“John Wick: Chapter 4” is an action, neo-noir film, with Keanu Reeves returning as John Wick. Directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Shay Hatten, Derek Kolstad and Michael Finch. The legendary assassin embarks on a journey spanning several cities in various countries and many eye-popping locations, while eliminating members of the ancient organization known as the High Table in order to earn freedom from his enemies once and for all.
“Chapter 4” has the most well-choreographed action sequences the series has ever displayed. All throughout the series, audiences have been enamored by Wick’s ability to take down multiple foes at once, and he is once again a force to be reckoned with. Wick’s entertaining proficiency with deadly weapons is fun to witness, and the action sequences were well-shot, using impressive camera angles to make the lethal action sequences look especially visceral. Not to mention, the locations and set designs looked exquisite on the big screen. Reeves’ reflexes are quick, kinetic and exciting to watch. He truly has become a master of his craft, and the hard work and dedication he’s put into displaying Wick’s martial arts skills is admirable.
In many ways, “Chapter 4” feels like an action-packed video game full of boss battles and smaller enemies. Each scene is another bloody sequence with Wick brutally decimating hundreds of henchmen until he has to fight characters as skilled as himself, and yet it never lost my attention. The intensity of the battles is matched well with the film’s soundtrack, which is as heavy hitting as its title character.
The side characters and villains that were introduced in “Chapter 4” also worked well. A standout is Donnie Yen as Caine, a blinded samurai who’s hired to kill Wick by the High Table. To make matters more interesting, Caine is one of the only characters who stands a chance against Wick. They have a memorable battle at the beginning of the film that encapsulates everything great about “Chapter 4.” Yen gave a charismatic and energetic portrayal that made me yearn for more of his work.
“Chapter 4” expands on the world-building introduced in the second film. We learn more interesting things about the High Table and fully explore the world of John Wick. After all the action dies down, we are given a well-deserved, emotionally-charged send off for John Wick that is sure to make the “John Wick” films go down as a classic series that helped the action genre get back on its feet. “John Wick: Chapter 4” is easily the best action film 2023 has blessed us with yet. It’s a triumphant, hard-hitting masterpiece from the incredibly gifted Stahelski, Reeves, and the entire cast and crew who made such a badass gunslinging movie.
