Violence. Vengeance. Dogs.
When “John Wick” was first released back in 2014, theatergoers were immediately drawn to the sympathetic protagonist and rather unconventional storyline – a former hitman seeking revenge after Russian gangsters stole his car and killed his puppy, both gifts from his recently deceased wife.
The unexpected success of the picture, “John Wick” brought something to the American action film — drawing from several film genres— from noir elements in its distinct cinematography and neon color palette in the action set pieces to the influence of the heroic bloodshed genre pioneered by the father of Hong Kong action cinema, John Woo.
It has since been hailed by many as one of the best action films ever made – a picture that tells a story of revenge (revenge is the keyword here, as that is the central theme of the first film), with unique usages of gunplay, along with camerawork and lighting that drips with vibrant neon colors. With the release of “John Wick: Chapter 4,” a question suddenly emerges: How does the most recent entry overcome the fourth-film curse that plagues so many film franchises (“Indiana Jones,” “Star Wars,” etc.)? By altering to a theme that is constant throughout this film: Freedom.
Picking up immediately after the events of the last film, the titular hitman (Keanu Reeves) is out to seek vengeance against The High Table (along with finally reaching his freedom), as the price on his head keeps growing and growing, day by day.
Affected by this is Winston (Ian McShane) — John’s friend and manager of the New York Continental— who is also in dire danger of being executed by The High Table. The source of this troublesome situation is the Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), a diabolical high-ranking member of The High Table, who seems to have access to an endless number of foot soldiers, including an old friend of Wick’s, a blind assassin named Caine (Donnie Yen) – who is also on the High Table.
There is a level of stoicism in Reeves’ portrayal of Wick in this film – think Ryan Gosling’s character in Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 neo-noir film “Drive” – a quiet antihero who is determined to get his freedom back and be welcomed back into the High Table, by taking out the Marquis de Gramont, an aging figure who wants his troubles to finally end.
One of the standout performances in this film is Donnie Yen as Caine, an assassin with the High Table who faces a dilemma. To gain his and his daughter’s freedom and assured safety, he must kill John Wick. Yen is mesmerizing in every scene he is in, such as in a scene at a church with Wick, discussing the curse that the life of a hitman leaves upon them.
In terms of the other performances in this cast, Hiroyuki Sanada gives a really good supporting performance as Shimazu, the manager of the Osaka Continental that John takes refuge in, during the first act of the film.
In her acting debut, Rina Sawayama plays Akira, Shimazu’s daughter, who truly stands out in some excellent action sequences at the Osaka Continental. Sawayama, most famous for her music career, has an amazing future in film.
Chad Stahelski brings a new element to the world of Wick, with his direction in this entry.
Stahelski — the stuntman-turned-director of the first three entries of the franchise — utilizes elements of westerns in this film (which fits with the traces of existentialism that permeates at times with the feature, which is common with the revisionist western genre), combined with extensive sections of actions. A great example of Stahelski’s direction in these films, is the chaotic action sequence at the Arc de Triomphe, in that there’s real relish in the amount of gunplay and gunfire that is featured in this section. It shows that this is a filmmaker who knows how to direct an action sequence.
With the cinematography of this entry, Dan Laustsen returns to capture the distinct visual style that the “John Wick” franchise has become synonymous with. For instance, there is the camerawork in one particular section during the third act of the film, which takes place in an apartment building in France. It brilliantly utilizes overhead framing, giving the viewer an illusion of looking at a three-dimensional blueprint of the interior of said building. Along with this, there are stylistic splashes of neon featured during the Osaka Continental scenes in the first act, which feels reminiscent of the visuals in some of Nicolas Winding Refn’s works, such as his 2013 neo-noir film, “Only God Forgives.”
“John Wick: Chapter 4” tackles existential concepts of how a hitman in the film’s world could ever achieve freedom, along with feeling quite bittersweet at times (especially since this is one of the late Lance Reddick’s, who played Charon, final films). It is a film that questions the purpose and point of the aging Wick in a world that is against him, and asks if he could ever leave that life behind – whether in life or death.
You must be logged in to post a comment.