The John Wick franchise is a strange beast.
It somehow manages to thrive with an immense fan base, despite the movies not making a whole lot of sense. The most enigmatic feature of the films is precisely that: minus a cohesive story, minus logical progression, minus… pretty much everything to do with physics and how much damage a human body can take, the John Wick movies are a thrill ride, and exceedingly fun in the face of it.
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Most of the magic resides in Keanu Reeves, who, despite some spotty acting, has charisma that most actors can only dream of. There is something so inherently watchable about Reeves, who, at 54, is still running, jumping and fighting like a 30-something.
Is this John Wick as good as the previous two movies?
It’s right on par with what you’d expect from a John Wick movie. It’s essentially a montage of non-stop fighting and action. For fans of weaponry and knife (and katana) brawls, this’ll be right up your alley. Plenty of gunplay, too. At times it feels like a first-person shooter video game.
WATCH: ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum’ trailer
The movie starts off right where we left off at the end of John Wick 2, and a bloody, disheveled Wick is looking for a safe space to hide from literally every assassin-for-hire in New York City and around the world. No place is safe for Wick, and he goes to incredible lengths — most beyond the realm of rational human behaviour — to stay alive.
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As for plot, there… really isn’t one, aside from Wick trying to stay alive so he can “remember” his wife. We travel with him to Casablanca and back, and there’s even a few scenes of him wandering the desert. Don’t ask.
And Keanu is great?
With barely an utterance, Reeves maintains the sullen attractiveness of Wick. Though he’s slightly physically stiffer this time around, he still holds his own in fight scenes, and has clearly gone through a lot of training. Almost always dealing with one wound or another, Reeves as Wick trudges from scene to scene, taking down the baddies as they come.
Beware, those with weak stomachs! There are some incredibly graphic moments that had people gasping in the theatre.
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Are there dogs involved again?
Would it be a John Wick movie without them? In this third movie, there is arguably more dog footage than in its predecessors. They’re right up there in the fight scenes, too, and are scary to watch. It makes you wish that all action heroes had a canine by their sides. There are also horses, but I won’t spoil that scene.
So what’s the bottom line?
An insanely violent yet fun romp, John Wick 3 will please fans of the franchise. For those unfamiliar, just buy a ticket and take the ride. Don’t try to understand what’s going on or ask yourself why. To quote the movie, it’s John f**kin’ Wick.
‘John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum’ is now playing in theatres across Canada.
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