The latest entry into the John Wick series picks up almost immediately where the second movie left off, with John - once again played by Keanu Reeves - on the run after a global contract is put out due to his actions at the end of the previous film. The film seems to build up the fact that it’s going to go even bigger with the action, and even bigger with the world-building, as the film emphasizes even more so just how deep the crime organization John was once a part of truly is.
And the film delivers on all those fronts. John gets an hour head start before the contract goes up. And the first twenty minutes of the film show those final twenty minutes as he prepares himself for what’s about to come. John sends his dog off to the Continental in the hands of the hotel’s concierge Charon (Lance Reddick), and runs over to the New York Public Library to grab some hidden rosary beads and marker coins.
And even right before the contract is officially out, the onslaught begins, as one assassin gets ahead of himself and immediately goes after John as soon as he sees him. And from there, the film once again delivers on all its over-the-top action that made the first two entries so much fun to watch. And what’s especially entertaining this time around is just how creative some of the fight scenes get.
It’s clear director Chad Stahelski and the writers are well aware that if the movie essentially just rehashes the same type of closed quarters punches, kicks, and gun fights, it runs the risk of the franchise becoming stale. So they deliver on some truly unique moments that will have audiences shouting at the screen, and at times even laughing, for just how ridiculous some of these moments get.
There are fights taking place while riding horses, stationary fights that use the horses themselves as weapons, closed quarters knife fights, and even some expertly done scenes in which attack dogs are used that are arguably even more impressive than some of the hand-on-hand combat involving just people. Everything is well-timed and brilliantly off-the-wall. And what’s impressive is that, like the other entries, the film doesn’t resort to constant quick cuts that would disorient the viewers. Many combat scenes occur in only a couple of longer takes, allowing the audience to fully take in and appreciate what’s in front of them.
And like the last two movies, what’s also impressive is just how well everyone performs their own stunts. The best addition to the cast that really gets to show off is Halle Berry, whose fight scenes are easily on par with Reeves’. She’s unfortunately not in the movie as much as one is led to believe, but her time on screen is incredibly entertaining, as she shows off some truly impressive stunts that play off Reeves. And even her fight scenes aside, her acting is pretty top notch here. Berry’s been laying low on the bigger budget projects lately - outside of a supporting role in Kingsman: The Golden Circle - and this is a welcome return for her, as she has some fantastic chemistry with Reeves, and even gets in a nice little emotional moment, that her presence in the rest of the movie is sorely missed.
Something the last movie lost sight of a bit that gets brought back in Chapter 3 is its levity and camp value. While nothing will ever truly beat the group of Russian baddies from the first film, there are plenty more silly, over-the-top moments that will get some nice laughs here. Laurence Fishburne makes a welcome return as the scene-chewing Bowery King, constantly delivering his grandiose, somewhat cliched lines with an ear-to-ear grin that it’s hard not to laugh a bit each time he speaks. Anjelica Huston, in a brief supporting role, also has some fairly corny lines, but goes big with her delivery as well, saying things less with a smile but more with such a cheeky attitude that feels like she’s obviously having a bit of fun with the dialogue.
One of the best additions to the cast is Mark Dacascos as the main hitman sent to take out John. The film makes it clear how much of this business is really nothing more than that - business. Despite being the main antagonist, Dacascos’ Zero is also a huge fan of John’s work - with the film once again showcasing how much of a rock star John really is in this world - and in the scenes where they’re forced to put aside the fighting at the Continental, and Zero, along with his henchmen, get to geek out over the guy they’re being sent to kill is some of the funniest moments in the entire franchise, giving the antagonists some well-rounded personalities.
While the film once again expands on this vast world that houses this crime organization, its introduction of the crime world’s many rules tend to hurt it at times. The film introduces the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon), a member of the high-ranking High Table who keeps rattling off actions that characters took that are deemed wrong, while constantly reversing rules that have been staples of these movies’ world. The film tends to get too caught up in its own mythology at times that at times, it ends up getting a bit too exposition-heavy at times. New elements don’t always feel so properly explained while it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with what new laws are in effect.
The film takes so many twists and turns that it quickly renders scenes preceding a new twist somewhat useless. There’s a particular extended sequence which finds John in the desert that goes on for way too long on its own and tends to slow the movie down - once again, this film clocks in at over two hours, which feels a bit unnecessary, considering how smooth the first film operated on an hour-and-forty-minute run time. This scene seems to introduce a new set of stakes for John, but it quickly becomes rendered useless within the next 10-15 minutes of the movie by a brand new twist. The film could have easily condensed these few scenes into something that kept it moving a little smoother and shorter.
But when the movie kicks things into high gear, it’s a lot of fun. The third act in particular is where the movie feels at its most explosive, with the fighting coming at a nonstop pace. The third act is where longtime franchise cast member Lance Reddick finally gets to be put at his most used, as he finally gets in on some of the action. Reddick is an actor whose booming television presence is incredibly strong, which always left a sense of disappointment each time he’s seen so little on film. Even though he’s had a recurring presence in John Wick, he’s mostly been regulated to kindly, more dialogue heavy roles, so it’s nice to see him truly get to show off the side of him from television that audiences are more accustomed to seeing.
It’s often difficult to make a trilogy where all three films are extremely entertaining, but the John Wick series pulls it off once again. While the franchise is slightly worn down this time around due to its extensive focus on world-building that can sometimes feel jarring and disorienting, it makes up for its flaws with some really impressive fight scenes, excellent performances, and moments of goofy self-awareness that were missed from the previous installment. Fast-paced with the franchise showing no signs of slowing down, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is another fitting entry into one of the greatest action series in recent memory.
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