And everybody desires to kill one another in “John Wick: Chapter 4,” a film whose three-act construction is constructed round three gigantic motion scenes that shift scope, enemies, weapons, and environments so swiftly that losing interest seems like an impossibility. As you’d anticipate, there’s a deep pleasure in watching Keanu Reeves share the display screen with Hong Kong motion famous person Donnie Yen, and their scenes (each after they’re beating the stuffing out of one another or simply speaking) are a spotlight of the movie. An equally nice shock is Shamier Anderson, enjoying a brand new character who’s destined to be a fan-favorite (and whose loyal canine almost walks away with the film).
And whereas some returning characters do not get as a lot to do as you’d hope (Lance Reddick and Laurence Fishburne simply pop in to say hiya, and Ian McShane’s Winston is essentially sidelined), the movie leans into Reeves and the newcomers with gusto, throwing them into motion sequences which are destined to make stunt coordinators everywhere in the world lose sleep as they surprise “How on earth did they pull that off?”
The ultimate hour of the movie is actually one giant motion scene, and one staged with such bravura talent and visible wit that it exposes the overwhelming majority of American motion course because the lazy sham it’s. Stahelski, a former stunt performer and coordinator himself, is aware of how necessary it’s to showcase these gifted people and ensure the viewers can admire and comply with their each motion. That “each motion” additionally entails staging decisions that really feel simply plain unfair to each different motion film you will see this 12 months strongly suggests that he’s the best Hollywood director of gun battles, fist fights, sword duels, and automobile chases working for the time being.