If there’s one thing that we all need in our lives it’s more John Wick and Keanu Reeves. The latest installment of the action packed Wick movies, titled John Wick: Parabellum, delivers on all the fronts it covered in it’s previous movies. The action is on point, the plot is on point, and the world building as a whole is on point. Every little bit seamlessly fits into the moment before it and we’re left with another Wick movie that is unforgettable and leaves us wanting more.
On the action front, Reeves deserves all the accolades and awards. He did most of his own stunts and it shows. There’s no weird cutscenes where you notice that a stunt double has stepped in because Reeves has dedicated his body and time to become John Wick. Reeves even did the horse scene! You know, the one where he’s leaning off the side and shoots down the men chasing him on motorcycle? Yes, that one. Reeves did that!
On an acting front, I fell more in love with John Wick as a character and Keanu Reeves as an actor. Yes, Wick is surrounded by death, mayhem, and fighting for survival. But Parabellum reminds us of the heart of gold that continues to beat inside of Wick. We saw it in his relationship with Winston, the head of the New York City Continental. We saw it in the Bowery King’s allegiance to Wick. And we saw it Halle Berry’s Sofia and what he did to protect her daughter.
Talking about Halle Berry, this woman is like a fine wine: only gets better with age. I could not take my eyes off of her the entire time. She looked strong and not in the basic way that men describe their “strong female characters.” I’m talking about physically. She was so damn capable and the way that she carried herself let everyone in the room and the theater know that she was not a side piece to John Wick’s story. Sofia had her own kingdom to rule, her own lines she drew in the sand, and two of the best dogs I’ve ever seen on the big screen. (Seriously, both were good boys that deserve all the treats!)
Letting other stories be told was integral to making the John Wick universe rich AF. Yes, John Wick was at the center of it all. But his story didn’t overshadow others or the lives they had created. They didn’t make their decisions because it was the cause and effect of John’s actions. Winston, Bowery King, The Adjudicator, and Sofia had their own goals, woes, and problems they needed to solve. Yes, John kick-started it all. But they were all written in a way where they freely chose who they backed and it made the Wick world as a whole more enticing and memorable.
We’re not even surprised that a fourth John Wick movie has been ordered. And it’s not just because we love Keanu Reeves and all the ass kicking he’s done across three movies. We’re not surprised that another John Wick is on the way because of the world building that has grown across 2 movies and exploded in the 3rd one. We now know about some of the inner machinations of the organization that John was part of. We know about The Elder, The Adjudicator, and that this isn’t just one organization. This is a collective of organizations.
And with everything that John Wick has done across these three movies, he’s caused a fracture that will only be corrected by war. Which is timely and on point since Parabellum means to prepare for war. And we’re here for it, every last bit of Wick in our lives, especially if it means more Keanu Reeves. His dedication and the hard work the entire team behind these movies have put in, have created something timeless, action packed, and that we enjoy more and more with every rewatch and John Wick movie that comes out.
So, what are you waiting for? Go and watch John Wick: Parabellum. You won’t regret!
John Wick: Parabellum is playing in theaters now!