Director: Chad Stahelski
artists: Keanu Reeves Donnie Yen Ian McShane
Year: 2023
Premiere: March 24, 2023
★★★★
In an opening sequence unlike anything seen before, John Wick pursues multiple hitmen on horseback across the vast Arabian desert. A striking image unfolds on screen, a three dot motif borrowed from Lawrence of Arabia lingers in the air, emerging from the glow of a match that flickers out as the sun greets the desert horizon. The moment establishes a tone that blends classical epic scope with the franchise by now renowned for its relentless kinetic energy.
Chad Stahelski returns as the principal director of the Wick saga, steering the action with the same meticulous choreography and physicality that have defined the series since its inception. His camera work maintains a clear eye for detail, pairing tight close-ups with expansive wide shots to map the intensity of each fight and pursuit. While the storyline does not burden itself with grand philosophical dissertations about the life of an excommunicated assassin, Stahelski longs for momentum rather than sentimentality. He punctuates moments with swift interruptions and then lets the clock run, resulting in a pace that feels expansive yet never indulgent. The fourth chapter clocks in at nearly three hours, but the energy remains fluid, propelling the audience forward with the confidence of a well-tuned action machine.
Keanu Reeves anchors the film with a solitary, almost Melvillian gravity, a weary hero whose endurance is tested by a relentless series of trials. The actor brings a cool precision to the character, still capable of the dry wit and stoic resolve fans expect, while the surrounding chaos repeatedly tests the limits of his endurance. Alongside Reeves, Donnie Yen contributes a measured physicality that complements the hyperkinetic tempo of the action set pieces, lending a sense of balance to the on-screen confrontations. Ian McShane returns to lend a touch of world-weariness and sly humor, grounding the escalating stakes with a veteran presence. Together, the ensemble creates a cinematic tapestry that moves with the rhythm of a well-rehearsed stage fight, where each beat feels earned and earned again. The narrative moves with a brisk, almost clinical efficiency, letting the visual spectacle carry much of the storytelling weight while never losing sight of the character dynamics that have kept audiences engaged through multiple installments. This is the kind of popcorn cinema that rewards attentive viewing and a taste for precision engineering in action choreography, rather than grand philosophical musings about fate or vengeance. The film remains undeniably gripping, drawing viewers into a whirlwind of pursuit, escape, and tactical mastery. Satisfying in both scale and execution, it delivers a loud, stylish conclusion to a saga that has defined contemporary screen action for years .
The film continues to push the boundaries of what a modern action picture can accomplish. It delights in the mechanics of combat, turning every gunfight and hand-to-hand exchange into a dance of timing and leverage. The desert sequence alone sets a precedent for spectacle, blending panoramic vistas with intimate, bone-crunching moments that remind the audience why Wick has become a benchmark of choreographic sophistication. Stahelski does not shy away from longer takes or complex staging, allowing the physical language of the fight scenes to develop over time rather than exploding in a quick burst. This approach yields sequences that feel earned, where the stakes are visible in the actors’ expressions and the audience’s heartbeat. In this sense, John Wick 4 respects the series’ lineage while confidently expanding its visual vocabulary to accommodate more ambitious set pieces and a broader world. Reeves’s quiet intensity anchors the narrative, and the supporting cast amplifies the sense of danger with a disciplined, martial approach to combat. The result is a high-energy experience that remains surprisingly cohesive, a testament to the filmmakers commitment to craft and to the audience’s appetite for meticulously staged action .