John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is brutal. There’s no other word to describe the 2 hour action-fest from returning series director Chad Stahelski. But despite it’s lengthy title John Wick 3 is lean and mean. Wasting no time on extraneous dialogue or set-ups, the film gets on with the action straight away, and how bloody that action is. Just when you think they can’t top the action of the previous film, Stahelski delivers the most impressive set-pieces in the franchise to date (and possibly action movie history), as well as bringing us attack dogs led by Halle Berry. If that doesn’t get you in the cinema, stop reading now.
Parabellum picks up immediately after the events of Chapter 2, continuing the saga of John Wick’s hellish week which began so long ago with his poor puppy’s death. Injured and on the run, Wick has an hour to prepare himself before the contract on his head goes public. Stahelski uses this brief prologue sequence to dial up the tension of the coming conflict, having John run across New York city through the rain and past numerous assassins – each hiding in plain sight amongst the public to take stock of their soon-to-be prey. When the clock chimes 6pm, the chaos unleashes and it’s from that point on that we as viewers barely get a chance to catch our breath. The third instalment in the franchise is almost non-stop action, opting for an extra gun fight or motorbike chase rather than further exploration of its underground assassin society. We’re given a few extra details around the assassin world that further the plot and I admire the choice not to double down again after the extensive world building of previous films. We’ve spent enough time in this world to be familiar with how it works and Stahelski relies on the incredible skills of his stunt performers and actors to entertain us, rather than drowning us in world-building exposition. When the final act kicks into gear it really is a spectacle to behold, and the continued emotional connection we’ve developed with Wick throughout the franchise means you’re on the edge of your seat as he faces off against some impossible odds.
As I’ve mentioned, the action here is not just another step, but a giant leap up in terms of scope and duration. Chapter 3 features about as many action scenes as the last two films combined, if not more, and it’s almost exhausting to watch in the best possible way. As a viewer you’re always tense and fearful for John as he escapes countless near death situations, and it takes its toll on you by the time the credits have rolled. My favourite fight scene of the film – and you have plenty to choose from – involved Wick facing off against a group of shinobi in a hallway lined with cabinets of knives. What starts off as a thrilling hand-to-hand martial arts fight quickly escalates once the knives (and axes) come into play, and I was transfixed as the camera spun around to keep me deep in the action – while still showing what every player in the scene was doing at any given time. This type of camerawork showcases the impressive work of Keanu Reeves and the stunt teams as the long pans and fixed angle shots allow us to see the action in all its glory. It’s something that’s not exactly new here – all the action in the series has been consistently well shot – however it’s taken up a notch here by the scale of the fights and some impressive additions to the stunt performers.
Newcomers to the franchise Cecep Arif Rahman and Yayan Ruhian get a chance to show why they are two of the finest working stunt actors in the world today. Known for their work in The Raid series, the two actors square off against Keanu in a martial-arts heavy fight scene, with many winks and nods thrown in to their previous stunt work, as well as an acknowledgement of the friendly rivalry between The Raid and John Wick franchises – arguably two of the best action franchises around today. They are joined by another fresh face Mark Dacascos, who plays shinobi leader Zero. Not only does Dacascos showcase his impressive stunt abilities, squaring off against many enemies with brutal efficiency and acrobatic skill, he also brings some much needed levity to the proceedings – Zero is something of a fan-boy of John Wick and makes no effort to hide it. Humour has never been this franchises strong point but it’s a welcome addition here that lets off some of the tension built up through the action.
Returning franchise veterans Ian McShane and Lawrence Fishburne reprise their roles as Winston and the Bowery King respectively, delivering some of their finest work to date. McShane in particular has a much larger role than in previous instalments, dealing with the consequences of aiding John in the last film. He plays the role with his usual stoic charm, but underpinned this time around with fear and anger. The Adjudicator, a new character played by Asia Kate Dillon, is instrumental in bringing out these emotions, acting as a representative of the High Table – the rulers of the assassin world – who aim to bring Winston and the Bowery King to justice for their association with the excommunicated Wick. Dillon plays the role with a little too much smugness and the character simply becomes annoying to listen to rather than instilling a sense of dread – taking away the impact of the news she delivers to the various high-ranking assassins in the film. The last character worth noting here is Sofia, played by Halle Berry, who makes a triumphant return to the action genre here (I’m talking specifically about her role in Die Another Day: a guilty pleasure). Whilst it’s not the best performance of hers in terms of acting quality, Berry did perform all her own stunts and the skills she puts on display, particularly her proficiency with guns, is exciting to watch. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the attack dogs again – Sofia’s personal hounds who bring some truly vicious punishments down on anyone unwise enough to cross her and John. It’s yet another example of how the franchise plays with the notions of conventional action cinema and I was constantly scanning the scene for the next entrance of the dogs.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum does what you didn’t think was possible and ups the ante from the last film. Whilst the acting and story take a backseat to the action here, it’s s conscious choice and easily forgivable when the action is this good. Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves have cemented themselves as a winning partnership in action cinema with this film, and in traditional John Wick style, leave the ending open for more adventures of the expert assassin. It’s hard to believe they can top this, but if anyone can do it, it’s this pair and they have more than earned our trust at this point.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum stars Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Lawrence Fishburne, Asia Kate Dillon & Mark Dacascos – in cinemas now.