I got caught up with the John Wick series, watched 3 and 4.

I kind of wish these movies had more actual plot to them, despite really appreciating how well put together the fight choreography is, and the general evolution of gun-fu in film due to the influence of these films.

All the major characters in these movies say the only thing John Wick is good at is being a killer, and each movie seems intent to just... prove that. There's no nuance, no growth from characters, just an endless stream of killing by Mr. Wick. It's hard to believe Wick's character even ever actually had a wife... It all feels empty and performative, none of it feels sincere... Because we've never been shown Wick being tender like the "loving husband" he wants to be remembered as. We're only shown the cold killer everyone keeps telling him he is and that's the only thing he will ever be. Seems like the filmmakers agree.

Sure, that can be fun... to an extent... but fuck me John Wick 4 was nearly three fucking hours of almost nonstop on-screen fights with nary a moment for character development or any true feeling of depth for any of the characters. I feel nothing for any of them because I know so little about any of them. There wasn't time for me to get to know any of them well enough to care about them at all. If characters who made it through to the end of the film had died instead... I would not have felt any great loss, just as I felt no great loss for the ones who did die.

Also, let's be real, naming the blind guy "Caine" was just a little fucking on the nose, was it not?

Anyway, these films could really do with some tension other than "Wick continues his murder spree" because the complete absence of character development does the rest of the quality filmmaking a disservice. The choreography and cinematography are top tier, but to be endlessly paired with such weak writing is disappointing. I know they are just action movies, but come on give me something to hold onto other than just violence.

I did like seeing Jason "Heynong Man" Mantzoukas in Part 3.