The Ballet of Bullets: ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Review

To be self-aware is a feat of wonder in this day and age. Even more wondrous is when a movie or TV show knows what it is and, with that understanding, elevates its form. The ‘shoot‘em up’ is not a new thing and even the movie Shoot’Em Up can’t measure up to the juggernaut that is John Wick. If you think this is still about a man and his murdered dog, you’re dead wrong. John Wick: Chapter 4 is trying to do the impossible: to elevate the shoot ’em up genre with a world as rich and dynamic as it is mysterious. From Blacklisted to Blockbuster in the Black Let’s keep it really real, the entirety of what John Wick is wouldn’t even have existed if not for Keanu being blacklisted by Fox for not doing a Speed sequel. That path led to smaller roles here and there for close to thirteen years, but really landing a project that brought the same prestige The Matrix did. It’s remarkable to see where the Wick franchise is now, but in order to appreciate it you’ve got to know how it came to be. After being blacklisted, Reeves and the stunt team from The Matrix struck out and started building from scratch.

Keanu Reeves as the titular John Wick. Image courtesy of Lionsgate, 2023

Chad Stahelski, who has directed each of the four John Wick movies (the first alongside David Leitch), is best known as Keanu’s stunt double since The Matrix and for forming one of the greatest stunt companies in the industry, Smashcut. Between Street Kings, 47 Ronin, and Man of Tai Chi (Reeve’s directorial debut, no …