The John Wick Thread

[The Dark Knight]

This is getting exceptional reviews, as I suspected.

Given Keanu's age, and the risk of franchise burnout/repetitiveness, I can see why they went the dying in battle route. Presumably combining the proposed fifth film and this one together and going out on top.

John has had obscenely high bounties on his head for a sustained period of time with a world full of assassins after him. There are halts in between the hordes but more or less they're not going to stop coming for whatever reasons they cook up. There will never be enough bullets to kill them all. Under those circumstances I don't see how John could live a life of solitude away from that world.

His situation just kept escalating once he returned to battle in Chapter 1. The agony of endless combat finally coming go a close with him being placed beside his wife's grave is definitely a conclusion to the story, and ultimately logical despite being downbeat. It does have the potential to be beautiful and dignified if handled well. Much like Neo's last stand in Revolutions.

Looking foreword to see it play out next week.

[The Dark Knight]

I've seen the movie. It's not my favorite of the series but it's still very good. Solid action sequences and a compelling story drives the last half of the film. The characters are some of the best I've seen in recent times, namely Cain played by Donnie Yen. Keanu delivers what you expect and at this age I salute his achievements. There's a sequence with nunchucks that has my admiration - it just keeps going and going. The stamina of the man in depicting a never ending battle for survival is on full display here and it's a series highlight.

About the very end:

Personally, John's mortality could be open to interpretation, even though he's probably dead. We see John wounded and slumping over, embracing his wounds while sitting down on some steps after a duel. We then transition to a graveyard where respects are paid at a grave with his name of it by Winston and the Bowery King. There's a comment about where they think John is, and they walk away. If fans are reaching for an out, the dialogue could be read as keeping up a pretence to allow John ultimate privacy to somehow stay off the grid.

During the duel it is said "if you cling to life, you die. If you cling to death, you live." John embraces death on the steps, so the film, through its own dialogue, could be telling us something there.

They could work out a way to resume the series after Chapter Four, and not be prequels, if they really wanted to. But I'm not sure that will happen. In that event, the franchise still went out on top and gave the series an end, and a hint of ambiguity if you really need it. In that regard I think it's handled pretty well, even if it's rather abrupt. They do make a point about John's whole persona being tied up in killing and fighting, and what is he without that?

All in all, it's well worth seeing but more so if you've been invested in the last three films. If you liked those you'll like this, and should leave feeling satisfied with the overall product.

9/10.

[Travesty]

I'm gonna try to see it this weekend. If not, than hopefully the next. I did a rewatch of the trilogy last week to prepare.

[Silver Nemesis]

I've got a ticket to see it on Saturday.

[The Dark Knight]

The Matrix (1999) will always be Keanu's best movie, but Chapter Four solidifies Wick as his best franchise. The image of Keanu with his long hair and suit is close to being iconic (I say close because true iconography is rare and the term is overused). I think I'll find myself continuing to watch these movies as the years go by simply because they're pieces of entertainment. They're live action video games in the positive sense and the extended fight choreography, including in Chapter Four, isn't something I've tired of seeing. When you've both seen it we can discuss the spoilers in more detail, but I think you'll at least agree they put attention and care into this one. The same can't be said of many other films, particularly in the CBM genre.

[Travesty]

I've got a ticket to see it on Saturday.

I got tickets for Saturday, as well. 

[BatmanFurst]

Just got back from seeing it. Easily the best of the sequels.

[The Dark Knight]

Amazingly it's fitting what happens to Charon considering Lance's fate in real life.

I've seen it said that the shots fired by John and Cain were the same safe points the Doctor asked to be fired at in Chapter 3. That fresh detail, along with the rest, now tips the scales for me to support the John lived theory.

I'm going again on the weekend.

[The Laughing Fish]

I saw JW4 tonight. Absolutely brilliant!

If this is the last chapter of the whole saga, it was a fitting end. Stahelski tops himself with the action, that's all I have to say.

SPOILER:
Such an unfortunate coincidence that Lance Reddick died a week before his character - Charon - died in the film. RIP.

[The Dark Knight]

Easily the best of the sequels.

Yeah, I think it is. The original would still be my favorite for sentimental reasons.

He still achieves a lot but I think John felt more vulnerable in this one. I felt his exhaustion and age a bit more. The fight against Killa is a good example of that I think, as the target refuses to stay down and drags the fight out longer than John would've hoped, giving him heavy blows along the way. Killa was akin to an overpowered boss and I loved that. John using the shotgun with explosive shells was also fantastic, and the choice of camera angle made it even better.

I've again seen commentary lampooning the lack of law enforcement in the cities where all this bloodshed happens. To that I say just about everyone in this universe is an assassin or at least aware of the money on the table for collecting bounties. That's enough for me. The Wick world clearly isn't pure reality, just as the NYC Continental gets destroyed with seemingly minor or nonexistent reaction. The High Table have extreme power and law enforcement stay the hell away from them.

I think if JW4 makes a strong profit (it's on track for a record franchise opening) they'll eventually do a fifth and final movie. Maybe even with crossover elements after they complete the spin offs (Ballerina and the Continental show) to bring it all together. By that time Keanu and the director have had a good rest.