John Wick Chapter Three - Parabellum
Director: Chad Stahleski
Cast Headliners: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Laurence Fishburne, Halle Berry, many many others more than ever
Original Release Date: May 17th, 2019
The One... the Baba Yaga... the goer of the Excellent Adventure... the best hitman and dog avenger there is John Wick is back with John Wick Chapter Three – Parabellum. By a third film one may feel fatigue can set into any action franchise but John Wick is a series that not only surprised with how great it was in the first place but also how inventively great and fresh it continues to be. This is the biggest, craziest, most epic one yet and one will get exactly what they want out of it.
It really helps to have seen the others before this due to the characters and stakes involved although it could potentially work as a jump in due to the thrill of its opening. After the events of the second film assassin John Wick(Keanu Reeves) and his adorable pitbull are on the run as a 14million dollar “excommunicado” hit begins on him. The film is almost, but not quite, nonstop action and mistrust as he's constantly on the run and attacked. It's a bit of a unique format for a film and for any who saw the second one its like that one “enemy hitmen” sequence...on endless steroids.
The film goes even deeper into its lore and epic stakes of fictional assassin underground societies. It truly is bringing things into a global, epic war scale almost like a superhero or the 2008 “Wanted. There's various allegiances to these societies... there's the Manhattan Continental Hotel led by Winston(Ian McShane) and receptionist assistant Charon(Lance Reddick) who started the hit on John merely by following orders. These are the orders of the High Table who runs everything whether via their apparent leader in the Elder(Said Taghmaoui) or the Adjudicator(Asia Kate Dillion). There's the Bowery and its Bowery King(Laurence Fishburne) who have hobos-in-disguise like the Tick Tock Man(Jason Mantzoukas). There's also bit factions like the Russians led by the Director(Anjelica Huston), the smithing Moroccans under Berradda(Jerome Flynn), or a key enemy force of the Japanese under Zero(Mark Dacascos).
As mentioned its a lot more lore and ensemble cast characters to take in. It's become a film, and series, of a lot more of everything as a whole as it embraces its craziness. It's a bit like what Fast and Furious did although in an effective filmcraft of a way...perhaps learning from the Raid series's scale than anything(even including some people from that).
Through all these characters and places what is very much the shining star of this, as the past two, is the action itself. There's so, so much action and brutal killing that occurs(with some slight periods of downtime over its long runtime). The sequences have incredible choreography whether its fighting with knifes, guns, horses(especially their hooves), dogs(!), or motorcycles. There's so many times that one will be surprised and delighted by what occurs. Little details are paid attention to and not much goes unused. Multiple times some background thing will be hinted at...and then gloriously bloodily used or dealt with again.
Much praise to director Chad Stahleski for this. Even when it's not one of the many fights or climaxes going on he has a camera craft that's wonderful. This is perhaps a bit less noticed in dusty desert squares than it is in neon-soaked city streets or buildings but it all looks so gorgeous even if often grimly dark. This surreal neon touch is also what sets these films apart from peers aided by some amazing music by Tyler Bates.
There's so many characters now to really praise much in particular but those who are reliable continue to be. Reeve's Wick , or “Jardani” as we learn at one point, is as cool as ever. He's fierce in action scenes but with a subtle emotional and or fierce grit that entertains on his journey. The movie actually delves even further into his backstory and what others think of him which is interesting although some may have wished this was all more mysterious. No worries as it still is. McShane's Winston perhaps takes the most suave award with his cocktails and wisecracks as ever. Same goes for Reddick's Charon who even gets in on some more up close action this time. So too is Fisbhurne's King as humorous as he was last time and luckily has a bit more of a role.
The other A-list exposition deliverers may be a bit of a slight shlock but its only in the best way. Dillon's Adjudicator provides a mysterious, menacing villainous authority through her robotic delivery. Dacascos's Zero takes this film's “main up close” enemy spot and has his own combat skill that's nearly as fierce as Wick's. He brings more of a cocky rivalry than the past two films have had with a sense of respect that makes him interesting although it may be a bit much for some although there's certainly some rare moments of true and great humor.... it's all very “martial arts film” in that way.
All this has been said without talking of Sofia(Halle Berry) who is a very important although ultimately a bit of a minor part. She's just as fierce and cool as Wick himself is and when they fight together its a thing of glory. Her dogs are some of the fiercest doggos around and there's some slight backstory talked of between them but like most things its ready before it even starts. One hopes for her again in the future perhaps... It's definitely a film that ends on a cliffhanger too which may lack some closure after its twist but if they are this good one will gladly like them ahead for at least one more go as the stakes seem to be truly epic ahead.
As a whole it's exactly what the fans would want. Hours of brutal, surprising, inventive, moody dark action to thrilling new heights. Personally I don't mind the stakes that it's been raised to although there's a bit of feeling that some of it has been done before or better. However, when it does surprise it sure does leave an impression.... worth it for those by far and the way its handled. 8.7 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment