John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum

— By the third installment of the John Wick saga, I expected to know what I was in for, but this one exceeded what I might have dreamed. Wick is still the stoic, determined, former hitman brought back into the fray after a puppy given to him by his dead wife is killed, now with a price on his head and every hitman in the world out to get him, but this iteration streamlines the dialogue so the bulk of the film is almost one lengthy fight scene after another. These scenes are choreographed with care and often focus on knives more than guns, perhaps for a more personal but certainly no less bloody end to things. In one scene, two dogs act as weapons and in another horses are enlisted for killing and maiming. The imagery is reminiscent of violent video games, and the “hero” and a few of his cronies keep surviving against all odds, and moving on to the next, more difficult level. How the film doesn’t end up being absurd is anyone's guess. In the end, it may be the truest nod to the genre. It’s good at what it is, but it’s not for anyone the least bit squeamish or opposed to unrestrained violence.

---

[2019. 130 min. Directed by Chad Stahelski. Starring Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, and Laurence Fishburne.]
https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/john-wick-chapter-3--parabellum-2019