With Many Assassins Hunting Him, a Hitman Gives Them His All

Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry in
"John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

In 2014, director Chad Stahelski introduced audiences to a ruthless assassin in his thriller, “John Wick.”  What at first looked like another generic action movie turned out to be a step above countless others of the kind, providing a wild ride that was filled with well-choreographed action sequences and an intense performance from Keanu Reeves.  Stahelski then continued the series in 2017 with “John Wick: Chapter 2,” a sequel that upped the intensity of the first film and built upon the world of assassins that was brought to us in the original.

Stahelski now brings the story of John Wick to new heights with “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum,” delivering more breathless action sequences and a top-of-his-game performance from Reeves.

Following the events of the second film, John Wick has a bounty on him, prompting a legion of assassins to come after him.  Not being able to trust many, John embarks on a globetrotting journey to help find the few allies who will help him take on those who are trying to kill him.

Reeves continues to show full commitment in bringing out his character’s unwavering fighting prowess as he moves from one bone-shattering confrontation to the next.  It’s a performance of ferocious physicality that’s punctuated by small, yet effective displays of emotion as John recalls what he has lost and makes tough decisions about what to do in order to move forward.  He’s not some hollow action hero who’s only attributes are his fighting skills, but an action protagonist who carries a considerable amount of grief over what’s been taken from him, which lets us become absorbed into his odyssey as he tries to avoid death at every turn.

Just like the last two films, this installment has several terrific supporting performances.  As for returning characters, there’s Laurence Fishburne as the Bowery King, a regal-like crime lord; Lance Reddick as Charon, the kind and accommodating concierge at a hotel for assassins; and Ian MacShane as Winston, the manager of said hotel who does his best to help John, even in the most pressing conditions.

As for new characters, there’s Mark Dacascos as Zero, a lethal and occasionally humorous assassin who’s John’s biggest threat; Asia Kate Dillon as the steely Adjudicator of the High Table, a council that oversees the rules by which the assassins abide; Halle Berry as Sofia, a fellow assassin and friends of John’s; and Anjelica Huston as The Director, a person from John’s past.  These latest additions to the series make wonderful impressions and help us continue to get drawn into John Wick’s world.

The screenplay by Derek Kolstad (who wrote the first two installments), Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams has action scenes to spare, but it also works hard to expand upon the ins and outs of the secret society of assassins.  John’s interactions between the distinct characters offer us views of their roles within the organization, and thereby give us more details of how the society of assassins operates.  It’s a fascinating world upon which the screenwriters continue to build, always taking their time in bringing to light the mysterious qualities of this organization, and after three movies, this setting still feels as fresh as ever.

The cinematography by Dan Laustsen and editing by Evan Schiff (both of whom worked on the second film) help Stahelski in crafting action scenes that, thankfully, don’t use a lot of shaky cam or are over edited.  Instead, these sequences stay on shots for several seconds so we can become more immersed in what’s happening on screen and use a steadier camera, and all of this creates a comprehensibility for these sequences.

Stahelski knows how to deliver blistering action, managing to ramp up the intensity of everything that came before, and it’s clear that will be the case for this movie within the first 15 minutes, where we have a knife fight that will have you gasp at the fierceness of how it plays out.  Besides this, several of the other action scenes have portions that unfold in long takes, with one of the best being the start of a pulse-pounding motorcycle chase between John Wick and a half dozen assassins.  There’s also a blazing gunfight about halfway through the movie that’s a pure rush of adrenaline.  Good luck trying to choose an action sequence as your favorite because Stahelski succeeds in making that an impossible feat.

Similar to the “Mission: Impossible” films, the “John Wick” series has to be commended for the structuring of intricate action sequences that emphasize the use of practical effects.  This creates a realness to these scenes that helps us feel the intensity through which John has to go as he faces constant bouts of danger.

Whether or not anymore movies are made from this franchise is unknown, but if this movie is anything by which to go, it’s clear that John Wick has plenty of fight left in him.

Grade: A