" John Wick: Chapter 4 full movie : Chapter 4" officially bowed at its London premiere on Monday night with the online reactions embargo lifted during the premiere.
The fourth entry is set following the conclusion of "John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum," which saw Keanu Reeves' famous assassin take a tumble from atop the Continental Hotel after being betrayed by his friend Winston (Ian McShane). In all likelihood, Wick lives. "Chapter 4" finds the deadly Pariah who travels the world in order in search of freedom from the oppression of the devious, cutthroat High Table.
The critical darling action series has drawn strong praise in its first round of reactions, especially for its deep pool of sparring partners which include Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, Marko Zazor, Scott Adkins and Rina Sawayama. Another major issue of discussion is the film's runtime, which clocks in at a lengthy two hours and 49 minutes -- 38 minutes longer than the previous film's.
Los Angeles Times critic Katie Walsh liked the film, praising its visuals as a step above other blockbusters of the franchise. However, she added that there was one thing she didn't like about it: "Because it's dumb."
Collider Editor-in-Chief Steven Weintraub had nothing but praise for the film, indicating that Reeves engages in some mischief using a shotgun made of dragon's breath.
CinemaBlend critic Eric Eisenberg expressed some reservations regarding the film's long time-span. But he states that this film "earns it" with "smart timing" and some strong sets.
John Wick: Chapter 4 director and franchise creator Chad Stahelski explains why he would like to take a break from the series before working on the next installment. Stahelski started his professional career working in Hollywood acting as a stunt man prior to joining forces with actor Keanu Reeves on 2013's John Wick. Stahelski will co-direct the film with David Leitch, before solely helming the following three sequels following John Wick was a surprise critical and financial success.
A conversation with /Film Stahelski speaks about what the future holds for the action film franchise prior to John Wick: Chapter 4's theatrical release, where he states that he believes that he needs to step away from the series before continuing the Wick story. In the meantime, the director has indicated that he may not direct a John Wick 5, declaring, "I'm always saying, "This is my last film and this won't be repeated.' That's why I'm saying: This is my last one." In terms of why he believes it's necessary to take a break, Stahelski says:
While Stahelski is hoping to get away from John Wick's journey through the criminal underground, the franchise is set to grow with the Ana de Armas-led spin-off, Ballerina. Set within John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, Ballerina explores the story of de Armas' Rooney, who embarks on her own quest for revenge against the murderers of her family. In the meantime, de Armas is taking over the role from Unity Phelan, Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Anjelica Huston are all set to reprise their roles from earlier installments of the series.
After the success of John Wick: Chapter 4 and the other chapters of the franchise, Stahelski is set to use his director's skills to new realms outside of the thrilling gunplay Reeves the master assassin. in 2021 Stahelski was tapped by the company to create a film adaptation of Ghosts of Tsushima, the hit 2020 PlayStation video game where Samurai fights for the island of Tsushima during the initial Mongol assault on Japan. The director is also expected to create a new version in the Highlander franchise, with Stahelski stated that he had a vision of his interpretation of the battle between immortals being three films.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is one of 2023's most popular releases. As such, while there is a possibility of disappointment with a potential break between films, it's obvious that the reasons given by Stahelski could prove beneficial to future films. Additionally, with the director's future projects trading swords with guns, the lessons that Stahelski learns from Ghosts of Tsushima and Highlander will allow for thrilling fight scenes in future films.