Keanu Reeves’ latest John Wick 4 review embargo has been lifted, and so far, the majority says that it’s the best John Wick film to date. John Wick is Reeves’ comeback franchise. Many have been looking forward to seeing what will happen next to the assassin nicknamed Baba Yaga. Considering it all started with his dog’s death, the franchise has gone to intense lengths to be where it is now.
The series of films is known for its high-action stunts, gunfights, swordplay and any fight choreography and weaponry that you can think of… including a pencil. This is because the director himself, Chad Stahelski, is a stunt veteran himself. He’s done work on movies like Deadpool 2, Iron Man 2, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Expendables and many more.
The latest film, simply titled John Wick Chapter 4, is the longest film in the series to date, clocking in at close to 3 hours. And the story still follows immediately after the events of Chapter 3.
John Wick 4 Has A Lot Of Good Reviews
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At the moment, reviews are rushing in. When I started writing this article, the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer for Chapter 4 was at 88%, but currently, as of writing, it has risen to 90%. So far, many of its reviews are impressively good.
Ed Travis of Cinapse:
John Wick: Chapter 4 is simply one of the greatest action films of this generation, and perhaps of all time.
Simon Thompson of The Playlist:
With this wildly satisfying world tour de force, Reeves’ Wick transcends icon status delivering the perfect bone-crunching crescendo to one of the great action franchises in cinema history. It’s pure gold.
Brent Hankins of The Lamplight Review:
If the previous three films weren’t your cup of tea, the brew served up by John Wick: Chapter 4 won’t change your mind. But if you love kinetic action set in gorgeous locales, there’s no one in Hollywood doing it better than Reeves and Stahelski.
Caryn James of BBC.com:
Running at 2 hours and 49 minutes, it is bigger than the previous films in every way – not better or worse, just more.
Tom Jorgensen of IGN Movies:
Led by a committed Keanu Reeves, John Wick: Chapter 4’s incredibly staged set pieces, engaging ensemble, and stylish production design coalesce into a modern action masterclass.
Even on Twitter, the buzz is ringing hard.
Jacob Hall of Slashfilm:
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 is going to make every action filmmaker not named Chris McQuarrie lose sleep. I have no idea how they pulled off the final hour. If you liked the first three (and of course you did), you’ll have a blast. Keanu forever.
— Jacob Hall (@JacobSHall) March 14, 2023
Erik Davis from Fandango:
I was blown away by many of the action sequences in #JohnWickChapter4. This is definitely the biggest & most badass JOHN WICK movie yet w/ a runtime near 3 hours & an ending everyone will be talking about. No one does action like this – it’s on another level. Part 4 simply rules. pic.twitter.com/OWTkO3nuOt
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 7, 2023
The Hollywood Reporter:
‘John Wick 4’ Surprise Screening Reactions: “Greatest Action Sequences I’ve Ever Seen” https://t.co/Kj8q5g3E1x
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 14, 2023
While there are a lot of praises, it’s still not a perfect film. Some reviewers have given Chapter 4 some critical points. Some might not like that it feels like an action-packed Marvel film, that the film even added a post-credits scene.
Derek Smith of Slant Magazine:
If anything, the film proves that John Wick is doomed to further Marvelization.
Grace Randolph of Beyond the Trailer:
The Paris action sequences are stunning… But this is the first John Wick not written by Kolstad and it shows. The film is hard to follow & not engaging. It plays more like a stunt show than an actual movie. Also that ending…? What were they thinking?
John Wick 4 Reviews are Out, and they’re good
Credit: Lionsgate
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So far, the entire franchise has proven itself time and time again that it could get better. It hasn’t disappointed the fans yet. John Wick has grown that spin-offs are already being made.
The Continental is being developed for Peacock, a spin-off movie titled Ballerina with Ana de Armas, and possibly another spin-off Sofia with Halle Berry. Not only that but there might be plans that John Wick could cross over with Bob Odenkirk’s Nobody.
John Wick Chapter 5 is, at the moment, not being developed. Initially, it was planned to be filmed back-to-back with Chapter 4. But Lionsgate later focused on a single chapter before moving on to the next film. For now, it seems that this is the end of the line for Wick, but they may consider moving forward and making a fifth film after some break. Stahelski said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter:
We’re going to give John Wick a rest. I’m sure the studio has a plan. If everyone loves [Chapter 4] and it goes kooky, then we’ll take a quiet minute. Wicks always, for some weird reason, always get the latest release date in Japan. It’s always like, three months later. If it’s the same this time, we’ll do a Japanese tour and release the movie in September. Keanu and I will take the long trip to Tokyo, we’ll sit in the Imperial Hotel Scotch Bar and go, “What do you think?” We’ll have a couple 20-year-old whiskies and write some ideas on napkins. If those ideas stick, maybe we’ll make a movie.
With its positive reviews, it’s a good sign that it could also translate to good numbers at the box office. If it does, then we might see another chapter in the John Wick saga. If this is the end, at least it ends with a bang. The film will be released next week, on March 24, 2023.
What do you think of John Wick 4 getting positive reviews? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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