John Wick: 3. felvonás - Parabellum

A legjobb két jelenet nyitja a hármast, és inkább kettesnek a befejezése. Aztán egy új, kicsit más film kezdődik. A jelzett filmes univerzum kibontakozik, és találkozunk annak legmagasabb szürke eminenciásokkal. A hozzájuk vezető utazás azonban mind a helyszínt, mind az akciót tekintve nem éri el a második film Rómájának drámai varázsát és vizuális látványosságát diszkóval, katakombákkal és Camorra-főnökasszonnyal. És az előző rész stílusos eleganciája, amely 100%-ban Wick-re koncentrál, egy kiszámíthatatlan fantáziavilággá változik, amelyben több logikai hiba van, illetve több karakter irányítja a Wick sorsát mással, mint egy halálos kézi fegyverrel. A műfajon belül azonban még mindig szolid képviselője a referenciasorozatának. (2019.07.05)

For me, two things are central to a film: the ideas and the atmosphere. And John Wick 3 has both to spare. During the New York scenes, I felt like Blade Runner had spawned a baby with frenetic Hard Boiled-type action. I really haven't seen such a beautifully lit, atmospheric, visually rich action set-pieces in a long time, so brimming with ideas in the contact fight scenes, and yet so fantastically scored that you can feel every punch and hear the difference when Jonathan fires the Magnum and then switches to the shotgun with its typical hollow sounds. And once again I must repeat the key word – ideas!! Nowhere else, in any other film, have I seen such inventive use of horse power, in no other film have I seen such a good knife fight scene (perhaps only the kitchen scene in Evans's The Raid 2 could compete with this) and at the same time I congratulate the dog trainers, the ones who performed there are to be applauded at length. And you know, I was expecting the plot to be an weak tea, but even in that respect it made sense and the mythology, with its laws and rules that can't be broken, has something to it and I enjoy it. And Keanu Reeves? I admire his shape at 55 years old, I prefer to take the elevator when I need to get to the 2nd floor, and here he is doing physically demanding moves like on a treadmill, and he's 8 years older :o) I'm looking forward to #4, here with him! (2019.05.24)

A polished diamond. Sure, it's a filmmaking exhibition by genre fans, but it reaches its peak in this third film. In those aesthetically refined backdrops (neon and rain always work), a festival of creative imagination takes place, which refuses to ease up and sprinkles one highlight after another from its sleeve. The uncompromisingly long, clear, and unrelentingly physical action scenes are in many ways borderline trance-like, and it doesn't matter if there’s shooting, flipping through a book, or ordering dogs around. The story is a phantasmagoria, and every other line is a declamation, but it springs from it quite a few ironic dialogues and comedy performances. It can't be pushed any further. And if it can, then let’s have a Reeves vs. Iko Uwais matchup in the fourth film, please. (2019.09.01)

I wasn't entirely happy with the second film, but the third one made up for it. John Wick is moving forward, not in the sense that he's killing more people (although he might be doing that too), but director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves have figured out an awful lot of unorthodox ways to do the killing on screen. Whereas last time it was mostly shoot-outs, this time around it relies more on contact fights, sharp weapons, and what I'd call a "four-legged arsenal." And it's great! Each action scene is different than the last. There's a shootout, then there's a motorcycle chase, a big vs. small or small vs. much smaller fight, and they manage to squeeze the absolute most out of all the action moments. Within the first half hour, the John Wick 3 does so many things that would last most action movie directors their entire careers. A big plus this time around is the presence of really strong supporting characters, whether they're on Wick's side or at his throat. While Stahelski continues to expand the world and mythology and I continue to feel that it's not entirely necessary, at the same time, it doesn't feel as forced as last time and given the qualitative and indeed quantitative shift in the action, I'm happy to forgive him for that. I'm glad that the people responsible for this franchise clearly haven't run out of ideas yet. (2019.05.15)

I was going to write “epic conclusion to the action trilogy”, but they’ve announced a 4th installment yesterday, so this is just a solid sequel that action-wise represents the best the US has offered in the last few years. A big improvement is that the new Wick has picked up some great reinforcements from Asia (Cecep and Ruhian from The Raid) delight also the hilarious Mark Dacascos and the perfectly trained Halle Berry. Visually, John Wick 3 is brilliant. The graceful styling and luxury comes through in every frame, and since I care enough about the aesthetic, I enjoyed the pleasantly fancy sets. The action is of course perfect in the context of an American production (clear cinematography, minimal editing, lots of creative ideas and decent choreography), at times you could feel that Keanu Reeves wasn't keeping up, especially against Cecep and Ruhian you could see that it was a bit too rehearsed (Jason Statham would probably have fought better here), but there are other interesting elements: the library, the sharp dogs in Istanbul, the uncompromising scene in the stable with the horse, the motorbikes and katanas, where they took inspiration from South Korea's The Villainess. Outside of the action, the pace is slower, but it doesn't significantly matter. A decent ride and without a doubt a clear cinematic must-see. 85%. (2019.05.21)

From gun-fu through car-fu to animal-fu, or pure pleasure from creative action choreography and the most physical and highest-adrenaline viewing experience of the year. (2019.12.29)

Mr. Wick again raises the standard of Hollywood action. Stahelski and Reeves draw from a seemingly bottomless wellspring of ideas. Action in the library, the stables, the hotel and on the street. Knives, pistols, horses, dogs, a book – anything can be and is turned into a lethal weapon, often used in a very original way. The balance of action and mythology serve Chapter 3 well, thus giving us the best from both preceding instalments. The film also works very refreshingly with the legend represented by Jardani Jovonovich; after all, arch villains are big fans of his work. The supporting roles are very powerful this time and are developed in really unexpected directions. Beautiful interiors and exteriors; it’s one big luxury tour. Carry on as you are. It’s an honor to fight you, Mr. Wick. (2019.05.16)

This episode has a brutal ramp-up. Much like the second film, it churns out its top moments in the first few minutes, delivering a heady experience for action flick fans. The fight with the giant in the library, and the climactic sequence with the knives are the highlights and the ultimate reference of the genre for Hollywood. The only thing that compares to Vick in the female category is Charlize Theron on the stairs in Atomic Blonde, and The Raid, which is directed by a similarly enthusiastic action fanboy. Unfortunately, after Casablanca, the film tilts into a sort of arcade concept with increasingly intense fights, which, while visually imaginative and well done, lose pace and become a bit monotonous. There’s a great cameo for action lovers and, of course, the amazing work of the stunt team, but it would work better as a compilation of scenes than a film as a whole. For non-fans, it’s an ordeal, because if you close your eyes for five minutes, you won’t miss anything. The second film was less flashy, but more consistent with a more solid framing of the story and well reined. John Wick 3, on the other hand, is clearly the furthest along technically and in terms of action concept, but also the most off the rails. Maybe it wanted to be like The Raid 2, but they forgot about the story. (2019.05.21)

So I’m wondering if this action series isn't the best I've ever seen... and it probably is. John Wick is still hugely entertaining, honest, and a notch up again in terms of story and surreal carnage. Imagine if Bud Spencer and Terrence Hill's comedies had blood spurting by the gallon and their classic two-against-a-hundred slaps had ended in a pile of corpses... Or imagine Buster Keaton's slapstick, which, like the last episode, also makes a cameo appearance. That's exactly what most of the action in John Wick 3 looks like – endless ideas, choreographed to the last detail, and a pitch-black humor that's impossible not to succumb to. At the same time, I must add that the film is once again not all action, and that without interesting, well-acted characters and lots of twists, it would hardly be half as good. (2019.05.15)

The third outing of John Wick carries on with the legacy of the second one, using thoroughbred action to move forward a simple story and to reveal corners of that world which had previously remained hidden. It significantly reinforces the serial nature and the mutually supporting narratives across the franchise and its structure and, at least after a first screening, feels considerably more loose and episodic than the previous entries, which is mainly thanks to the work with the old-new characters and the action scenes. What is missing this time is the presence of a dominant villain, like in the two previous episodes, that could direct Wick’s motivations and would give form to the obstacles throughout the film. Parabellum is no longer a story about vengeance and its consequences, it’s about the culmination of an uprising against a powerful system, where the cards can be unexpectedly turned and the tension is provided by the constant confrontation of characters and not by a smooth journey towards a final clash. Most of the secondary characters appear for a few minutes to help John, both to take another step forward in his rebellion (and to explain it psychologically) and to increase a little more the knowledge of the audience about the scope and practices of that world. Wedged into all that are the action scenes, which are plenty, and they are all either preceded or followed by another shift in the plot. And while some of them are truly magnificent, with unexpected settings and cool killing tools (if you’re someone who doesn’t respect horses yet, that will change), others feel a bit tiring with their repetition of similar gimmicks. But I still have to tip my hat in appreciation at Stahelski, the stuntmen and Reeves, because almost every single action sequence, despite the fluctuating wow factor, is a showcase of the most honest school of stunt work and staging, next to which The Expendables should hide in a corner and pray John Wick won't find them. However, as effective as the film is in its dynamic sequences, the quiet interludes don’t have much glittering potential. Whereas the second one had mortar in the shape the main villain, here I missed a similar driving force, especially in the middle, when seeing armed goons jumping on poor John from every corner started to get a bit boring. The ending, fortunately, corrects the inconsistencies and prepares a very fertile ground for the shootout and fistfight of the century, which cleverly underscores the core concept of personal rebellion and further reinforces the driving idea of "John Wick vs The World". It’s not as elegant and smooth as the second one and the pace grinds at times, but that final scene manages to surprise and put most of the doubts away in a box labelled minor details. 85% (2019.05.18)

I was extremely looking forward to the third installment, so the disappointment hit hard. I'm giving three stars more or less out of nostalgia for the previous two films. I often criticize films for being slow-paced and lacking in action. This film was neither, yet I was far from satisfied. The pace was frantic, there was loads of action, but the creators somehow forgot to add a good story. After a while, the action scenes started to get boring, the choreography in them was poor. I'm glad I didn't start counting shattered glass displays, because I was never good at advanced math. Asia Kate Dillon managed to keep a perfect poker face all along. In her defense, I’ve never seen her use any other expression. 3*- (2020.01.06)