Hype for the third entry into the John Wick franchise has been steadily building over the past few months, and excitement is only going to grow now that the first reviews for the film are in. The minute studio Lionsgate lifted the restriction on reviews for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, critics quickly published their thoughts on the Chad Stahelski -directed actioner. Reviews for John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum are glowing, helping prove that the John Wick movie series continues to outdo itself where other follow-up films fall flat.
JoBlo’s JimmyO gave Parabellum a perfect score, praising the film for its inventive action sequences and its heart-pounding plot, which sees our titular assassin John Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, trying to outrun those who want the $14 million bounty on his head after he killed a member of the international criminal group the High Table in John Wick: Chapter 2. JimmyO writes:
“This third chapter is one of the most thrilling flicks you’ll find in theatres so far this year, and somehow, they’ve found new ways to bring men to their knees. The violence is near operatic, capping off one of the best d*** trilogies ever made […] It’s impossible to remember the last trilogy that worked nearly as well as John Wick – aside from perhaps Lord of the Rings, which is timeless. The third film continues to build the mythology in the most satisfying of ways. It’s a ferociously fast and immensely breathtaking adrenaline ride of a flick!”
He added that John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is, quote, “certainly in the running for one of the best films of the year.”
Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth was another critic who stamped Parabellum with an impeccable five out of five stars. He said of the film,
“Put it this way, if George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road was the legendary filmmaker showing youngsters how it’s done, this is Chad Stahelski firing back. Much like Chapter 2, Chapter 3 leaves you begging for more. At this point, the John Wick movies are becoming a new drug, so go get your fix. Prepare for more than war, prepare for constant, exhilarating anarchy.”
Chris Nashawaty of Entertainment Weekly had wonderful words for Parabellum, particularly how its action scenes, which are a mainstay in the franchise, were choreographed. He also applauded actresses Halle Berry, who plays an assassin named Sofia, and Anjelica Huston, who portrays the Director of the High Table, for giving performances that add, quote, “a jolt of unexpected emotional weight” to the movie.
Nashawaty made his feelings about John Wick: Chapter 3 abundantly clear in the final lines of his review:
“I don’t mean to give the impression that John Wick 3 is anything grander than a gorgeously choreographed, gratuitously violent action movie. But as gorgeously choreographed, gratuitously violent action movies go, it’s high art.”
Uproxx’s Mike Ryan exalted Parabellum as the best film in the franchise, due in large part to how the movie expands on the series’ existing world and mythology without ever feeling bogged down or less fun than its predecessors.
“Like John Wick himself, this third chapter feels like a lean, mean, fighting machine – and, yes, it’s the best film of the franchise so far, even surpassing the first film. There are moments in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum where I thought to myself, ‘Well, I’ve never seen that before.'”
Chris Evangelista of Slashfilm called Parabellum
“…a bone-cracking, horse-kicking, dog-biting, book-smashing, ax-throwing action masterpiece.”
while Fresh Fiction’s Courtney Howard described it as
“…an eye-popping, jaw-dropping, show-stopping next chapter that extends the world-building beautifully, whilst assigning meaningful resonance to the character-driven action.”
USA Today’s Brian Truitt was largely impressed with John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, calling it a “solid continuation of the killer franchise that makes James Bond look about as hardcore as Peppa Pig,” though he did admit that the supporting characters – like Laurence Fishburne’s Bowery King, Asia Kate Dillon’s The Adjudicator, and the big bad Tick Tock Man, played by Jason Mantzoukas – were a little underdeveloped. He also wrote that the final act was a bit messy. Keep watching the video to see what critics are saying about John Wick Chapter 3!
#JohnWick #JohnWick3