John Wick: Chapter 4 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

John Wick: Chapter 4 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 7, 2023

Even some devoted film fans might be hard pressed to name another franchise successful enough to get to its fourth production and which managed to not just keep its veritable head above water (so to speak), but continue to impress, even with what some may feel is an outsized running time approaching three hours. And yet John Wick continues to, to slightly paraphrase a marketing slogan of yore, take a kicking and keep on "ticking". John Wick: Chapter 4 is in some ways the most audacious film in the John Wick series, not simply due to its length and the increasingly gonzo labyrinth in which Wick finds himself ensnared, but also due to some kind of fun and in some cases quite funny and smart "meta" issues. That includes things like an absolutely delightful "riff" on one of the most legendary edits in the history of film, the epic cut from a match being blown out to a sunrise that is so spectacular in Lawrence of Arabia , and which is played (and/or edited) here as a kind of deliberately winking "in joke". But even this brief moment introduces a vignette that almost seems like it could have come out of some bizarro world version of the David Lean masterpiece, with John (Keanu Reeves, of course) on horseback chasing a bunch of Arabs in thawbs (also on horseback) across a desert. By this early point in the film, the story has also managed to at least briefly reintroduce The Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), who in fact is the "culprit" with the match, leading to the aforementioned editing gambit.

For those wanting some background on the series and the many twists and turns the tale of John has taken thus far, please click on the following review links of the previous films in the series:

John Wick Blu-ray review

John Wick: Chapter 2 Blu-ray review

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum Blu-ray review

There are a number of things that I'd argue have played into the overwhelming appeal of this series, with two of them being kind of ironically first the baseline simplicity of any "plot arc" (let's face it, all the films can be boiled down to John taking out foes), but second an almost baroque level of storytelling despite that baseline simplicity, including any number of characters who are shall we say on the hyperbolic side. But certainly one of the most memorable aspects of all of the John Wicks films has been their inimitable style, which includes everything from spectacularly evocative cinematography to some, well, groovy production design. All of these elements are back in play, and then some, in this fourth outing, as John has come to the semi-reasonable conclusion that the only way he's ever going to be able to survive is to assassinate the rest of the planet's population (okay, okay, maybe just members of The High Table).

While the "one against many" plot point continues to drive John Wick: Chapter 4, there are a number of fun if occasionally disturbing new characters thrown into the mix this time. The High Table's chief baddie is the Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård, proving he's pretty damned scary even when not made up as Pennywise), who makes it clear to Winston Scott (Ian McShane) and his concierge Charon (the late Lance Reddick) that he's in charge, and sheltering John Wick is not the wisest of choices. The Marquis later enlists Caine (Donnie Yen), a former member of The High Table who happens to be blind, but still (or course) possesses a "particular set of skills" that the Marquis believes can bring Wick down.

The result is another cartwheeling enterprise that involves a frequently breathless display of mind boggling fights and other stunt work, all within the more than slightly byzantine environment of The High Table. There are some interesting evolutions to the "look" of this film, with less of a reliance on purples and teals and a noticeable push toward blues and yellows. I almost jokingly thought maybe director Chad Stahelski had been replaced by Wes Anderson (wouldn't that have been interesting) due to the prevalence of symmetrical framings on display throughout the film.

John Wick: Chapter 4 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

John Wick: Chapter 4 is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in 2.39:1. The IMDb lists a variety of Arri cameras an a 4K DI as relevant data points. Readers of my reviews know that Arri captures are not always my favorites, but this is a stellar exception to my self created rule, and it provides clear upticks in detail, palette highlights and especially shadow detail from already excellent levels in Lionsgate's 1080 presentation. From the first moments where a kind of handmade kakite bikei wrapped in rope John uses is shown, fine detail levels are impressive, and even some of the more obvious CGI elements tend to sharper than might be expected, though admittedly some vestiges of artificiality remain (this seems to be a deliberate choice, as in the patently fake look of the closing sting featuring Donnie Yen). As is discussed in some of the supplements, a lot of this film takes place at night, and while HDR and/or Dolby Vision offer a slew of really beautiful new highlights throughout this presentation, I was actually most struck by the improvement in shadow definition. Yes, there are certainly still moments when in any given frame not everything can be clearly discerned, but doing an A to B comparison with the 1080 disc showed at least some marginal improvement. A light dusting of digital grain tends to be most noticeable in the more brightly lit moments, as in the early scene in the desert with John taking out a coterie of bad guys.

John Wick: Chapter 4 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

John Wick: Chapter 4 features a propulsive Dolby Atmos track that, like the detail levels in the video presentation, "announces" itself right off the bat with some thundering effects as John pummels his training device. The cavernous sounds of the Bowery King's domain offer some clear engagement of surround channels, and then when things suddenly segue to the desert, the ambient environmental sounds once again grow. There are a number of standout effects, but some of them actually tend to be most effective when they're relatively subtle, as when New York's Continental gives way to a little urban (and/or High Table) renewal. The film is so chock full of set pieces that it's hard to even begin to list some of the most noticeable sequences, but both an extended, unedited "shot from above" vignette and a fantastically exciting car chase around the Arc de Triomph provide some really immersive moments. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.

John Wick: Chapter 4 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Both the 4K UHD and 1080 discs in this package sport the same slate of supplements:

• Chad and Keanu: Through Wick and Thin (HD; 5:45) is an overview of the collaboration between the film's producer/director and star.


• Train Like a Killer (HD; 5:55) looks at some of the fight choreography and training regimens.


• Making a Killing (HD; 6:25) is kind of a grabbag dealing with this fourth installment's production design, location work and cinematography.


• The Psychology of a Killer (HD; 4:32) talks about the moral shades of gray most of these characters exude.


• The Blind Leading the Fight (HD; 9:18) focuses on Donnie Yen.


• Suit Up / Shoot Up (HD; 5:41) looks at more production elements like costumes.


• Packing a Punch (HD; 4:41) highlights some of the action set pieces.


• One Killer Shot (HD; 3:09) is a fun deconstructions of one especially notable sequence.


• Killing at the Speed of Traffic (HD; 10:10) looks at another great sequence at the Arc de Triomphe.


• A Shot in the Dark (HD; 5:43) features Chad Stahelski and others talking about shooting at night.


• In Honor of the Dead (HD; 5:23) pays homage to some of the influences in the films.


• Theatrical Trailer 1 (HD; 1:13)


• Theatrical Trailer 2 (HD; 2:37)


• The Continental - First Look (HD; 3:10) is a quasi-trailer for the upcoming series.

Additionally, a 1080 disc and digital copy are included, and packaging features a slipcover.

John Wick: Chapter 4 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I'll admit it: when I saw the running time for John Wick: Chapter 4, I thought "ai yi yi" and wondered if I'd be regularly checking my watch, but I can happily report that this film is so engaging from the first moment that I was actually surprised when I got to the end because it certainly didn't feel like close to three hours, though that said, I can certainly understand some feeling like this film could have been judiciously edited by at least a half hour or more. This is completely over the top even more so than the previous John Wick entries were (and that's saying quite a bit), so forewarned is forearmed, but for those willing to take a deep breath and go for the gusto, this is the rare fourth film in a franchise that actually increases momentum from its progenitors. Technical merits are top notch, and while the supplements really didn't need to be split into so many smaller pieces, they're quite enjoyable. Highly recommended.