He killed a man with a book….a book!!!

As tempted as I am to end the review right here, I won’t. John Wick may go down as one of the greatest film series of all time when it is all said and done. Two years ago, Keanu Reeves solidified John Wick as a smash hit franchise that has already surpassed his role in The Matrix two decades earlier. Now he is back within arguably the most anticipated film of the year, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. If you have already seen the first two films, the only two questions now are: what is next for the world’s greatest assassin? and how can the franchise keep the monument going from the second film?

John Wick: Chapter 3 begins minutes after the events of the 2nd film. Wick is now excommunicado and only has a matter of minutes before every hitman in the world wants a piece of his 14 million dollar bounty. After seeking the help with some unlikely allies, John looks for the one man who can turn his fortunes around, which won’t be easy because everywhere he goes, someone has a bullet with his name on it.

If you thought the last film was brutal in terms of violence and gore, strap in your seats because the first 15 minutes of this film shock you, amaze you, and test your gag reflexes all at once. If you are a fan of the series, you know what to expect at this point; headshots and mêlée kills. From that aspect, you will not be disappointed because the film delivers. The John Wick series is known for its great characters and the film doesn’t waste an on-screen character yet again. Halle Berry (and her dogs) are a welcome addition to the series even if she isn’t in the film much. Anjelica Huston plays a great and scary Russian member of the high table, and newcomer Asia Kate Dillon is solid but, you going to wish she just dies by the film’s end.

My sole complaint about the film is the story, you can tell there is a clear drop off in the second act. Once the film leaves New York, the pace really comes down and it feels like the writers struggled to connect the 1st and the 3rd acts with a solid narrative. There is without a doubt moments in the movie that feel right out of a comic book film and will test your believability at times. However, it’s hard to fault them too much considering the world they have created is very much an exaggerated version of reality.

The last word on John Wick: Chapter 3 is while it is clearly the weakest of the three films, it’s still pretty damn good given the quality of its predecessors. Everything you like is still here and that is all that is going to matter at the end of the day.

3.5/5

Don’t forget to Subscribe for Updates. Also, Follow Us at Society-Reviews, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Odysee, Twitch, & Letterboxd