John Wick: Chapter 4

I don’t believe any of us could have predicted that global phenomenon that the John Wick franchise would become. I mean, on its surface, it’s a movie about man avenging his dog. However, each film has peeled back a layer of the fictional underworld created in the film, drawing us deeper and deeper into this well-crafted universe. In the first film, we were teased about this world’s existence. In the second, we learned about the rules that govern it. In the third, we learned the consequences if you break this world’s rules. And in this likely final installment of the franchise, we see what happens when this world declares war on you. Keanu Reeves reprises this character for the fourth time, doing exactly what he’s done for each installment; literally putting his body on the line to deliver an action-packed and epic performance. Joining him are the Wick universe veterans, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, and most notably the recently departed Mr.Lance Reddick. Rounding out the cast are the Wick universe newcomers, many of whom are action stars in their own right, such as Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, and Bill Skarsgard. If I can for a moment, I would like to return to the subject of the recently departed Lance Reddick, who had been a part of the franchise from the very beginning. In John Wick Chapter 4 this tragedy came as a complete shock and made his character’s ultimate fate all the more impactful. I’ve been a fan of Mr. Reddick dating all the way back to The Wire, and I followed his extensive career from Fringe to Bosch. I intend to cherish his upcoming posthumous appearance, which include appearing as Zeus on the Disney+ remake of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the theatrical remake of White Men Can’t Jump, as well as the posthumous release of his reprisal of his Wick character in the continuation film, Ballerina.

Last we saw John Wick, he’d barely survived the betrayal of Winston, the New York Continental’s manager. Taken in by the by the freshly-scarred Bowery King, the two seemed to be hatching a plan to declare war on the High Table, the hierarchy which governs the criminal underworld. As the story picks up, John Wick, newly recovered from his injuries, strikes a massive blow against the High Table, essentially declaring war against them. In response, the Table unleashes a dangerous enemy to kill in the form of senior member Marquis Vincent de Gramont, who essentially scorches earth to kill Wick and anyone helping him. Still excommunicated and with very few friends or resources left, it’s John Wick versus the entire High Table and its limitless resources. Sounds like a fair fight, right?

Firstly, I want to commend Reeves for his commitment to the role. For three movies, he’s literally put his body on the line to deliver thrilling and expertly choregraphed fight sequences unlike anything that had been seen before. Here is no different, as he engages in prolonged and adrenaline-charged fight sequences. I will admit that I was skeptical of what to expect following the last Matrix move, in which he was not very active. I was beginning to wonder if the previous films had taken a toll on his abilities. After all, he is nearing 60 years old. However, his performance here quelled any skepticism regarding his action star status. Granted, there were times where the movements were not as smooth as in the first film. However, such a thing is to be expected and ultimately played in the film’s favor, providing a measure of authenticity. Naturally, after everything he’s been through, all the times he was shot or fell from a great height, one could only assume that the character would have some wear and tear.

In regards to the storyline, it wasn’t what I expected. That is not to say that it was any less entertaining, but I was initially expecting something akin to a civil war that saw John Wick rallying forces to challenge the might of the High Table. Instead, we saw more of a personal story that embraced the notion that try as you might, “you can’t fight city hall.” To be fair, this is a reasonable notion. Even so, the story is very entertaining as we watch John Wick do what he does best, proving without a shadow that is not a someone to be taken lightly. I was hoping for more of a character arc for McShane’s Winston following his betrayal, and while his circumstance isn’t great, I was hoping for more of a reckoning. Then there is Fishburne’s Bowery King. I expected him to play a more significant role in the events of this film. Instead, the character was downgraded to something akin to a cameo appearance, which was disappointing to say the least. Seems like a waste in my opinion. If that was the plan for the character, why have him survive the High Table’s punishment for that?

Notable performances include Donnie Yen as Caine, a character with a shared history with John Wick. This coupled with the High Table giving him the nonnegotiable task of eliminating him made for some complex storytelling. On balance, despite a clear disadvantage that I am going to elect not to share, Caine and John are evenly matched skill-wise, which made Yen’s character just as exciting to watch as Reeves. Then there was Shamier Anderson, whose character was a bit of an enigma. You don’t know what to make of him and his motivations when he is first introduced. It gave his performance some mystique while also making it challenging to decide whether to love or hate him. In a way this is Anderson’s first major theatrical role, with most of his cinematic performance coming by why of one of the streaming giants. Anderson appears up to the task as he holds his own alongside seasoned pros such as Reeves, Yen, and Skarsgard.

At nearly three hours, this is the longest-running film in the franchise, and I’d say not a second of it is wasted. Chapter 4 provides much need catharsis to the Reeves saga, and while it has been suggested that this was be the final film focused on the character, fans such as myself can take solace in the fact that we have not seen the last of the character, for Reeves and the gang are expected to appear to help expand the universe with the Ana De Armas-led continuation film, Ballerina. I am very much intrigued to see what this film brings to the table. The bar has been set pretty high already, and Chapter 4 just moves the bar even higher.