Story and tone

The fourth part of the John Wick series was not only the most exciting, inventive and dramatic, but was probably the last chapter of the legendary hitman’s story.

On the eve of shooting the fourth installment, franchise fans grew alarmed when screenwriter Derek Kolstad (“John Wick”, “Nobody”) exited the project. The author of all three films left, grumbling in the end that it’s time to end the story, and filming the fifth part will definitely be a mistake.

Chad Stahelski, the franchise’s director and mastermind, obviously listened, but did it his own way – and he didn’t fail. There is less dialogue and new lore here than in each of the past films, but in terms of action, dynamics and drama this massive three-hour epic surpasses its predecessors.

Visual imagination

The best moments of the series have always been where more was shot than said. “John Wick” is either a ballet of violence or an action musical. Certainly not a standard action movie. Action, movement, and above all combat choreography deliver all the key information to the audience. The man who could have balanced Stahelski left the project – the director’s hands were untied and he showed all his insatiability for action.

The episode in the hotel in Osaka is a full-on movie within a film. There are about five or six different and wildly intense action sequences. Any director of a $100 million blockbuster would have greedily grabbed this for the film’s epic finale, but Stahelski’s is just the seed.

Action choreography and scale

In terms of choreography and creativity, though, it’s hardly the best fight scene of recent years – the long-planning nunchaku fight alone is worth mentioning. But the best is only at the moment of the first act. Stahelski does not spare the viewer and continues to rape him with killer action for the whole three hours up to the finale.

Every episode seems even more unbelievable than the previous ones. The director makes life harder for the character and the actors/stuntmen with each new scene. Already in the beginning, he combines the best shooting and fencing scenes into one – there is both katana fighting and pistol firing at the same time. 

Whereas Wick used to kill with a pencil and a book, now he injures a man with a playing card. Right after that, especially for Matt Reeves (“Batman,” “Monstro”, “Planet of the Apes: War”), comes a guide on how to make a club fight involving a Penguin-type character even cooler. 

Then the challenging chase escalates into an even more inventive shootout on a busy road. Then a huge backdrop is built for the house shooting – just to film everything from above in the spirit of the Hotline Miami games. The epitome of “John Wick” as a bloody silent musical was the radio episode, which has a unique action choreography for every track. 

And just when you get tired of being surprised by everything, the powerful final accord – the fight on the stairs, which is pointless to describe in words – comes on.

Pros

• Exceptionally inventive and relentless action choreography.
• Minimal dialogue that lets visual storytelling dominate.
• A bold escalation of scale and creativity in every sequence.
• Distinctive set pieces that feel like films within the film.
• A confident and uncompromising directorial vision.

Cons

• The nearly three-hour runtime may be exhausting for some viewers.
• Reduced emphasis on lore and character development.
• The constant intensity leaves little room to breathe emotionally.

Final verdict

John Wick: Chapter 4 is the ultimate expression of the franchise’s philosophy: action as pure cinema. Chad Stahelski delivers an operatic, merciless, and meticulously choreographed epic that pushes the limits of the genre. It may sacrifice narrative depth for spectacle, but what it offers in return is one of the most ambitious and uncompromising action films in recent years. If this truly is John Wick’s final chapter, it is a thunderous and unforgettable farewell.