John Wick: Chapter 3- Parabellum
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston
Director: Chad Stahelski
Picking up immediately after the events of John Wick: Chapter 2, legendary assassin Mr. Wick (Keanu Reeves) has been declared excommunicado by the High Table and a 14 million dollar contract has been set to eliminate him. Using his hour head start that was graciously given to him by the manager of the Continental Winston (Ian McShane), we find John running furiously through the streets of New York, searching for one last safe haven before his resources are officially cut off and the contract goes international. Meanwhile, a High Table Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) is making her way to all of John's accomplices, including Winston and The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), giving them a week to settle their affairs before they are relieved of their duties. Once the excommunicado is live, John must fight his way out of New York and use every ounce of energy to survive and stop the contract that is on his head.
Parabellum is Latin for "Prepare for War" and there couldn't be a more apt subtitle for the film. I mean this in the best way possible, I am completely exhausted after watching this film. Save for a couple world building moments, the movie hits the ground running and is relentless from the start. This has become the best American action franchise, pulling ahead of the Mission: Impossible films (which is no knock against those, which I greatly enjoy as well). The action scale is larger than before, varying from hand to hand/knife fights to large scale gun battles and even a motorcycle/horse chase sequence. Continuing the trend from the previous films, the action is impressively staged with Keanu visibly doing the majority of the stunts. It's pure action cinema that's exhilarating to watch.
The sound design is noticeably better from Chapter 2 as well. I felt every knife thrust/slice, bullet, and punch. It really added to my experience and I haven't felt this way since I watched The Raid films.
If the previous two films (as well as The Matrix) hadn't cemented Keanu Reeves as an action star, this definitely will. Despite his character basically being the Terminator, a point the franchise is giddily self aware of at this point, he really carries the movie despite not having much dialogue. This film also gives Halle Berry her best role in some time. She and Keanu, with an assist from some four legged friends, get a jaw dropping action sequence set in Casablanca. I really hope to see more of her character in the future.
I can't recommend this film enough. The John Wick movies have gotten better with each film and I can't wait to see where they take the franchise next.
A