Mad At The Movie

Do you love mindless violence? Guns? Men in suits? Disabled representation? The lie-est action movie ever? Keanu Reeves and Bill Skarsgård? Well John Wick: Chapter 4 has it all.

This all started three movies earlier, when some prick, killed John’s dog, a gift from his late wife. Why would they wake the Boogeyman? John is a retired assassin that has put all that behind him. “Just when I thought I was out. They pull me back in”. Now they have gone and forced him back into the life. The man cannot get a moment of peace.

I was running a bit late to this movie because I have poor time management skills. We missed the first 10 minutes of the movie and my friend was quite angry with me, even after I googled the plot and read out what we had missed, hardly anything really, just the first sentence on Wikipedia. Is that really something to hold a grudge over?

The movie, where I caught it, starts with a lovely surprise for me, as the Marquis is Bill Skarsgård. If you don’t know who that is, do you know Pennywise from Stephen King’s IT (2017)? Bill has this beautiful psycho look in his eyes that I quite like. Anyway, the Marquis calls Winston in his office to punish him because John is still running around offing everyone who dares to go after him. Much to the High Tables’ dismay. How can we respect a committee that cant even keep one man in line? Definitely bad for business. The punishment, maybe it does fit the crime but as a fan of Winston and Charon, it was much too harsh to me. It’s one thing if Winston was just labelled as excommunicado and lost all his benefits, but to destroy his hotel, make him excommunicado and kill his concierge? I, too, would be seeking revenge.

John is a lovely guy, devoted husband, good dog dad, but a good friend? I don’t think so. I know the Bible says “greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” (John 15:13) but isn’t that just too much? Koji, lost his hotel and his life. All in the name of protecting his friend. What many challenges had they faced and overcame in their youth for him to go that far for John? Caine is unscrupulous and chose himself and his family. Man said my daughter might die? Best to kill John, thanks for the memories, you know its not personal. I cant blame Caine, there are some people you love more than others. Would sacrifice a thousand souls to save that one. The juxtaposition of his friends who are both fathers to daughters is too funny. Koji would die for John leaving his own fatherless while Caine would kill John to protect his own.

I must say though, I was shocked that Caine killed Koji like hello? Did you have to do that? Did all the years and time spent together mean nothing to you. I guess the grace was used up in not killing Akira.

I would hate John until I died, my last breath would be cursing his name and any descendants of his. He brought chaos to my life. Uprooted everything I know and got my father killed. Unforgivable.

From the day John buried his wife, he has not known peace. The man has to be grieving about everything, he must be so tired. Mentally exhausted from always fighting, always moving, never getting a moment to rest to just be.

Let’s talk about how John is a world traveller as a wanted man or no one wants him? He has been to about 3 different countries from the start of the movie and he’s still travelling. He had to go to Berlin to get reinstated into his crime family. Katia has all right to be harsh on John, you turned your back on the family. How could you! So of course, it is only natural that he had to do one of the 12 labours of Hercules to get reinstated into the family.

The nightclub scene was beautifully done, I enjoyed the fighting sequence in it. Me, personally, anywhere I go and people starting fighting, I have to take my leave. I wont be dying here. I thought John was going to decapitate him in front of everyone, traumatising the partygoers forever, but he didn’t, even though I’m not sure if what he did was any better.

I don’t remember the order of this scene but I have to talk about how stupid Mr. Nobody is, why would you go to the stables of the Marquis and try to squeeze more money out of him, are you silly? He is lucky to not have been gutted like a fish just for being there. A small stab through his hand is the price he has to pay for his arrogance.

Back to John killing Killa, he got reinstated and could officially challenge the Marquis to a duel, much to the Marquis’ dismay and frustration. How many assassins does it take to kill one man?

This stairway scene infuriated me. Head almost exploded. Why did he just keep falling down the stairs? A normal person would be greatly concussed, and bleeding profusely internally and externally. How does John still have it in him to go on? A man with nothing to live for is truly dangerous. I don’t want to spoil everything so I will leave what exactly takes place in the duel out, but hubris, ego and overconfidence will always lead to man’s downfall.

John Wick is the epitome of lie show. When Jamaicans say “lie like show” they are referring to John Wick. The action sequences in it are like no other, you really have to applaud the director, writers, stunt team, set designers and just everyone who had and hand in this movie coming together. Just to conceptualise it is a great feat but to execute it. Wow you all did your big ones. There’s not a moment in John Wick where you ever think this could happen, this is realistic. No, no one could ever replicate these things. How has this one man taken such a beating yet refuses to die. Internal bleeding or an aneurysm should have taken him out. Are his bones made of steel? Even at the end when his grave is shown beside his wife it just doesn’t seem real. No way he really died and was buried. This man can die? Is he not a god? A demi god, at least. His feats rivalled that of Heracles and Achilles. Actually, Achilles is more fitting, a man that has so much power and strength in battle but died from one injury, a seemingly simple injury compared to all he had to endure before. All because he had to avenge his love (Patroclus is John’s wife).

The stories of the Boogey-man, Baba Yaga, the man who could kill a thousand men will be nothing but a legend, myths existing only in a time long passed.

I really enjoyed watching John Wick 4, I don’t remember if I cried but I think I did, at least shed a tear, it was a very emotional roller coaster for me. John Wick is one of the only action franchises I follow up, the movies never disappoint in anyway and keeps you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

Thanks for reading! Mad was just at the movie, this was an enjoyable watch. See you next time to find out if/why I’m Mad at the Movie!