Martial Arts and John Wick: Chapter 4 (part 5)

Today is 14. March 2023. Let’s get ready to watch John Wick: Chapter 4!
The gala premieres of John Wick: Chapter 4 were held on 6. March 2023 in London, 8. March 2023 in Berlin and 10. March 2023 in Paris. Official release date 24. March 2023.  Only 10 days left!
Let’s finish our discussion about the martial arts world, which is a key element of the John Wick movies, based on some excerpts from the book Keanu Reeves’ Art & Speed and some new info about fight scenes’ visual world in John Wick: Chapter 4.

John Wick: Chapter 4

The John Wick franchise has set a new standard for action films in terms of its fight choreography and use of martial arts.
Stahelski explained: “We did John Wick as an isolate movie. No one was shocked when they asked us to do the second one. That was done as a single. Then we did the third one. They are all stand alone. […] Keanu said ‘I think I have got one more left in me.’ We had one idea what we didn’t use which we really loved and cut out of the number three. So, we’ll do a fourth. It will be awesome.”

The gala premieres of John Wick: Chapter 4 were held on 6. March 2023 in London, 8. March 2023 in Berlin and 10. March 2023 in Paris.  The premieres were highly anticipated events, and Keanu Reeves and other members of the cast and crew attended these screenings. Fans and critics praised the film’s action sequences, fight choreography, and overall production.

A new level of martial arts

The first movie has become known for its intense and innovative action scenes, and the John Wick: Chapter 4 continued to push the boundaries of what is possible in the genre.

Keanu Reeves underwent more extensive training as before, to prepare for the movie’s fight scenes, including the use of various martial arts disciplines such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, and karate. The fight scenes are even more intense and elaborate than in previous installments, and Keanu was required to fight multiple opponents at once.

From a single story to the mega story

The story has grown from a small-scale tale of revenge for the killing of a dog to a globetrotting story that spans continents.

Stahelski revealed: “Killing the puppy was written out as many times as it was written back in. Ultimately, it’s mythological. We had to go so overboard, so extreme to push it to let you know that it was absolutely symbolic.” And according to director, the scene was deliberately exaggerated to make it clear to the audience that it was a symbolic act of destroying something innocent and pure.

The fourth installment in the franchise will continue to feature the intense and stylish fight scenes that have become a trademark of the series. I encourage everyone to watch this excellent action movie.

Excerpts from the book:
KEANU REEVES’ ART & SPEED
The Matrix’Hero, Wins Over New Dimensions
© Yvette Kulik 2022  All rights reserved