“John Wick: Chapter 4” is the latest installment in the action-packed franchise that follows the story of the legendary hitman, John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves. The movie opens with John on the run again as the High Table, the villainous organization that controls the world of assassins, gets in his way. The main villain of the series is the Marquis de Gramont, a leader of the High Table who keeps raising the bounty on Wick‘s head while he also cleans up the messes left behind. The movie features long action sequences, gun-fu shootouts, and battles between John and dozens of people who underestimate him.
At 169 minutes, “John Wick: Chapter 4” is a whole lot of movie. The original cut was even longer, clocking in at a whopping three hours and 45 minutes. Part of the reason for the massive runtime is that the movie greatly expands the world of its title character and introduces a handful of new supporting characters that all get their moment to shine. The movie introduces and explores these characters while still committing to John Wick‘s narrative, which inflated the runtime.
Despite the lack of dialogue, audiences are responding well to “John Wick: Chapter 4.” Keanu Reeves says only 380 words throughout the film, but there is a whole lot to see. The movie is unrelenting in every sense of the word, with prolonged fight scenes that are kinetic, brutally beautiful odes to the art of stunt work. The film’s approach to fan service has the effect of making “John Wick: Chapter 4” feel needlessly drawn out, but it rarely drags because there’s relatively little dialogue and down time. For the most part, Wick chases or is chased by other assassins, shooting and stabbing, grappling and grunting in a series of visually distinct, meticulously staged, and filmed set pieces.
In conclusion, “John Wick: Chapter 4” is a must-watch for fans of the franchise and action movie enthusiasts. The movie expands the world of its title character, introduces new supporting characters, and features long action sequences that are a treat to watch. Despite the lack of dialogue, the movie manages to keep the audience engaged with its visually distinct, meticulously staged, and filmed set pieces.
