Film Review: ‘John Wick 3 Parabellum’ is More Bang For Your Buck

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly versionE-mail page to friendE-mail page to friendPDF versionPDF version
No votes yet

CHICAGO – I must admit that upon initial viewing, I didn’t care much for the original “John Wick” film. Coming as it did in the post “Taken” wave of old guy revenge thrillers, I found it to be stylish but supremely silly nonsense, since it was the death of puppy as the spark that lit the fuse. However as time has gone by, John Wick has grown on me.

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.0/5.0
Rating: 4.0/5.0

It was “John Wick: Chapter 2” that managed to do a deeper dive into the strange mythology of John Wick’s underground society of assassins … complete with their own code, their own currency, and their own boutique hotel (The Continental). That was the right move, because even in my initial review I recognized that this world building was interesting. fresh and the most promising element.

“John Wick 3 Parabellum” picks up mere moments after the events of Chapter 2, with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) on the run in the rain after breaking the rules and killing a man inside The Continental hotel, which is supposed to be safe ground for those of the trade. The plot involves John Wick seeking the head of the “High Table,” which governs the assassin trade to personally promise to make amends. He picks up assistance from his old mentor (Anjelica Huston) and then heads to collect an old debt from Sofia (Halle Berry), who runs an overseas version of The Continental Hotel in Morocco. Meanwhile, The High Table sends down an enforcer known as “The Adjudicator” (Asia Kate Dillon) to extract punishments on those who allowed John Wick to escape … and she hires a sushi chef named Zero (Mark Dacascos) with a seemingly endless supply of ninja students to take down the man himself.

“John Wick 3 Parabellum” opens everywhere on May 17th in IMAX, RPX and regular screenings. See local listings for format theaters and show times. Featuring Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Ian McShane and Anjelica Huston Screenplay by Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins and Marc Abrams. Directed by Chad Stahelski. Rated “R”

StarContinue reading for Spike Walter’s full review of “John Wick 3 Parabellum”

JW31
The Title Character has a Bad Day in ‘John Wick 3 Parabellum’
Photo credit: Summit Entertainment

StarContinue reading for Spike Walter’s full review of “John Wick 3 Parabellum”

User Login

Free Giveaway Mailing

TV, DVD, BLU-RAY & THEATER REVIEWS

  • Manhunt

    CHICAGO – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on WBGR-FM (Monroe, Wisconsin) on March 21st, 2024, reviewing the new streaming series “Manhunt” – based on the bestseller by James L. Swanson – currently streaming on Apple TV+.

  • Topdog/Underdog, Invictus Theatre

    CHICAGO – When two brothers confront the sins of each other and it expands into a psychology of an entire race, it’s at a stage play found in Chicago’s Invictus Theatre Company production of “Topdog/Underdog,” now at their new home at the Windy City Playhouse through March 31st, 2024. Click TD/UD for tickets/info.

Advertisement



HollywoodChicago.com on Twitter

archive

HollywoodChicago.com Top Ten Discussions
tracker