“John Wick: Chapter 4” is one of the best action movies I’ve seen in the last decade. “Chapter 4” brings the franchise to a new violent height, as John Wick goes on a rampage to free himself from an underground assassin empire the Table. “Chapter 4” is a long but thrilling movie. Once the action kicks off – which takes a decent amount of time to occur – the film is a non-stop thrill ride filled with many stunts that leave you wondering how they filmed what you’re seeing. 

I have always enjoyed the John Wick movies. The first movie was a breath of fresh air in a world of action movies that use shaky cam, a technique that filmmakers use to make filming stunts easier since they can be cut whenever needed. However, this method makes it nearly impossible to follow what is happening on screen. 

“John Wick” does the opposite. Director Chad Stahelski utilizes long takes in which you see Keanu Reeves performing all of his stunts; this method allows the action to breathe. It makes it feel more grounded and intense as the viewer witnesses the fights in real-time. It also makes you appreciate and admire the work that the stunt team did. “Chapter 4” brings the long-shot method to new heights. One particular scene even feels like a video game, genuinely something that I have never seen in a movie before. 

I will say that you truly have to suspend your disbelief when watching this movie. John Wick survives increasingly impossible injuries that leave you questioning the story. However, the action is so incredible that you just accept the absurdity of his survival. 

The story does try to explain Wick’s survival through him wearing a seemingly bullet-proof suit, which he uses to deflect bullets. I found this explanation slightly silly, but it does help mitigate this issue. Also, if you want a really complex, character-driven story, “John Wick: Chapter 4” is not the movie for you. While there is a fulfilling story with cool world-building, the action is definitely the priority in “Chapter 4.”

One of my favorite aspects of this movie was Donnie Yen’s character, Caine. Yen plays a blind man who has an interesting history with Wick. Again, Yen’s action pieces are incredible. The choreography is top-notch and Yen performs nearly all of his stunts. The backstory behind Yen’s character adds an interesting emotional layer that I haven’t seen in other Wick films. 

“John Wick: Chapter 4” is an action masterpiece. Filled with incredible, jaw-dropping stunts that make you wish every action movie felt like this one. It is a two hour and 49 minute-long movie that feels like it earned its runtime. Please, go watch “John Wick: Chapter 4;” we need more action movies like this one.