Review of John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) by Snk68 — 31 Mar 2023

Ok a few things here that need to be addressed... First off, this movie is way over the top and entertaining as hell! All involved in this movie know it and make no apologies for it as they shouldn't have to anyways.

2nd, and this is where it gets interesting and I am amazed that nobody has mentioned it. John Wick Chapter 4 is a "Frankenstein" kind of movie and before you think that's a negative, let me explain.

. . Everything about this movie is taken from other iconic cult movies, characters, scenes, as for examples; when it comes down to the tracker, this character is right out of the Clint Eastwood movie "The Man With No Name", you can even hear the old Clint Eastwood western style music when he's in a scene, plus his handling of his modern day era Colt revolver.

This tribute or homage to Clint Eastwood's western characters is present throughout the entire movie. And it ain't subtle either, the people behind this movie want you to know that they know you know about it.

And they absolutely want you to know, hence why it's so in our faces. Onto the villain, this ultimate villain is right out of old "James Bond" movies, you can't deny it. You have scenes that come out from Blade movies with "rave scenes with similar viewpoints as in "Blade", with a touch of "The Boondock Saints" movie with the head of the German crime family with the fat suit same as the Russian crime boss from the "Boondock Saints" movie, which also takes pieces from "The Joker" character himself with the gold teeths and purple suit.

And now, onto the "Caine" character who's the exact same character as the blind Asian man from "Star Wars Rogue One", with the same actor "Donnie Yen" no less. Add a touch of "Groot" from "The Guardian Of The Galaxy" with the "I am Klaus" character.

Plus, who can deny "The Marquis De Gramont" using almost the same words as the Frenchman "Merovingian" in the Matrix about "purpose and consequences". But the biggest homage/tribute to an old cult movie is the pursuit of John Wick through Paris, who's trying to get to Sacre-Coeur, which comes from the cult movie "Warriors", not only did they take that whole scene from "Warriors" but they used the same words from that movie, and copied the whole exact scenes from the "Warriors" radio scenes, words and songs, talk about a tribute to a classic cult movie.

And the end, where John Wick is sitting on the stairs and leaned over wounded with the sunrise before him, which then cuts and goes back to New York where Winston and The Bowery King pay their respect to the headstone of John Wick's grave, we suddenly see the dog looking into a different direction with surprise and The Bowery King asks Winston "if he thinks John is in heaven or hell" and Winston says "who knows", that's right out of the first ever western that used the formula of the hero riding into the sunset, wounded and where the audience is left to wonder did he live or die, that scene is right out of the great Western Movie "Shane" from the 60's, which is a formula that's been used in tons of movies ever since.

And as I stated at first, there's no subtlety about any of it, it's right there in front of us to clearly see and they want us to notice it, know it and love them for doing it. Don't get me wrong, the John Wick character and movie stands on its own, but chapter 4 is not just John Wick, it's a mix of many action film actors and their characters and scenes from pop movie culture to which the movie pays homage/tribute to.

Oh and let's not forget the quick nod to "The Men In Black" movie. As I stated, no subtlety what's so ever.