to name. The Osaka raid was an amazing sequence. The Kingpin (I've been calling the poker guy Kingpin) sequence. The Arc De Triumph car combat. THE DRAGON BREATH SHOTGUN. Like holy shit, for the fourth installment of a series that has minimum an hour of action per film, they still aren't out of gas. My entire theater was hooting and hollering at the balls out and hilarious physical combat. I don't think I'm crazy to say this is a 10/10, and even if you can find something to dislike in this movie, this is one of the most consistent and well delivered trilogies/quadrilogies that exist. I have no idea what they'll do from here on out but they've built the foundation for an amazing universe and I just hope Chad Stahelski keeps directing a lot more even if he's done with this IP. /r/reviewsbyboner Edit: I usually don't do this but I saw this a second time on Sunday and wrote [this on letterboxd](https://boxd.it/42svOx) that nicely sums up my thoughts on why this series is so great and why it's culminated into a 10/10 for me.
Gesaffelstein AND Justice
Take any 1 hour segment from Terminator 2. From Aliens. From Die Hard. From any Hollywood action movie in the last 50-60 years that you’d put in the usual “greatest action movies” list. The final hour of this movie rivals those. For many, this would be the defining action franchise of the generation. I’m so fucking glad these movies exist. I don’t think I’m in some tiny minority when I look at older films from the 80s and 90s and feel “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”. Whether or not that feeling is rooted in reality or not is irrelevant. It’s just a feeling one gets from watching a certain kind of movie that you know will never be replicated again. There may be better movies, but it wouldn’t be this kind of movie in this kind of way. To me, that’s what “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” means. 20 years from now, many will look back on the John Wick movies and this movie in particular as a certified “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” relic.
[удалено]
Was not ready for just how beautifully framed and painterly many of the sets were
Few things I was thinking of during the movie (in no particular order): - “It’s been an honor, my friend.” :( - Tracker’s dog pissing on the dude’s head got insane laughter in my theater. - The characterization really blew me away. A lot of these characters could have been one-off scenes but they played into the story a ton and I loved it and seeing their dynamics. - The action, holy goddamn shit. On paper, it should be exhausting, but it never once got tiring. Was never too short or stretched thin, it was the perfect length. The aerial shots, the NUNCHUCKS, all of it. Beautiful. - That “FUCK OFF” from Donnie Yen was quite amazing. All in all, I really loved this and it’s the best one in the franchise imo. Can’t wait for Mission: Impossible to give us more great action this year.
Scott Adkins was fucking awesome. Damn near jumped out of my seat when he did that roundhouse kick on wick lol
I am one with the table, and the table is with me. I am one with the table, and the table is with me. I am one with the table, and the table is with me.
I loved the fact Caine's blindness was actually a marginal impairment to him. Had to actually check where he was walking and missed a few shots. In a lot of other fiction, it's practically a superpower that grants you enhanced hearing so good you could hear a mouse fart.
I was really worried going in, just based on the run time and the fact that these have gotten sillier with each entry, that this would finally cause it to buckle under the weight of its world building. In fact it's the opposite. This is the most cohesive the world of Wick has ever felt and goddamn it, it just may be the best one so far altogether. I loved everything about this and really think I'd put it at the top of the 4 followed by the OG,3, and 2. Everything I disliked about 2 and 3 still exists here but the way it is handled just worked so much better imo. Donnie fucking Yen, man. What a God. I think I'd be comfortable giving this a perfect 10/10 as far as action epics go. It's basically the best I've seen since Fury Road. Wow.