Rating of
2.5/4
"John Wick 3: Parabellum" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 02/02/20
Excommunicated from the assassin fraternity, John Wick seeks out the head of the organisation and makes a deal where he returns to the fold in return for both his absolute obedience and the life of his friend Winston.
The third chapter in the action franchise is a vibrantly colourful comic strip bloodbath featuring another bodycount that would make Stallone or Schwarzenegger green with envy. Very much more of the same, this time Super Ted travels the world to add some local colour – most memorably in the shape of Halle Berry and her canine sidekicks with a taste for the male crotch – but it’s the streets of New York that feels like the franchise’s natural home. Mark Dacascos proves there’s life in the old dog yet and he adds some much needed comic relief as John’s would-be nemesis who reveals himself as a smirking fanboy with a fake Japanese accent and the action sequences are well engineered and fun, particularly when Keanu faces off against malevolent bikers. It does feel like the series is running out of steam somewhat – the globetrotting element seems largely there for the sake of it and has little bearing on the story – and the backstabbing that makes for the crux of the plot is rather gratuitous, feeling like just another set up for sequel.
But if you enjoyed the previous instalments you should enjoy this too for similar reasons. A colourful, unpretentious action flick although probably the least of the three as we’ve pretty much seen it all before.
