The John Wick franchise has redefined the action film industry and the genre. It gave birth to a new concept of cinematography and improved the power of storytelling through action rather than dialogue. Martial arts emerged as a new favorite medium of parlay and redefined how it could be incorporated into modern movies with a unique twist.
Every film in the Wick franchise has held up those ideals and values and only managed to be bigger and bolder with each sequel. However, of the 4 films, not all are equally masterfully curated and treasured.
With the franchise now gearing up for a fifth film, it might be time to look back and reexamine some of Keanu Reeves‘s work in the franchise. Below is a list of every John Wick movie made, ranked from least to most rewatchable.
4. John Wick: Chapter 2
While stylishly slick in both visuals and action from start to finish, the second film of the franchise is one of its weaker entries for straying away from its main character’s story. Instead, Chapter 2 becomes embroiled in the politics of the High Table, a grapple for power, and far too much backstabbing and double crossing for the honor-coded, rule-abiding world of assassins.
In no way does Keanu Reeves fall short of stunning the audience with his action and near-supernatural death-defying skills. Things come to a head twice – in a New York subway (where the fans finally witness Wick killing two assassins with a pencil) and a museum (where an extensive showdown feels like a worthy ending to yet another Wick story).
However, Chapter 2 loses the plot in the third act after Wick is shown to carry out an irrationally infuriating act of vengeance that sets off the events of the third film. Wick executing Santiago is not shocking because of its implications. Instead, the plot demeans Wick’s intelligence by showing how easy it is to taunt the assassin into committing an act that could endanger him.
3. John Wick: Chapter 4
Burdened by the weight of its own legacy and audience expectation, the latest entry in the Wick franchise needs some toning down of its cinematic ambition. Though perfect in every facet of its execution, the script feels somewhat bogged down by the motive and arc of Bill Skarsgård‘s psychotic character, the Marquis.
Story-wise, Chapter 4 becomes less precious than the initial movies because it doesn’t feel exclusive and grounded anymore. Right from the get-go, director Chad Stahelski’s vision comes across as artificially grand and feels too forced with the Western-style shootout in the desert.
The film takes the action straight to the heart of Paris and features some of the most iconic locations, such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. And though that makes for a nice backdrop, it loses the grittier essence of John Wick’s origin movie in favor of a grand spectacle.
Though lavishly stitched together from beginning to end, Chapter 4 comes across as a stylish watch and an entertaining film, but without the humility, grounded, and introspective setting of the first film, this is definitely not the most rewatchable in the franchise.
2. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
The third film in the Wick franchise fixes the “flaws” of its predecessor. The film evolves as it sets an unprecedented tone and pacing of its unraveling story, taking Wick from New York to Casablanca and back again.
Unlike the big and boisterous spectacle of the fourth movie, some of the best scenes in this film come from dark underground alleyways and shady fights in a maze-like qasbah. Parabellum becomes iconic right from the start as John is declared excommunicado, the countdown is set while Wick races against time to reach safety, and assassins everywhere join the hunt for the Boogeyman.
Despite all that, who can forget the iconic scene between Wick and the Doctor at the start? Or the underwater gunfight in the middle? Or the stinging betrayal from Winston in the end?
From its bleak second act to the tightly-paced finale, Parabellum keeps surprising the audience with its battle settings, be it in the slick streets of Manhattan or a Moroccan fortress, or the highly secured interiors of the Continental itself.
1. John Wick
There is not much need to argue for the case of the first film in the series. John Wick is as iconic as it gets: for introducing the impossibly stylish world of the secret international assassins’ guild, building the mythical reputation of Wick, and for the sordid tragedy of the dog that began it all.
Right from the get-go, John Wick throws us off by introducing a luxurious, sophisticated, and honor-coded world of the assassins’ shadowy underworld. Gold coins, tailor shops, and armory keepers who speak as though they are serving a four-course Michelin meal at a fine dining parlor: all of it hypnotizes the fans and makes it easy to fall in love with Wick’s world.
What makes John Wick more precious is the epic gunfights in the film, Wick’s near superhuman will, the combination of martial arts and weaponry in a new style called the gun-fu, and the terrifying introduction of the lore of the man who is sent to kill the boogeyman.
In the grounded, gritty, neon-lit, and bloody world of John Wick, the first film is the most rewatchable of all for the sheer scope of its cinematic masterpiece.
Below is a table listing the ratings of all 4 John Wick films:
Which of the four films is to your best liking? Let us know in the comments.
All four John Wick films are currently available to stream on Hulu.
