John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum features some of the series’ most inventive, most satisfyingly kill-happy scenes. Its plot also tends to get in the way, particularly during the middle. At 131 minutes, this relatively straightforward story is far too long, though the sequel - set to be released in 2023 - could change that. If all of the new characters introduced throughout pay off later, this film may seem less bloated than it does now.

Excommunicated from the secret society of assassins whose operatives are everywhere, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is now on the run with a $14 million bounty on his head. Seeking to escape the innumerable mercenaries on his tail, he begins cashing in favors from his former allies. Unfortunately, even those only take him so far.

It’s hard to pick which of this film’s many action scenes is the best. There’s one set in a library where John uses a thick tome in a way you’ve never seen before. This man really can use ANYTHING to fill another grave. If I were to choose, I think I’d have to go with another sequence, however. It’s set in a museum full of knives, axes, and other edge weapons. The choreography as the glasses cases are broken and the weapons are taken out is unbelievable. It’s so good you can’t turn away, even when someone gets their brutal comeuppance.

There’s more to Parabellum than just seeing John execute wave after wave of killers, however. There’s a plot that digs deeper into the world of the High Table. We learn more about who John was before he met Helen. More of the inner workings of the society are shown through “The Adjudicator” (Asia Kate Dillon) and several assassins who want to take down John… because they’re huge fans of his. It confirms our suspicions: the Continental is merely a piece of this huge society that operates as a world of its own. From the tattoo-clad Operators to the Concierge of the Continental Hotel (Lance Reddick) to the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) and his legions of turncoats dressed up like vagrants on every street corner, it makes so little sense it makes perfect sense.

One of the defining features of the series has been its New York location. John is always on the run - either chasing or escaping from someone. This means we’ve visited many of the city’s landmarks and several have been given a new identity within this world. This is one of the reasons why an extended sequence where John travels to Casablanca is off-putting. Though Sofia Al-Azwar (Halle Berry) is an interesting character with a fighting style all of her own, did this movie really need to travel all the way to Morocco? In the end, you know John’s business will have to be settled back in New York anyway, so all of these meetings he has with the Berrada (Jerome Flynn) and with the “Elder” (Saïd Taghmaoui) seem unnecessary. It’s cool for the movie to have aspirations to be more than an action film but some of this feels like it would fit better in a spinoff movie. I’m saying this because this road through the desert brings us to a movie pet peeve of mine: someone loses a finger. This sort of injury creates a wall between the story and the audience. We know they didn’t REALLY chop off the actor’s digit so in every scene from then on, your eyes always drift back to their hand to see if you can spot a gaffe. The finger is taken off as a display of fealty but it could’ve been done a thousand different ways. Why this?

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum may be the least of the series but it also contains action scenes so good they make what we saw earlier seem like nothing. Those opening moments, in particular, will knock your socks off, so much that even if the film drags towards the middle, you’ll still be entranced by this ballet of blood and bullets. This is an ambitious film with spectacular martial arts set pieces, the likes of which most other action franchises could only dream of. (June 24, 2022)

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)

Directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

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2014's John Wick looked as though it was just a smarter revenge action film. Light on plot, heavy on the action. Little did we know, the series had big plans. John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum wants to deliver much more than superbly choreographed and creative action scenes. The way it sets up for a fourth chapter, however, may make it ambitious to a fault.

Excommunicated from the secret society of assassins whose operatives seem to be everywhere, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is now on the run with a $14 million bounty on his head. Seeking to escape the innumerable mercenaries on his tail, he begins cashing in favors from his former allies but even those only take him so far.

Director Chad Stahelski delivers one wonderfully grisly demise after another. Whether someone’s getting a bullet to the head, a knife to the throat or has their skull caved in thanks to a well-placed book (you read that right), not much can prepare you for the glorious violence of Parabellum (whose meaning is revealed in a great moment courtesy of Ian McShane). The theater is the best place to see it, as you’ll be surrounded by dozens of groans and sadistic laughs. Best of all, this is meticulously choreographed and mapped action. You can always tell where John Wick is, how many opponents he’s fighting, where each weapon they’ve been throwing is now located, and what significant damage has been done to the environment. This is a movie where the bullet holes in the glass ceiling matter. I cannot overemphasize how satisfying it is to be able to anticipate and be surprised to see every action pay off. You admire the film for the artistry of its combat alone.

John Wick Chapter 3 is at a bit of a disadvantage right now. I’ve no doubt we’ll see a fourth and that all of the elements introduced here will pay off eventually. They better, as this film lasts 131 minutes. You could easily chop at least a quarter of an hour from it by eliminating Halle Berry’s character, Sofia, who specializes in supplementing her marksman skills with a pair of attack dogs. She's plenty cool… but again, over 2 hours? I’ll gladly re-review the film down the line but for now, I’m letting you know the conclusion is somewhat unsatisfying because it’s just another setup for more.

A film like John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum shows Keanu Reeves at his best. His physical performance is incredible and when the story calls for him to just act, he’s excellent too. While the picture may overindulge in its storytelling, the world it sets up keeps getting more interesting and the action scenes are so good you can’t wait to see more. (Theatrical version on the big screen, May 20, 2019)

***Fotografia ricordo