The John Wick franchise has seen a man pushed to his limits and fighting for the life he thought he had earned years ago. Now, with the fourth entry in the series on the way, John has taken a chance to start over and instead used it to get the justice he was robbed of. But with each film, it’s become more obvious that John can’t continue fighting forever, and John Wick: Chapter 4 may be the writing on the wall for what could be his final battle.
In the first John Wick film, John was forced to get back into the life he had lost after an injustice was done against him. But his second outing forced him to tie up loose ends that ended with him having a target painted on his back. Now, that target has only gotten larger, and even though he’s given his fair share of blood, he seemingly won’t stop until his previous employers are dead. Essentially, John is an unstoppable force, whereas the High Table is an immovable object. But no matter how often John has gotten back up, there’s a lingering sense that it can’t last forever.
The latest trailer for John Wick: Chapter 4 has a man asking John if he’s given any thought to how his story could end. As he’s shown plowing through armies of hired guns, he’s also reminded that he can’t kill everyone to get what he wants. Because of this, it could be implied that John has given up on the peace he wanted so long ago and has resorted to going down fighting and taking everyone down with him.
In the past, John was given an unbeatable task to escape the life of an assassin. He did this so that he could be with the wife he loved dearly. Unfortunately, while he succeeded in completing his task, his happiness wouldn’t last as his wife took ill and died. Since then, John has never been the same, and while he didn’t want to return to killing, he was forced into it when the last gift his wife gave to him, a dog, was killed in front of him. Now, driven by his actions that started with the unjust death of his dog, John likely wants nothing more than a chance at peace. But that peace may not come from killing the High Table.
Instead, John’s peace over the course of John Wick: Chapter 4 and the upcoming fifth entry may come when John goes down fighting. There’s no telling who could be on the other side of him when the time comes, but there’s truth in the idea that he won’t stop until the killing stops completely. But to do this, he may have to give everything to stop the violence. As a result, his constant battle against insurmountable odds seems less aimless and more focused on ensuring that everything goes down with him before he dies.
The John Wick franchise has helped transform action films into the perfect blend of realism and stylish. From its first film to the upcoming fourth entry, Keanu Reeves’ portrayal of the character has been of a man tortured by his past choices. In the past, he was told that his peace would never be achieved, but John has always been known to beat the odds. Therefore, he may not die in the fourth film, but it could set the stage for a climactic final showdown where John will draw his last breath and end the killing for himself and every assassin out there.
The fourth John Wick film releases in theaters on March 24, 2023.
