No sense in playing coy, this is a great film. I’ve seen it twice and while I don’t quite love it in the way I love the first, original John Wick, it’s my #2. It’s a little overlong, has some wasted space and time, has one absolutely pointless and useless character, and generally ignores the realities of firefights, falling, getting shot, hit, etc. All that notwithstanding, it’s a great action flick, has a genuine emotional core, and is well worth your time if you’re into that sort of thing. Like I am.
Summary: John Wick (Keanu Reeves), last seen saying he was fed up with the High Table, goes to war to obtain his freedom. Some of the most incredible action scenes ever filmed ensue, culminating in a very satisfactory finale and a devastating post-credit scene.
The first Wick film was a surprise hit. It was a simple, straight-forward tale of vengeance told in a simple, straight-forward manner. Where it stood out was its devotion to human stunt work, on exploiting long camera shots that required the dedication of all involved. It was, in short, a throwback to how films used to be made and a homage to the Asian action genre. All of this was propelled by the conviction and dedication of its leading man, Keanu Reeves.
Reeves has never been one of my favorite actors, but as I wrote way back when Wick first came out, his devotion to the craft won me over without reservation. Yes, you saw this same dedication with his work in The Matrix films, but John Wick was on another level. No wire work, no quick cuts, just a perfect choreography of mayhem.
Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 were more of the same, expanding the lore and employing some creative worldbuilding. Chapter 3 went more than a bit over the top, however, with the result being that you could see the seams holding it all together begin to fray and fail. It also had a sequence in Casablanca which, while gorgeous in its own right, was ultimately pointless.
In many ways, Chapter 4 continues that drive to go over the top, while at the same time dialing things back a bit. It also establishes a new emotional core, all centered around Caine, as played by Donnie Yen. I am not alone in heaping praise upon Yen and his work here. He’s deserving of every accolade.
Wick 1 was built around Wick’s vengeance for the killing of his dog; that was the emotional heart of the film and what made you cheer for Wick. Wick 2 was him dealing with the consequences of his rampage, while Wick 03 was simply Wick trying to stay alive. For Chapter 4, while that remains the case with Wick, we are building toward a climatic showdown with Caine, his friend and former ally, who is being blackmailed into killing Wick. The blackmail is that when the High Table gives Caine a name, someone they want him to kill, he owes them a life. The choice is killing the person named or the High Table killing Caine’s daughter. That’s what gives the climax of the film so much weight, that what is happening will have consequences that reach beyond everyone who is present.
This simple change improves the film immeasurably. Is it simple? Yes, why do you ask? Setups don’t have to be complex, they just have to lead to a satisfactory payoff, which is precisely what you get here. It is a failing of modern cinema, especially action/adventure films, that they either have little to no setup or little to no payoff. Consider all the things setup in The Force Awakens that never, ever lead to a payoff. Or the moments that feel as though they are a payoff, but there wasn’t any sort of setup.
The film reminds you of this setup several times, such as an early fight between Caine and Shimazu (Hiroyuki Sanada). Both of these men are old friends of Wick and of each other, yet fate was put them on opposing sides. This theme, that the lives they’ve chosen have led them to fight each other, returns again and again, and each time it’s brilliant.
For the most part, the film avoids easy resolutions to these conflicts. I have to say “for the most part” because there’s this useless character named Tracker, aka “nobody,” (Shamier Anderson) and he repeatedly an excuse for nobody ex machina. He weakens every scene he’s in, he undermines the tension around him, he’s horrible. Anderson’s acting is all right, but the character he portrays works against the best interests of the film.
It’s clear early on that he’s in the film to take Halle Berry’s place. Berry played Sofia in Wick 3, a fellow assassin living in Casablanca. It is not a coincidence that her portion of the film, while an amazing display of gun fu and dog fu, was pointless to the overall film. Anderson, with his dog and all, is likewise pointless in Wick 4.
I’m harping on this because I really like Sofia and Berry’s portrayal. Her pair of Belgian Malinois were amazing. That theme of old friends forced to fight would have been reinforced if Tracker had been Sofia. Indeed, my friend and I kept waiting for some connection between the two to be revealed. Alas, no.
My head canon for Wick 4 removes Tracker and I’m happier for it. This is easy to do because he's pointless. Despite his presence, the film is often incredible. There are at least three action set pieces which are so imaginative, so well executed, they should live forever in cinema history. There are little callbacks to the first film which make me smile. There’s one that seems to be there for no other reason than to correct a shot that was just slightly mismatched in the first film, but now they had the budget to make it perfect.
There are several times when the music of Le Castle Vania plays and I laughed with joy because “John Wick Mode” has a permanent place in my heart. The film makes strategic use of “Marie Douceur, Marie Colere,” and maybe it’s an overreach, but I think it’s brilliant because that French rendition of The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” is all about soft Mary becoming angry Mary, just like John Wick.
The cinematography is superb, and not just because of the bright colors and flamboyant framing. The camera moves with professional verve, gently tracking with the action, but it’s all done with invisible deliberation. It mostly becomes almost invisible until suddenly, Cinematographer Dan Laustsen opts to show off with a bravura long take of a gun battle, the camera looking down and following the action, God’s POV of the proceedings. It’s brilliant, plain and simple. Laustsen deserves at least an Oscar nomination for this shot alone, but his control of the camera on a long set of stairs and elsewhere is equally impressive.
The original John Wick displayed a love for filmmaking that subsequent films have only reinforced, none more so than John Wick Chapter 4. Everyone involved (yes, including Anderson) should take a bow. They have earned every accolade heaped upon them.
I can’t wait to see this film again. And again. And…
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