REVIEW: JOHN WICK - CHAPTER 4

4/5

The Running Man.

169 Mins. Starring: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown & Ian McShane. Director: Chad Stahelski. In: Theatres. 

Going "fourth", before 2020s COVID-19 pandemic, Keanu Reeves' 'John Wick: Chapter 4' was meant to come out on the same Marching day as his 'The Matrix 4', better known as 'Resurrections'. Now, how incredible would that have been for everyone's favourite film star and the nicest man in Hollywood? Alas, we had to wait in quarantine for all the big blockbusters to finally see the big-screen. Just like the writers strike that has finally been resolved today for all everyone in the industry is worth. Probably the reason why we didn't see Keanu or a Shinjuku Godzilla Street premiere of this new sharpened chapter in Tokyo last week. Despite Reeves being in neighbouring town (and my home, Yokohama) with his band Dogstar. You see, here in Japan, we had to wait even longer for the 'Consequences' of 'John Wick 4', which originally came out much earlier in the year, this week like Wes Anderson's 'Asteroid City' that just saw the light of land of the rising sun release day to begin this month. Everywhere else in the world, they're streaming the TV spin-off 'The Continental: From The World Of John Wick', starring Mel Gibson as Ian McShane back in the day like 'Lovejoy'. Pencil us in.

Spinning the dual nunchaku like Michelangelo (no, not that one, David) in the same new movie Friday that sees the amazing 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem' movie come out here in the Far East, the Baba Yaga is back, baby. Go ahead and flip that High Table, like all the coins that serve as currency in this Monopoly where nobody goes directly to jail (wherever are the police in all this?), because this is the Continental drift. And this epic, explosive movie and gun-fu bullet ballet is about to pirouette off into a 'Ballerina' franchise starring 'No Time To Die's' gun-totting, Marylin Monroe, Ana de Armas. And maybe someone else here. Because in an outstanding Osaka opening, after reuniting legend Laurence Fishburne is quoting the scenery in New York's grimy Bowery dojo, 'Bullet Train' star Hiroyuki Sanada engrosses us with exposition and formidable foreboding. All as British/Japanese singer/songwriter Rina Sawayama with a Hawkeye bow and arrow aces the acting and her future in this franchise like telling all the racists stuck in 1975 to 'Shut The F### Up'. The brutal and beautiful Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia and late, great Ken Takakura 'Black Rain' sees Wick on the run through neon and falling blossom like the Dotonbori river's Glico Man. Hands up!

New York, New York (of course, of course). A mesmerizing and 'Mission: Impossible' cinematic Morocco on horseback, a bold and brutal Berlin, and a perfect Paris finale with the city set alight makes the postcard count almost as potent as the bullet one (someone somewhere on the internet must have tallied up all these shell-casings). Not to mention, the terrific tropes and classic movie homages, all the way to the wild west duelling pistols at dawn in France. Revolutionary paintings serving as prophetic poetry. Action-movies like this shouldn't delve so deep, but stunt maestro Chad Stahelski has absorbed this all and turned it into an art-form. Like the flickering of candlelight sounding like a needle at the end of the record, walking away from church before the wild. As well as one-upping the one-shot. Just like the greatest martial arts pioneers of our day, everywhere, all at once. They're everything like Reeves' revolutionary renaissance man. Or the great Donnie Yen. Stealing the show with his hand on everything and his eyes on yet another blind assassin like his classic character from 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'. At least he's not stepping on anyone's toes this time. But he more than dips one as the best thing in this chapter that compels us with standout performances from Sanada, Sawayama and of course, old favourites like Fishburne, McShane and the late, great Lance Reddick who we miss dearly. Not to mention the man himself Keanu. Not shyly hiding behind his suit, but instead making it his bulletproof vest with a hilarious dressing down moment.

'Once Upon A Time In The West'. 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'. Steve McQueen's 'Bullitt' (with butterfly wings). All are paid homage to here in incredible chases from cars to collateral damage in bounty hunters with more than a price on their heads as they run out into the middle of a cobbled Arc de Triomphe road to mark their man. After the perfect 'Parabellum', this neo-noir ups the ante once more. Bill Skarsgård is 'It' when it comes to vile villains as cowardly as custard, sitting at the table under the Eiffel Tower like he owns the place. Meanwhile, forthcoming star of 'The Marvels', Shamier Anderson, hunts down the perfect role worthy of his own dog day afternoon spin-off. Looking like NBA superstar James Harden, sans beard. You'd been forgiven for thinking after Reeves checked out the 7 foot and 4 inch Boban Marjanović in a New York library in 'Chapter 3', but Shamier is his own rising star. Legendary character actor Clancy Brown (currently in 'Ahsoka') and the 'Undisputed' Scott Adkins in a fat-suit round out a class cast in a film franchise that can still get away with murder (they killed his dog). Although we do miss old favourites like Common (consider this a professional courtesy), Halle Berry and John Leguizamo. Wondering if they'll make their own reunion returns in the various spin-offs this rolling series can bank on. It's relentless like tumbling down the steps of the Sacré-Cœur (ah...uh...he's still going...lay out a hand or something), or a new LP from The Pretenders, but you won't want to break up with this one. Or be at your Wick's end for that matter. Ain't that right, John? YEAH! TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'The Matrix Resurrections', 'Ballerina', 'The Continental: From The World Of John Wick'.