Wick’s Woes: New movie “John Wick 4” fails to bring anything original to the franchise

Walking out of the sold-out AMC showing of the fourth “John Wick” movie, I enjoyed the film director Chad Stahelski’s fourth installment of this franchise, but was not able to ignore the flaws beneath the surface level entertainment.

The latest installment of the action franchise follows Wick, who continues his never-ending fight against the all-powerful “High Table” and their new enforcer, the Marquis, as they wage worldwide open war.

After seeing the previous three films in the series, I can say this film delivers everything you want and more. This movie brings the action that gets people off their couches and to the theater in the era of streaming.

Unlike the many, many movies today that lean on CGI so heavily that it becomes tacky, Stahelski, who was a stuntman before getting behind the camera, brings hand-to-hand action and practical effects back to the big screen.

That’s not to say this movie wasn’t over-the-top — I mean, the opening scene takes place as Wick chases assassins through the Sahara on horseback without any relevance to the plot, but it was all filmed on location without special effects.

Unfortunately, this movie doesn’t have it all, as the film is plagued with the typical cliches of all action movies. Things like character development and dialogue seem to be the last thing on the writer’s mind. This movie simply gives a recap before it tries to outdo itself for the next 2 hours and 49 minutes of shootouts and car chases, barely giving me time to process what was even happening between scenes.

This is truly disappointing to see with the supporting characters, especially with new characters like Wick’s friend turned enemy Cain, played by Donnie Yen, as well as Mr. Nobody, the determined tracker played by Shamier Anderson, gets some memorable action sequences but barely any screen time, let alone monologues.

I would also have appreciated a more interesting antagonist than the Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont, who’s sole mission is to climb The Table’s corporate ladder by hunting Wick. And I’m pretty sure they spent most of the film’s budget on his over-the-top costume changes.

In a franchise that seems to just be retelling the same story again and again, it would’ve been nice to see a new perspective of the world where a gold doubloon will be accepted as currency, and there is a global hotel chain that exclusively accommodates murderers and crime lords from a character who’s a range of reactions begins and ends with “Yeah.”

Even returning characters like Laurence Fishbourne’s Bowery King and the late Lance Reddick contributed little to the plot and mostly served to urge audiences to rewatch the series.

Still, it’s called “John Wick” for a reason, and the film sees him on an especially appealing race through Paris that depends heavily on incredible set pieces and camera work, making it feel like you’re in a video game — in the best way.

After watching the latest project in this nearly ten-year franchise, I’m left wondering where this will all end after the films. This film obviously left the door open for his return, but Keanu Reeves is almost 60 years old, and this series can’t honestly expect him to keep coming back for much longer, especially with the uptick in action scenes.

This movie delivers almost too much as the action reaches new heights, but like the Sacré Coeur, it’s a little too long to be worth your time.