John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019) Review

"Who do you want to die as?"
-Winston



The 3rd chapter picks up with John Wick (Keanu Reeves) attempting to escape New York with half the city out to get him.  John has a $14 million bounty on his head, few resources, and even fewer friends.  If he wants to survive, John has to face the biggest fight of his life.


I will be giving out spoilers below, so I will simply say that Chapter 3 is the weakest of the three films, but it has the best action and is still totally worth seeing in the theater.


What Works:

The action sequences in Parabellum are the best in the series...and that is saying something.  The amount of work that went into this choreography really shows.  It's extraordinarily and each sequence feels unique enough that it never gets tiresome.

The first act of this film is my favorite part of the series.  It starts with a countdown as John runs for his life.  Once the clock hits zero, every assassin in the city comes after him.  It feels like John is fighting off a city as waves of killers attack him.  It's immensely exiting.  The scenes involving horses and knife throwing are some of the best action sequences you will ever watch.

I find the relationship between John and Winston (Ian McShane) fascinating and it's been fun to watch it evolve since the first film.  Their scene in the glass room is really excellent and watching them stand against the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) is awesome.

Finally, the look of the film is excellent.  The lighting and the cinematography are amazing and continue the unique style of the series.  I especially like the green lighting used in the Continental shootout.


What Sucked:

Asia Kate Dillon was woefully miscast as the villain of the film.  Dillon is simply too young for me to believe they held the amount of power they did.  An older actor, like Carrie-Anne Moss would have been a better choice.  Dillon just doesn't have the necessary gravitas.

I also didn't love Winston's betrayal of John.  It didn't feel earned and came out of nowhere.  It's an especially disappointing direction becasue of how much I liked their team-up scene.


Verdict:

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is a solid sequel, though it is the weakest of the three films.  Going in, I thought it was the end of the series, but that isn't the case.  That's good because this film doesn't work as a conclusion, but it's a totally acceptable sequel.  The action sequences have never been better and, although I didn't care for the villain or Winston's betrayal, this movie has absolutely got it going on.

 8/10: Really Good     

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