You have to have a lot of art and ability not to be devoured by a sea of references and by the constant need to go one step further what has already been achieved. It is not easy to jump from the classic epic of ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ to oriental martial arts cinema. From Buster Keaton to the clandestine world of ‘The Lords of the Night’. From the samurai genre to the western. And even video games.
And yet, all this has come together in a Hollywood blockbuster this year, and instead of a concoction it has been left action movie of the year. One that doesn’t compromise through cheap concessions to protect a brand, but rather by finding ways to keep it fresh and powerful. That is why the experience of ‘John Wick 4’ is the fullest of a genre tape this year.
another day to kill
The Keanu Reeves saga reaches a new chapter surpassing himself once again in all aspects, both in quality and commercial performance. One of the greatest hits of the year, which is now available in streaming through Amazon Prime Video to offer the glorious enjoyment that Chad Stahelski has orchestrated from the direction.
After surviving the latest hunt by the High Table, John Wick remains in hiding until it’s time to charge them again. But what he doesn’t expect is that the global criminal organization is going to grant full powers to the Marquis de Gramont, played by Bill Skarsgård, to kill him once and for all, exterminating anyone with whom he had contact if necessary. Wick will have to take advantage of his latest alliances in order to launch one last offensive.
Before the premiere, a reading of the saga began to move (more than a theory) that linked each film with a psychological and emotional state of mourning, given that Reeves’ character is a recent widower at the beginning of the story. Considering that, this would have to be positioned as the exploration of the depression of Wick’s character, something that floats in how he perceives that all the people around him are in danger or die because of himand it is also palpable in some interactions that can be seen as elemental, although they are providing an interesting foundation for the protagonist’s arc.
‘John Wick’: apotheosis of modern action cinema
Although it is not essential to perceive all this to enjoy the amazing ecstasy of action that ‘John Wick 4’ offers. The oriental influences, with classics of Japanese cinema and anime marking the first great stretch of the film as well as the character of Donnie Yen (who could perfectly be the MVP of the film), go hand in hand with the great display of the slaughter. that characterizes the saga. And also the language of videogames, ranging from basics like the frog game (‘Frogger’) to the ultraviolent ‘Hotline Miami’, recreated down to the last detail in one of the most overwhelming scenes.
Scenes like these, in addition to placing Stahelski as an ideal candidate to adapt video games to the cinema (he is planning to bring ‘Ghost of Tsushima’), show the great creativity poured into these films, in addition to his desire to lighten up with a bit of extreme fun. , as with the blows that Wick gets that are reminiscent of Buster Keaton’s action scenes. All of these references add to the story and saga, not make it overwhelming, and with excellent direction and delivery by Reeves They have just turned this film into an apotheosis and pinnacle of the modern action genre.
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