John Wick is basically Neo from “The Matrix,” facing a midlife crisis. There is an unending downpour of pain and John Wick has no option but to survive. With every movie, the “John Wick” franchise has only wedged itself deeper into the hearts of its fans. And from the looks of the teaser trailer for “John Wick: Chapter 4,” expectations deserve to be high. It’s premium cool to think that it all began with the murder of John’s pet dog, Daisy, who was gifted to him by his terminally ailing wife Helen, who dies at the beginning of “John Wick” (2014). That is what brings John Wick back to the underworld, where he is already famous for his skills as a hitman.
The film is a sequel to 2019’s Chapter 3-Parabellum. Chapter 3 ended with the Bowery King (Lawrence Fishburne) and John Wick (Keanu Reeves) joining hands to bring down the High Table. In the teaser trailer, we see John again take on hordes of bad guys, just like in the previous films. Exotic locations (namely Japan, Paris, Berlin, America, and Jordan; in the upcoming film), bullets, swords, and bad guys in suits; all these are necessary ingredients in a “John Wick” film. The same is the case with the 4th installment. But that is not to say that it gets boring. Director Chad Stahelski is back for the fourth time, but he knows how to maintain the excitement for the franchise. He has also coordinated the action for it just like the last three. But more than anything, what adds to its high anticipation is the new cast that includes legendary martial arts actors Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada. We also have Bill Skarsgård and Scot Adkins in yet-undisclosed roles. Ian McShane as Winston and Lance Reddick as Charon are back for the fourth time as well. A famed Japanese pop singer named Rina Sawayama is also going to make her Hollywood debut with “John Wick 4.”
The thing that needs to be mentioned when talking about a “John Wick” film is the spectacular action sequences. From the home invasion scene in “John Wick” (2014) to the Wick on a horse fight scene in “Chapter 3: Parabellum” (2019), the John Wick franchise offers some of the best action sequences ever. And with actors like Donnie Yen and Hiroyuki Sanada in Chapter 4, we can expect more hand-to-hand fight scenes that will depend less on CGI, which is always a plus. The few seconds of the fight between Wick and Yen’s character Caine that we see in the teaser trailer is enough to raise the heat. And what’s better than a gun and a sword? Other than this, the John Wick movies have also set a whole new stage for combat with fewer cuts. This helps the viewers to know what’s happening and be a part of the action, which is essential for such films.
As far as the characters are concerned, we have Winston (Ian McShane) and The Bowery King (Lawrence Fishburne) back. Winston is the owner and manager of the Continental Hotel in New York City, while King is the underground crime lord who saves Wick at the end of Chapter 3: Parabellum. As for the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon), she is alive at the end of Parabellum, but we do not know whether we will see her in John Wick 4, although keeping in mind that she is a member of the High Table which Wick intends to take on, she should be there.
The question is whether the 4th installment is the end of the franchise or if there will be more. And will another “John Wick” film be a burnout? After all, too much of anything results in the piling up of things. Perhaps, it waits to be seen how they treat the story. Only if they are able to pull off a strong plot will it be feasible to go for the fifth installment.
The film will be out in theaters on March 24, 2023. It is directed by Chad Stahelski and stars Keanu Reeves, Lawrence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Ian McShane. “Chapter 4” Teaser Review: Keanu Reeves Has To Work On His Speed As He Takes On The Great Donnie Yen
