A lot has happened in the last nine years. If there is one thing that has been almost perfectly consistent during that time, it’s the John Wick films. This may be the first time I would say that the fourth one in a series of films is the best one. It’s clear that they wanted to go all out on this one. Even after giving this about 24 hours after viewing to let settle in, I would still say that this is one of the best action movies I have ever seen.

I was a big fan of the first movie – something that didn’t seem like would work in theory, but was perfectly executed due to the time and care that was put into it. It wasn’t easy for the filmmakers though as it lead to a lot of financial strain on the production. If it wasn’t for the way it was edited, we probably would have had a completely different movie, and probably one that wouldn’t lead to other sequels. While I wasn’t a big fan of the 2nd and 3rd upon first watch, rewatching them made me improve their scores and appreciate them a lot more. I’m glad that I found more to appreciate this time around, because it leads into how perfect I found this fourth entry.

The fourth entry truly feels like an action epic based on the action, cinematography, and emotional elements present in this film. Beyond the cinematography looking phenomenal, the lighting and use of imagery is used so well that allowed me to consistently admire how well each scene looked.

The action is consistently cranked to 11. Just went you think you have seen it all, they continue to outdo themselves. There were plenty of moments where I said “Oh my god” out loud. Luckily, the film was loud enough to where others probably couldn’t hear me. Then again, I heard others around me saying it much louder. I want to emphasize on this part – the last hour is one of the best pieces of cinema I have ever seen, especially in terms of action.

Lastly, the film manages to make their emotional scenes more effective. I won’t get into spoilers, but the scenes I am mentioning make the movie even more personal and pays them off with callbacks from previous films that I think viewers will love.

One of the film’s strongest aspects, compared to its others, is how well developed its side characters are. The film gives plenty of time to give them purpose and understand their motives. Bill Skarsgard’s Marquis Vincent de Gramont is by far the franchise’s strongest villain, offering an intimidating opponent to John Wick. Shamier Anderson, who plays as Mr. Nobody (no correlation to the Fast & Furious franchise), is another standout. Between him and Donnie Yen’s Caine, I’d love to see a spin-off with one or the other, or even both.

Overall, this is an outstanding action epic and sequel that viewers will love. If it’s nearly 3-hour runtime seems like a commitment, the amount of insanity of screen will be worth it, I promise.

VERDICT: 5/5 (Perfect)