John Wick: Chapter IV, thoughts?

So I'll try not to spoil stuff for those who've yet to see it, but I'll be characterizing certain aspects of the film so if that's still too spoilery for you, read no further.

I don't want to say it was bad, but I feel kind of let down overall. The action sequences didn't feel very well choreographed and it lacked unique action set pieces. I also kind of feel it was kind of ridiculous that everybody in the film was practically bullet proof. In previous films the tailored suits could stop a stray round or two, but in this film everyone swats down bullets like they're damn near immortal. The only time we saw that in previous films was in the hotel shootout in John Wick: Chapter 3 where the High Table sent a specialized hit squad decked out head to toe with ballistic armor but now everyone has that same level of protection with their tailored suits and it's like that the whole entire movie. Aside from that, there's nothing really unique about the action sequences or that memorable. They play out like they printed practice dry runs.

There's definitely little what I'd characterize as "gun porn" in this. John Wick: Chapter 2 certainly peaked that with the catacombs shootout with Keanu displaying excellent command of the shotgun and in general showing his weapon training really paid off. I guess in this 4th movie at best there was one notable scene shot overhead where Wick is lighting everyone up with incendiary shotgun round, that was kind of cool.

But the previous films found other interesting ways to make good fight sequences. I loved John Wick: Chapter 3's opening knives fight sequence, or the action scene where Halle Berry's two attack dogs were cleaning up, or the horse and motorcycle chase sequences.

Just nothing about this one felt memorable. The best part of the movie was the blind assassin, he was pretty cool. Overall this movie felt like they had to make it to tie up the story and be done with the series.

I wonder how or why it turned out this way. Perhaps trying to produce a film during the pandemic cut back on what they could do, perhaps they didn't budget it the same worried it wouldn't make as much in theaters. Perhaps they felt a certain social responsibility amid rising gun violence. Who knows.

I don't want to say it was bad overall, but man what a letdown. I still feel obligated to have watched it given my appreciation for the other films, so no regrets overall. This film might leave it open for debate whether they'll be others, I don't think they closed the door on the series but they didn't leave it on any kind of cliff hanger either. It's a bit off a toss-up where it could go, but I guess they can revive the series later if they want.

I'm curious what other people think. I see this movie is hanging in the 94% on RottenTomatoes so I kind of feel like I'm in a minority on this.

Did he use any farm animals as weapons, like he did with the horses in a previous film? I really appreciated that creativity.

@mrbojangles25: no, there's a guy with a dog though that's about as animal as it gets

I agree with pretty much everything you said. I also agree the overhead cinematography on the incendiary scene was excellent and the best part. I would say some of the car section was also great cinema. The whole guy with the dog was a complete waste/swing and miss/pointless for me, as was the main villain, and the bullet sponge suit stuff was cringe worthy at best.

For me each film is worse than the one before. The first was great because of the action, but also because of the universe. As we become more versed with the universe it leaves only the action which becomes repetitive and derivative with each installment.

I would agree that the franchise has pretty much peaked and that made Chapter 4 feel like more of the same. I don't feel that it did anything new that we haven't seen previously. The close quarters fights look cool and all but now it's getting to the point where it feels like they just happen to drag out the runtime rather than further the plot.

The first is a 8/10. The second is a 7/10. The third is a 3/10. The forth is a 7.5/10.

Worth watching, but if it was more realistic (more similar to something like the Equalizer), it would've been a better series.

There are 4 of them?

I believe I've seen 1&2. I remember almost nothing from them. Wouldn't watch a 3rd, let alone a 4th.

It’s getting love because it’s a popcorn flick that delivers on being a popcorn flick. It’s an absolute masterclass in cinematography and fight choreography and doesn’t need to be much else, and the movie’s pretty self aware of that.

But with that said, I do agree that it’s overrated. John Wick definitely outlived his purpose as a character. All three of the sequels can basically be described as “everyone wants to kill John”. The first one was so much better because it was abundantly clear what John was fighting for whereas in all of the sequels he’s kind of just surviving https://19216801.onl/ . I couldn’t tell you why anyone was doing anything they did in the fourth movie after seeing it once. It was entertaining, yes. But not something I would put in the top 250.

I think it’s just because audiences have gotten so accustomed to blockbusters trying to do too much. Marvel is losing its box office dominance because it expects the audience to keep track of all the endless previous content now. It’s gotten pretty hard to enjoy any of the new ones without wondering if you’re missing anything. People are just happy that a new action film is out that gives them what they came for and doesn’t require any homework to enjoy.

Recommend this, thought lot better. Has a Prequel as well be watching.