Beyond the Bullets: Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4 Turns Action Into an Art Form

The 2023 film John Wick: Chapter 4 is the fourth installment in the groundbreaking John Wick franchise, which follows an ex-assassin who is dragged back into the criminal underworld he tried to leave behind. Directed by Chad Stahelski, this film is by far the biggest and most action-packed addition to the franchise so far. I recently watched it after hearing a lot of great things about it and it undoubtedly lived up to almost every expectation I had. This film is truly breathtaking. It takes virtually everything that worked about the previous John Wick movies and makes it bigger. 

First, because it is John Wick, we obviously need to talk about the action. Keeping with the other films, the action is completely off the charts. However, what makes it stand out is not just the amount of action but the way the sequences are actually filmed. For starters, the fight choreography is extremely impressive. The cinematography allows you to actually see what is happening instead of hiding everything behind constant quick cuts. There are some really cool long takes that follow Wick through entire sections of a fight, which makes Keanu Reeves' physical performance even more impressive. One of my favorite examples is the overhead sequence near the end of the film, where the camera looks straight down as Wick moves through different rooms fighting enemies. It almost looks like you are watching a video game, fusing virtual and physical reality into one. It is a really creative way to shoot an action scene and it stand outs from almost anything else in the franchise. 

Another thing I really appreciate about this film is the diversity of locations. The story moves between destinations like Japan, Berlin, Paris, and New York, giving the movie a much bigger scale than the earlier films. Each location also has its own visual style. For example, the Osaka Continental has bright neon lighting and a more futuristic look, while the Paris sequences use famous landmarks and huge open spaces. The production design and cinematography make each location feel different rather than just using them as backgrounds for another fight scene. This makes the film feel like a journey through a massive underground world. 

However, my favorite part of this film is actually not the action-packed sequences. I know that is a unique take for a John Wick movie, but I truly believe my favorite part is the film's world-building. This is something the franchise has slowly expanded with every film. What started as a relatively simple story about an assassin coming out of retirement has evolved into a sophisticated, massive underground society with its own rules, organizations, hotels, currencies, and traditions. 

I really enjoy exploring this world of assassins and meeting different characters who exist within it. Chapter 4 expands this even further through characters like Caine, the Marquis, and Akira, who all have completely different relationships with this world. 

I think this is what separates John Wick from a more standard assassin or action movie. The action is obviously a huge part of why the franchise works, but the world surrounding John Wick is what makes me want to keep watching these movies. 

The cast is also outstanding in this film. The highlight, of course, is Keanu Reeves, who once again kills it as John Wick. His physicality during the action scenes is especially impressive because so much of the choreography depends on him actually performing the movements and selling how exhausted and injured Wick becomes. Another highlight is Ian McShane as Winston, who I think gets better in every film. He has such a commanding screen presence and brings a lot of personality to a character who could have easily just been there to explain the rules of this world. 

Overall, John Wick: Chapter 4 is a great example of how an action sequel can go bigger without completely losing what made the original movies work. The set pieces are larger, the locations are more impressive, and the world-building is deeper, but the film still keeps its focus on John Wick and the consequences of the life he has chosen. Chad Stahelski's direction and the film's cinematography also show that action does not just have to be exciting. It can be visually creative and carefully constructed as well. For a movie that is almost three hours long, I was surprised by how engaged I was throughout most of it. It takes everything I like about the John Wick franchise and pushes it about as far as it can go.