"John Wick Chapter 4" officially opened with a bow at the time of its London premiere Monday evening, and the social media reaction embargo lifted during the premiere.
The fourth entry is set following the conclusion of "John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum," which saw Keanu Reeves' notorious assassin fall on top of the Continental Hotel after being betrayed by his ally Winston (Ian McShane). In all likelihood, Wick lives. John Wick Chapter 4 full movie 4" uncovers the infamous Pariah who travels the world in order to escape the rule of the elusive and brutal High Table.
The critical darling action series has been praised with a hefty amount of enthusiasm in the first round of reviews, especially for its deep bench of sparring partners that includes Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, Marko Zazor, Scott Adkins and Rina Sawayama. Another major issue of discussion is the length of the film, which clocks in at a lengthy two hours and 49 minutes -38 minutes longer than the previous entry's.
Los Angeles Times critic Katie Walsh liked the film, praising its visuals as superior to other blockbusters of the franchise. The critic also noted about one element she disliked about the film: "Because it's dumb."
Collider Editor-in-Chief Steven Weintraub had nothing but praise for the film. He also indicated that Reeves engages in some shady things with a dragon's breath shotgun.
CinemaBlend critic Eric Eisenberg expressed some reservations regarding the film's lengthy runtime. However, he claims that it "earns it" through "smart pace" and some strong set pieces.
John Wick: Chapter 4 director and franchise creator Chad Stahelski explains why he hopes to take a break from the series before working on the next installment. Stahelski started the career path working in Hollywood acting as a stunt man before working with the star Keanu Reeves on 2013's John Wick. Stahelski will co-direct the film alongside David Leitch, before solely helming the following three sequels. John Wick was a surprise both financially and critically.
Interview with the film company /Film Stahelski opens up about his plans for the next chapter of the series in advance of John Wick: Chapter 4's theatrical release. In the interview, he says he thinks he should take a break from the franchise prior to continuing with Wick's story. However director Stahelski has said the possibility of not directing John Wick 5 as a John Wick 5, declaring, "I'm always saying, 'This is my last one that will never ever happen again.' That's why I'm saying: This is my last one." In terms of why he believes it's necessary to take a break, Stahelski says:
While Stahelski wants to move on from John Wick's reluctant adventure through the criminal underworld The John Wick franchise is scheduled to expand with the Ana de Armas-led spin-off, Ballerina. Set between John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4, Ballerina explores the story of de Armas' Rooney, who begins her own quest for revenge against the murderers of her family. While de Armas is taking over the role of Unity Phelan, Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick and Anjelica Huston will all reprise their roles from earlier installments in the franchise.
Following his efforts on John Wick: Chapter 4 and the other chapters in the franchise, Stahelski is set to use his director's skills to new realms that go that go beyond the gunplay high stakes of Reeves the master assassin. The year 2021 is when Stahelski has been tapped to make a film adaptation for Ghosts of Tsushima, the hit 2020 PlayStation game in which an samurai protects the island of Tsushima during the first Mongol invasion of Japan. The director will also create a new version in the Highlander franchise in 2021, with Stahelski said he was planning his take on the fight between immortals to be three films.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is among 2023's most eagerly anticipated films of 2023. In this regard, although there could be some disappointment over the possibility of a break between installments, it is clear Stahelski's reasons can be helpful for future films. In addition, with director's upcoming projects converting firearms for swordplay the lessons Stahelski learns from Ghosts of Tsushima and Highlander could lead to thrilling fight scenes in future films.