Movie Review - John Wick: Chapter 4

Director: Chad Stahelski
Genre: Action/ Crime
Runtime: 169 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Clancy Brown, Donnie Yen, Shamier Anderson, Hiroyuki Sanada
 
Description: John Wick (Keanu Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The high Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

Review: After his fall from the Continental Hotel in New York, it is assumed that John Wick is dead. Unfortunately, for a whole slew of individuals, that assumption turns out incorrect. Especially for The high Table. John Wick is out for revenge to earn back his freedom once and for all, but that battle proves no easy one. As the price on his head seems to rise by the minute, he travels the world in search of his enemies and former friends he can still trust.

It is quite noteworthy that an action film like “John Wick”, made for “only” $ 20 million in 2014, is now on its third sequel and we all still enjoy it. A concept that turned into a very stylish action film franchise. But what is especially noteworthy is the fact that not one of the sequels manages to lose momentum.

The fact that this fourth chapter has been given a runtime of no less than 169 minutes is proof that there is plenty of room in the universe surrounding Keanu Reeves’ John Wick. Less than three hours of stylish violence in a world full of assassins. And this film is all gas, no breaks. Director Chad Stahelski uses mainly actions scenes to stretch that, instead of dialogue. And that way, you hardly feel the almost three hour runtime.

On the quality of the scenes there is little to nothing to complain about. The payoffs are creative and spectacular and a joy to watch. During the Arc de Triomphe scene you’re constantly wondering how they did it. And the one scene in the building, where most of it is shot from the top, is the most amazing scene of the entire film, from a cinematographic point-of-view. However, some viewers might find these actions sequences too long and they go a bit too far at times. To thinking that John Wick is some kind of “über-mensch”, where he survives yet another high fall, kick or blunt to the head.   

This fourth installment again introduces a new character high up on the assassin ladder in the form of Bill Skarsgård (known best for his role as Pennywise in “It”), but it still remains extremely vague exactly how the High Table works and who is at the top of the pyramid. The main villain was kind of a let-down, I didn’t find him very threatening.  

Other cool characters were introduced though. Donnie Yen as the blind assassin Caine, even with it being a little implausible at times for him to fight the way he does, was a welcome character. And the so-called Mr. Nobody and his dog were amazing and in the movie for just the right amount.

“John Wick: Chapter 4” shows that there is still more than enough in store when it comes to John Wick and his battle with the High table. The film has a hefty running time, but I didn’t really feel that because it’s almost non-stop stylish action. The John Wick-series is a very good and solid franchise, because all the movies in it are so good. 

Rating: 4/ 5

10s Movie Review - The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

Director: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Clancy Brown, Zoe Kazan, Tom Waits, James Franco, Stephen Root, Liam Neeson, Harry Melling

Description: Six tales of life and violence in the Old West.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 25: A MOVIE WITH MULTIPLE STORYLINES
 
Review: A film by Joel and Ethan Coen is always something to look forward to. That Netflix allowed the famous brothers to make a film and gave them a free hand in it makes it even more interesting. The results is an anthology of six stories, all set in the Old West and highlighting an aspect of life in the Wild West.

“The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” has a book as a window for the narratives. An unknown person opens the book and we dive into the first story. It bears the title of the film and is delightfully ridiculous. Tim Blake Nelson plays the smiley cowboy from the title and comes across as somewhat simple. But he manages to win every fight he gets into. That;s how simple the premise of the first story is.

The other five are more or less the same, but there is enough cleverness in them and references to modern times to keep engaging. Gradually, the tone of the film also changes and the lightheartedness disappears. In ‘Meal Ticket’ Liam Neeson plays the callous impresario of a man without arms and legs. The wretch recites poems, but sees his audience shrinking. This was my favorite story. In ‘The Mortal Remains’ we follow a group of people in a carriage. This is my least favorite of the stories and a bit boring actually. Other stories stand out, like ‘Near Algodones’ where James Franco plays a bank robber, or ‘All the Gold Canyon’ with a starring role for musician Tom Waits as a prospector. The stories are not connected, so it’s sometimes difficult to get into them properly.

It’s not one of the best movies by the Coen Brothers and certainly not one of my favorites, but definitely worth a watch.

Rating: 3/ 5

90s Movie Review - Starship Troopers

Director: Paul Verhoeven
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 129 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Clancy Brown, Neil Patrick Harris, Michael Ironside, Patrick Muldoon, Eric Bruskotter, Seth Gilliam

Description: Humans in a fascist, militaristic wage war with giant alien bugs.

Review: Sometimes you’re just in the mood for a fun 90s action/ sci-fi flick. The Paul Verhoeven directed film is then a perfect choice for that. The Dutch director managed to impress audiences in his early years with strong and extremely violent action/ sci-fi films “RoboCop” and “Total Recall”, but lost confidence of American audiences with “Showgirls”. The film was labeled tasteless and pulp. Two year later, Verhoeven came back strong with “Starship Troopers” a movie that ridicules American patriotism. I have always loved this film.
Whether or not is sent a clear message to the Americans, the film was received with open arms by many fans of science fiction and explicit action. In the more than two-hour feature film we see how young students Johnny Rico, Carmen Ibanez and Dizzy Flores enlist in the army of the galactic government and fight a murderous race of alien insects species, called Arachnids. The computer-animated and powerful adversaries of humanity are imposing characters who tear apart an consume subordinate humans with great regularity and brutality while the Earth is constantly threatened by approaching meteorites coming from their home planet.
The film relies mainly on strong special and visual effects and excessive violence and bloodshed. The acting is not so great. Casper Van Dien got the role of Johnny Rico, an action hero with the looks, who signs up for the army when his girlfriend has a clear preference for men who join the resistance against the Arachnids. The role of the charming lady is played by Denise Richards, who clearly has to rely on her looks.
The filmmaker shift the focus on the acting to the background by cramming his film full of explicit scenes full of blood and gore, and he alternates the chilling visuals with a good dose of humor. Clancy Brown is the perfect choice to portray the hilarious and ruthless drill instructor Zim (I think a nod to his chilling role in “The Shawshank Redemption”), while Michael Ironside steps in to take on the incisive school teacher and Squad leader of the infantry Jean Rasczak. These are characters that give the film some extra, but underscore the fact that “Starship Troopers” is nothing more than a highly entertaining no-brainer full of excessive violence and cheesy one-liners. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that

Rating: 4/ 5

90s Movie Review - The Shawshank Redemption

Director: Frank Darabont
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 142 minutes
Year: 1994
Starring: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, Clancy Brown, James Whitmore, William Sadler, Gil Bellows

Description: Two imprisoned men, Andy (Tim Robbins) and Red (Morgan Freeman) bond over a number of years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency.

Review: In Shawshank prison, the inmates are doing serious time. Through the eyes of prisoner Red, we follow the story of Andy Dufresne who comes to Shawshank in 1947 for murdering his wife and her lover. Red and Andy become friends. Based on a story by Stephen King, the life in prison is a metaphor to real society. The prisoners settle for a life at Shawshank, they stop dreaming so nothing can get worse than it already is. The big guys get their way no matter what. Off course there is always one guy that doesn’t care, in this case Andy Dufresne. He teaches his fellow inmates to read and makes them feel normal again.
Director Frank Darabont made the short Stephen King story into a fully length movie, with some differences and more detail. He captured it so well, it easily reaches the audience and it’s a film with real people instead of characters.
The acting is sublime. Never over-the-top, very timide yet convincing. The chemistry between Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman is amazing, you can feel it in every bone in your body. Their friendship is honest and heartfelt. Also Clancy Brown, as the relentless prison guard Hadley, and Bob Gunton, as warden Norton, are very strong in their roles.
This movie really took my breath away when I first saw it, and still after watching it so many times it does that exact same thing. Only a perfect movie can do that. A great story, fantastic acting, beautiful music and off course that great scene (we all know it). For me still the best movie in the books.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 106: Little Evil

Director: Eli Craig
Genre: Comedy/ Horror
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Adam Scott, Evangeline Lilly, Clancy Brown, Sally Field, Donald Faison

Description: Gary (Adam Scott), who has just married Samantha (Evangeline Lilly), the woman of his dreams, discovers that her six-year-old son may be the Antichrist.

Review: “Little Evil” follows Gary, who just married the woman of his dreams Samantha. She has a son, who Gary never really bonded with. Because he thinks Lucas is the antichrist.
“Little Evil” is a mix of comedy and horror, but it’s more comedy than it is horror. A movie like “This is the End” had the same set up, but is a lot more clever and sharp then this movie. The first half of the film is funny, I really liked that part. But towards the end I didn’t enjoy it as much.
Adam Scott is really fun, I always enjoy watching him in movies. In “Krampus”, which was also a horror and comedy mix, I liked him a bit more.
“Little Evil” is still fun to watch, but don’t expect too much.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 164: Homefront

Director: Gary Fleder

Genre: Action/ Crime/ Thriller

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2013

Starring: Jason Statham, James Franco, Winona Ryder, Kate Bosworth, Frank Grillo, Clancy Brown

Description: A former DEA agent (Jason Statham) moves his family to a quiet town, where he soon tangles with a local meth druglord

Review: In the opening scene of “Homefront” we see how Phil Broker infiltrates a drugs lab. One of the gang members has to watch his son being killed. The bad guys is going to jail and Broker starts a new life with his daughter Maddy. He does this in a town nearby and it’s hard for Broker to stay low. He draws the attention of the wrong people after his daughter gets into a fight with a classmate.

When Broker humiliates the aggressive father on the parking lot of his daughter’s school. Mother Cassie asks her brother Gator for help. When Gator breaks into Broker’s house, he finds evidence of him being an undercover agent.

Although this really sounds dumb, the movie isn’t half bad. Jason Statham is pretty good in this film and so are James Franco and Winona Ryder as the bad guys. “Homefront” isn’t anything special, but it’s better than you’d expect it to be.

It’s simple entertainment, a perfect no-brainer.

Rating: 3/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2015 - # 128: A Nightmare On Elm Street (Remake)

Director: Samuel Bayer

Genre: Horror/ Thriller

Runtime: 98 minutes

Year: 2010

Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Katie Cassidy, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Thomas Dekker, Kellan Lutz, Clancy Brown, Connie Britton

Description: The spectre of a dead child rapist haunts the children of the parents who murdered him, stalking and killing them in their dreams.

Review: In 1984 an icon was born. That’s when sadistic murderer Freddy Krueger started haunting dreams and killing his victims. There were a lot of sequels and spin-offs. So in 2010 it was time for a remake, because we didn’t have that yet. And I really wished we never had.

A remake, it doesn’t sound as fun as it is. Especially not when you know Michael Bay produced it.

First the casting. They are hardly credible, because they are supposed to be sixteen and look much older. And their performance is very bland as well. It’s just very uninteresting to watch them for one and a half hour. It even appears that actress Rooney Mara hated to be in this movie so much, she almost decided to quit acting.

In this film, Jackie Earle Haley plays the role of Freddy Krueger. His performance is okay. The strong point of the original was that we never completely saw Freddy, just parts and shades. Now we see him in full glory, already very early in the film. And where the first Freddy looked like an actual burned man, this one is clearly wearing make-up. With that, Wes Craven’s film was scary because of the suspense and the sinister atmosphere. Bayer doesn’t manage that at all, because he shows us too much of Freddy and even Freddy’s past. No mystery left for us. And the jump scares only come from loud sound effects, not the actual events in the film.

If you expected anything new, don’t. Some scenes were actually literally recycled. “A Nightmare On Elm Street” doesn’t add anything, a good example of an unnecessary remake.

Rating: 1,5/ 5