John Wick: Chapitre 3 - Parabellum

Following on from two deliriously entertaining, visually gorgeous and blissfully simplistic thrillers, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum keeps up the franchise's unique appeal in stunning fashion. Complete with electrifying action, beautiful cinematography, a pulsating score and a great sense of humour, the film is pretty much as purely joyful as action thrillers get, and proves two hours of brilliant entertainment.

Before I get into all of that, though, one of the greatest things about this franchise is just how simplistic it is. You may have seen John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2, you may not have done. Going into this third film, however, it's all pretty irrelevant, and while the first two films are certainly worth your time, absolutely anybody can go and watch this movie without any prior knowledge, and simply sit back and watch the fireworks.

The plot is effectively laid out for you in the first ninety seconds of the movie. John Wick is excommunicated, and there's a $14m bounty on his head. That's it. Following that brief bit of exposition are two hours of beautifully simple yet endlessly entertaining action, and while the film does keep you engrossed with its sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding this world of allegiances and deception, it's the thrill of the chase that really matters.

In that, there's almost never a moment where storytelling takes precedence over action thrills, with the movie bursting into life by way of an exhilarating opening act. However, much like the first two films, not every moment is fighting and shootouts, with the mystery, the tension and the intrigue all playing a part as John Wick encounters numerous people from his past in all manner of different scenarios.

There are moments in its middle portion that do drag a little more than others, and where the story perhaps gets a little self-indulgent, however there's no denying just how slick and purely entertaining a thriller this is regardless.

Of course, the action itself is brilliant as well. The opening act is astonishing, filled to the brim with insane action that features seamless fight choreography, brilliant camerawork and a fantastic sense of self-awareness that allows you to laugh at the most ridiculous moments. From then on, the film continues to burst into life with mad, energetic and dazzling action sequences again and again, only furthering the sheer entertainment appeal of the whole affair.

Also, there's no getting away from just how good-looking a movie this is. The camerawork in the fight sequences is certainly excellent, but it's the film's kaleidoscopic colour pallette and slick cinematography that makes it a feast for the eyes, pulling off the style of a pure pulp thriller in brilliant fashion once again, and with a pulsating, intense score playing throughout to boot, you'll definitely be on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

All in all, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum isn't much different from the previous two movies. It isn't the world's most intricate or intelligent thriller. However, with brilliant energy, dazzling visuals, stunning action and an invaluable sense of fun, absolutely none of that matters, and it instead proves a solidly entertaining, manic and dizzyingly joyful thriller throughout.

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.

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.

John Wick 3 is without a doubt the best action movie to have come out in a few years. And its so surprising and refreshing to see that movies like this still exist. Most action movies you see is filled with ridiculous amounts of shaky-cam, fast edits and way over-the-top fights. This is perfect. You can see all action clear as day, and by god the stuns in this film are extraordinary. Why the Academy Awards don't award talent like this is beyond me. There were times that I wondered if they had used CGI, because someone nuts must be willing to throw themselves from motorbikes and through glass. But whatever case it is, its a dam joy to watch.

As with the previous 2 installments, John Wick 3 is where Keanu Reeves is at home. This role was just made for him, and watching him stand toe to toe with powerhouses like Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne and Anjelica Huston, not only shows how good he is as an action star, but as an actor in general. He hasn't been given a role this good since the Matrix, but those movies never showed how good he was just at acting. He sells this movie.

The supporting cast is all amazing, and I loved how they left their character's hanging, giving us hope of seeing them in future installments. I also loved how more in-depth the movie spent on world-building. The way it brings in different cultures into this assassin guild is done very well.

John Wick 3 is an amazing action movie that never loses its steam throughout, and its 2 hour run times flies past, because of non-stop action that is directed and choreographed to perfection. I can't wait to see if they manage to pull off the 4th like they did here.

8.8/10