The 4th film in a franchise is not often the best, yet John Wick: Chapter 4 provides a thrilling and action-packed spectacle that not even its predecessors could match.

In 2023’s John Wick: Chapter 4, starring Keanu Reeves as the titular character, the rot and corruption that engulfs the world of John Wick is put to the test by the protagonist.

Directed by Chad Stahelski, director of the cult classic Highlander, Wick is persecuted by the leaders of the assassin world called the High Table for breaking the rules and killing Santino D’Antonio. Amid the two-hour and forty-nine-minute spectacle, John finds a way to earn his freedom. But before he can achieve this, he must face a global cabal of assassins and soldiers under the command of the table who will do anything to stop him.

The themes of friendship and freedom seen in this awe-inspiring performance make this almost three-hour spectacle one of the best movies of the last decade.

Freedom runs deep in the core of this film. Best exemplified by the comparable circumstances between John and Caine, a blind assassin played by Donnie Yen from the Ip Man franchise. Caine managed to free himself from the assassin world, but when his family was threatened, he sacrificed his freedom for his family. He is a foil for Wick, two men who left the assassin’s life and were forced back, stripped of their freedom. Yet where Caine seemingly resigned himself to slavery under the table, John fought back and never stopped fighting to be free.

Friendship is a trope that is too often used in modern cinema, usually to depict it as an almost magical power. Yet, in this movie, the consequences and importance of friendship are more complex.

The Marquis is hellbent on destroying everything John touches. The New York Continental Hotel is blown to pieces, the Osaka Continental Hotel is raided, and John’s dear friend Shimazu is killed. Nevertheless, it is due to John’s friendship with Winston that he can find an opportunity to gain freedom. And it was because of the Bowery King, played by Laurence Fishburne, best known as Morpheus in The Matrix, that he survives the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 and can fight in this movie. The movie presents a give-and-take approach to friendship that has benefits and consequences.

The performances in this film were jaw-dropping, especially the poker scene where John, Caine, Mr. Nobody played by Shamier Anderson, and Killa played by Scott Adkins find themselves at a crossroads. All characters want something different; they resolve who can kill whom through a poker game.

The tension is palpable, and all four actors show impeccable performances, able to captivate the moment without speaking about it or even speaking at all. Their careful yet stoic actions show the tension of all their lives hanging on a rigged poker game. And yet each character shines, exemplified by Cane’s pained expressions and Killa’s joy—a true testament to the skill of the performances in this film.

John Wick: Chapter 4 showed some of the best-choreographed fights of 2023. The cast spent about 12 weeks before production simply training in several forms of martial arts and the oh-so-acclaimed “gun-fu.” This resulted in many great action sequences, the most outstanding being a top-down shot that lasted a few minutes of John going from room to room in one continuous shot. The scene was based on the video game “Hong Kong Massacre,” and a whole set was built for this purpose. The scene took over a week to prepare and shoot and is something never before seen in cinema.

Another great scene was near the Arc de Triomphe, where tens of assassins surrounded John amid incoming traffic. It was a situation where he needed to use his environment and skills to survive. The action revolves around John balancing dodging cars and killing the assassins, and he sometimes fails and gets run over multiple times. This dance between the environment and movement is seldom seen in modern action movies and feels unique and stands out in the film.

Continuing the trend of EDM, rock, and classical to create an absorbing blend between the action and story-centered scenes, the music in John Wick: Chapter 4 was superb. The standout track was a rendition of Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones, sung by Manon Hollander, which perfectly set the mood for the film’s final act. The music was composed by “The Castle Vania,” “Nero,” “Gesaffelstein,” “Lola Colette,” “Manon Hollander,” “Justice,” and “Rina Sawayama.”

In conclusion, John Wick: Chapter 4 outperforms its predecessors and is one of the best films I’ve seen recently. The movie is magnificently elevated by the portrayal of the themes of friendship and freedom and by the outstanding performances. John Wick: Chapter 4 is a must-see for any action movie fan due to the expertly crafted action sequences and the fascinating soundtrack that improve the experience.