Keanu Reeves is Schrödinger’s cat. Dead and not dead. At least that’s proven by the announcement of John Wick: Chapter 5, set to continue the series despite the grueling finale of John Wick: Chapter 4. It is the worst mistake the franchise could make.
After John Wick 4, Keanu Reeves’ action series has nothing more to tell
Why so fatalistic? As a long-time fan, I could look forward to another sequel. The problem is John Wick 4. The Action Extravaganza completed the series in the best way possible.
On the one hand, this applies to the story. John Wick’s story is simply told. He killed all his enemies, not to mention those who killed his dog. The Russian Mafia and the Elder and Bill Skarsgård’s arrogant prickly prat, they’re all in the dust before him.
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Keanu Reeves as John Wick
On the other hand Drive satisfied by Keanu Reeves’ character. Revenge has been taken, all debts have been paid, the danger has passed. John Wick arrived dead or alive at his destination. He doesn’t have to shoot up another metropolis in the neon lights.
So after Part 4, John Wick has no more enemies. Where should a fifth part start at all? Of course there are the other members of the Upper Chamber, but he made a deal with them. That was the whole point behind the story of Part 4.
John Wick 5 will always remain an unnecessary appendage
John Wick 5 would have no choice but to initiate a new story stone. The relatives of a murder victim burn for revenge after 20 years. John Wick’s wife is not dead but the gray eminence of the High Chamber. John’s father knocks on his front door. What ever. There are many ideas and they are all horrible.
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John Wick got his revenge
Worse, however, is that John Wick 5 extends the story unnecessarily and possibly made out of sheer greed becomes. The series has a perfect conclusion with part 4 and ends on a high point in terms of quality.
John Wick has 3 choices for Part 5
The dramaturgical possibilities that remain after the end of Part 4 only reinforce this fact. Keanu Reeves’ action franchise remains three avenues for John Wick 5. One complete Reorientation, self-parody or one’s own annihilation.
Possibility 1: John Wick 5 tells a much smaller story
John Wick 5 could avoid the comparison with the extravagance of the predecessor, offer a small story with more compact, noble action scenes. Or bring another character like Caine (Donnie Yen) to the fore in whose adventure Wick only appears marginally. With it it negates everything the row stands for.
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Caine (Donnie Yen) and John Wick (Keanu Reeves) in John Wick 4
Possibility 2: The John Wick series becomes a Rambo number
The film could also simply defy its predecessor’s finality, inventing some institution above the High Chamber (The Attic Chamber?), whose ultra-elitist members are now reappearing because of John Wick for the first time in decades. The same in green, so to speak. One basically self-parodic copy of own concept as in the Rambo series, with which the franchise can be continued at will. And loses all its charm.
Possibility 3: John Wick 5 simply repeats John Wick 4
and it self-destruction remains. John Wick engages in one last stand, saying goodbye to everyone, knowing he must die and leaving a path of destruction in his wake like no other. That’s a good idea. Which we already saw in John Wick 4.
So it’s no wonder some fans aren’t excited about the John Wick 5 announcement. Maybe I should stick to my fatalism. I see no reason why another film is necessary or could be good. The series will suffer. Schrödinger’s experiment works better with cats than with hit men.
The 10 biggest streaming films of 2023 on Netflix, Amazon & Co.
In this installment of our Moviepilot podcast, Stream Browsing, we take a look at the big movies coming exclusively to Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and Apple TV+ this year. The result is a list of ten special recommendations.
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From the sci-fi epic to the potential Oscar nominee, everything is included. The talents gathered are particularly impressive. In 2023 we can expect new movies from Martin Scorsese, David Fincher and Zack Snyder in the streaming space, while Gal Gadot, Leonardo DiCaprio, Henry Cavill and Chris Hemsworth will be in front of the camera.
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