I Watched John Wick 4

 To celebrate my gorgeous friend Sensei birthday, we gathered with friends to our usual theater get together. The movie we we're going to watch, was one that made us all very excited. It was none other than John wick 4 after all, the ending of the tale of this legendary man.

This is a well known franchise loved by many people that follow it since the beginning, me, I started with zero knowledge about it when I went to see the third movie in the past with the said birthday boy.

John Wick 3 was outstanding, the characters we're fun and the stakes were high. It was like the build up to an epic finale where we would finally witness the important pieces in the board start moving. I left the movies thrilled by the action and eager to see the story of this develop into a big epic. 

Later on I also got to watch the first two movie's and they we're very entertaining as well. We gotta love a man that treats his dog with such care. 

So basically all the cards we're set for a good time, at least that's what I thought. The truth is this last installment ended up being a big disappointment and one of the most boring times I've ever had in theaters.

Let me say that I'm a big action fan, my favorite type of anime has always been shonen. I grew up watching movies like Rambo, Rocky and Karate Kid with my father. There's just nothing like the climax of a good action scene, that right hook we all have been waiting since the beginning. 

However, even if I love a good combat I still have my limits with how much brainless action I can take until my brain becomes numb and something that should be cool, starts to become a chore. This was exactly what happened here, from the first second we have fight, after fight, after fight. They're all really well made but they lack impact or diversity. 

Everything you see in this movie, you already saw before. It missed a sparkle of a new challenge for our main boy. Worst it spent so much time in this futility we lost the chance to see the actual universe and characters develop.

In the third movie King starts making some bold actions and it looks like he will have a big role moving forward, but instead of seeing him grow into a worthy king he just continues to walk around like a pawn. I was really expecting the narrative to showcase his ideals and plans more. Maybe a team up to get the table down and start a new leader, or simply see more than just his usually comedy. 

Then we have Shimizu and Caine. They are supposed to be two old friends of Wick, a brotherhood so strong that it puts life's at risk over the power of loyalty. They are very interesting and I wish I could know more about them, but the truth is the show gives few reasons to care about them. Instead of focusing on the strong bond that connects them, we are simply told they're old friends and start with the meaningless action. 

Akira and her fathers relationship was one of my favorite parts because it open a window into their dynamic. We saw the love and duty they carried. Caine too had some good scenes with his daughter but in neither cases we get to truly explore this mans emotions deeply. They're just superfluous stuff to try and get an easy reaction out of you. Quick stuff so we can once again focus on the action. 

Honestly looking at the franchise as a whole, I feel like these character's should have been teased way before. If we had seen in the movies this friendship or some flashbacks we would have more impact once we get to the duel. Or when the two old friends fight together. Just so much potential!

Then we have John Wick himself. Just like the Marquis said, he just feels like a ghost in this movie, a brainless machine in autopilot. Before we had many reasons to root for his revenge but now we see the shallow of a man. Like they said nothing to die for, nothing to live for and nothing to kill for. This would be interesting to explore if we saw quiet moments of the legend questioning himself or just some entry into his thoughts. 

Even his feelings for his wife could have been better showcase to create momentum or some mention of his dog since it's his most known feature. I just wanted something to make me support and follow this man in this bloodbath and sadly I didn't find nothing. And as he dies in the steps what should hit me like nothing else is just another death. An endless fight for freedom that ends with the biggest freedom of it all, one that could have been reach with a single bullet in the head, saving the lives of many. 

I like the symbol he represents, the first rock to being thrown giving hope to everyone else that wants to escape the table. Still I miss an ending that better showcase this man finally seeing himself unchained by his burdens. 

In the end it pains me to see a movie with such a potential and such great performances, like the amazing Marquis that completely stole the show with every scene, feel so flat. Great choreography, great photography, great acting but sadly it's biggest strength ended up being it's biggest flaw.