John Wick: Chapter 4 – Film Review

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

Who would’ve thought back in 2014 that the first ever John Wick film would spiral into becoming one of the most popular action franchises of all-time? It was released at a time in which Keanu Reeves wasn’t really on the top of the world anymore, even though he was still highly beloved.

He just wasn’t starring in a whole lot of good stuff and a lot of people thought that his glory days were well in the past. But boy were they proven wrong when that first John Wick film came out. It was a stylish, action-packed, neon-soaked adventure that proved Reeves still had more than a few tricks left up his sleeve.

Since that initial outing, we have been treated to two additional movies that were equally badass, and yet somehow, Chad Stahelski‘s fourth installment in the series, John Wick: Chapter 4, is by far the best. Usually in franchises like this one, it all goes downhill after the first. But here, they truly saved the best for last.

While sitting down in my local movie theatre to watch this, I realized just how much I missed good old-fashioned action movies. We really don’t get them too much anymore which is a huge shame. We have Mission: Impossible coming out this summer but it’s going to be hard to top John Wick: Chapter 4.

The stunt team in this movie in particular need all the praise in the world. The same thing can be said about its lead star Keanu Reeves, who did the vast majority of his own stunts here. Reeves is one of the most committed actors in the entire world, showcasing that true talent still exists. Reeves knows just how good practicality looks and feels to audiences, and he was totally committed to making this movie the best it could possibly be.

Just when you thought the insanity of the series couldn’t be upped, that’s exactly what happens here. There are more kills here than in any other John Wick movie that came before it, and the set pieces are a thing of beauty. There’s one scene in particular that’s entirely shot from a bird’s eye point-of-view that’s easily one of the best action sequences I’ve ever seen in any movie, period. This movie needs to be shown to every Academy Awards voter to show them exactly why they need to introduce a category for stunts.

Of course, as mentioned before, Reeves is amazing here but there are some new additions to the cast this time around including Donnie Yen who easily steals every scene he’s in. As Caine – a blind High Table assassin – he feels more vicious and intense than ever before. Yen is someone who can portray a badass really well, and as Caine, he delivers what may be his best performance to date.

This is absolutely a movie that you should be checking out on the biggest screen possible if you have the chance. It’s a technical marvel and a true feat of cinema that should not go overlooked. If this really is the final chapter in the John Wick saga, it’s certainly exceptionally satisfying.

With some of the craziest action sequences ever put to film and featuring two powerhouse lead performances from Keanu Reeves and Donnie Yen, John Wick: Chapter 4 is truly something you must see to believe.