Keanu Reeves stars as the titular character John Wick once again in Chapter 4. This over-the-top action movie never slows down for the whole 170-minute run time. The battle between good and evil has never been fought so dramatically.
Although having seen the first three instalments would make some things clearer, there is enough back story presented that it’s easy enough to follow for a first time Wick movie-goer. The Marquis (played by Bill Skarsgård) is the emissary of The High Table and is hell-bent on destroying Wick. Anyone helping Wick is also at the Mercy of the Marquis’ wrath as we soon find out. The owners of the New York Continental Hotel, a part of the High Table, are given one hour before the hotel is destroyed. The crime was helping John Wick.
The Marquis lives a lavish lifestyle, and his clothing is incredibly beautiful and elegant. The youthful Skarsgård has an affected European accent that adds to his evil demeanour. He seems to have unlimited resources available at his disposal. Indeed, every character and every location is deliciously luscious and visually appealing.
When John arrives at the Osaka Continental, the owner Shimazu (played by Hiroyuki Sanada) helps John, despite his daughter Akira’s protests. The humour in the movie is subtle at times; for example Akira has scheduled a dinner with her father, “because he is so busy working hard and needs a break.” Many of the characters motives are formed from their family ties. The blind assassin Caine (martial arts star Donnie Yen) is forced by the Marquis to kill Wick, or his daughter will die. Many characters are forced into situations beyond their control and they must choose between two bad choices.
There are several major fight scenes in the movie. The onslaught in the Osaka Continental is probably one of the longest ones in cinema history. At over twenty minutes of non-stop action, it’s a visual and adrenaline overload that one can’t look away from. This movie has spawned a new genre; “gun-fu” with a combination of western shoot-ups and classic kung-fu aesthetics.
Every location is larger than life, from the secret underground radio network hidden in the Eiffel Tower, to the underground Parisian catacombs, or the multilevel uber-chic Berlin nightclub with dramatic water features, the attention to detail is impressive.
One can forgive the logistics of a blind assassin with a steel cane thrashing a room full of heavily armed killers – it’s James Bond on steroids. The movie doesn’t try to take itself too seriously – there are laughs and heart-warming moments. The Tracker and his dog provide much needed contrast to the continual threat of death hanging over Wick’s head. Again, a character that acts with motives that change the course of the movie. There are twists and turns all through the movie, so one never quite knows what will happen next.
The tension holds right until the final scene, where John Wick and the Marquis have agreed to a duel which will end it all, one way or another. This is a thrilling ride, albeit with plenty of gratuitous and gory violence along the way. Most of the victims are nameless and faceless. In the end the central message is one of family and friends, despite the carnage along the way.
John Wick Chapter 4 is now screening at Palace Nova East End and Palace Prospect.
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