When it comes to action in today’s cinema, John Wick is one of the first characters that come to mind. Especially the first two films, we can say that they brought a new perspective to fight movies. Although the third film is impressive, like the first two, it is not as realistic as they are. Especially the finale, in my opinion, was exaggerated in a way that did not suit its universe. Yes, John Wick is not entirely realistic, but it has credibility. However, we undermined this credibility in the final of the third film. The fourth film completely removed the “credibility” part from the story and focused only on the entertainment part. If you leave logic aside and do not question anything, John Wick: Chapter 4 offers incredible action.
Let’s briefly discuss the subject… The only way for John Wick, who was thrown out of the system, to return is to invite Marquis, who controls the entire table, to a one-on-one duel. John, who needs help with this, goes to his close friends in Japan, but his choice causes a disruption of an established order and the beginning of a brand new chaos. John Wick won’t stop until he wins his duel, traveling from country to country and setting fire to everything in his path.
The secret to John Wick’s success lies in Keanu Reeves. Even though the universe has an interesting order within itself, which is why a spin-off series is on the way, what makes the movie interesting is John’s personality. He stands out from many action heroes with his unique fighting technique, endless determination, and indestructible body. Even his gun-holding style is unique. So much so that I even have a character analysis that I entirely dedicated to him. We saw these features frequently in the first two films, which became why we loved him. Although he still maintains these features in the third and fourth films, some things have started to become exaggerated.
I understand that the writers wanted to create never-ending action sequences and decided that the key to achieving this was through bulletproof suits. This is where the exaggeration in the film begins. Almost everyone in the movie wears a bulletproof suit, which is initially enjoyable but quickly becomes ridiculous. Moreover, John becoming more durable than in previous films is the most challenging part of the movie. Despite falling from a high place three or four times in the film and rolling down a 222-step staircase from top to bottom, he doesn’t bleed a single drop of blood from his mouth or nose. It would have been better if he had at least had a small scratch on his cheek, so that he could say, “All that for a drop of blood.” like Thanos.
As I mentioned in the first paragraph, if you overlook the exaggerated parts of the film, it is an incredibly enjoyable rollercoaster ride. The film is visually stunning and is adorned with action scenes. My favorite part is the Killa Harkan scenes, which make Turkish viewers laugh. The design of the disco, the flying axes in the air, people dancing carelessly while blood is splattering around, and the unrelenting rain… John Wick: Chapter 4 offers a visual spectacle that will be remembered for years to come in terms of stage design. Especially the top-down bullet scenes, designed with inspiration from Hotline Miami, left all viewers with their mouths open, including me.
In summary… John Wick: Chapter 4 reduces the logic level of its earlier films but maximizes the action and visuals to offer an exquisite adventure. The film is like a never-ending rollercoaster ride. John Wick barely has time to speak in the movie. With its interiors, character designs, and fun death scenes, John Wick: Chapter 4 offers everything that anyone seeking action could want. Of course, to fully enjoy the film, you need to turn off your logic switch completely. Otherwise, what happens in the film is almost no different from what happens in superhero movies.
Cast & Crew
director: Chad Stahelski
writers: Shay Hatten, Michael Finch, Derek Kolstad
starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Lance Reddick, Clancy Brown, Ian McShane, Bill Skarsgård, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rina Sawayama
USA | 2023 | 169 MINUTES |