Film Review: Pick Great Adjective, That is ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

 

The late Lance Reddick (left) stars as Charone and Ian McShane (right) stars as Winston in “John Wick: Chapter 4” (Photo Credit: Murray Close/2023 Lionsgate).

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(“John Wick: Chapter 4” trailer courtesy of Lionsgate Movies)

Adjectives to describe “John Wick: Chapter 4” are as follows:

Fire.

Lit.

Awesome.

Gangsta.

Exhilarating.

Dope.

End of movie review.

Well, those adjectives would suffice to encourage people to head to the theaters to see “John Wick: Chapter 4.”

But because search engines require more content than that, more content is what Regal readers will receive.

In “John Wick: Chapter 4,” John Wick (Keanu Reeves) still has a bounty on his head for conducting business inside the Continental Hotel.

In previous installments of the “John Wick” franchise, the bounty started out at $7 million.

Since no one can seem to put a fatal bullet into Wick, and since he has no problem causing the fatalities of others, the price on his head has ballooned to $20 million in “John Wick: Chapter 4.”

Despite his past sins and the bounty on his head, the notorious hitman with a heart still has some people in his corner.

But just associating with John could lead to someone’s death because he has been excommunicated by the High Table.

Furthermore, John’s actions at the Continental Hotel gets the New York location closed.

And unfortunately, all the heat for John’s actions initially falls on the Continental’s manager Winston (Ian McShane) and the hotel’s concierge, Charone (Lance Reddick).

After John Wick breaks all the rules by conducting business inside Winston’s hotel, Marquis (Bill Skarsgard), who sits on the High Table gives Winston a short time to get his affairs in order before he is excommunicated in the same way that John was excommunicated.

Marquis wanted John Wick dead; no excuses and Winston did not kill John when he had the chance.

Therefore, he turns to the skills of Caine (Donnie Yen), a killer so cold that he does not even have to see to kill his prey.

However, like John’s many friends, Caine does not want to kill his former associate either.

But when Marquis makes a threat that Caine cannot handle, he reluctantly obliges to end this John Wick madness once and for all.

Maybe, just maybe, John Wick has finally found an adversary as skilled and diabolical as him.

In “John Wick: Chapter 4,” Caine is such an evil genius that he puts up bells that ring to let him know where his next murder victim is located.

Therefore, if a blind man can be contract killer, hunting the elusive Wick down might not be a problem anymore.

But unfortunately for Marquis, Caine and the High Table, John wants some get back too.

Just like conducting business at the Continental is forbidden, so is inflicting violence on members of the High Table.

But without giving up too much of the “John Wick: Chapter 4” plotline, John still does not have a problem killing people who should be off limits and doing it wherever he chooses.

And just like in Winston and Charone, John still has friends amongst the community of mercenaries who know he broke rules.

However, they still are willing to go above and beyond because of their friendships.

Caine wants to be a friend that honors his friendship with John.

But the wishes of the High Table should take precedent over personal feelings and relationships.

And the High Table still wishes to have John dead.

But killing John gets harder by the day as he gets more elusive than ever traveling to countries like Morocco and Japan and staying underground thanks to the help of Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne).

Bowery King even finds the clothes necessary for John to complete his next mission.

He outfits John in suits he calls ballistic chic for its ability to handle gunfire, while still making John look up to par from a fashion standpoint.

However, when the High Table finally zeroes in on John’s location, some of the coldest actions scenes in recent memory appear on the movie screen.

Per usual, John escapes with his life, while many of his enemies suffer a very different result.

Despite escaping death, even as the bounty increases, John knows that he cannot stay on the right side of life for too long.

Eventually, one of his fellow mercenaries will succeed in assassinating him because the money is too large, and the list of enemies is too long.

When he meets with Winston in New York, the former manager suggests that he challenge Marquis to a duel because winning will free him of his obligation to the High Table, which will hopefully allow him to finally retire from that way of life.

Although John Wick might finally get to enjoy retirement after “John Wick: Chapter 4,” the franchise will enjoy spin-offs and prequels.

With that in mind, one new character in the “John Wick” universe that should get some love in the future is Tracker (Shamier Anderson).

Tracker is so smooth that although he has chances to take out John Wick, he chooses instead to wait a little bit longer until the bounty on John’s head is to his liking.

In “John Wick: Chapter 4,” Tracker just lays back in the cut until it is the right time to make his move.

Fortunately, “John Wick: Chapter 4” gets everything right except for that ridiculously long and wack fall down a flight of steps that happens before the duel.

Despite the dopeness in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” the movie already has a dark cloud over it because of the tragic death of Reddick.

The 60-year-old made a name for himself playing serious and sophisticated characters.

His role as Charone in the “John Wick” franchise is no different.

Unfortunately, because of an untimely death, fans will have to say goodbye to the popular actor.

That reality makes the following adjective appropriate for “John Wick: Chapter 4” also:

Traumatic.

Sorrowful.

Sad.

Heartbreaking.

Melancholy.

Regretful.

 

REGAL RATINGS

FOUR CROWNS=EXCELLENT

THREE CROWNS=GOOD

TWO CROWNS=AVERAGE

ONE CROWN=POOR

Todd A. Smith
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