John Wick 4
Hah, I’m reading my review for John Wick 3, and I think I can Mad Libs this thing:
The John Wick movies occupy an odd little spot in my brain. I think that they’re excellent action movies with amazing action sequences. The violence is visceral, Keanu Reeves is perfectly suited for the taciturn role, and the world building is stellar.
Yet I have zero desire to watch any of them a second time. I really don’t understand it. This third movie alone has multiple standout fight scenes, each one immediately recognizable with a simple label - The extended fight sequences at the Japanese Continental (including a sweet fight using nunchaku, an underutilized movie weapon), the Scott Adkins fight, the Arc de Triomphe fight among the cars, the John Wick: Hex camera angle fight in the house, and the super impressive stairway fight. All of them showed me something I’d never seen before, and impressed me on top of that.
So why is once enough? I love watching action movies over and over again. What’s the key component that’s missing from this series? Is it because John Wick is coldly clinical in his killing? No, Jason Bourne is just as ruthlessly efficient. Is it the brutality? Sure, I could have done without the ripping the knife through the hand scene, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment of the action. Is John Wick too good at killing, making everything a boring foregone conclusion? No, it’s not like John Wick doesn’t take his licks. Do the fights lose their luster once the shock value runs its course? No, these are legit strong sequences.
Yeah, I don’t know. These films hit all the right notes, but still leave me cold after the initial viewing.
End Mad Libs. Other notes:
Donnie Yen exudes classic John Woo Hong Kong vibes here, in the best way.
Keanu’s actions speak so much louder than the ten words he utters. Acting in the finest “Whoa” sense.
This movie is way too long. I love a good string of action set pieces (Mission: Impossible! The Raid!), but I was exhausted by the end of Japan.
RIP Lance Reddick.
Ian McShane is always great.
I’ve really had enough of this universe. No more films are necessary.
Regret Watching: No
Would Watch Again: Yes (But only in the background)
Would Buy on DVD: No
Rating: Nice
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