Keanu Reeves has had an up and down career, but in 2014, he entered a resurgence with the John Wick series. This latest chapter (no pun intended) is by far the most intense, the most violent, and the most satisfying one yet.
The first John Wick was a straightforward revenge thriller that was unique because of its style and energy. Chapter 2 took the action to the next level and expanded its world in a complex, intriguing fashion.
Chapter 2 ended with a cliffhanger as our titular character finds himself on the run after breaking rules in the Continental Hotel by killing a member of the High Table.
Desperately trying to escape New York City with a $14 million bounty on his head, Wick tries to recruit some help in the form of Anjelica Huston who runs a ballet troupe.
Wick eventually finds his way to Morocco where he encounters an old friend (Halle Berry) who owes him a favor. She has two lethal German Shepherds and God help anyone who gets in their way.
There are also a couple of new characters introduced in Parabellum: One is a representative of the High Table called the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) who wants to oversee control of the Continental and an imposing hitman known as Zero (Mark Dacoscos) who might be Wick’s equal.
As with the previous two, Parabellum is loaded with off-the-wall action sequences that once again offer a sense of creativity such as a fight in a library, a horse chase through Brooklyn, and a motorcycle chase that could rival anything in the Mission: Impossible series. It’s a bombastic cacophony of explosive, breathtaking action.
Every action set piece is so sensationally over the top yet infused with a certain winking that lets you know the filmmakers know how ridiculous it is. (Realism has not exactly been this franchise’s strong suit.)
In addition to Reeves, we get the regulars such as Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Laurence Fishburne. Huston and Dacoscos are welcoming additions, and yes, so is Halle Berry who has the aforementioned dogs.
The plot does take some unexpected directions only for it to zoom off into more exhilarating action later. But then again, no one comes to a John Wick movie for the plot. All we want is action, action, action.
I guess the third time is really the charm and I have to say it once again: Whoa, indeed.
Grade: A
(Rated R for pervasive strong violence and some language.)
