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shamrockqueen · 1 year

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Train Delay

Pairing : Mobster Yuri Boyka x Reader

Warnings : Semi-Public sex, Grabbing him in a public space, rough fuck, smut (18 or over only), tearing clothes, spitting

Word count : 2395

AO3 page Link

It’s just an average daily ride on the train. The metal beast hissed to a halt, and all the passengers at the station shambled on. The conductor announced the next stop and it lurched forward as it started back up again.

It’s all like clockwork..more or less.

At 6:15 the train arrives (15 minutes late); at 6:25 it leaves the station. Everyone is to be seated by the time the train has departed, that’s when the men leave the front of the train to take their tribute from all the passengers.

Each person hands over a little wad of cash to the large man as he walks down the aisle, and they are allowed to go about their own business.

The mob has run the train since you were a little girl riding with your mother, and not much has changed other than their going rate.

You could have driven a dozen times over by now, but you choose to take the more dangerous way into town just to see him. The large bear-like man in front of the train car, ready to collect the cash for his boss.

He had been the center of your attention since you’d started taking the train into the city about a month back. Your car battery had given out and you had to catch the next public transport out of town.

You remembered the rules and had some money ready when this beautiful burly man stepped in. His heavy boots made the old metal squeak under his feet as he made his way down the row of seats.

Your hand shook as you curled it around your few dollars. The definition in his muscles could even be seen from where his shirt was clinging to his body from the little opening in his coat. The v at the top showed off the dusting of chest hair, and you knew if you got to run your hand down his torso you’d just melt on top of him.

His beard was well trimmed but still thick, and the same could be said about the line of hair at the top of his head in a flat mohawk with a buzz cut on each side.

When you hesitated to hand him the cash that day; too zoned out, staring at him; he’d barked at you to quit stalling, and your heart nearly leapt from your chest.

By the next day you were back on the train, and the same as every morning he was seen walking down the aisle to collect the money. You’re seated at the back of the train-car as you waited for him to make his way to you.

You hold the little wad of money in your left hand with the aisle of the train to your right.

When he made it to your seat, he huffed an irritated sigh, but instead of asking you to hand it over, he'd begrudgingly leaned in above you to take the cash. His peck brushed your shoulder as he towered over you and it left you holding your breath.

You didn’t know what had come over you at that moment, and in a split second your hand pressed to his clothed crotch. The shaft of his cock was in your very grasp through his thick jeans, and the mere thought of its actual size made you sweat. You hear his voice catch in his throat with a grunt before he looks back at you with his jaw nearly hitting your lap.

Your hand was there for just a moment as your terror filled eyes met his dark gaze. You're basically holding your breath until you quickly let go, but he doesn’t move just yet. He leans back up slowly before twisting his head to the side with a pop from his neck joint.

He shakes himself out of the uneasy headspace, and walks past you to collect the rest of the money before leaving through the door at the front of the train car.

You were terrified. You didn’t mean to do something so obscene, it’s like your muscles were moving on their own. You basically just assaulted a man on the train. A MOBSTER no less, and you grabbed his dick in broad daylight!

Your heart was pounding so hard you could feel it rocking your body back and forth. If it beat any faster, it would pop right out of your tiny body, successfully spraying half the train in a hefty coat of red regret.

You wanted to sink into the frayed pleather of your seat as you fretted for the rest of the ride, not taking notice of a pair of brown eyes staring daggers at you through the glass of the door sitting at the front of the train car.

Even as the old metal creaks and the train shakes on the uneven track, his gaze never wavered.

When you finally arrived at your station it was a lurch of pure relief, and you couldn’t get away fast enough. You practically bolted out of your seat to push at the door before it even opened. Your haste only garnered a few unsavory stares, but by the time you’d rushed out of the train, nobody cared about this strange lady running towards the women’s restroom.

You needed to take refuge in the only small space you could find. You push through the door and grab ahold of the nearest sink. The stalls were empty and the bathroom nice and quiet. You’d think you were finally free to be a nervous wreck in peace, but you’d be a fool for believing so.

Not once did you take notice of the thunderous thumps of heavy boots meeting the stone floor, as a greatly disgruntled entity followed not too far behind.

No, you didn’t realize that the consequences of your actions had walked aright up behind you until it burst through the door. The flimsy wood clacked against the wall and all that could be seen was that big mean mobster, brown eyes on fire as they stared you down.

“You think you can just run away?!” Those heavy boots were almost as loud as he was. Your lips lock tightly together and you can only shake your head in response. He could break you with one hand; a once exciting fantasy now filling you with fear.

Fear that still pooled in your core while making you shake before him.

‘Thump, thump, thump’ is all you here as he backed you right up against the sink “Open your fucking mouth and speak, bitch!”

“No..sir! I wasn’t running from I-I swear!” Oh, but you were, you ran away from the big bad mobster only to lead him to this secluded place where he could crack you over his knee without any witnesses.

“You think that was funny? Is this joke to you? You grab the big man and everyone will laugh?”

He waves his hands at the indication that you’d embarrassed him on purpose for a cheap chuckle.

“No, no. I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me! I swear I wasn’t joking with you!” The terror is more than evident on your little face, as you try not to get yourself broken in half by this Russian thug.

“No joke?” His big menacing body corners you back towards the sink until your dress-clad ass is squished against it. You’ll have to grip the side of the counter just to keep from backing up onto it all together. Your efforts were fruitless as each of his large hands grips you by the back of the legs and pushes you the rest of the way onto the counter.

Your thrown on your side and have to scramble to sit up and face him. Your little sounds of struggle bounce off the tiles walls, and yet each one falls on deaf ears. He just stands and watches as you squirm before him, hands still gripping the sides of your legs to keep you from kicking at him. But, your intentions would never be to push him away.

One of his hands slides from your thigh over the fabric of your stockings to grip your ankle. The other hand travels inward between them, letting his nails dig into the shear pantyhose and tearing at it like cheap strings.

“This what you want?!” His voice lowers, it’s almost a request as well as a warning. A softer side of him that only peers out from behind his prickly exterior. Maybe it’s his way of giving you a chance to run away from the scarier part of him. You didn’t want to run this time, but your silent at first as you knuckles turn white from gripping the countertop.

“Answer!” That softness is gone in a matter of seconds, and you stutter out “Y-yes, please. I-I want this..soo bad.”

You slowly pull your legs apart to nervously invite him in, and each of his large hands rest on your thighs where had had destroyed your stockings. It was an obstacle that needed dealt with, much like your little white cotton panties were to him now.

“Good girl. Saying please. Next you say ‘thank you’?”

You nod, but the words don’t come out. He didn’t expect an actual ‘thank you’ and in turn he doesn’t brutishly scold you this time.

He stands right between your legs, but his hand goes straight for the jugular with a tight squeeze. He leans in and bites at your lips and cheek before stealing a violent angry heady kiss, as he fumbled to unzip his jeans.

Your head is pushed too far to look down and see the shear size of what you once had against your palm. You figured it was long and thick, but now that it was hard, pink, and angry, you would have gasped at its girth and realized you would truly be ripped open.

Your breathless as he squeezes the life from your little neck, and the only sensation is his tongue wiggling around yours as the blood rushes to your head. The hand that isn’t anchored to your throat pulls at the soft white fabric that blocked your entrance in a fist full of panty.

His lips leave yours with an audible smack, and you can feel the soft head prodding at folds as it collected your slick dew before pressing into your needy little opening.

The pain of his stretch was dulled along with all of your senses until his hand unclenches from around your throat and a rush of oxygen hits your lungs and brain. He shoved himself to the hilt, practically tearing you apart just as you took your first breath.

His hand snakes around the back of your neck to anchor you as he drags and pulls himself gingerly, giving you just a little reprieve. Now that your airways were open, a stream of moans and wails erupted from your chest to echo around the small space.

His voice was low, nearly a growl, as he dragged himself along your tight walls and hugged you close. It was like being squeezed by a hungry bear. Soft and suffocating, yet just as dangerous.

Through the dull throb of pain and the twist of sweet pleasure you can feel yourself shiver in his arms. Your core flutters and flexes around his thick cock, the the point that it almost hurts to squeeze around him.

The drag of his cock and the lingering graze of his teeth against your skin makes the dim light overhead turn into a bright white as it creeps into your vision.

His thrusts sputter as he shakes your body to meet his. Hi leans in to bite one last kiss from your lips before bottoming out and breaking past the back of your cunt. His thrusts were now sloppy and wet as he filled a complete stranger full of himself.

He can feel a little bit of it leak around his cock as a shudder runs up his spine. He could feel a chilling sweat that had built up under his coat as the cold world came creeping back in.

His knees nearly buckled underneath him and he had to rest your weight back onto the counter to keep himself steady.

He pulls himself away slowly, mesmerized by the sight of his seed spilling out of you and dripping to the floor. When he looks back up, you're still staring at him with wet needy eyes watching him tuck himself back into his jeans.

You were like a sweet little trubochki, filled to the brim with crème.

You try to plant your feet back onto the floor, but the second you touch the ground your heels go sideways.

He grabs you be the waist to steady you as he’s growling out a harsh but breathy “stand the fuck up.”

You can barely comply, and his hand shoots out to clamp down around your jaw. Your mouth is propped open by the force of his thumb and fingers digging into the sides of your face. His lips pucker slightly and a quick spurt of spit is hawked right onto your tongue.

You squeal a little as the taste of cigarettes and coffee stain your little pink muscle.

“Watch your fucking hands next time, yeah?!” His face is still close and his once booming voice was quiet and yet still dripping with aggression.

“Yes sir” you answered quickly. It was a miracle you could even breathe, let alone respond. One hand barely holding on to his sleeve; another white knuckling the porcelain edge of the sink when he lets you go. It’s almost like free-falling as your ankles shake from the strain of just holding your own body weight.

You had let go of his coat before he turned to leave you, storming his way out of the ladies room. You could still taste and even feel the wad of saliva he’d spat onto your tongue, and now, as you were alone to savor it, you let yourself take a slow swallow.

‘Next time’ will echo on and on in your head for the whole ride home.

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gorillageek27 · 6 months

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Let me tell you about one of my favorite kicks in movies

The guyver kick.

First appearaed in the 1991 scifi movie "the guyver"

Then popularised in the 2006 prison fight movie "undisputed 2" by martial artist stunt/actor scott adkins playing the character Yuri Boyka

#martial arts #scott adkins #the guyver #undisputed 2 #yuri boyka

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r1-jw-lover · 8 months

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Official John Wick Major Arcana tarot cards featuring Chapter 4 characters

Art by Julien Rico Jr, in collaboration with Lionsgate.

Sources: nerdsloveart, behance

Image descriptions below the cut:

[Start ID: 22 images featuring characters and locations from the movie "John Wick: Chapter 4" as Major Arcana tarot cards. The drawings are in black and white against a sandy beige background, and has plenty of circle motives. Roman numerals are at the top, their corresponding card title at the bottom, and the movie title "John Wick: Chapter 4" on the bottom left margin.

0: The number zero, or unnumbered, tarot card features Killa Harkan played by Scott Adkins as "The Fool". Killa is holding a 2 of spades between two fingers while giving a smug smile that shows off his set of golden teeth. He wears a ring on his right hand and the other hand is holding a stack of cards. Behind Killa is a minimalistic design resembling a casino token with details such as the diamond and clover symbols, as well as the numbers on the dice. In front of Killa is a table with two piling stacks of casino tokens, a gun, and the shadow of John Wick's head looming over a large portion of the table.

1: The number one tarot card features The Tracker or Mr. Nobody played by Shamier Anderson as "The Magician". Mr. Nobody has a smug expression on his face and is holding his rifle in a way that lets it rest slung over his shoulder. By his side is Mr. Nobody's Belgian Malinois. The backdrop consists of simplistic, grayish graphics of map vectors cropped into several circles of different sizes. There is a white-coloured infinity symbol on top of Mr. Nobody's head.

2: The number two tarot card features Rooney, aka The Ballerina, who first appeared in "John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum", as "The High Priestess". Rooney's back is facing towards us as she's performing a ballet move on a circular stage. Rooney is wearing a white crown and a dress that shows the cross tattoo on her back. In the backdrop, where Rooney's face is looking towards, are curtains with the initials "JW" written on the far ends of the frame.

3: The number three tarot card features Katia played by Natalia Tena as "The Empress". With a cool expression on her face, Katia is leaning forward against a set of railings, giving off a domineering aura. Katia is wearing a metallic necklace and a cross on her neck. Behind Katia is the crest of the Ruska Roma and a line in Russian circling around it.

4: The number four tarot card features The Bowery King played by Laurence Fishburne as "The Emperor". The Bowery King is sitting on a throne, but behind him is a pair of eyes staring menacingly at us. In front of him is a logo design with the same pair of eyes, though rendered smaller and appear less menacing, with an X crossed in between and a horizontal line capping the top of the X. At the Bowery King's feet, a few pigeons are shown in the foreground while the Brooklyn Bridge appear in the background.

5: The number five tarot card features The Elder as "The Hierophant". Behind the Elder is an Islamic floral design which extends into a more geometrical pattern. Standing in the background are two of the Elder's men.

6: The number six tarot card features John and Helen Wick, played by Keanu Reeves and Bridget Moynahan, as "The Lovers". John and Helen are smiling brightly towards each other in front of a New York night cityscape backdrop, with the Empire States building separating them at the centre. Above John and Helen is a silhouette of them pressed against each other about to kiss in front of a bright sun with the Brooklyn bridge in the background.

7: The number seven tarot card features John Wick driving his 1971 Plymouth Barracuda as "The Chariot". There is a bullet mark on the front glass pane of John Wick's car. On top is a closeup of John Wick surrounded by a circle of road markings and bullet marks.

8: The number eight tarot card features Charon played by Lance Reddick as "Strength". On top of Charon's head is the infinity symbol, and behind is a design reminiscent of a timepiece neatly decorated with knives, guns and bullets in a circle. Further behind is a faded image of the reverse side of the Gold Coin. Filling the bottom of the frame is the New York cityscape backdrop illuminated by the sun.

9: The number nine tarot card features Caine played by Donnie Yen as "The Hermit". Caine wears sunglasses and is holding a cane in his left hand and a pistol in his right. Caine's head is illuminated by a circle of bright light, which is surrounded by a dimmer, slightly bigger circle with Japanese wave patterns and then large protruding rays of black. In the backdrop are two winding trees along with a city landscape of Osaka, but they are overshadowed by Caine's black rays.

10: The number ten tarot card features L’Arc de Triomphe as "The Wheel of Fortune". The location is illustrated in such a way that looks like a clock, with the monument at the centre and twelve roads leading towards it. Surrounding the Arc de Triomphe are the letters from John Wick's name arranged in the exact order of north-west, north-east, south-west, south-east, west, north, east and south directions.

11: The number eleven tarot card features The Harbinger played by Clancy Brown as "Justice". The whole illustration is framed as if the Harbinger is contained inside an hourglass, with a half-body portrait of the Harbinger at the top and a full-body silhouette of him forming at the bottom from the sand flowing downwards. Behind the Harbinger's portrait is the Latin quote, "si vis pacem, para bellum", whereas next to the Harbinger's silhouette is a crescent moon. Along the sides of the hourglass outside are two duel pistols facing opposite directions on each side.

12: The number twelve tarot card features Koji Shimazu played by Hiroyuki Sanada as "The Hanged Man". Except for his feet, Koji is portrayed as an vertically-inverted reflection of himself on a pool of water. Koji is holding a katana and his head is surrounded by a circle of dim light and a brighter, slightly larger circle made of Japanese wave patterns. As seen in the reflection, behind him are cherry blossom trees and the Osaka city landscape.

13: The number thirteen tarot card features John Wick, aka the Baba Yaga, played by Keanu Reeves as "Death". John Wick is holding a pair of nunchucks in his right hand. Behind John Wick is a city landscape of Osaka lighted by the moon while his head is surrounded by a row of skull pictograms and two rows of bullets. There is also an faded image of the reverse side of the Gold Coin behind John Wick.

14: The number fourteen tarot card features Winston played by Ian McShane as "Temperance". Winston is holding up a wine glass with a capital C labelled on it, and there are multiple swords projecting from his back like wings. Behind Winston is the hotel name "Continental" and numerous halos of various fonts and patterns, along with the cityscape of New York, with the Statue of Liberty and the Empire States building in sight.

15: The number fifteen tarot card features The Marquis, Vincent Bisset de Gramont, played by Bill Skarsgård as "The Devil". Behind the Marquis is his signature emblem with two black knives crossed behind his head. The emblem is surrounded by two rows of knives. In the background is the night cityscape of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in view, illuminated by a moon that is surrounded by a snake or serpent that's chasing its own tail.

16: The number sixteen tarot card features the New York Continental Hotel as "The Tower". The top floors of the Continental Hotel are being set on fire as the small dark silhouette of John Wick and the debris carried along fall from its rooftop.

17: The number seventeen tarot card features Akira played by Rina Sawayama as "The Star". Illuminating behind Akira is a star resembling a six-pointed shuriken with two Japanese stork paintings on its left and right, which is further surrounded by a circle of alternating arrow fletchings and four-pointed shuriken. Akira is holding a bow and arrow and standing tall as the bodies of two men lie dead around her. In the background are the branches of cherry blossom trees and the sun or moon shining behind Akira.

18: The number eighteen tarot card features John Wick's and Mr. Nobody's dogs as "The Moon". The two dogs are staring up at the crescent moon, which is shaped as if John Wick's head is covering portions of the full moon. Surrounding the crescent moon are small stars and a illustration of the cycle of the moon phases. The two dogs are sitting on a road leading into an ambiguous city landscape in the background.

19: The number nineteen tarot card features the Sacré-Coeur as "The Sun". The rays of the sun spread out far and wide as wisps of clouds drifts behind the giant church. A dark silhouette of John Wick can be seen on the top open window of the Sacré-Coeur.

20: The number twenty tarot card features Chidi played by Marko Zaror as "Judgement". Behind Chidi is the emblem of the Marquis with a black knife cutting across behind his head. Below Chidi are the High Table's heavily armoured soldiers who are backdropped by a big splatter of sandy beige.

21: The number twenty-one tarot card features John Wick as "The World". John Wick's back is facing towards us with his head glancing back, showing us his face. Overlayed on top of him is his surname "Wick" with the "I" replaced by a bright silhouette of a walking John Wick. A circle of bullets surrounds John Wick and bullet marks scatter around him as the emblems of the High Table, the Marquis, the Adjudicator, and the Gold Coin fill all four corners of the frame.

./End ID]

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giveamadeuschohisownmovie · 3 months

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Note: Even though he was on the list, I skipped over Rob Wiethoff. While it’d be cool to have the original VA reprise the role, Rob is apparently semi-retired from acting. Also, knowing Hollywood, he’d probably just have a cameo/minor role as a different character anyways, especially since he doesn’t look like John Marston and the studio would want an A/B-list actor in the role. Same thing happened with Troy and Ashley in HBO’s “The Last of Us”.

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evren-sadwrn · 3 months

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the most underrated people in the production of john wick films are the costume designers and the costuming team. like yes the stuntmen and choreographers are fucking awesome because they give us realistic, and beautiful fight scenes that are guttural and sometimes downright BRUTAL but the costuming team?

dear lord they give LIFE into the characters. they could have gave us the same black suit that john wick wears but no. obviously they didn’t. they didn’t have to put those cape-like coats on santino and the adjudicator but they did!! they didn’t have to give scott adkins a gold tooth but they did!! they didn’t have to give us all the adjudicator’s and vincent’s outfits but they did!! it was to breathe life into the characters

#john wick #santino d’antonio #the adjudicator #the adjudicator(dillon)#marquis vincent de gramont #marquis de gramont #vincent de gramont #costuming #costume design

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badassbutterfly1987 · 8 months

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A week ago I would have said I didn't really care about Mortal Kombat. Interesting lore and characters but other fighting games (like Street Fighter and Fatal Fury) appeal to me more. But then the new game came out and I have reluctantly embraced this Johnny Cage as my blorbo.

So this morning on a whim I decided to see if there was news about the movie sequel. It was mostly mid and made some odd writing decisions but I wanted it to succeed, partly so we can get more fighting game adaptations. Well, there's news alright.

Anyway Karl Urban is going to be Johnny Cage and I feel weird about it. I like Karl Urban. He's a good actor and I don't usually take issue with his roles. I'm sure he'll do great but it's not the choice most of us were expecting I think?

For context, the most popular fancasts: Ryan Reynolds, Scott Adkins, and less common but still comes up, Alain Moussi. The 'cocky wisecracker with a good heart' isn't exactly outside Reynold's wheelhouse, and I don't think I have to explain why the underrated martial artist actors would fit for the character whose main thing is being a martial artist actor (yes i will be petty about martial artist actors being wasted in Hollywood movies as disposable grunts; at least we have John Wick movies). There's not much in Urban's filmography that would connect him to Johnny Cage aside from being able to adapt to a variety of roles.

For an extra point of weirdness, and one that applies to above fancasts as well, is the movie still going to attempt a Sonya Blade/Johnny Cage romance? Karl Urban is 51; Sonya's actress Jessica McNamee is 35. Not the worst age gap but still noticeable and not present in the main games.

I'm sure Karl Urban will do fine, he might even perfectly fit whatever the movie's version of Johnny Cage is like. MK2 will probably be another mid movie with fun bits. It's just a little disappointing that that's all it repeatedly feels like.

#mortal kombat movie #johnny cage #just rambling #dont mind me mutuals #i think i'd feel less weird if they cast a relative unknown #because half the first movie was unknown to me #mildly irked but i'll get over it

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stewblog · 1 year

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JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4

In the lead up to its release, I’d heard no small amount of seemingly-hyperbolic praise heaped up on John Wick: Chapter 4 by friends lucky enough to see advanced screenings. Surely, I reasoned, this is merely pre-release hype fed by the thrill that comes with seeing something highly anticipated before everyone else.

I was wrong.

Believe the hype. This really is an incredible feat of moviemaking. John Wick: Chapter 4 is the rarest of sequels. Most film franchises are barely running on fumes by their third film, much less a fourth. Director Chad Stahelski and star Keanu Reeves, however, have delivered a movie with such ferocious style and breathtaking intensity that I walked away wondering if I’d hallucinated half of it.

The John Wick series has been one of consistent escalation. The first film feels almost quaint now with its eponymous protagonist leaving a miles-long trail of bodies through New York City on his sympathetic quest for vengeance. Now fully drawn back into the neon-drenched underworld he so desperately fought to leave, Mr. Wick brings his unparalleled expertise across multiple continents as we are immersed even further into this alternate reality of assassins and shadowy rulers. Chapter 3 never found the right balance of world building and characters, resulting in more than a bit of cinematic wheel-spinning, a problem Chapter 4 solves by shifting the focus from John as a loner against all odds to him navigating a web of relationships old and new in an all-out battle royale for his ultimate emancipation

He’ll just have to go through the toughest, most ruthless opponents he’s ever faced, including a former best friend, to get there. What unfolds is something exhilarating.

Chapter 4 is as much a love letter to every twin-fisted action flick Chad Stahelski has ever loved as it is a modern classic of the form. This may be the fourth time in a row that Keanu Reeves has pumped boxes of bullets into endless waves of underworld goons and assassins, but it’s an experience that he and Stahelski have honed to a mirror sheen. Throw in the likes of Hiroyuki Sanada, Scott Adkins, Rina Samayawa, Shamier Anderson and the godlike Donnie Yen and the result is the most relentless action movie since Mad Max: Fury Road. Every time you think the movie has topped itself with inventive ways to beat, slice, stab, bludgeon, whip and otherwise maim both heroes and villains, Stahelski says, “Nah, hang on.” Save for the aforementioned Fury Road, this may well be the ultimate form of an action movie, delivering a perfect blend of Asian-influenced mayhem and Stahelski’s own decades of experience as a Hollywood stuntman.

It’s a visual knock-out, too. The complexity of Wick’s action successfully escalates with each film and Chapter 4 delivers a symphony of destruction to the point where it’s nigh impossible to pick a favorite. The siege of the Osaka Continental featuring what may be the single best use of nunchucks ever in a movie? John’s rampage through a dilapidated apartment building viewed largely from a top-down perspective? A fight in and around traffic at Paris’ Arc de Triomphe that has to be seen to be believed? Any one of these would be considered the high watermark of any action director’s career.

These scenes are electric thanks to the outstanding choreography and a level of visual panache that puts every other recent film of this kind to shame. Any given environment is stunning to look at thanks to phenomenal production design and art direction (as well as Dan Laustsen’s gorgeous cinematography). But what makes these scenes as impactful as they are is something far more fundamental than fancy moves and good photography: Stahelski lets you see what’s going on. You’d think something this basic would be a principle more widely embraced, but getting a Hollywood action movie where the lighting is intentional, the edits are minimal and the camera movement precise and steady is maddeningly rare. The John Wick films at large have embraced this fundamental approach, but Chapter 4 takes it to an echelon above where even its predecessors unquestionably succeeded.

What really makes this one sing is the cast, though. Stahelski has made a habit of putting fantastic character actors throughout this series, but the additions in Chapter 4 are, as with most everything else, a cut above. Even ignoring the fact that I could listen to Clancy Brown read the phone book, the gravitas he brings to a role like The Harbinger cannot be understated. It’s abundantly clear that Bill Skarsgaard was put on this Earth exclusively to play movie villains. And Hiroyuki Sanada reminds us why he’s been a mainstay of Asian cinema since the 1960s. But it’s Donnie Yen who completely steals the show as John Wick’s friend-turned-nemesis Caine. Yen has been a mega-star of Hong Kong cinema for years, but he’s either been woefully underutilized (a la Blade II) or been cast to play second-fiddle (XXX: The Return of Xander Cage) and never given a true chance to fully shine for audiences in the West. Stahelski lets Yen cut loose in a way that is sure to blow the minds of at least a few moviegoers, and that’s on top of him playing a character that feels every bit as sympathetic as Keanu’s.

And speaking of Keanu, I’d be remiss if I didn’t talk about his work in these films. Say what you will about the quality of his acting, I dare say no award-winning actor could bring the level of commitment to authenticity and the bottled fury Reeves lets loose across these four films. Keanu Reeves could play Forrest Gump, but Tom Hanks probably couldn’t go toe-to-toe with some of cinema’s greatest martial artists. The amount of pain and abuse John Wick endures is basically superhuman at this point, but Reeves manages to make the impact land and be felt because he believes in this character and the exaggerated world he inhabits.

It feels almost miraculous that this series exists, much less that it has flourished in such a way. In a landscape filled with movies based on pre-existing intellectual property and remakes, we now have four movies bursting with creativity and originality that also serve as love letters to the inspiring source material. If this is the last we see of John Wick, there’s no better way to send him off.

#john wick #keanu reeves #lance reddick #chad stahelski #scott adkins #donnie yen #hiroyuki sanada #action movies

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the-breath-in-air · 1 year

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Look I'm not watching a John Wick movie for The Representation (TM), obviously...

But hot damn it was absolutely unnecessary to put Scott Adkins in a fat suit, and then have his villainous character sweat the whole time AND use an inhaler twice AND survive having his throat slit AND get shot in the ass AND be exceptionally difficult to kill as John hits him in the face over and over and over.

Like, come on, man. They didn't need to use every fucking stereotype about fat people.

#john wick #john wick chapter 4 #fat representation #scott adkins

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the-institute-rpg · 9 months

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EVENT : emergency lockdown

With the island still under attack, all civilians (students, faculty, and island residents) have been assigned a location on the island to shelter in. Location assignments have been sent to each phone. Characters receive only their own assignments, not the entire list.

Most guards have been summoned to fight the attackers; a handful of NPC guards have been assigned to find and deliver lost civilians to their assigned shelters; all player character guards have received orders to collect supplies from designated emergency locations and proceed to an assigned shelter to protect civilians. Guards assigned to the shelters have a list of all civilians assigned to their shelter and are expected to check each of them off on arrival.

Another explosion has left half of the dormitory building collapsed, and the other half quickly following. Characters may have been in the building when it collapsed, and escape plots/injury plots are allowed!

The island is under attack by Delphine Delecaille. While the protections were down, Delphine and many of her people made it onto the island. Among the attackers is a massive purple dragon--characters may witness the dragon flying over the island, breathing fire, but should not come up against it. They may, however, encounter as many NPC attackers of various species as you please on their way to their shelter. Characters can fight and kill NPC attackers without consulting the main and without fear of consequences!

Speaking of journeys to their shelters, your character may take any roundabout journey you like to arrive there, so long as they do, eventually, arrive there. Late arrivals are allowed. Characters may spend up to two (2) days outside of the shelter. After they arrive at the shelter, they will not be allowed out, though characters with teleportation will not be bound.

Characters will not be allowed into shelters they are not assigned to, even in the name of staying with their loved ones assigned there.

While the island is under attack, cell phones on the island are misbehaving. Texts and calls are failing 9 out of 10 times.

The protective spells have been restored, but the binding spell in particular is acting up. Bound slaves may find they have access to their powers in short spurts of up to ten or fifteen minutes at a time.

Keep your eyes peeled for plot drops throughout the event!

Lockdown locations & assignments are under the cut.

LOCKDOWN LOCATIONS

01. THE CAMPUS THEATER

ASSIGNED GUARDS: Ale Bolivar Vicente Sanchez & Liam Connolly

ASSIGNED CIVILIANS:

Alexander Black

Angelina Andrews

Belladonna Ivy

Clementine Astoria

Dakota Winters

Dominik Ruthingham

Donnie Miller

Dylan Altomare

Emmanuel Reyes

Evander Kasyade

Evelyn Stratford

Fayeth Araven

Finn Carlyle

Isabel Hai Phan

Jason Shaw

Jody Linnel

Jude Rigby

Judith Gilmore-Green

Layla DuBois

Leo Weatherington

Levi Matthews

Lucas Drake

Magnus Kusihamar

Malakai Nolan

Malon Savaris

Matthew Clarke

Nova Walker

Quinten Sawyer

Rowan Aubri

Sabrina Christiansen

Tessa Fuchs

02. THE CLINIC

ASSIGNED GUARDS: Uriel Zeriah & Milo Cole

ASSIGNED CIVILIANS:

Aiden Wentworth

Ava Montgomery

Chase Walker

Damien Black

Edmund Elofsen

Elijah Scott

Gabriel Mauchavant

Grace Carleton

Gulana Alim

Hunter Morrigan

James Donovan

Katell Brightwood

Keith Crane

Kylie Danvers

Lyssa Hudson

Margeaux Adkins

Orion Campbell

Qhuinn Fontenot

Sasha Bell

Sawyer Chambers

Scarlett McKnight

Stephen White

Sunshine Bunny

Tamara Von Uplnek

Tilly Beaumont

Tommy Heavyshield

Victor Hunt

Wat Fletcher

Theodora Wilson

Veritty Cailloux

Xavier Lennon

03. THE LIBRARY

ASSIGNED GUARDS: Kane Whelan & Raven Powers

ASSIGNED CIVILIANS:

Ace Kiran

Arthur Augustus

Atticus Carmine

Avery Fellhaven

Byron Christiansen

Charlotte Taylor

Ciaran O'Bryan

Clara Woodhouse

Daisy Lynch

Dhani Lyman

Dominick Winterford

Dougal McLeod

Elise Nyland

Elizabeth Garcia

Elliot Raws

Ethan Valdez

Everlasting

Felix Martin

Francesca Vanderbilt

Genevieve Wranmyer

James Storm

Kailor Grey

Leslie Stedeman

Lilim Morrigan

Noah Wright

Owen Jackson

Scott Landenberg

Skyler Campbell

Thalia Moore

Wade Jensen

Winter DuBois

#theinstituteevent #event #emergency lockdown

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ironwoodatl01 · 1 year

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John Wick 4: 'But why though?'

John Wick isn't 'back'. He never left. He merely bided his time till the world needed him, needed the Baba Yaga to remind the world about the necessity of doing things with Style.

The importance of Style in John Wick 4 is inversely proportional to John's regard for the generally accepted rules of a firefight. The word Style was the running theme of John Wick 4, and the film's director managed to find a dozen ways to manifest Style on the big screen and crammed them all into a 2-hour-plus action movie.

Truth be told, he shouldn't have. Truth be told? He shouldn't have.

John Wick 4 starts with John making his move against the High Table after the events of Parabellum. John's strategy in this case is to make as big a mess as he can with his first move, then pop the heads of whoever comes to clean up the mess like a macabre game of Whack-a-mole.

In response to this, the High Table empowers the Marquis De Grammont with carte blanche access to the Table's resources and unleashes their new hunting dog against the infamous Baba Yaga. The High Table's new Hound wastes no time in drawing blood wherever it can by destroying the continental hotels, starting with New York, and the deaths that result becomes one death too many in John Wick's already full ledger of souls he has dealt the Ruska Roma haircut.

John, therefore, decides to cut off the head of the snake and goes to challenge the Marquis to single combat. According to the old laws of the High Table which governs the relationships between the members who sit at the table.

Along the way, John meets up with old friends at the Continental Hotel in Osaka, duels a blind man brilliantly played by Donnie Yen, and deals with a Man-Hunter who is saving John for when John's bounty gathers the requisite number of digits and zeroes to make him worth the killing.

John also beats up Scott Adkins wearing a fat suit.

Why though?

That question, that 'why though?' That was what struck me halfway through John Wick 4. The Osaka Continental was a gorgeously designed, Japanese-Themed Hotel for Assassins. Seeing Donnie Yen fight like a blind man was a creative exercise in character design, and Scott Adkins turning a single hand of cards into a work of art was a testament to the amount of work he had put in to prepare for his rather short, but impactful role.

However, none of these new characters and locations were really interesting.

Every new character and location had a point in John Wick 2 and John Wick 3; Parabellum. The D'Antonio siblings in John Wick 2 gave us an insight into the High Table and the conflicts among the table's members.

Cassian and Ares served by introducing the concept of Bodyguards as a counterpart and a countermeasure against Assassins.

In Parabellum, the Adjudicator and the Ninjas introduce the methods the High Table relies on to enforce their rules and rule over their subjects 'Under the Table'.

Even the Ruska Roma were poignantly important as the organization gave the audience insight into John Wick's childhood as a Belarusian orphan raised to serve the High Table.

Every character and location in John Wick 2 and 3 had a purpose as they answered questions about the John Wick universe and deepened the immersion of the audience into the story of John Wick's journey through the world under the High Table.

John Wick 2 and 3 interested me. John Wick 4, however, was a mind-numbing ride through willy wonka's chocolate factory with rivers of blood instead of chocolate, and trees that bore as its fruits lead and death. It's really cool, but why? What is the point of it all?

In John Wick 4, John goes to Osaka to meet an old friend, who is also the concierge of the Osaka Continental. A fusion of neon lights and Japanese tradition that is heavily inspired by the Yakuza motif. Japan's efficient modernity, clean steel edges lit up with gaudy neon, a monolithic testament to the present day beneath which lay the rigid adherence to the traditions that underscored the 'extreme way' of the Yakuza of old.

But why did John Wick need to go to Japan? As exquisitely thought out as the Osaka Continental was, what purpose did John Wick's detour to Japan serve?

That is the issue that underlies John Wick 4, what is the purpose of the Osaka Continental? What is the purpose of the Marquis, or Caine, or the Harbinger? All of their roles in the narrative could be replaced by characters already introduced in previous movies. The Harbinger could be the Adjudicator from Parabellum, Caine could be played by Cassian from JW2, and having John resolve his differences with these characters from the previous movies may have given John Wick 4 greater impact. According to the theme that the movie had about the end of John Wick.

Ultimately, John Wick 4 was a stylish movie that introduced new, cool things that pushed the story of John Wick to a new level.

But why though? When the story of John Wick was supposed to end?

#john wick 4 #john wick chapter 4 #john wick #john wick 2 #john wick 3 #john wick 3 parabellum #jw4 #jw3 #jw2 #john wick chapter 3 #john wick chapter 2

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adamwatchesmovies · 1 year

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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

John Wick: Chapter 4 delivers the kind of expertly coordinated, clearly shot action you rarely see in movies today. 169 minutes sounds long but in execution, it isn’t. You’re excited the whole way through. The conclusion, however, leaves me with mixed feelings. Is this the last episode in the series? If it is, there are many elements that ultimately, didn’t go anywhere. If it isn’t, John Wick: Chapter 5 will have to do some serious limbo-ing to get out of the weird corner it's gotten itself into.

Continuing his campaign of vengeance against the High Table, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) provokes the Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård). His plan? Challenge him to a duel. If John wins, he will be free of all obligations towards the High Table. Unfortunately, John can only do this if he is readmitted to a crime family, a feat easier said than done.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is an action movie but I’d also compare it to an art film. The plot almost doesn’t matter. The Marquis, Elder (George Georgiou) and Harbinger (Clancy Brown) all fulfill complex roles and enforce policies/rules I’m not sure anyone understands. Narratively, the secret (?) society has all sorts of honorary traditions, which makes the plot complex but also not really. If you miss why this person is now on John's side when they weren’t before, that’s ok. What matters is the stunt coordination, cinematography, special effects and the way the results make you feel. Why do civilians keep dancing while men kill each other in the middle of a club? Because it looks good. That's why.

A world as obfuscating as this one should push you towards not caring about anything but this third sequel engages you with crazy characters and concepts that make you go “Where is this going"? Donnie Yen plays Caine, a blind assassin forced out of retirement to kill John Wick. How can someone who can’t see belong in a world that begins and ends with guns? You want to know. You want to find out what his ties to our hero are and what circumstances turned him into this Zatoichi-like warrior. Did he lose his eyesight? Was he always blind? Similarly, Scott Adkins plays Killa Harkan, this supremely greasy member of the German Table you just know has a thousand stories to tell just looking at him.

As nice as it is to have colorful characters living in a world that stretches beyond the borders of the screen, what you came for are the action scenes. Can they top what we saw before? Yes. The biggest and most impressive is a long battle shot from above which has John making his way through seemingly endless ruined rooms, taking out opponents with incendiary rounds while tracking - and being tracked - by two other opponents. You can’t even imagine how it was choreographed. The fights are flashy, full of bone-crunching stunts that will make you wince and often end in some kind of wild turn that takes you completely by surprise while giving you a tour of multiple cities. The film isn’t all that concerned with realism and is that much the better for it.

My primary criticism is that John Wick: Chapter 4 is both too close- and open-ended. This film's fallout should keep the story going but it's also very definitive as a final chapter. It's like director Chad Stahelski couldn't pick one or the other. If this is the end, it's not fully satisfactory. John Wick doesn't even share a single scene with his dog and his relationship with man's best friend is what started this campaign. Elements and characters introduced previously are forgotten (Halle Berry's Sofia, for example) or don't have the kind of payoff that makes the detour we took to get there seem worth it. Shamier Anderson as Mr. Nobody for example. His interactions with John and the Marquis are terrific, but at the end, he feels like a cool character writers Shay Hatten and Michael Finch wanted to include but ultimately, didn't know what to do with.

Anyone who has seen the previous John Wick films should see this latest installment. Even if you haven't, the visual razzle-dazzle of John Wick: Chapter 4 is worth it. Whether this is the last time we see John Wick and this world is hard to see but I hope not. Despite everything good about this picture, there are still many unanswered questions. (Theatrical version on the big screen, May 12, 2023)

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shamrockqueen · 2 months

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Wasteland paradise

Chapter 2

Pairing: Boyka X Reader (Post Apocalyptic AU/ inspired by but not in the universe of Fallout new Vegas

Warnings: R18, human trafficking, purchased reader, eventual Smut

Word count: 1793

Chapter 1

Scott Adkins Masterlist

No one ate nor drank for the next 3 days as the diesel-driven truck lumbered along the dusty landscape. Sadly, you were all too weak to protest the degrading conditions, too weak to fight back, and with too little hope for what was to come.

That was until a new sight seemed to spring up around the truck. It was a budding town surrounding the cracked road that you were all being carted along. With the change of scenery, there seemed to be a new spark of life in the back of the trailer, but whether it was a flickering flame of renewed hope or growing fear was another question.

It was still a shanty-like place, but much more put together than where you once called home. The truck came to a shaky stop, screeching just a little against the remains of pavement and kicking dust into the air and into the back of the half-open cab. It wasn’t like any of you could jump out and run, not while you were all chained to your seat.

The driver door clicked open, and the awful man that sat behind the wheel leapt from his seat before rounding towards the doors at the back of the rig. He unlatched the back hatch before jumping into the back of the truck and pulling a handful of captives out to stand in a line next to it. You were part of that unlucky group.

He doesn’t even speak to you before unhooking your chain, yanking from your seat, and leaving you to stumble forward along the dirt. The guns are up again as the hatch to the back of the truck slams shut. They’re armed and ready in case any of you feel like making the mistake of running. One of the raiders took the rope still tightly wrapped around your little wrists and tied it to the side of the truck's rigging before calling out for any potential buyers to take you off their hands.

They must not have deemed you all worth taking to the ‘acropolis’, a nifty name for a beast of a trade city situated further than you thought you'd ever reach. People say it’s hidden within an old amphitheater and spiderwebbed out in a few miles of slums. You’ve only ever heard stories of it, and from the few angry whispers you could hear from the raiders around you, if you're not sold today, you may not live long enough to see it anyway.

You must not have been particularly desirable, as thankfully not one person gave you a second glance as they came by. Yet, you couldn’t help but fidget as you fought to stay standing. You could feel some unwavering gaze drag over you, roughly like a dull blade along your skin. You couldn’t see any eyes in the passing crowd, but you knew someone was glaring at you from some unseen alcove, letting their eyes cut through to your weakened bones.

A woman tied beside you was untethered before being torn from the side of the truck and dragged towards her purchasers. Two burly men held her by each arm, but she seemed too weak to scream. Her head lulled to her shoulder as the one man shook her to stand on her own. You and the few others watched as she was led away, leaving the raiders to count the payment they received for her.

A few of the captives were picked away as the afternoon burned out, but you and at least two others remained beside the truck. At least it looked like two from what you could make out through your blurry vision.

Your time was ticking away, and as you bit down on your cracked lip and let a dribble of blood wet your tongue, you figured that at least the end would be quick. There will be no more pain, no more aches, and no more despair. You’d never have to feel the lingering burn left on your skin or the pangs of hunger in your stomach. Maybe you might see your mother once again.

You closed your eyes as the sun began to dim, wishing only for a slight breeze as you listened to the dull liveliness of the surrounding town. The Raiders spoke amongst themselves, but you didn’t listen—not until a new voice joined them. Something deep and smooth. It was neither hoarse nor graveled, only heavy, and you couldn’t stop yourself from opening your eyes and looking over at the new patron.

This man stood far taller than the raiders, but had his face and body covered from the sun with a thin cloak, as well as a scarf to protect his nose and mouth from the toxic dust that blew through the wasteland air. It left only his eyes visible, letting you feel them rake over your skin as they turned back towards you.

You felt an unerring shiver crawl up your spine as he lifted his hands and pointed at you. In the next instant, the raider was trudging towards you as you shook against the side of the trailer. Your tether was torn away and tied to a slightly longer rope, surely the better to lead you away with.

When you didn’t move with the tug of the rope, one of your captors seized the side of your arm and dragged you over to stand beside the large buyer. That way, the customer could get a better look at you.

An exchange of goods is made before the trailer is closed back up. The rope is handed to the hooded man as your previous captor smacks the back of the truck to signal the driver to leave.

This man now owned you in exchange for car parts. You knew you weren’t worth much, having not been built for hard labor, but you didn’t think your life would be worth so little.

You couldn’t believe the sight of it as the last of your kin disappeared between the rows of shanty houses. Some of those people were your friends and neighbors. After all the blood that had been shed in your own home to be severed from them, this felt like the final crooked nail being hammered into your coffin.

You didn’t know if maybe you were too tired or too dehydrated, but the tears just didn’t flow like they had days prior. You felt a pang of guilt in your chest that, after all these hardships, you had no tears left to shed as you watched the last of the people you used to know just disappear. Maybe it wasn't worth crying about anymore.

You felt a tug on the rope, pulling only slightly towards this hulking figure. It was uncharacteristically gentle, but soon he became impatient, and he started to walk with the rope held tightly in his fisted hand, towing you away with him. There isn’t anywhere left to run, and you didn’t have the energy to do so anyway, so you followed not too far behind this new man.

The town was small but bustled, at least a little bit. Many people unfortunate enough to look at you being pulled away on a lead just averted their gaze. It seemed that whatever ill will had befallen you, they didn’t want to make it their business.

He stumbled behind him, trying your best to lift your feet, only to drag them through the dust. You can't think any further than moving forward for as long as your body will allow, not realizing your poor efforts will easily be noticed.

All of a sudden, he stopped walking, leading you to absentmindedly collide with his broad back. Your legs buckled upon impact, and you crumpled towards the ground. But, you didn't hit the dirt; instead, you barely grazed it as a pair of strong, calloused hands grappled with your weak shoulders.

You sagged into his arms as he held you upright and looked down at your sorry form. You looked back, your vision blurred by the sun overhead as it darkened his figure further. He dipped his fingers into his scarf as your pupils began to shrink from the assault of sunlight.

Your world moved around you as you settled down to sit in the dirt, those hands still holding you upright as you pulled back.

Someone was talking, but it sounded strange. It got louder, and you blinked to see that large cloaked man that had once been tugging you along as he knelt over you.

He was shouting down at you to “STAY AWAKE” as he repeatedly shook your upper body so as to rouse you before exhaustion could take hold.

He had to move quickly before you fully collapsed, digging into the packs tied to his side for something to help you. One of those hands moves to cradle the side of your head, hoping to steady you as he brings his canteen close to your face.

You felt it first, the cold metal spout spreading to your cracked lips before the water hit your tongue and chilled your teeth. You gasped into the bottle as a rush of cool liquid shocked your system, making you choke on what had already flooded into your mouth.

He leaned you forward as you began to cough, your body shaking in his arms as panic overtook you. You were livelier, for sure, but only in the sense that you were squirming against his hold. He had to wrap his arm around the back of your neck, locking his hand around your jaw, and holding you tighter to his hard body just to keep you still.

“Drink. Drink, Pozhaluysta!”

His voice was barely a hum against the buzzing in your ears, but as the spout of the flask met your lips again and that water began flooding in, all your senses were dulled.

Your body finally moved on autopilot, letting you chug back the water until the flask was empty and your stomach ached.

You shuddered as he pulled it away, taking in each sharp breath like it was your first lungful of fresh air.

“khoroshaya devochka”

You pulled your eyes open, letting them go wide as his face came into view. He’d pulled the scarf away, letting it hang around his neck and leaving his face open to the mercy of the sun.

He was tall, even as he bent over to look down at you in the car. The light shone into his eyes, making their deep brown glimmer like the translucent gold of an amber stone. Yet his gaze seemed pointed as he narrowed it down at you before grabbing at the rope that was still tethered to your bound wrists and pulling you up.

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sasorikigai · 1 year

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This is an obligatory John Wick: Chapter 4 review; it will most likely be extremely biased, because first and foremost, I am an utmost fan of Hiroyuki Sanada’s work, and I have special appreciation and affection for his chemistry with Keanu Reeves (47 Ronin is one of my absolute favorite movies).

Spoilers Alert!

Objective, nearly-indisputable review of the film:

The fourth installment literally embodies all the culmination of what John Wick franchise stands for, as I dare say it stands above all the action films in regards to how much variety is there, how much visceral and adrenaline-filled action choreography was there, and also, remarkable camerawork and stunt people work. Chad Stahelski’s prowess as a stuntman definitely shows as John Wick world expands globally.

Most notable action sequences are definitely the ones taking in Paris, specifically the one around Arc de Triomphe and on the steps of Sacré Cœur.

The ensemble cast, including martial arts movie icons Donnie Yen (Caine), Hiroyuki Sanada (Shimazu), and Scott Adkins. Also, definitely enjoyed the new character ‘Mr. Nobody,’ and Rina Sawayama as Shimazu’s daughter, Akira. Bill Skarsgard as the Marquis de Gramont, the all-powerful member of the High Table (aka the criminal council Wick is waging war against) was a remarkable villain as well.

LEAVE THE DOG ALONE!!

John Wick vc.: “CONSEQUENCES.”

Killing begets more killing, and also vengeful hatred (credit scene). Shimazu Koji is killed by Caine trying to protect his daughter and John Wick. Eventually his daughter will want to take vengeance on her father’s killer.

Subjective, extremely biased review of the film:

I was very excited to know that Hiroyuki Sanada’s character was an old friend of John Wick’s, Shimazu Koji, who had trained with him. He also runs the Osaka Continental Hotel! I had more than a mere speculation that he is going to die (just like any other films Sanada has done - he has a reputation of being Japanese Sean Penn), but Shimazu died so quick and not really an hour in the movie??

I also thought Caine and John Wick’s chemistry and complicated relationship was much more compelling and intricate than the relationship between Shimazu and Wick. Obviously they exude gravitas, grace, and geniality when they share the screen and I thoroughly enjoyed that, but I really wanted to see them engage more in action sequences (preferably together, defending one another just as Wick and Caine do later in the film).

Otherwise, truly appreciated the significance of the scene they shared in the beginning (Shimazu serving Wick tea, then Japanese whiskey, I believe). And the dialogue they engage is short, but philosophical and it truly shows Shimazu’s ‘spirit of Samurai,’ as Sanada called it.

#✗ breathing iron and rust (outofkombat)#(john wick 4)#(the movie itself was excellent and I enjoyed the visceral action and excellent choreography)#(otherwise.... MEH)#(I wanted more of Sanada. A LOT MORE)

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adarshswaroop · 1 year

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#JohnWickChapter4Review: Latest Entry in #KeanuReeves Franchise Is Pure, Over-the-Top Action Spectacle

Movie Ratings - ⭐⭐⭐🌟tars

Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgard and Scott Adkins are among the newcomers for this new installment of the big-screen series about the hitman who just can't stay successfully retired.

The creatives behind the John Wick franchise must lose sleep at night thinking how they can outdo themselves with each new installment. If so, it makes a strong case for insomnia, since John Wick: Chapter 4 outdoes its formidable predecessors in nearly every respect.

Bigger, badder, bolder, longer, and featuring nearly more spectacular set pieces than one movie can comfortably handle, this epic action film practically redefines the stakes. If at times it’s hard to avoid the feeling that the excessive mayhem is coming dangerously close to overkill, that seems suitable for a film series featuring body counts higher than some wars.

“The bloodshed in Osaka was not necessary,” one character observes after a typically violent melee in a luxury hotel that leaves scores dead and the premises practically in ruins. “The bloodshed was the point,” says another. And so it is with this hugely successful series featuring Keanu Reeves as the former hitman who thought he was out, only to be pulled back in, after his beloved puppy was killed in the first film. The bloodshed is the point — or, more accurately, the amazingly choreographed and photographed action sequences that make particular use of the combination of martial arts and gunplay battling known as “gun-fu.” This edition ups the ante further, with an impressively executed car chase/gun battle through the streets of Paris — including around the Arc de Triomphe — that brings “car-fu” into the violent mix.

Things aren’t going too well for the titular character as the film begins, which for him is not unusual. The High Table, that international criminal organization that seems to run the world, is out for his blood. To that end, their representative, the Marquis (Bill Skarsgard, enjoyably playing a character only slightly less villainous than his Pennywise), puts a huge bounty on his head, attracting such freelance operatives as the Tracker (Shamier Anderson), who doesn’t go anywhere without his loyal, and very lethal, Belgian Malinois. The Marquis also hires the blind but no less dangerous Caine (Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen), a former friend of Wick’s who only accepts the assignment because the High Table will kill his daughter if he doesn’t.

Things aren’t going so well for Wick’s friends, either. Early in the proceedings, the High Table’s emissary, known as the Harbinger (Clancy Brown), shows up at the New York Continental Hotel, that comfortable downtown haven for assassins, and informs its owner Winston (Ian McShane, more delightfully droll than ever) and his faithful concierge (Lance Reddick) that the hotel will be demolished in one hour.

Newcomers to the series would do well to do some research beforehand, because as the above summary indicates, mythology is a strong element. It could be argued that, like so many franchises dealing with fantasy worlds, the creators have gotten carried away with their convoluted constructs. I won’t make that argument, since I consider the elaborate world the John Wick films have created, which looks so much like ours, to be one of its most delicious elements. But you couldn’t blame repeat viewers watching the film later on via streaming for fast-forwarding through the talky parts to get to the action.

To recount the highlights of those elaborately staged set pieces would take up too much space, because there are so damn many of them. (Fourteen in all, according to the filmmakers. I can’t vouch for accuracy, since I lost count.) Besides the aforementioned car chase and hotel battle featuring guns, swords, bows and arrows, and a large variety of improvised weapons (a Wick specialty), there’s an amazing fight scene set in a water-drenched, multi-level nightclub featuring hundreds of revelers who barely notice the face-off between Wick and the gold-toothed Killa. The latter is played by action movie star and former MMA fighter Scott Adkins, amusingly outfitted with prosthetics and a huge bodysuit that somehow doesn’t hamper his fighting skills.

Then the there’s the gun battle between Wick and hordes of deadly minions in a warren of rooms in an apartment building, filmed from high overhead with a floating camera that follows the continuous action as if it were observing a particularly violent ant colony. And another fight sequence that takes place on a massively steep staircase leading up to Sacré Coeur that is so ridiculously over-the-top — including Wick’s repeatedly falling down the length of them only to get back up and start all over again, like a black-suit-wearing Wile E. Coyote — that it elicited rapturous giggles from the audience at the press screening.

Director Chad Stahelski, who helmed all the previous films, and his formidable stunt team have outshone their previous work, and that’s saying something. These sequences play like the great dance numbers in old MGM musicals, complete with incredibly complicated, lengthy continuous shots that feature the full bodies of the performers rather than kinetically edited snippets of a gun here or a limb there. They’re so virtuosic you practically want to stand up and applaud when each one is over.

Unlike so many films set in exotic locales that deliver a few establishing shots of local landmarks before filming in nondescript spots somewhere in Canada, John Wick: Chapter Four uses its many locations in Paris and Berlin to fantastic effect. A particular hoot are the scenes involving the dandyishly dressed Marquis, who only seems to conduct his business in such venues as the Paris Opera House and the Louvre, both of which he seems to have at his personal disposal.

Reeves, at one point outfitted with a Kevlar suit and shirt that enables him to get shot seemingly thousands of times without getting hurt (he uses the lapel like Dracula’s cape), commits so thoroughly to the role’s insane physical demands that he should get an award, if not for acting, then merely surviving. But he plays Wick so perfectly that he manages to rouse the audience merely with a passionately expressed “Yeah!”

Reeves generously shares the spotlight with his co-stars, including Yen, who delivers such a physically witty and charismatic performance that you can’t wait for the inevitable spin-off, and Japanese star Horoyuki Sanada as Shimazu, the manager of the Osaka hotel who battles valiantly alongside Wick. Shimazu’s daughter, Akira (singer Rina Sawayama, making a strong screen debut), will undoubtedly be seen in future editions. And it wouldn’t be a John Wick film without the return of the Bowery King, played so authoritatively by Laurence Fishburne.

Running nearly three hours, John Wick: Chapter 4 can certainly be accused of being too long. But I doubt many fans will be complaining.

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