Keanu Reeves talks ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’

By María Estévez, MWN

For Keanu Reeves, the fourth chapter in the John Wick saga is his toughest. The direct sequel to the 2019 film ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ will be the longest film in the series. Until now, the franchise has distinguished itself by creating sophisticated, bloody and brutal action scenes. Particularly, in the way the killers relate to each other.

A saga with an elegant and well-constructed perception of the use of large sequences that involve hails of bullets and hand-to-hand combat. Something that, without a doubt, the fourth installment will take to a completely new dimension. 

It all started with a dog and, well, things got so messed up that we would need a supercomputer to count all the deaths that John Wick has produced during his little revenge. And while the fourth installment is released, the fifth is already on the way and things can and should only increase for Keanu Reeves who, let’s not forget, is also increasing in age.

“When they offered it to me for the first time, I said, ‘Let’s go for it.’ There’s really amazing action in John Wick and it’s been a lot of fun reprising the role and telling this story. You know, there are new characters and we are opening their world. There are car crashes and shootings. In terms of action, it’s the hardest I’ve ever done. But that’s what makes it good. Something that includes perfectly choreographed action scenes and car chases of outstanding technical quality, which have become the hallmarks of the saga,” he said.

The 58-year-old actor looks and sounds as cool as ever, listening to each of the questions calmly and answering them with as much detail as he can collect. Joining a group interview virtually, the actor is very attentive trying to not miss a word.

“’John Wick: Chapter 4′ has the most action of any of these films, which is saying a lot. Also, it opens the possibility of new plot arcs,” Reeves added.

But not everything has been easy for the actor and, in fact, he admitted that the movie is “the most difficult feature film he has ever made.” Quite a surprise when you consider that Reeves has a long and prolific career in action films. When talking about the action set pieces in ‘John Wick Chapter 4’ and what were some of the most challenging aspects for him to shoot, Keanu pauses to reflect for a moment: “Let’s see out of all of the challenges, probably the most difficult was to work with wood and chains. I had to learn new skills.”

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ will feature old and new cast members, including Donnie Yen as Caine, Laurence Fishburne as Bowery King, Rina Sawayama as Akira, Ian McShane as Winston, Shamier Anderson as Tracker, Hiroyuki Sanada as Shimazu, Clancy Brown as The Harbinger, Lance Reddick as Charon, and Scott Adkins as Killa.

“We are in the best of times to make action movies, and horror, and superheroes starring in action scenes with terrifying moments,” the actor stated.

Reeves is funny, talking with the attitude and knowledge of someone who has been doing this all his life.

“I have to say that I enjoy pushing my limits and this character is not easy to define. I feel to be living a second youth playing this retired elite assassin forced to return to the action,” Reeves commented.

The film was one of the most anticipated. In addition, the announcement of various spin-offs and the possibility that the story deepens makes the saga a rarity in the action genre. Much more when you try to build a specific world that responds to its own rules and limits. Something that ‘John Wick 4’, apparently, makes even more evident.

“This time, we will see The High Table organization using all its resources. So there are a lot of people chasing John Wick. But really it’s just the usual mechanics. That is the challenge that the team behind the camera has taken with particular rigor,” the actor said.

In addition, he highlighted, it will make the story a “frantic adventure through the well-known universe of the hitman.”

Reeves concluded: “I tried and persevered to incorporate new elements. So what I lacked in skill, I certainly had in earnestness. I played this character with a lot of enthusiasm trying to reach a John Wick-level, which is a very high level.”

‘John Wick: Chapter 4‘ is now showing in theatres.