In-Depth Review of John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum

[Notice: Post contains some spoilers for the two prior films, John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2. I highly recommend watching those before reading this post or watching the third film. They’re fantastic movies in their own right, and having watched them will add so much to your experience in viewing Parabellum.]

Harrowing. If there’s one word I would use to describe John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum, that would be it. 

Director Chad Stahelski—a brilliant, endearing, well-studied, art-and-ballet-loving martial artist, stunt worker, competitive shooter, fellow southpaw, hubby to kick-butt stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker, and long-time friend to Keanu Reeves—has stated that each film in this neo-noir series should possess a different feel and that with the most recent film, his hope and intention is for the audience to leave the movie feeling “a little exhausted,” in order to empathize with the character, and for that matter, the actor. 

And I can say without reservation that Parabellum accomplishes this…in spades. 

This third entry in the series has a running time that only exceeds that of the prior film by about 8 minutes, but elements like pacing and the sheer density of content make it feel like a truly extensive movie. I was previously disappointed to hear about this final running time of the film after indications that it would instead be a full 2 hours and 30 minutes, but now? Not only don’t I feel it’s lacking, I actually think it’s a good thing for all our sakes that the movie isn’t longer—I’m not sure if we could handle as much! 

The various elements of this film come together to create an experience that seizes viewers by the throat, only loosening that grip just enough to keep them alive and breathing. 

Film Info

John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum

MPAA: Rated “R” for pervasive strong violence, and some language.

Directed by: Chad Stahelski

Starring: Keanu Reeves (John Wick), Ian McShane (Winston), Lance Reddick (Charon), Laurence Fishburne (The Bowery King), Asia Kate Dillon (The Adjudicator), Halle Berry (Sofia), Mark Dacascos (Zero), Saïd Taghmaoui (The Elder), Anjelica Huston (The Director), Yayan Ruhian (credited as Shinobi #2) , Cecep Arif Rahman (credited as Shinobi #1), Jason Mantzoukas (Tick-Tock Man), Jerome Flynn (Berrada)

In A Nutshell

If you don’t have time to read the entire, in-depth review, the key takeaway is this: John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum pushed the franchise further than ever. This exposed the most notable flaws and potential weaknesses I’ve seen from the John Wick movies to date, but it also meant that the filmmakers doubled down on the best aspects of the series with regards to action, storytelling, characters, and emotional impact. This film treads some very dark waters, but if you’ve enjoyed the emotional intensity and adrenaline-soaked, highly stylish, and superbly filmed action that have characterized the series thus far, Parabellum should be a true thrill. My one caveat is that this film contains some moments more graphic and disturbing in their violence than anything from the two prior films. Gianna D’Antonio’s heartbreaking scene in John Wick: Chapter 2? Yep, this gets bloodier and more difficult to watch. And the film’s action throughout is definitely rawer, harsher, more gory. But that warning delivered, I would still unquestionably recommend this film to anyone who’s already a Wick fan. There’s enough action to sate those just out for blood, enough story and drama to satisfy those most concerned with the narrative elements, and a cornucopia of content for people like me who go crazy for both. You get your money’s worth with this movie, and then some! It accomplishes the notoriously difficult goal of being a sequel that lives up to its predecessors, and I actually feel that Parabellum is the best Wick film yet.

A Well-Deserved Victory 

With so much quality packed into this movie, I can most definitely forgive its few shortcomings. I feel this film is a very fitting installment in a franchise that I believe will be one of Keanu Reeves’ greatest legacies career-wise (this also applies to the rest of the crew, particularly the core members), especially given the role he’s played not only as an actor-slash-athlete here but also in having had a major creative impact in the series from very early on. He’s very much been a co-collaborator with Derek Kolstad, Chad Stahelski, David Leitch, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Darrin Prescott, Jonathan Sela, Jonathan Eusebio, Luca Mosca, Dan Loustsen, Elisabeth Ronalds, Kevin Kavanaugh, Evan Schiff, Dan Leigh, and the rest of the team, and has been essential in building the world, action, characters, and overall style and approach of the franchise, which has sometimes been described as a “bullet ballet.” 

And as with The Matrix, it’s been a project where Reeves, who along with his English (and Irish and Portuguese) blood, is also of Asian heritage (Indigenous Hawaiian & Chinese) and proud of it, is being featured as the (dashing) leading man of a kick-butt major film (and also franchise). This stands in contrast to some of the pitfalls and pigeonholing he has risked as an Asian actor in Hollywood—things like: being relegated to only side roles and token roles; positions of stereotyping, perversity, or emasculation (behaviorally and/or sexually); or only being granted a lead spotlight for Hollywood films that are about obviously Asian-centric topics or character sets. It’s not that the last type of role is itself a negative—those can be fantastic movies!—it’s just that an actor or actress’s Asian heritage shouldn’t by itself land them in a box as only being eligible for those as lead or primary roles. While I very much enjoyed what I saw of Reeves in 47 Ronin (though the movie overall is too tragic for me) and his self-parodying cameo in Ali Wong’s comedy, Always Be My Maybe, had me crying with laughter (he was definitely the best part of the movie for me!), it’s also great that his career covers a broader realm and he’s been blessed to stretch his wings in an expansive way like this—and to some darned spectacular results. (As an example, two of my favorite film parts for him, amongst the 36 complete movies I’ve now watched him in, have been the moody but awesome titular hero from DC’s Constantine and his much more villainous role in paranormal mystery/drama The Gift.)

[This topic reminds me…while I don’t want to spoil anything, they went in a very intriguing and unique direction regarding Wick’s background in the series, and the subtle twist we’ll get to find out in Parabellum is super neat and adds a fresh element to something that could’ve been more clichéd.]

Even more importantly than enjoying phenomenal roles of his, I have a huge amount of fondness and respect for Reeves from what I’ve learned of who he is as a man—that he’s very, very kind, generous, sweet, honest, thoughtful, humble, talented, intelligent, nice to a fault (literally), and an unbelievably hard worker and Goddarned trouper. He’s also managed to navigate Hollywood with rare and surprising grace for his level of stardom and stands out as a positive exception to the rule. (To say that I often take a very dim view of the pseudo-virtuous but truthfully corrupt entertainment industry in America would be a pretty massive understatement. In multiple ways, things feel like they’re worsening rather than improving, though there have been some positive changes, at least.) And he’s one of those rare folks where my level of admiration has generally increased the more I’ve learned about him rather than decreasing. 

So I am absolutely thrilled that he’s gotten what’s been considered a career comeback of sorts, and in such freaking spectacular fashion for him. Even before Parabellum, I already considered this franchise as being right up there near Bourne, though I still cannot pick a favorite or better one between them yet, especially with how the two are more or less opposite on numerous levels. But I do hope that the Wick franchise reaches the same level of renown and status as an icon and a classic…and also that it doesn’t suffer the same fate as Bourne, where others try to imitate the style without understanding the various elements that made the picture as a whole work. Then again, those failures have let the pretenders stay pretenders, so hey, there’s an upside! And either way, the films will hold their positions as having been the original game-changers. 

Now, let’s delve into the film itself.

The Foundation

Our jumping-off point for this movie really begins with the end of the last one—John Wick: Chapter 2—where Keanu Reeves’ title character makes a fateful decision to protect the future of New York and also obtain justice for himself and a friend from earlier in the film. In making this decision, he violates an absolutely cardinal rule, shedding blood within the walls of the Continental, a hotel chain that serves as a mutually agreed-upon neutral, violence-free zone within the assassin society Wick is part of. 

What’s more, his brazen decision garnered the wrath of the High Table, a 12-member international assassin’s guild that serves as the society’s governing body. 

The penalty for such a transgression is a bounty on your head, and complete social and professional exile from the assassin society for however long you do hold on to your life, but Jonathan Wick is a man who’s not only feared but also widely respected and liked. And one of his social connections is Winston, manager of the Continental’s New York City branch. While he cannot fully circumvent the death sentence, he does provide Wick with two gifts. The first of these is a marker, which is a blood-oath token representing an un-cashed favor that the recipient can demand from whomever gave them the marker. And the second gift is a one-hour head start before Wick’s “excommunicado” status goes into effect.

It is during this head start that the third story, Parabellum, begins, following in the series tradition of keeping the films in close temporal proximity to each other; a gap of less than a week separates the first and second films, and here the gap tightens to less than a single hour. 

One gripe about this otherwise killer trailer: What on earth happened to the move at 1:33?

Diving Deeper

In the second chapter the John Wick universe was significantly expanded, teaching us more about the complex and storied Underworld, the realm of the assassins, which exists along side the regular, commuter-and-office-worker world. We learned about some of the systems and rules of interaction, as well as getting more hints about Wick’s backstory.

The world-building expands even more in this movie as we discover the terrifying power wielded by some of the players within it. The consequences spoken of in the first and second films become much more concrete and dramatic than expected, further showing the depths of danger and brutality that lie beneath the elegant surface of formality and opulence. After all, this world is ruled by criminals and murderers, and the film reminds us of this with spectacular harshness. If, hearing that, you fail to see the difference between that and the real world, it’s simple enough: The Underworld is a little more honest and a lot more stylish. 

While John Wick: Chapter 2 seems to have gotten something of a mixed reception from fans, the film and the materials surrounding it (interviews, etc.) left me with a strong sense that the team for this series has a very sharp understanding of the point and concept of a sequel, that you should focus on making things not only bigger and flashier but also better and deeper. Even if they didn’t execute it perfectly in Chapter 2 (not that any film is perfect), they knew what to aim for, and already weren’t far off the mark. 

In Parabellum they double down on the expanded world-building from Chapter 2, both showing us major additional layers to the various segments that comprise the Underworld and providing a deeper understanding of how the systems in play work. Even the gold coins, a series element that’s raised questions for a while now, are given additional explanation. 

And most tantalizingly, we get some of our biggest hints yet about Wick’s origins, early life, and entry into the assassins’ world.  Yet even so, they are careful not to provide too much, still maintaining the principle spoken of by Derek Kolstad: 

You allude to a world, but you never show all of it, because as soon as you show the shark, it’s not as cool.

Man of the (Under)World

What about the story, character, and emotional aspects? Part of the story is rooted in the continued world-building, much as with Chapter 2, and I’ve already covered this. The film definitely has met the goal of providing the heftiest plot of the franchise to date. But there’s another aspect here—our connection to the protagonist, the following of his personal journey within the larger world and its events. The narrative here is essentially split into two main categories—Wick’s story and that of his colleagues, with those threads separating and intertwining at various points throughout the movie. 

As I posted in my comparison of the first two films, I believe the key thing that gave the original John Wick an edge over John Wick: Chapter 2 for fans was its ability to connect emotionally to the viewers; it provided a deeply personal, intimate story about a grief-stricken man out for vengeance. It took that familiar movie concept, added some key twists to make it fresh, and then heightened it to a level far above what we were used to experiencing, but it was the emotional beats of the film that provided the soul, breathing life into the spectacle. Without that it would be the kind of film where you might search for clips of the combat scenes but wouldn’t consider the complete film worth your time, especially not for multiple viewings. 

In the first film, everything from the plot to the tone to the filming style worked to keep us focused narrowly and closely on the title character. Others stepped into view and played their roles well, but Wick was the central and most powerful force, and we got to feel like we were on the journey with him, both in the moments of quiet grief and the times of heart-pounding combat. 

The second film didn’t fully abandon this, but there were major shifts in perspective; we found that Wick was more vulnerable to external mechanisms that we’d realized and that there were others who wielded a great deal of power to determine the course of his life. He was put more on the defensive than before, and struggled more to find his place within the context of the Underworld society’s rules and demands. And most crucially, it felt like we took a step back as viewers, now simply tagging along as he carried out tasks and fled from danger rather than being his trusted companions on a satisfying quest of his own volition. 

In this third film we find the man at his most vulnerable, physically, socially, and emotionally. We see levels of fragility we’d probably never have predicted after having seen him as an absolute force of nature in the first film. He wasn’t invulnerable then, but he still seemed relentless and unstoppable. Here we’re finding a man on his last legs, grasping for the last remnants of light and safety available to him. He begins the film in a state of physical and mental exhaustion, and things only get darker from there. The curious thing here is that while I suspect the new sense of vulnerability introduced in the second chapter was jarring to some viewers, the continuation of that arc works beautifully here. I think that’s in part due to a return of elements that helped seal the emotional resonance of the original—despite the increased scope, we are again provided that feeling of accompanying John. It’s like we’re on the run with him, and we find ourselves sharing his exhaustion and vulnerability as he faces overwhelming odds and an increasingly hopeless-looking future. And there are decisions and themes present that at first seemed strange, but then made more sense as I considered the film in the context of my own struggles with depression as well as those of other people I’ve known. It took some pivotal moments involving Jonathan’s reasoning and decision-making process—his motivations—from puzzling to painfully familiar and understandable. 

And the characters from the first and second films play their roles, as well, capitalizing on the emotional connections we’ve already formed with them previously in order to get increased mileage and value. 

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The film goes in depressing and downright tragic directions at times, making things more intense than either of the previous films and using the intimate elements of the first film to rub salt in that wound perfectly. We wanted to be there for it, right? Up-close and intimate? Well…we get our wish. 

Parabellum ultimately provided what I found to be the most heart-wrenching and difficult experience of the series to date. 

I’d say the film is largely divided into three types of scenes:

1. The bone-breaking, joint-dislocating, body-part-mangling, and intricately choreographed action scenes that take your breath away and leave you wondering how the heck they were pulled off.

2. The quieter scenes that focus on the personal drama and tragedy playing out, mangling your heart as surely as any of the film’s weapons could do physically.

3. Those sequences lying somewhere in-between, where important character and story developments take place against the backdrop of or with the very immediate and looming threat of severe violence. 

With a combo like that, the film is a deeply draining experience. After the first viewing, I felt numb, exhausted, and conflicted, and it took me a while to even figure out how I felt and what I thought of it all. The movie partially alleviates this by upping the humor element to the highest extent we’ve seen yet, a much-needed saving grace to provide a momentary escape from the sky-high stress levels. 

Which of course brings us to the final element.

ACTION.

If there’s one thing this franchise and its lead actor are known for, it’s this. The intricate and gorgeous choreography, the respect and recognition shown to real-life elements like the tactics and weapons employed, the exceptional and superb cinematography that bucks the infamous Hollywood pattern of shaky cam and endless jump cuts, and the incredibly intense training undergone by the actors, most notably leading man and true workhorse Keanu Reeves—these are some of the elements that have formed the bedrock of an action franchise that has built a passionate and thoroughly deserved following, and it’s arguably the number-one thing people look for with each entry in the series.

And it’s this delightful blend of exceptional and accessible; it’s something that’s absolutely thrilling to watch from a more casual perspective, yet also a real treat for people with real-life backgrounds in fields like martial arts, competitive shooting, law enforcement, the military, etc. For example, what most people in the audience think is a single cool throw that’s done several different times may in fact be recognized by a practitioner as several different throws, each having a subtle difference in positioning and method. And with either group, this kind of movie is one where you can find yourself rewatching, pausing, and slowing down the scenes in order to absorb the full richness and complexity of the moves being executed. One of the most rewarding things for me about this series is that the more I dig, the more I find to love. There’s constantly more to learn and appreciate, and it’s great seeing all the things that eagle-eyed and erudite viewers will bring to attention.

Without a doubt, the first film set the bar high in a number of areas, with action absolutely being at the top of that list. The answer to the question of how to elevate things from one movie to the next is not an obvious one; it starts out so high that you wonder where it can go from the first film. Chapter 2 gave us the answer, once again blowing our minds with visually stunning and absolutely thrilling sequences that made our jaws drop. We also saw increased variety in the number and type of attacker. 

An incredibly well done AMV highlighting both story and action from the first two films. Worthy of at least a quick post in its own right… Warning: Some profanity, plus definite spoilers. Don’t watch if you haven’t viewed the first two Wick films.

And thing that cannot be emphasized strongly enough is the time and effort this takes from those involved. Instead of a more typical 3 to 6 weeks of training, the actors quadruple it, putting in 4 to 6 months of grueling work. And it’s not just them—the magic in this series is the extensive prep work put in by the whole crew, the continual and collaborative rehearsing, practicing, and tweaking of things far in advance, which allows for a much higher level of excellence and even improvisation when the filming days finally arrive. Rather than just barely managing things, having to worry about hiding the flaws, and picking the fairly good options from a mediocre set of choices, they instead get to choose the very best from amongst multiple great choices. And it’s a very wholistic effort—to be able to manage this, everyone has to be performing at top level. You can’t get these wide shots and minimal editing unless you have actors who can truly do the work rather than needing to be masked constantly by editing tricks. And if you do the wide shots, then your lighting team has to figure out how to illuminate the scene thoroughly without showing the equipment. [Quite cleverly, this has been turned into an asset—it’s why there’s so much striking and colorful environmental lighting present in this series!] And if you’re doing the wider shots, you can’t simply have off-camera trainers giving the dogs commands for the action scenes…but hey, no problem—you just turn Halle Berry into a freaking Belgian Malinois handler herself. In both process and end product, the films have been dually driven by necessity and creativity, practicality and style, and to phenomenal results. You know you’re doing well when even the raw behind-the-scenes clips from on-set—and heck, the training clips from off set!——look as good as they do in the Wick series. (Also, I’m so glad they didn’t have the budget for one particular concept in the first film—the sink sequence they ended up with instead was infinitely classier and is actually quite fun to watch, as well as visually striking.)

So…how does this film stack up? Well, shockingly for me, the action is actually one place where it got a little bumpy. It was the emotional aspect that had worried me the most prior to watching the film, as it seemed like the most complex and uncertain variable, and the one on which would hinge the question of whether the third film would exceed its predecessors. After the first two films and the enormous amount of work Reeves and the other actors have put into the training, success in the action arena seemed well-nigh guaranteed.

But this continual push towards escalation has now brought them to a dangerous ledge in the franchise: They’re pushing the limits, and because of that you get the sense of cheating—pausing, hesitating, etc. It’s especially evident in a battle of Wick with twin attackers, though it may perhaps be explained story-wise by the idea that they were not allowed to actually kill Wick per se, and in deference to a higher-ranking character—and also out of regard for Wick himself to some extent—were only sparring and toying with him, wanting to face the legend in person, and got more than they bargained for in the process. Indeed, the particular higher-ranking character in question shows a willingness to kill people who threaten to steal the opportunity to take on Wick—as well as hesitating himself, torn between his admiration for the man and his desire to surpass him—so this was likely the case. However, while maybe things will be clearer during rewatch, as a first-time viewer it ended up being quite puzzling to me why both Wick and the other characters behaved the way they did during that sequence. I will leave the possibility here that the film actually explained this more clearly than I initially caught, however. (This scene was also one spot where I felt the humor, which is absolutely on-point for the far majority of the film, sometimes felt too exaggerated). That said, it still has some very cool moments. 

But even aside from this, there were points where it really felt like they were pushing the suspension of disbelief in terms of what characters could either survive or continue fighting capably through. Speaking of injuries, there appears to be a major continuity error: What happened to the bandaged gunshot wound that should’ve been in his lower right abdominal area from the subway fight in the second film? Also wondering about the stab wound from the first film, but that was located a bit lower and had more time to heal—maybe it would reasonably not be in view. But the bandaging that had been wrapped around his lower torso for the fresh gunshot wound absolutely should’ve been present! That injury is actually why that bloodstain in present in the shirt to begin with. And with Parabellum‘s starting less than an hour after the end of Chapter 2, there’s no way it could’ve healed so quickly.

And going back to the combat, the moments of seeing opponents hesitate and waver to provide breathing room for Reeves (and Berry, as well) went beyond that single fight—it was something that became apparent at other points, as well. The fighting didn’t always possess the trademark fluidity and enemy aggression of the previous films, where you got that sense of realism because either the enemies were pushing forward quickly, were being believably staggered and slowed by Wick’s initial attacks, or simply didn’t have enough time to react. 

And here’s the thing: Keanu Reeves is a Goddarned machine. His work ethic is renowned, and the man shows incredible dedication—running live-fire drills on the firing range; being trained by expert martial artists; being taught tactics and techniques by people like L.A. SWAT members, Navy SEALs, and at least one former CIA contractor; coming in to work even on the bits of time he’s given off; and continuing work through things like illness and adverse conditions. 

But even with the months on-end where he makes a full-time job out of learning and preparing for the role, the escalation of the action choreography has to match the amount of skill escalation he can accomplish during each grueling training window. And here I feel that they pushed too hard, exceeding the limits of that in terms of physical ability. The pacing and number of attackers at a time reached a threshold where they had to be noticeably restrained at points for the sequences to work. 

If they’re not going to be able to extended the amount of prep time Reeves has per film going forward, then I think they’re going to have to either lessen the steepness of the escalation, or, better yet, change approach. 

I think one potential solution is to focus more on the strategic elements. One thing we’ve seen from Wick throughout the series is that he’s a highly intelligent and expert fighter who supplements his raw martial-arts and weapons ability with his tactical expertise and incredible adaptability. 

He actually doesn’t need to strictly be a better martial artist or physically stronger than his opponents in order to win—this is the kind of guy who I’m certain can win (heck, he does win) by also fighting smarter. His inventive use of environmental elements is itself an example of that. And this would potentially give them a way to match him up against opponents who are clearly faster or more advanced in martial arts per se without needing them to hold back the same way that I sometimes saw in the sequences here. I believe this would’ve been applicable for the Twin fight. And it wasn’t just a matter of individual, one-on-one expertise, of course; they also upped the numbers and pacing throughout the film, but I was also considering that in my answer.  John Wick typically takes on large and relentless groups. But if they want to keep increasing the pace and intensity, I think they’ll need to be more strategic about how they do so and making sure it reads honestly. 

But let me remind you, this is a relative matter. Thus far, there hasn’t been a bad Wick film—it’s simply been a question of varying degrees of excellence. That said, hearing my complaints you would probably expect me to rate the action in Parabellum lower than that of the two prior films.

Well…HECK NO. While it has the most apparent rough spots of any of the films, and those rough spots chiefly lie within the action, the good stuff is very good—and there’s a veritable smorgasbord of it. 

The odd glitch notwithstanding, the film generously provides us with the spectacular, intricate, exquisitely filmed, and utterly kick-butt action that has earned the series its renown. Reeves and his costars just get more impressive as time goes on—which is certainly saying a lot, given how high a bar the first film set, and the fights by and large are incredibly satisfying to watch.

And when it comes to that action element, this film amps up not only the scope, duration, complexity, pacing, and creativity of the battles but also the tension and brutality. The fights contain more moments that startle you, keeping you on the edge of your seat. There were quite a few times where the sudden appearance of an enemy, a main character, or an attack from unexpected quarters felt like it would give me a heart attack. And watching this in the theater, especially with Dolby picture and directional sound to accompany it—along with vibrating recliners—furthered that feeling that I was actually immersed in the middle of the battles and under personal threat myself. Both the camera work and the grueling nature and length of the fights also contributed to this sense. There were moments were you felt you knew where the gunshot was coming from or when it would come, and even if you were roughly right, it still shocked the daylights out of you with the suddenness, intensity, and/or in-your-face quality. The scale and camera work made it feel like we were personally in the story, making our way through the same environments as the characters and even the attackers.

I think that itself was a very clever touch—giving us a terrifying and unexpected glimpse at what it felt like to be on the wrong end of John Wick’s weaponry.  This isn’t the first time they’ve used this technique in the franchise, but I think it was at its most noticeable here. And boy, does it ever work. It left me feeling even more relieved than usual that I’m not currently on the bad side side of Wick or anyone like him. It’s also interesting as a reminder of what Wick himself is facing. Feeling like you’re truly immersed in the battle gives you more appreciation of what he is able to face with amazing sturdiness and sense of strategy.

And as you might’ve guessed, the general sense of immersion also works hand in hand with the similar emotional element I mentioned earlier, where we get to feel like true comrades in all of this. Or given our lack of aid to him, perhaps it would be closer to say we feel like we’re lucky enough to have this guy as our own bodyguard; all we have to do is stay close to him and pray he succeeds while we observe the violence with sky-high anxiety.

Cause For Action, Cause for Concern

And despite what some reviewers may have stated, the action here is absolutely not without stakes, nor without a sense of danger. These are not scenes of hollow, pointless violence, nor are we watching an invisible protagonist progress through the movie with ease. Far from it in both regards. If you’ve been paying attention to the storyline and character arc throughout the series or indeed, just in this film, you understand that there are indeed high stakes. This is a man who’s broken-down and exhausted and is trying to escape from an extremely hazardous situation. And as noted in one of my theory pieces ahead of time, simply trying to kill his way through every attacker is not only pretty unsustainable, it’s likely counterproductive as he’s only upping his body count and potentially creating new or more stringent enemies from those left behind. There is a substantial cost to Wick on multiple levels—emotionally, mentally, socially, etc.

What’s more, within the context of the action itself on a physical level, we quickly see how dire things are. Do we think they’re actually going to kill off their protagonist during, say, the first ten minutes of the film’s running time? Of course not! He’s the central character here, so even if he does die by the end, they can’t play that card too early on. But this is true of the vast majority of films for obvious reasons and is a challenge they simply have to cope with, so really isn’t that reasonable as a complaint. You don’t expect Bond or Bourne to die only 5 or 10 minutes in, do you? I doubt it. 

But while we expect him to survive for a while, the film still brings in the physical stakes quite early on by demonstrating that while they may not kill him yet, they can and will injure him. Substantially.

Plus, in one of my favorite touches of the film, they came up with a very clever way to up the difficulty and threat posed by the enemies during a crucial sequence of the film. The concept they went with both resolved the complaint people sometimes have about the relative ease with which Wick can obliterate many opponents (mind you, this actually makes sense in the context of a tiered system of enemies, as most people are not on the level of the people at the very top, plus Wick himself is far beyond even those other top-level people) and also answered the question/criticism about why certain measures hadn’t been used by his opponents in the two prior films. In Parabellum they incorporated this, and in a way that also implicitly explained the reasoning—that not everyone is of the tier to employ certain countermeasures, but those with the resources, knowledge, and opportunity will do so. So they simultaneously increased the sense of genuine danger from the opponents and the challenge for Wick, demanding more effort, strategy, and a change in style, and addressing criticisms from the first two films. Again, I have to be vague about it, but I loved the thoughtfulness demonstrated by the concept’s presence and how it added creativity to that battle plus showed awareness of audience complaints regarding logic, repetition, and ease. It’s not inherently a glamorous thing, but I was beside myself with happiness to see what they did.

And once we get into the film and its storyline, it becomes painfully clear that Wick’s survival for the duration is nowhere near guaranteed. Going in to Parabellum, I already knew that the fourth film had been green-lit, but one thing people seem to forget is that film series don’t always continue chronologically—I’ve repeatedly seen people express a desire for a prequel story, and if that ends up being the direction of the fourth film, then there’s no need for Wick’s story within his world’s chronology to extend beyond the third. There’s also the concept of the chapters themselves—that the series is meant to capture episodes or sections of his life but not necessarily the whole thing. With that in mind, skipping back and forth through the timeline seems all the more likely. If they kill him off in the third, they can still pull chapters from the beginning or middle of his life, showing things like his childhood years or his storied career.

Speaking of chapters, as I’m a subscriber to the idea others have expressed, of how each movie also has a distinct narrative theme, I’m curious what the one for the fourth chapter will be.

• John Wick | Revenge
• John Wick: Chapter 2 | Rules and Decisions
• John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum | Consequences
• John Wick: Chapter 4 | …?…

And frankly, there’s not an installment in this series that should’ve been gone into with a sense of complacency, including the first. Despite all the glitz and glam and our superbly skilled operator of a protagonist, the series at a story level is deliberately a darker one than others in its niche. Chad Stahelski has a love of mythology, and rather than a story of simple redemption and riding off into the sunset, he and Keanu have chosen an approach more along the lines of a Greek myth. I don’t know if they’ve ever used the word “tragedy,” but you definitely have a sense of a character who’s not only caught in the machinations of others but also in the trap of his own flaws. His approach of violently carving a path through life has continued to dig him into deeper ditches. Reeves has discussed this, noting that Wick is handling the things the way he knows how, but that his continued violation of rules and taking of lives have thus far circumvented John’s own goals of finding freedom and being left alone to grieve and heal. Those who believe these movies are mindless or hollow are to a serious extent missing the value and depth present not only the plot and character angles but also in the combat itself. And this isn’t a matter of reaching to find some faint shred of supposed meaning in an empty project; it’s an acknowledgment of core components. For more discussion of these thematic concepts, I recommend checking out these two posts.

The reality is that as fun, enjoyable, and even over-the-top as the series can be, it also has some dark and haunting themes thematically, treading into increasingly unnerving and upsetting territory. 

[Language warning, plus spoiler warning for both films.]

And Parabellum certainly doesn’t abandon those themes—it increases them.

The Raid films have been specifically mentioned as one of the Asian-cinema influences for the John Wick franchise, and that is at its most evident for me here—which is quite fitting, given the involvement of actual Raid and Raid 2 stars! The classically fast-paced and elegant action of the Wick films gets an additional infusion of the Raid vibe as we watch our protagonist take on increasingly overwhelming situations and the action itself take on a rawer, grittier feel. This is without a doubt the most brutal installment yet, and even the settings themselves in appearance sometimes have a more grounded and hardcore feel than the gorgeous environments Wickian action is often set in (a commenter on Youtube came up with one of the most brilliant descriptions I’ve heard for the overall aesthetic and style of the series: “…It’s like a bloodbath in a fashion magazine.”). Though we do of course have several gorgeous and visually striking set-pieces in Parabellum, we also get more of that down-and-dirty feeling with both settings and style. The film at times feels like a reality check about the fact that as beautiful and easy as the series can often make violence look, and has in the prior films, in reality it’s a messy, disturbing affair and a difficult one from both the physical and psychological standpoint. There are moments that are quite difficult to stomach, in terms of both the violence experienced and the violence inflicted by Wick, and even though what he does is in the context of self-defense, you realize what he’s had to cope with and learn to stomach. When you’re literally fighting for your life, you don’t have time to be pretty or worry about not making the process of getting killed too unbearable. And as Wick becomes more exhausted and overwhelmed, we also see his fighting style devolve at points, driven by a will to survive and sheer desperation of circumstance that require an any-means-necessary approach rather than only using the more controlled fighting techniques he typically makes use of. [As a side note related to this, reading an interview with Mark Dacascos about his role was enlightening; he noted that his character, Zero, uses his knowledge of John Wick strategically, fighting him in a way that avoids meeting John on his strength areas. Wick’s a grappler and the last thing you want is for him to get close enough to grab you and get his hooks in, so Zero deliberately employs techniques that instead create distance, making him a particularly challenging opponent for an already exhausted John to take on. Fantastic concept!]

 On the particular topic of edged weapons and the level of violence involved, I remember a real-life instructor noted what it takes psychologically to be able to actually use bladed weapons on another human being. While I disagree with his exact characterization of it, I do understand what he means. Being able to shoot someone from a distance is one thing, but forcibly driving a weapon into someone’s body with your own hands and do that kind of very intimate and up-close damage…it’s a chilling thought. 

And while the violence of the prior two films has mostly not been an issue for me, and I generally drink in the action scenes with awe and absolute delight—hopefully you can tell this by how I’ve written about the action work of the Wick series thus far—there was one exceptionally graphic kill here that elicited a full-fledged scream from me in the theater and has actually been cut from the theatrical release in multiple countries. That moment and the general uptick in raw, graphic kills has me a wee bit worried about the fourth film, I will admit. Though that has been the only moment of violence where I’ve really had to draw a line, not only in this particular movie but also in the entirety of the franchise. Gianna’s scene from the second film is still difficult to watch, but I love the scene overall and still watch it in completion. The troubling Parabellum kill also occurred in the middle of an amazing scene with arguably some of the best and most smoothly executed choreography of the film—the combination of complexity and speed was insane, and I was once again freaking awed by Reeves upon subsequent viewings where I could better track the movements—and it’s a scene I’ll want to rewatch many times, but I’ve had some difficulty even mustering the stomach to rewatch that one moment. (I did make a specific point of doing so, however, as I want to be able to rewatch this film, in its entirety, just as enthusiastically as I do the previous two.) 

As with the emotional elements, the need for the humor element as a counterbalance also becomes prevalent when considering this aspect—Parabellum is definitely the most graphically violent installment and strips away some of the previous films’ elegance in a way that I believe is meant to aid us in appreciating what our protagonist has actually been going through as both attacker and defender, hunter and prey.

Get Ready to Rock

Yet with all the heavier notes, make no mistake—if you enjoyed the action in the first two films, you should most certainly find this a real treat, as it very much carries the vibe of having those many moments that make the audience vocally react and want to variously laugh in thrill, curse in awe, and stand up and cheer as we watch Reeves, his allies, and his foes dispose of and deal with opponents in ways that are hilariously creative, stunningly impactive, and unquestionably cool.

I won’t spoil things, but this movie had some real gems in even the shorter action sequences and there were some surprising inspirations. Also, even some of the more fantastical-seeming things aren’t necessarily as far-fetched as you may think. As an example, what I’ll refer to as “the question of animal housing” is a legitimate situation. And watching our various furry, four-legged friends get their revenge in this film was an extremely satisfying touch and it’s something that really brings the franchise full-circle.

As with the rest of the series, Parabellum also contains various references and influences from other sources, from the weapons-assembly scene inspired by a famous Western to the motorcycle sequence that draws from a Korean action movie. And this needs to be emphasized: Chad Stahelski ISN’T trying to take undue credit for others’ ideas here. Instead, he quite reminds me of how Keanu himself is: Reeves is very open and enthusiastic—adamant even—about crediting the use of stunt performers. He does the vast majority of what you’re seeing on-screen (90% +), but there are a few things, like being hit by cars, that only the professional stuntmen can handle safely(ish)—and Keanu emphasizes acknowledgement of that. In a similar vein, Chad is very vocal about the films, filmmakers, actors, and genres that inspired himself and the rest of the creative team for various elements of the John Wick films, from Sergio Leone to Akira Kurosawa, Bruce Lee to Steve McQueen. As a specific example, he explicitly brought up The Villainess, and explained that Parabellum‘s similar scene was meant to be a nod and tribute but that it nowhere near rivaled the Korean film, which he praised as having done it much more spectacularly. (That said, the JW team brought their own twist by incorporating greater use of the actual lead actor rather than stunt players.)

And speaking of film references, I am so happy Chad cajoled a reluctant Keanu into quoting that Matrix line (though he should’ve been more upfront with him…). It really put the “Neo” in neo-noir, and was a lovely way to mark the 20th anniversary of the Matrix trilogy’s first installment.

Another great aspect that must be addressed in discussing this film is the music. From action scenes to drama to those lying in between the two, the emotional pull is aided and intensified by an exquisite soundtrack that itself embodies the goals of a sequel—continuation blended with expansion and positive escalation. If you’ve listened to the soundtrack for the second film, you know that there are key tracks and fragments of them that have been welcomed back from the original, and that the soundtrack in the second builds upon them while also transforming them and offering beautiful new pieces. (One particular thing done in John Wick: Chapter 2 was to provide a more Italian, operatic style to the more Old-Western-infused tracks from the first. Speaking of which, they also incorporated a very distinct track from Chapter 2 as the subtle background to a Parabellum fight sequence. See if you can catch it!)

I believe that as with the overall films, the soundtracks have greatly benefited by continuing to have the same core team—Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richards, assisted by guest artists. Rather than being replaced or changing drastically from one movie to the next, there’s been an organic evolution, and it’s like a true series, where each part can stand on its own but is also linked to its predecessors and builds upon them to become further elevated and enriched with each new installment. It no doubt provides an additional challenge in some ways—figuring out how to up your game from one entry to the next—but when it works, it can be a thing of beauty. I love the sense of nostalgia and respect for the origins when I recognize the music from the original film returning even as the new music is also allowed to shine—it really brings a smile to my face. 

With the soundtrack for Parabellum, you’ll find a North African and/or Middle Eastern vibe as a new element to accompany the very distinct Old Western flavor that’s been present since the original film. And the use of classical music melded with more electronic- and rock-style components once again excels. 

Some of my favorite tracks in the film and/or from the official soundtrack are:

• Dance of the Two Wolves
• He Shot [Spoiler!]
• Cycle Samurais
• Deconsecrated
• Winter at The Continental—The remix of Vivaldi’s “Winter” piece from “The Four Seasons.” (This played during the end credits. While I’m uncertain, I believe the regular cover of “Winter” was the form used in the second major trailer for Parabellum—which is the one earlier in this article—as well as during an actual scene in the film. And I believe “Deconsecrated” was the other gorgeous piece featured in the aforementioned trailer, the more moody, atmospheric track used early on.)

With the “Two Wolves” track being my favorite of the film and being used to intensify and add a somewhat frenetic, desperate, and chilling vibe to an already nail-biting (though brief) scene that for me rivaled the Red Circle Club’s Kaleida (“Think”) sequence in the use of music and blending of beauty and horror.

Spotlighting Generosity

And one additional thing I would particularly like to commend about Parabellum—and this trait is also present in John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2—is the use of the other characters and their actors. For both the action and the dramatic scenes, the film didn’t shy away from showcasing the other players in this series. I felt major appreciation and admiration for the humility and generosity of spirit shown in how the other actors were allowed to shine and make the most of their parts. Even in the briefer scenes or roles they were allowed to use their full weight. There was a sense that the filmmakers didn’t worry that the rest of the cast would in some way detract from our focus on the protagonist or overshadow his sense of presence and audience favor, rival him; the other characters and their stories were treated as important and their own skills, positions of power, and stakes within this world highlighted.

It’s a Wide, Wild World

In a similar vein, while there have been some hiccups, the Wick franchise has generally done a fantastic job in how it employs characters of various cultures and ethnicities, as well as both sexes. Both ethnic and female characters have been treated in a natural, organic, respectful, dignified, intelligent, reasonable, and believable way, and without going in the obnoxious directions that I tend to see with what I’ll call agenda types. You know, the kind of schmucks who’d equate things like involuntary genetic traits with things that are problematic or are voluntary behavioral choices. Seriously, any person who would act like being non-Caucasian and inflicting sexual injury on other human beings are on anywhere near the same level or should be grouped together…just…don’t get me started. Suffice it to say, that itself is a highly racist, demeaning, and ignorantly White-supremacist attitude I often see coming from those who would swear up and down how “progressive” and non-racist they are. [Plus, the very fact that they would encourage people from my various communities to engage in that kind of harmful behavior and inflict the accompanying physical and/or psychological damage on ourselves or those we get involved with…that’s another aside I’m not really going to get into here, but I am truly sick of this. Stop messing us over and promoting cruelty, abuse, and selfishness under the guise of love and friendship. If bleeding and injury was found on our faces or arms rather than hidden from public view within intimate spaces of our bodies, you’d never dare defend the infliction of it. We freaking deserve better in life than that! We deserve actual honesty, dignity, respect, and real love…June and every other month.]

Frankly, when it comes to things like the treatment of women and people of color, this series does a job light-years better than what I’ve seen with the very people who’d claim to be looking out for the groups involved. Other people basically piss all over females, Black people, and those of other races, ethnic groups, and nationalities, then have the gall to claim it as some kind of a mitzvah, while a team that doesn’t seem concerned with virtue signaling and agendas absolutely blows them out of the friggin’ water.

I could write more on this topic—and maybe later I will at least write a short post on the females of the Wick world—but I don’t want to dwell on that too much in this post. In fact, the very gift of this series seems to largely come from the sense of restraint and lack of excessive focus on certain elements. You have leaders who have a natural and easy respect and recognition there, but aren’t busy dwelling on things (and the types of the mind to do that tend to leave me wishing they’d just stick with a monochromatic, single-sex cast instead of bringing in other groups only to screw them over). So on the one hand I want to give them well-deserved praise, yet on the other I don’t want to ruin the very magic of this. It’s like that “Don’t think about pink elephants” thing. I’d bloody hate it if, by drawing attention to all of this, I ironically ended up contributing to messing up a series I can actually look forward to without the anxiety that others tend to give me. There’s a trust there that I rarely have. Definitely not complete, but way more than I give to others.

Einfühlung

And given who one of the female cast members this time around was (remember, “male” and “female” refer to sex, after all…and so does my use of male and female pronouns. So do not start.), I was particularly nervous for Parabellum, fearing it would cross the line from incorporating positive elements to instead incorporating negative and ethically problematic ones, particularly in their handling of biologically female characters, but to their great credit, the team seems to have gracefully side-stepped the issue and handled the diva aspect without especially pissing off those who would find the very indulgence of it offensive. And there certainly would be plenty to take offense to, as that ideology itself behind the misuse of pronouns and rejection of manhood and womanhood is rooted quite hypocritically in an excessive and insulting reinforcement of gender stereotypes, goes against all this talk of supposed self-acceptance, promotes and normalizes internalization of misogyny, and butchers the language from a numerical and clarity standpoint in a manner that itself violates the supposed new use of the terminology, to boot. Amongst other problems. It’s essentially an ouroboros of craziness, narcissism, contradiction. It would be considered incredibly offensive—and rightly so—to treat things like ethnicity in the reductive, dismissive, shallow way that is somehow considered okay when applied to the nature of womanhood and manhood. People wouldn’t dare it! And the amount of confusion and impracticality all of this causes from a linguistic standpoint would be amusing were it not so frustrating. Singular and plural are important concepts grammatically. Ignoring that fact makes an absolute mess when it comes to communication. As a writer, a woman, and a member of other relevant demographics, this whole business is quite aggravating and disrespectful, and demonstrates a real lack of Einfühlung, especially from those who demand these sorts of things. I’m willing to use less than ideal language in self-referral in order to keep things clear for other people. The idea of instead circumventing the use of quite accurate and appropriate language and terms, and consequently making things less clear and much more inconvenient for other people…. When I am indirect or ambiguous in speech, it tends to be because I’m trying to avoid being too blunt, harsh, or confrontational. But I try to be careful and deliberate about doing so, and mostly aim to be as clear and accurate as I can. Having been on both sides of this, I would not wish to treat other people at large in the manner that butchery of the language results in—I wouldn’t want to cause them such trouble and difficulty.

I still have mixed feelings on what was done in Parabellum due to things I’ve read from the interviews—having found out the official decision made about the Adjudicator, to fragment her womanhood and dismiss the significance, importance, and depth of being female—but you know what? Bravo, gentlemen, nonetheless! It at least wasn’t the original intention or goal on your own parts (the character wasn’t originally written this way), and if it was going to turn out like this, at least it was done in a bearable manner within the movie, which is better than the usual case. (Though I get the feeling this mishegoss is gonna make the Blu-Ray commentary, which I was so looking forward to, a bit of a migraine to listen to at times. Probably not great to record, either, if your instinct is to use natural and grammatically accurate language…). In any case, hopefully the team can continue the juggling act they’ve ended up in the middle of with the next movie. I’m anxious, partly because of how much I love this series and don’t wish to see what I love about it be interfered with, but I’ve got more optimism than I’d normally have. And if all else fails, I suppose I can remind myself that at least in the context of the Underworld, everyone is a criminal and/or killer of some sort, and everyone’s at least a little more messed up and morally damaged than usual, plus even regular people are still messed up and often morally damaged in their own ways in real life. (And hey, Zero gets a little friggin’ crazy, but is hilarious for it! Funnily enough, this was in large part a result of the leeway given to Mark Dacascos, so while this section has shown the pitfalls to the amount of input the cast is given, there are also benefits.)

And despite the issues I’ve mentioned, the character and casting that were the payoff to the trouble were still rather spectacular. I think the female character known as the Adjudicator is easily the scariest villain we’ve seen from the Wick franchise and, counting all characters we’ve seen in the trilogy, may well be second in menace only to John Wick himself. The power she represents and wields is very real, and even traits that tend to be quite negative in real life work well for a villain. The sense of ego, lack of self-awareness, and delightfully ironic “Empathy” tattoo to match are honestly kind of delicious in this context. What’s more, the Adjudicator is actually less an individual and more a vessel of embodiment for the will of an entire group of individuals (plus the film seems to suggest that there are, have been, or can be multiple Adjudicators), so even the sense of plurality actually kind of works in that context. So also do the lack of self recognition and acknowledgement, the depersonalization. And there’s a bit of a spectral vibe to that. (Yep, even this I can find good in.) And Asia Kate definitely plays the role perfectly.

And continuing with the subject of cast, while I mentioned earlier some issues with a particular fight sequence, I can say that for most of the film that the martial artists involved in that were allowed to showcase their skill level and create truly frightening, chilling presences on-screen, which was an especially nice touch when you consider who the actors in question are. Suffice it to say, I’m glad to see them get their due. [Which reminds me…did I see Jonathan Eusebio make another cameo appearance?!]

I will actually comment, however, that despite the fact that it’s typical for our central character here to make use of words economically, I did find myself wishing Reeves himself could’ve been given more lines. With the dialogue being delivered by other characters and the intensity of the dramatic element, I found myself frustrated at moments, wishing we could hear more from Wick, get to see him open up more, essentially. Was it deliberate, this level of being closed off? Possibly, but either way I found myself frustrated and it felt a bit like he didn’t get to up his interactions in proportion to those of the other actors. It at times felt like his character was being muzzled, and also that the lines he was allowed to speak could occasionally use improvement.

He’s Workin’ Again

Now, make no mistake, the sparing use of dialogue from him in the franchise does not equate a lack of acting on Reeves’ part, despite what some people believe. Being able to act and react nonverbally, and carry a sense of presence even when silent, are themselves skills, and Keanu Reeves has this ability set. He can move through a scene in silence or near silence and make it fascinating to observe. Indeed I find the sense of silence often serves as a benefit: The way Wick uses words so sparingly often works to make him all the more intimidating; he holds his cards close and you find yourself unnerved by the question of what’s going through his head at any moment. Those mesmerizing, soul-piercing brown eyes Reeves possesses very much add to that effect. 

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And when Wick does speak, you pay attention. And in a way reflective of the rest of the franchise, which often relies on visual storytelling supplemented by carefully chosen dialogue, Reeves is able to get a great deal of mileage, both dramatically and humorously, from a very streamlined selection of words. Two of my favorite moments involve a three- or four-word question he asks of one character and a one-word, monosyllabic response to a question posed by another.

The question he asks is delivered in a hilariously deadpan way that speaks to a combination of utter fearlessness and mild exasperation, and in the one-word, freaking monosyllabic reply later, his perfect timing and delivery of it work in combination with the visuals and context of the moment to carry an incredible level of menace reminiscent of some of the moments from the Red Circle Club in the first film. I’ve watched the scene multiple times now and it continues to give me chills. And the fascinating thing is that in the moment, he’s quite beaten up and has gotten a raw deal, and could easily come off as very vulnerable. Yet instead he actually carries what is arguably the most terrifying sense of presence we’ve seen from him in the darned franchise. Wick has shown us throughout that he’s capable of being incredibly intimidating when he wishes, not only with but also without violence, but this might be the best example of it yet. It definitely left me the most worried for his enemies that I’ve ever been! And the whole scene carries this fantastic and smooth transition from appropriate vulnerability to welcome humor to his pretty much being the embodiment of looming Divine wrath. It’s surprising yet also fully believable. 

Believe me, Reeves (who’s sadly underrated as a talented dramatic actor rather than solely an action star) is acting his tail off in both the action and the drama of this series, and both reach new heights in this installment. And for the record, those who believe that this minimalistic style requires little acting or work on his part must never have seen what he’s like off work. Besides what I mentioned earlier, Keanu Reeves’ real-life personality and bearing generally feel very different from that of Jonathan Wick, even though there are things he has in common with the character in both traits and circumstances, like tragic personal losses and the grief that comes with those. There is also the unique and endearing layer of sensitivity and vulnerability that helps create a beautifully and touchingly nuanced portrayal for a character who could’ve been handled in a very unidimensional way instead. The lack of frequent emotional outbursts on Wick’s part or openly displaying himself in that regard does not actually equate a lack of emotion, and that very steadiness can itself be meaningful, as well.

My complaint here is just that I wanted him given a bit more room dialogue-wise. That and the action notes I had earlier are about my only issues in a film that feels bloody superb overall. I do also have concerns about the fourth film when it comes to how much this film upped the violence—all I ask is that there are no more moments equivalent in effect to that one über-disturbing kill—but I can’t quite call that an outright flaw, due to the reasons I listed above about the likely intent behind it and similar but less severe moments. Though I do worry that it will deter prospective moviegoers like myself who had specifically enjoyed the fact that the violence of the prior two films was easier to deal with than what’s sometimes found in genres like this, especially in R-Rated films. In that sense, I hadn’t been scared to watch Chapter 3. I’m definitely scared to watch Chapter 4.

But I’m also very, very excited. I feel that John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum is the best installment yet in a series that I feel has always stayed in the 9/10 range, and if they can work out the kinks present in this film while continuing to capitalize on the franchise’s strengths—the core traits common to each film, the ability to improve those, and the ability to add new angles so successfully—then Chapter 4 should be a breathtaking film through and through. Get it in gear, team—I’m truly rooting for you! 

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