‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review: Keanu Reeves’ Action Nonsense Is Back and Better Than Ever
14.03.2023 - 06:43
/ thewrap.com
The delight of the John Wick franchise lies squarely in its weirdness. The film series famously kicked off with mercenary protagonist and certified wife guy John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, avenging his dog.
But as John’s thirst for vengeance dwindled, the screenwriters decided to surround him with bloodthirsty weirdos rather than kill more of his loved ones. Even better, the films are aware of their own strangeness, lending a campy joy to even the dourest deeds.The franchise is at its bizarre best in “John Wick 4,” written by Shay Hatten (“John Wick: Chapter 3,” “Army of the Dead”) and Michael Finch (“Predators,” “American Assassin”) and directed, as always, by stuntman Chad Stahelski.
The wild world of assassins is more esoteric, the cinematography and choreography more stunning. Though the film stretches to an audacious 169 minutes — just under three hours — if you surrender yourself to the gorgeous silliness of the Wickiverse, it goes by in a fist-flying flash.“John Wick 4” opens on shots of a bloody fist punching a post.
Our hero is back from the dead and ready to rumble. As the Bowery King (Lawrence Fishburne) watches over his dog, John embarks on an international quest to bring down the High Table, starting with its desert-dwelling Elder (George Georgiou, “Game of Thrones”).
Trouble comes to the New York Continental’s door in the form of The Harbinger (Clancy Brown, “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Dexter: New Blood”), who orchestrates the destruction of the entire building.The Harbinger is working in concert with the Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård, “Barbarian,” “It”), a High Table member who has been granted special oversight in order to take down John Wick once and for all. The Marquis has handpicked Caine
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