John Wick 4: A Comprehensive Review

Building upon the success of its predecessors, “John Wick Chapter 4” promises to deliver an electrifying cinematic experience filled with explosive action, intricate world-building, and the signature style that has made the franchise a modern-day action classic.

Prepare for another adrenaline-fueled journey into the dark and dangerous underworld of contract killing as “John Wick” returns with its highly anticipated fourth instalment. The iconic character, portrayed by the ever-intense Keanu Reeves, has captivated audiences with his relentless pursuit of vengeance and unparalleled combat skills.

In this article, we delve into what fans can expect from “John Wick 4,” exploring the tantalizing hints and rumours that have been swirling around the film, from the continuation of John Wick’s quest for survival to the introduction of new adversaries and allies.

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John Wick 4

Chad Stahelski directed and co-produced “John Wick 4,” an American neo-noir action thriller film released in 2023. Shay Hatten and Michael Finch wrote the screenplay for the film, which serves as a sequel to 2019’s “John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum” and is the fourth instalment in the John Wick franchise.

Keanu Reeves stars as the title character, supported by an ensemble cast that includes Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown, and Ian McShane.

Lionsgate officially announced the development of the fourth John Wick film in May 2019, before the release of its predecessor. Unlike the previous films, this instalment was not written by franchise creator Derek Kolstad.

Shay Hatten was hired in May 2020, followed by Michael Finch in March 2021 to handle the writing duties. Principal photography occurred from June to October 2021, with filming taking place in France, Germany, New York City, and Japan.

Originally slated for release on May 21, 2021, the film experienced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 6, 2023, “John Wick 4” premiered at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, followed by a theatrical release in the United States on March 24.

The film garnered widespread critical acclaim and has amassed over $428 million in worldwide box office revenue. It now holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing film in the franchise and ranks as the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2023. As a result, a fifth film is currently in development.

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Cast of John Wick 4

• Keanu Reeves portrays John Wick, a professional hitman and assassin who has earned a legendary reputation for his exceptional skills. The High Table is now hunting him down.
• Donnie Yen takes on the role of Caine, a blind assassin working for the High Table and an old friend of John Wick. He is reluctantly forced out of retirement to eliminate John Wick and protect his daughter.
• Bill Skarsgård embodies the Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, a powerful member of the High Table whose authority is challenged by John Wick.
• Laurence Fishburne plays the Bowery King, a former crime boss betrayed by the High Table and now supports John Wick.
• Hiroyuki Sanada portrays Shimazu Koji, the manager of the Osaka Continental Hotel and a long-time friend of John Wick and Caine.
• Shamier Anderson assumes the role of Mr Nobody, also known as The Tracker, a bounty hunter relentlessly pursuing Wick.
• Lance Reddick reprises his role as Charon, the concierge at the Continental Hotel in New York.
• Rina Sawayama plays Shimazu Akira, Koji’s daughter and the concierge of the Osaka Continental.
• Scott Adkins embodies Killa Harkan, the leader of the German Table. Adkins wore a fat suit for the role and drew inspiration from a character in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
• Clancy Brown portrays the Harbinger, a high-ranking operative of the High Table.
• Ian McShane returns as Winston Scott, the manager of the New York Continental Hotel and a close friend of John Wick.
• Natalia Tena takes on the role of Katia, John Wick’s adoptive sister. Marko Zaror portrays Chidi, the second-in-command of the Marquis de Gramont.
• George Georgiou appears as the Elder, the influential figure who holds a position above the Table. Georgiou’s character is distinct from Saïd Taghmaoui’s portrayal in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019).
• Bridget Moynahan makes an appearance as Helen, John’s deceased wife.
• Sven Marquardt, a renowned German bouncer, appears as Klaus, a member of the Ruska Roma group.
• Yoshinori Tashiro, a retired sumo wrestler, has a cameo role as the gatekeeper of the Osaka Continental.

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John Wick 4 Plot

Hiding underground with the Bowery King, John Wick prepares to take revenge against the High Table in New York City. He travels to Morocco and eliminates the Elder, the individual who holds a position above the Table.

In response, the Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, a member of the High Table, summons Winston, the New York Continental Hotel manager, and Charon, the concierge. The Marquis informs Winston that the High Table has provided him with unlimited resources to eliminate John Wick.

He reprimands Winston for his failure to assassinate John and proceeds to strip Winston of his managerial responsibilities, declare him “excommunicate,” destroy the New York Continental and execute Charon.

To fulfil his mission, the Marquis coerces Caine, a retired High Table assassin who is blind, into killing his old friend John, threatening harm to Caine’s daughter if he refuses. John seeks refuge at the Osaka Continental, managed by his friend Shimazu Koji.

Chidi, the Marquis’ second-in-command, supported by High Table assassins and Caine, arrives to investigate the hotel. Akira, Koji’s daughter and the hotel’s concierge evacuates the premises just before the High Table “deconsecrates” it, resulting in a chaotic melee as Koji and his men defend John.

Overcoming waves of armoured assassins, John eventually confronts Caine in a final showdown. “Mr Nobody,” a bounty hunter, interrupts their fight and helps John escape after determining that the bounty on John’s head is insufficient.

Despite being injured, Koji repeatedly attacks Caine in defence of John, and Caine reluctantly kills Koji while sparing Akira. Returning to New York, John meets a vengeful Winston at Charon’s gravesite.

Winston advises John to invoke an ancient High Table tradition to challenge the Marquis to a duel. Winning the duel would release John from all obligations to the High Table, but he can only request a duel on behalf of a crime family.

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Writing of John Wick 4

Shay Hatten and Michael Finch took charge of writing the film. In an interview with Looper magazine, Finch revealed that his writing drew inspiration from several previous films. He explained, “Chad was inspired by other films and genres, such as Once Upon a Time in the West, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Bullitt, Dirty Harry, and Zatoichi films.

” The blind assassin, portrayed by Donnie Yen, pays homage to the blind swordsman from the Japanese film series centred around Zatoichi. The character Killa Harkan’s name also references Killa Hakan, a Berlin-based Turkish rapper.

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The casting of John Wock

Reeves announced that he had commenced his training course for John Wick 4 and The Matrix Resurrections when the fourth film was announced. In May 2021, the inclusion of Rina Sawayama in John Wick Chapter 4 was announced, marking her feature film debut.

Sawayama was chosen for the role due to her proficiency in choreography, as Stahelski had watched her music videos for “XS” and “Bad Friend,” which showcased her dancing and fighting abilities, respectively.

During the following month, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Shamier Anderson, and Scott Adkins were cast in the film. Sanada had initially been approached to portray Zero in Chapter 3 but withdrew from the project in favour of appearing in Avengers: Endgame.

In July 2021, Lance Reddick’s return as Charon was confirmed,[55] and Ian McShane’s return as Winston was also confirmed.[20] Clancy Brown joined the cast in August.

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Release Date for John Wick 4

On March 24, 2023, Lionsgate released John Wick 4. The film’s official announcement by Lionsgate took place during the opening week of Parabellum, with a planned release date of May 21, 2021.

However, IndieWire revealed on May 1, 2020, that the fourth film’s release had been postponed to May 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Reeves’s commitments to The Matrix Resurrections, which was originally scheduled for the same release window as Wick 4.

“The Matrix 4 was only four weeks in when this all happened [production of The Matrix 4 halted],” said Stahelski, “So, Keanu’s gotta go finish his commitment up on The Matrix, which is a big deal and which I think will probably take him until the end of the year.

Then we have to go into our prep mode, and then we’ll start. So release dates … who knows right now. The film’s release date was further pushed to May 27, 2022, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later to March 24, 2023, partly to avoid competing with Top Gun: Maverick.

John Wick: Chapter 4 premiered at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on March 6, 2023. It also had a special screening at the South by Southwest on March 13, 2023. In India, the film was dubbed and released in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. It arrived in South Korea on April 12, 2023.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers another thrilling instalment in the action-packed franchise. The film, directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves, continues the intense journey of John Wick as he seeks vengeance and battles against formidable adversaries.

With its signature stylized action sequences, intricate world-building, and compelling performances from a talented ensemble cast, the movie captivates audiences and leaves them eagerly anticipating the next chapter.

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