“John Wick 4” surpasses its predecessors with its excessive action but lasts too long, according to critics

‘John Wick 4’ is undeniably longer with those 2h 49 minutes placing it as the longest installment of the saga but, Does that mean it’s even better? The criticisms are divided on this matter, even if it is true that the positive opinions weigh. The excessive action of him is equally applauded as reviled for its “wonder” and its plot, structured in a somewhat inconsistent way, which tarnishes the subject matter or simply goes unnoticed.

At the moment Rotten Tomatoes, a specialized website that combines the impressions of both specialized media and the public, collects at the time of this writing only 26 reviews of which only 7 belong to prominent journalists, so one must take this with a grain of salt. first wave of opinions. Variety positions itself as a defender against the comparison with the (very fashionable) western highlighting how long is the film to add that despite this “has a story that, if told more vividly, could fit into the 83 minutes than any grindhouse of ’77. However, Chad Stahelski, stuntman turned director of the saga, presents a staging full of silent and prodigious verbal confrontations that aim to hypnotize and contribute between one action scene and another”. So Owen Gleiberman, who signs the evaluation, praises the directorial know-how showing a certain contempt for the screenplay, signed by Shay Hatten and Michael Finch, to finish by directly stating that ‘John Wick 4’ “It’s too long”.

“Bigger, bolder, longer, and loaded with more spectacular action set pieces than any movie can comfortably handle, this action epic virtually redefines gaming. While it’s true that he sometimes comes perilously close to crossing the line, that excess feels appropriate. for a franchise with a higher death toll than some wars”says Frank Scheck for his part in The Hollywood Reporter. And while his mixed feelings about the length couldn’t be more evident, it’s made up for by an exacerbated enthusiasm for action scenes: “The director and his formidable stunt team have managed to eclipse their previous work, and that says a lot. The action sequences are played out in the style of the big dance numbers in old MGM musicals, with incredibly intricate continuous shooting and long ones that show the artists’ entire bodies instead of modified fragments of a weapon here or a limb there. They are so virtuosic that you practically want to stand up and clap when each one is finished.”.

“‘John Wick 4’ follows the same pattern as the musicals, with gunfights instead of song-and-dance numbers, so the script has no other job than to transport the characters from one spectacular scene to the next. Each piece makes use of a fun gimmick, but the team behind MGM’s Golden Age extravaganzas I understand that you only have one dream ballet fantasy piece that should be kept for last”adds Charles Bramesco of The Guardian, conveying a much less positive sentiment and rating the film 2 out of 5 stars (which would be equivalent to a 4 out of 10 rating).

Yes, but with Keanu Reeves

“So how does that nearly three hours of noise, punches and goofs work so well, complete with no meaningful plot? Keanu Reeves, whose character of Mr. Zen seems to indicate an innate and unwavering goodness, has always been an action star unlikely, but his Wick is prolific if ever sadistic and kills, mostly quickly and cleanly. there’s something ineffable about Reeves that drives you to always be on his side”explains Leah Greenblatt for Entertainment Weekly.

For its part, The Daily Beast recalls that it’s not just Reeves raising the issue, stressing that though “The body count is astronomical in ‘John Wick 4’, Stahelski prioritizes a cast full of personalities, including Scott Adkins, Clancy Brown or Donnie Yen, who, doing his best Zatoichi routine, He proves to be a spirited signature, whether cracking jokes, solemnly smoking, or displaying an uncanny lethality capability. in scenes where he looks like a cross between a serene samurai and a drunk master”.

‘John Wick 4’ only comes out in cinemas next March 24th.