Wick dances climactic finale through choreography of blood
An explosion of cinema is conquering the silver-screen as the Baby Yaga makes his climactic return after a three-year hiatus. John Wick has been a prominent figure in the pop-culture Zeitgeist since the debut in 2014 from co-directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch. Viewers attached themselves to the dog-loving, car enthusiast, super assassin played memorably by Keanu Reeves. Over the course of nine years, the franchise has evolved into an epic globe-trotting adventure franchise akin to the likes of Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, or James Bond; with the added bonus of explosive R-rated violence. All of this culminates in this epic potential finale consisting of carnage and mayhem in Wick’s last ditch effort to attain freedom, no matter how many soon-to-be corpses stand in his way.
From a low-budget revenge flick to a globe-trotting box-office success, John Wick has enjoyed an eventful rise to stardom. The first film attached viewers like leeches to Wick’s burdens. After all, who can resist empathizing with a man who lost his puppy? Most everyone would share a similar rage after Russian mobsters killed his prized pup-- although most would probably not go on a 200+ murder spree because of it. His rage eventually led him right back into the life he left behind, causing a further descent into the inferno of super-assassin shenanigans until he eventually snaps and fights back against the oppressive forces. As the movies continue their descent into the inferno, Wick grows more and more desperate. The key difference between him and many other action heroes is his innate drive to live. Like a wild animal, Wick will fight anything and anyone that gets in his way. Many can relate to the feeling of the world crashing down on oneself, but John Wick embodies the Darwinian struggle required to push the world back up; inspiring countless people while doing so.
No talk of John Wick can fail to mention the groundbreaking stunt work and action cinematography that goes into making these movies. The long takes, the brutal choreography, and the kinetic pace all create an incredible, beautiful testament to violence. John Wick revolutionized the modern standard of action due to its reluctance to use quick-cut, unintelligible camera work and sleazy camera cheats. Reeves’ dedication to the role is evident both behind and in front of the camera. By the end of the first film, he mastered several martial arts including Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jistu. Expert Marksman Taran Butler trained Reeves for Chapter 2 and said he was the best actor he ever worked with. Reeves did 90% of his own stunts for Chapter 4, which is insanely impressive considering the Canadian actor is pushing 60 years old! While it may seem like the bare minimum to physically act when you’re an actor, in this modern day of celebrity ego and stardom, it’s appreciated to see a man so insanely devoted to the role of a remorseless killer. His dedication shines through under the direction of prolific stuntman turned director Stahelksi, who stayed to direct all the following chapter.;
Characterized by excess, all four films continue to up the ante till the kettle boils to a close in John Wick Chapter 4. Chapter 1 unleashed Baba Yaga on those who took his dog away, giving the world a preview of what would come. Chapter 2 fleshed out the obtuse details of the world, giving this mythology an extra layer of epicness, and Chapter 3 nearly burned the foil off the turkey with its insanity. So the logical question would be: where does John Wick go from here? John Wick Chapter 4 answers with explosive insanity unseen by action films in the latter half of the millenia. The entire first act is devoted to a seemingly never-ending roller-coaster thrill-ride action sequence that twists and turns unendingly; eventually climaxing with one of the best characters in the Wickian Universe: Caine, a blind assassin with many parallels to Wick himself. While the concept of a blind super assassin may seem a tad bit absurd, it was the only way for the other characters to keep up with life-long martial arts stuntman and director, Donnie Yen, who is well known to physically challenge his costars. John Wick 4 amps the action to the extreme, culminating in a 40-minute battle royale across Paris where Wick has to fight in front of crowded cafes, play roundabout in the busy Arc de Triomphe, and finally climb the staggering 300 steps to Sacre-Coeur.
Besides the extravagant action, John Wick Chapter 4 introduces many lively and exciting characters to further develop this engrossing world of highbrow assassination. The aforementioned Caine is a standout, but new additions also include Marquis Vincent de Gramont, played by Pennywise himself, Bill Skarsgård. Skarsgård brings some of his expertise playing a creepy clown to playing a creepy dude. Serving as the antagonist of the film, the Marquis wants to eliminate the spirit of rebellion represented by John Wick, all while demonstrating a sadistic arrogance. Another well-established martial artist, Scott Adkins, steals the show as a German mafioso in a fat suit; what’s not to appreciate? Hiroyuki Sanada as Shimazu Koji also shines as one of Wick's few remaining friends. All in all, the star-studded cast compliments Reeves’ subtle dryness reflecting Wick’s desperation as his vendetta against the High Table reaches its conclusion.
People have been buzzing about Chapter 4. News broke that IGN granted the elusive 10/10, citing Chapter 4 as an action masterpiece. Rotten Tomatoes granted a fresh 94% and thousands of lucky recipients praised the film weeks before it came out. All this hubbub eventually led to a worldwide box office gross of $247.3 million, cementing the film as the ultimate success of Stahelski and Reeves, the two at the center of the franchise.
What’s next? While this film does serve satisfactorily as the conclusion, there are still many possible stories to explore later in the future. Such as Caine’s rivalry with Rina Sawayama’s character, Akira, or perhaps Wick’s true fate. Those who have seen the film know it ends in a slightly ambiguous manner, so maybe there are more stories to tell in the Wick universe. A prequel, The Continental,is slotted to appear on Peacock in the future. Ending with this film, though, would serve as the testament to the quality displayed, because rather than disappointing fans with every subsequent entry, the John Wick films build upon each other like a constantly evolving, well-oiled machine.
By Marcus Miller
April 24 2023
Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue VII