John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

 

Every installment that comes out in this series I’m told the same thing–that *this* one is special; the best one yet. And each time I’m greatly disappointed. It's all set design and staged fights. Very little substance or character development exists in the World of Wick, even after a nearly 3 hour runtime. 

The biggest annoyance is the apparent indestructibility of John Wick. Only he can land headshots, yet after millions of bullets shot at him, none can hit his. He never sleeps or gets tired during prolonged battles. He hits and gets hit by numerous vehicles, yet suffers no consequence from it. 

He falls through and out of buildings without so much as a sprained ankle. He doesn’t eat, use the restroom, or attend to any other human necessities. This might as well be another crapped out turd from the Marvel Universe. 

I wish they’d make a 5th film with John Wick in retirement, homesteading in Colorado, tending to his garden, fruit trees, and chickens for 90 minutes. Nobody dies. There’s one fight, but it’s between Wick and a sticky canning jar lid, and he loses. 

Rating: F

Undisputed 3: Redemption (2010)

These films would be much better if the fight sequences were even somewhat realistic. In a world where MMA exists and we know what real fighting looks like and what happens to fighters when they get hit, it’s hard to overlook choreography that comes from an 80s playbook.

Rating: C-