John Wick Chapter 4 Review: 8 Ups & 2 Downs

A rare franchise that saved the best for fourth.

By Jack Pooley /

Lionsgate

Up until the release of John Wick: Chapter 3, most fans assumed that Keanu Reeves' unexpected action-thriller franchise would close things out with its third, trilogy-concluding entry.

Advertisement

But of course, Chapter 3's ending very obviously teed up more adventures for Reeves' headshot-happy assassin, and four years later, we finally have the long-awaited John Wick: Chapter 4.

Expectations were through the roof for the latest installment, considering not only Chapter 3's cliffhanger ending but the huge ensemble cast, beefed-up $100 million budget, and general feeling that Chapter 3 had taken the series to some truly untoppable levels.

Advertisement

Fear not, though, because Chapter 4 somehow finds a way to up the ante once again with a jaw-dropping action epic that makes most of its predecessors seem hilariously quaint by a comparison.

A supersized, near-three-hour blockbuster par excellence, John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers more than the expected goods and in turn cements itself as one of the most deftly crafted tentpole actioners of recent times.

Advertisement

But no movie is perfect, and so first, here's what it doesn't quite get right...