“Guns. Lots of guns.” That phrase is so appropriate for the latest installment titled ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 -Parabellum.’ Our hero is once again played by Keanu Reeves and he is terrific as ever in the lead role. This film raises the bar for action sequences. The fight choreography is impeccable adding motorcycles, horseback riding and two Belgian Malinois dogs. More on the dogs later, they are amazing! Audiences will be blown away by the best action sequences and stunt work in film today. Film is about motion and that is why these films are so amazing to watch. A well choreographed fight scene is like a graceful ballet. ‘John Wick 3’ is poetry in motion and a must-see for action junkies.
The third installment finds John and his dog running through the streets of New York. The clock is ticking before Mr. Wick is pursued by every assassin for a cool $14 million bounty. If you recall in chapter 2, he finds himself in this predicament due to killing a member of the High Table on the safe grounds of the Continental Hotel. The world of assassins is governed by rules and that makes John “excommunicado” by the High Table. John’s plan is to make it to Morocco to find a leader of the High Table in order to atone for his past mistake. He gets help from a mentor (Angelica Huston) and Sofia (Halle Berry), a fellow assassin that runs the Morocco branch of the Continental Hotel. Since she owes John a blood marker, she teams up with him to fight off an army of bad guys with the help of her two loyal canines. The attack dogs are scene stealers. Berry is impressive in her role. You can tell she trained hard for the fight scenes.
As John returns to NYC, there is a woman titled The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) that is like the HR department for the High Table. She hires a katana-wielding assassin named Zero (Mark Dacascos) to try to stop John. In the meantime, The Adjudicator sets out to punish both Winston (Ian McShane) and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). Since Winston refuses to step down as manager of the Continental Hotel, he welcomes John back with open arms and a cache of impressive firearms. Hotel Concierge, Charon (Lance Reddick) also gets to show off his tactical gun skills. Chapter 3 shows more group attacks on John that includes more rapid-fire head shots. There is a lot of violence in this film. Make no mistake about it. The fact that Reeves trains hard for every film makes the audience feel more invested in every blow and the escalating body count.
Stuntman-turned-director Chad Stahelski knows how to film an action sequence. For some films, continuous action would become monotonous. In ‘John Wick 3,’ the action is so masterfully executed that you never get bored with the mayhem. It’s also fascinating to watch Reeves find more creative ways to kill the bad guys. In the first film, it was with a pencil and in the latest film it is with a library book. You have to see it to believe it. Many of the action scenes will leave you breathless. You will catch yourself saying “Wow” more than a few times. It’s also compelling to watch how expertly John makes sure the enemy is dead. It’s what makes him the best and most respected assassin in the world.
The word parabellum means a type of semiautomatic gun and is also Latin for “prepare for war.” Be prepared for more ruthless and brutal violence. Reeves has evolved into one of the most prolific action heroes in film today. There is room for at least another chapter in this highly entertaining and action-packed saga. “All of this for what? Because of a puppy?..” “It wasn’t just a puppy.” ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ is now playing everywhere. Go see it!
