Critic’s Rating: 4.0/5
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Story: John Wick (Keanu Reeves) becomes the target of assasins around the globe after a bounty of $14 million is placed on his head.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum Review: In the third instalment of the ‘John Wick’ series, the famed assassin is declared ‘excommunicado’ after breaking the code of the High Table in the Continental lounge. Now on the run with a price tag of 14 million dollars, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) must fend for himself yet again, as all the assassins and hit men/women in the world are gunning for him. The ‘John Wick’ series continues to expand on the universe it established in the previous two films by introducing a whole new set of characters along with some returning vital players.
Ian McShane & Lance Reddick reprise their roles as Winston & Charon respectively, with the latter doing a lot more than merely serving guests at the concierge. Watch out for Silat masters Cecep Arif Rahman & Yayan Ruhian in arguably one of the most stunning pieces of fight choreography seen in this series so far, and that’s an extremely high bar to meet. Mark Dacascos is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the best martial artists. He lends so much charisma to Zero that he often ends up being a scene-stealer while gracing the film with yet another breathless and nail-biting sequence. Asia Kate Dillon is menacing as the Adjudicator of the High Table and makes her presence felt. But the real MVP amongst all the new characters is Halle Berry as Sofia, a dog-loving assassin and John’s old friend. It’s safe to say her hounds redeem the death of the puppy which started this whole series, much to the delight of canine-lovers.
Driven by the notion of rules and consequences, the plot is standard and straightforward, so don’t expect anything more profound than what you see. But ‘Parabellum’ more than makes up for what it lacks in depth, with stunning visuals and captivating action. There’s little sense to the proceedings, and yet, you’ll be so utterly gobsmacked by the beauty in destruction, that logic won’t matter. Keanu Reeves puts in the hard work to allow for long takes and steady camerawork to make each dynamic movement register with impact. Helmed by director Chad Stahelski again after ‘John Wick 2’, ‘Parabellum’ plays to the actor’s strengths, allowing him to do what he does best. If the makers maintain this level of masterful execution, Keanu Reeves can continue to play this violent & virtually indestructible killing machine, and action lovers will gladly lap it up till the end of time. ‘Parabellum’ is an essential entry to this series and one that cannot be missed.