John Wick Chapter 4 Review: 8 Ups & 2 Downs

1. The Increasingly Convoluted Lore

One of the most remarkable aspects of the John Wick franchise, which helps separate it from other action movies, is its devotion to investing in its own distinct mythology.

From the second movie in particular, the world of the John Wick films - the Continental, the High Table, and so on - is defined in a very specific way, even as more rules and exposition gets added to the growing pile with each new movie.

And Chapter 4's certainly no different in that regard, though by touting a considerably larger, more epic scale than its predecessors, it also finds itself sometimes becoming overly entwined in its own convoluted lore.

There's a lot of information about the High Table that you really just need to accept and roll with in this movie - things will be revealed along John Wick's quest that feel more-or-less thrown in simply because they set up the next set-piece, rather than because they makes tremendous sense within the logic of the world.

Trying to make total sense of the system these assassins are governed by is basically inviting a headache, so you're better off just sitting back and enjoying the wild ride, which is thankfully more than enough of a distraction.

And so, here's why you absolutely need to see John Wick: Chapter 4...