‘John Wick — Chapter 3 — Parabellum’ simply demands to be seen

By Chic DiCiccio

“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” has one big problem: it firmly establishes that the main character cannot be stopped. John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is a monolithic force, smartly dressed and always ready to take out his enemies by any means necessary. The thing is … that’s fine. Reeves’ Wick dispenses justice based on his and his world’s definition of right and wrong while we gleefully watch, knowing full well that he’s never going to stop breathing. And why do we root for this murder machine? Easy. It’s because two movies ago, some jerk killed his dog. 

Of course, there’s more to it than that. “John Wick” established him as a principled assassin who wanted nothing more than to live a normal life while mourning the loss of his wife. It briefly hinted at some kind of hitman underworld and then “John Wick: Chapter 2” created a fantastic reality for John to continue playing in. “Chapter 3” turns the tables and John is now tasked with tearing that world down.

That world is controlled by a group called The High Table and they control The Continental, the New York hotel that is a safe haven for killers and run by John’s pal, Winston (Ian McShane). “Chapter 3” starts with John trying to escape New York after the events of “Chapter 2” landed him on every assassins’ most wanted list for breaking Continental rules and killing someone inside the hotel. The bounty on John’s head is $14 million, which brings out every killer in the city. 

One of them is Zero (Mark Dacascos, yes, the guy from “Iron Chef”), a ninja killer who daylights as a sushi chef. He’s been ordered to take out all the people that helped John by a truly creepy High Table associate who is simply called The Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon). The Adjudicator has put Winston, the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) and John Wick’s mentor and teacher, the Director (Anjelica Huston), on the kill list. 

John does get to leave rain-soaked NYC for sunny Casablanca, where he collects a debt from Sofia (Halle Berry), the proprietor of the Morocco Continental branch. She helps him, well, kill more people. Like John, Sofia is a dog person and as long as her two German Shepherds get to come along, get her a spinoff movie ASAP. 

The action is nonstop and is as much high art as choreographed dance is. Director Chad Stahelski has somehow topped his two previous “John Wick” entries and potentially made one of the greatest action movies of all time. There are too many insanely beautiful sequences to mention, but there is a knife fight that should leave jaws dropped. He and cinematographer Dan Lausten should be applauded and receive award recognition … but they won’t since this is just an “action movie.” 

None of it works without Keanu Reeves. His quiet, less is more approach to the role only fuels John’s stoicism and makes him that much more appealing. Also, based on the lengthy, unedited close ups of the action, Reeves is doing most, if not all of his own stunts. It’s as physical a performance from an actor that you may ever see. 

If you aren’t sold on this franchise by now then “Chapter 3” probably isn’t for you, but you’ll be missing out on the best action movie since “Mad Max.” 

Not only that, but then you won’t see Keanu ride a horse through New York City, and that simply demands to be seen.