John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum

I'm a fan of the John Wick films. The action sequences are of the highest order and there is quite a bit that feels unique in each action scene. By half way through JW3I started to long for a plot line or a human relationship. There needs to be more to a movie than just fighting.

Another significant increase in body count contribution, not including the injured and\or maimed, as John inserts his wickedness into the flesh and bones of those whose aim is unworthy of their role in organised crime, either that, or they've never handled a weapon or are visually impaired or only shoot blanks or all three.

About 6 months ago I saw a picture of the set of 'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum' featuring Keanu Reeves on horseback shooting at motorcyclists. It was such a great looking shot that I have been waiting eagerly to see how it looked in the actual film ever since. It did not let me down. The style this film possesses is insane. It is one of the best looking action films I have ever seen.

The pacing of this film is also incredible. It starts the action immediately and almost never lets up. I can't wait to see what the death count was in this film because it will be truly enormous. The only problem is when the death count is that high the film can struggle to keep the originality up. After a while each death starts to look very similar to the last, and the 50 before that, and it can even become a little tedious to watch.

The only other flaw I came across with the film was that John Wick is on the defence too much. Instead of being angry and on the hunt like the first two films, for the majority of the Chapter 3 he is in survival mode. Still very fun to watch, but it isn't quite the same as seeing him take brutal revenge.

And the film is brutal. I could be wrong but I don't remember the first two entries in the series making me cringe in terms of violence as much. There were some very hard things to watch at times in this movie even for me, and I pride myself on handling those sorts of things fine most of the time. One of them early on got an audible gasp from the entire audience and I saw multiple people having to turn their heads to the side.

'John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum' is two hours of your life that will pass by very quickly. This is as non-stop action as films get. I think this is the third best action series currently producing movies (after 'James Bond' and 'Mission Impossible'). Will it get a third one? The first entry on the trivia page suggests no, however the end of this movie suggests yes? I guess we will have to wait to find out. For now enjoy the hell out of this one.

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is technically the best of the John Wick films but it is also the worst in terms of story and character development. John Wick's story and motives take a backseat to the world-building and competing motives of the supporting characters. Parabellum is more about the High Table than John Wick's struggle. Overall, Parabellum is a stepdown from both its predecessors, thus making it the weakest of the trilogy so far.

Parabellum has many strengths that overcome its weak writing mainly Ian McShane as Winston, Mark Dacascos as Zero, and the requisite all-out action scenes. Halle Berry as Sofia and Lance Reddick as Charon contribute as well. The subplot revolving the internal struggle of the High Table made for some really good character moments mostly through Ian McShane and Laurence Fishburne. The finale's twist is the film's biggest shock.

Chapter 2 gave a bigger scope to the John Wick world; Parabellum extends it further. Chapters 1 and 2 are hard to top, yet somehow, director Chas Stahelski has perfected his craft with Parabellum. The museum, Kasbah, and room of mirror fights are gloriously choreographed coupled with fantastic direction. Zero is also the best John Wick villain by far. The action scenes drown the drama though and feel gratuitous. John Wick starts on the run but by the end of the film, after Winston's seeming betrayal, seeming because an ulterior motive to temporarily keep the peace against the High Table is possible, we see him eager to directly confront his enemies.

On a side note, Parabellum seems more like an extension to Chapter 2 than as a separate film itself. The ending firmly establishes John Wick's turnaround from avoiding his previous life to facing them, hopefully in a satisfying and definitive conclusion in the sequel.

6/10

The continuation of the seemingly futile premise that is the John Wick saga.

Filled with many of the usual and choreographed violent action sequences you would come to expect. In between this, there seems to be an inordinate amount of bureaucracy and supposition surrounding the ominous "High Table".

For all accounts it's well made, but it's just more of the same and rather derivative of the first two. Just don't expect anything more from this and it'll do fine.