Review: John Wick 3

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Cert: 15 / 131 mins / Dir. Chad Stahelski / Trailer



Well, if the second John Wick movie was a ballet of destruction, its successor is probably closer to a pantomime, although the whole thing is no less enjoyable for that. The closest you’ll get to restraint in this threequel is the full five minutes it takes for John to get round to killing someone at the top of the film. And in a bout of creativity which embodies the first act, he does this with a library book.

BROKEN

Once this seal is broken it’s business as usual however, and the bodies soon begin to pile up alongside the shell-casings and dulled blades. The over-earnest tugging on the audience’s heart-strings as a justification for unbridled murder is toned right down this time (in fact, it basically occurs in those five minutes back there), and this chapter just gets right to what the audience have arrived for: a trigger-happy orgy of righteous vengeance.

CRIMSON

It’s all massively self-indulgent of course, but by this point Chad Stahelski has more than earned it. Keanu glides along, right at home in his blood-splattered suit and sardonic demeanour, shining throughout. Likewise, while her screentime is somewhat more limited, Halle Berry steps up to the plate and is every bit as magnificent when it comes to doling out punishment. Not to be outdone, Ian McShane is just as flamboyantly, theatrically and infuriatingly lazy as he was in Hellboy. But we’d expect nothing less.

John Wick 3 is far too long of course, it begins not making too much sense and loses more narrative focus along the way. By the time the third act rolls around you can barely tell who John is fighting now and it matters even less.

And I absolutely loved it.

The first two John Wick movies, obviously. But there's also an air of The Raid to the final act, even if JW3 doesn't have that film's clarity or determination..



It is.

Speaking of such matters, how the hell is this a 15 cert when Beats gets an 18? Yeah alright there are 38 c-bombs in that movie, but it's basically teenagers getting mashed at a rave and being punched by the police. John Wick 3 has headshots. So. Many. Headshots…



It is.



Well, let's not pretend that everything Keanu touches turns to gold. He's been in (and continues to be in), some right old shite. But by the same token, the John Wick movies could easily have been some right old shite with anyone else in the lead. This is a case of the perfect performer in the perfect role..



Unlikely.



I think I heard a low-level one when the goons*¹ are sent in to clear out The Bowery King's pad, but I suspect that a Wilhelm in this movie would be loud and proud, so let's side with no.



Level 1: Tasu Leech is in this.





*¹ I mean some run-of-the-mill, henchman-type goons. Not The Goons.
That would have altered the tone of the film somewhat. ^{[ BACK ]}

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