Summary
John Wickdid two things when it hit theaters in 2014. It rejuvenated the career of Keanu Reeves, and it showed that pure action movies were not dead in the wake of somany superhero filmsfrom Marvel and DC. It was helmed by stuntmen who knew what they were doing, and over a decade later, fans are still eating this series up.
With the first movie spinoff,Ballerina, fans may be wondering what’s next. Will Ballerina get a sequel, or will another character be spun off into the next project? Those are all great questions, but for now, let’s rank the five movies that are out in terms of overall quality.
The originalJohn Wickhas problems that every first entry in a franchise has. It has to set up a lot of context for the world. It starts a bit slowly with John getting over his relationship, but caring for a dog that was left for him. Of course, this dog ends up getting murdered because some people were not happy with him. Unfortunately for these gangsters, they messed with one of the most legendary assassins of all time.
Hearing villains constantly relieve themselves upon hearing the name John Wick is something that never gets old. The action is refreshing for this time incinema history, even though Keanu Reevesis still a bit rusty in his action moves and perhaps some of his deliveries. John Wick is a character he will grow into, but this is an excellent debut, if not a little held back by some of the pacing.
Ballerinatakes place betweenJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - ParabellumandJohn Wick: Chapter 4and stars a different protagonist, Eve Macarro. Eve wasraised in a cult, but her father took her away when she was very young. Unfortunately, this cult eventually found and killed her father, but Eve was able to escape. During twelve years of training, Eve honed her skills as a ballerina to become a deadly assassin for the Ruska Roma, to hopefully get revenge one day.
A fifth movie inany action franchisecan feel a bit stretched, and whileBallerinais slower-paced than the mainJohn Wickmovies, there is still some fun to be had. When the action gets going, it’s a treat, and audiences will likely exclaim, “I’ve never seen that in a John Wick movie before!” Hopefully, they say that internally, though as not to disturb the peace. From skater nunchucks to flamethrower battles, there are a lot of creative encounters inBallerinathat make it worthy of theJohn Wickname.
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellumcarries over what made the second movie great: more action. It also does something fans have been waiting to see since the first movie introduced The Continental and all of the rules associated with it. With no other choice, John has to fight inside The Continental in a full-out war. He’s not the only one that gets to kick butt during this sequence as Charon picks up a gun and shows he’s more than just a concierge.
That’s the end of the movie, though, butJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellumhas a ton of incredible set pieces, including riding through the desert and fighting alongside Halle Berry, whoplays another assassin, Sofia Al-Azwar. She’s strong on her own, but her dogs are what make Sofia a terrifying presence. It’s a shame this dynamic duo didn’t get to be in the movie together more, but John Wick is a one-man army who doesn’t need a partner anyway.
John Wick: Chapter 4was a long time coming in a story that focused on one man just wanting to get some revenge for gangsters who killed his dog. This blew up to a war that led to some literal explosions in this fourth chapter. Even though Keanu was older in this film, he still had the presence that made John Wick famous. He’s calm and collected in the face of danger, even against his deadliest opponent yet, Caine, who isa blind swordsmanthat can still kill with the best.
The highlight of the movie has to be the finale on the staircase, as every kill is meaningful, and every time John falls down the stairs and gets back up again, it is mesmerizing. Viewers can feel his pain because quite a few probably know what a tumble down a few stairs can feel like, let alone dozens. Will this be the end of him? That’s the big question, and even though there is a fifth chapter in the making, that doesn’t mean it is a sequel. As a final movie for John Wick as a character, the closing feels well-deserved inJohn Wick: Chapter 4.
When it comes to sequels, sometimes the original movie cannot be topped, and sometimes the direct sequel is the best in a franchise. ForStar Warsfans, that is the case withStar Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back,and for John Wick fans, many believeJohn Wick: Chapter 2is the best in the series. From the start, it already outdoes its processor by starting with a bang. There’s an incredible car chase scene where cars are used as weapons and are just as deadly as the guns John Wick uses.
The increased danger of other assassins going after John is also a threat throughout the film, and the finale set piece in the mirrored hallways makes for some jaw-dropping sequences of bloody duels. The world-building is also better with a mysterious council running things behind the scenes, which does a good job of making this franchise more than just a series of gun battles. This is Keanu Reeves back on his feet and in full fighting condition, and it’s still fun to watch.
