You’re unlikely to find a more action-packed extravaganza than Chad Stahelski’s epic neo-noir thriller John Wick: Chapter 4 (A-).  For fans of opulent martial arts, fetishized weaponry, graceful ultraviolence and grand canvas action storytelling told with fluidity and dexterity, it doesn’t get much better than this. The absurdity of Keanu Reeves’ central character’s indestructibility plays like a fever dream across multiple continents and unfolds amidst gloriously elaborate set pieces as the skilled assassin endeavors to exact revenge against those who have left him for dead. The film’s mythology of a criminal underworld with specific rituals and rules keeps the over-the-top antics strangely grounded, despite some unbelievable survivals from multi-story falls from buildings. The film provides a juicy new villain as part of the High Table, the council governing the criminal underworld, in the form of a diabolical Bill Skarsgård; he’s a complete delight, especially brooding over a city built in miniature where he has plotted out his fiendish finale. Donnie Yen is badass as blind henchman Caine, who utilizes inventive motion detectors to dispatch of his prey in an early sequence. Having shepherded this series throughout its run, Stahelski orchestrates the story and stunts with the cadence of a master; and across NYC, Morocco, Japan, Berlin and Paris, he devises and stages some of the most breathtaking set pieces assembled for detailed hand to hand combat. His signature highly-choreographed, long single action takes are all here in abundance, with extremely memorable stunt sequences in the traffic circle of the Arch De Triomphe, in a fictional nightclub surrounded by waterfall fixtures, in a Japanese art museum where you know none of that glass is going to survive either and most notoriously on the steps up to the Sacré-Cœur basilica, which prove to be their own impenetrable hazard. Hiroyuki Sanada, Ian McShane, Shamier Anderson and Clancy Brown provide strong support in the ensemble. Reeves’ words are mercifully limited, but he says so much with his body and actions; it’s such a wonderfully lived-in character. This is an impeccably made film of its genre and highly recommended for action fans. It takes its flame thrower to nearly all imitators. By all means, see this movie in a theatre.

Bring on the ballet of bombast! Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (B-) delivers more of what fans desire – the stoic Keanu Reeves as the titular retired hit man now with quite a bounty on his head, brutally graphic action sequences and elaborate fights and stunts staged against epic and ultra-cool set pieces. A few Oscar winners and nominees are thrown in the mix – Halle Barry, Laurence Fishburne and Angelica Huston chief among them – and none should expect a repeat nomination from this outing. Barry is particularly hit or miss. But for sheer propulsive action and energy, this flick brings the goods. Front-loaded with some of its best sequences including a fight in a library with books as weapons and a more straightforward showdown in an actual weapons store, the film ultimately gets a bit campy with elaborate lairs resembling Bond villain hideaways re-imagined by Max Headroom’s electronica DJ nephew. Following the rules and lore of the assassin underground becomes a bit puzzling, but by the time the travelogue has taken viewers from NYC to Casablanca and back, you realize it’s all just a big canvas for grotesquerie, kung fu and bloodsport.  Nothing seems to slow down this earnest and absurd series.

Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 2 (B) doubles down on the surprisingly solid franchise’s signature nonstop action while expanding the backstory and lore of Keanu Reeves’ eponymous character, a retired hit man seeking vengeance. Who would have guessed this wall-to-wall actioner would go full Godfather 2 and serve up a gracious expanded universe? The acting is pretty sloppy, but the fight choreography is to die for. Full-on action in New York City and Rome lead to a nifty cliffhanger and certainly another sequel.