John Wick: Chapter 4 Called ‘One of the Greatest Action Movies Ever Made’ in Glowing First Reactions

Murray Close/Lionsgate

First reactions are rolling in for Keanu Reeves‘ return as John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 4, the franchise’s longest movie to date.

The new film follows John Wick’s journey toward defeating organized crime organization The High Table and new villain Marquis de Gramont (Bill Skarsgard), whom Wick must battle in order to take his final revenge against the organization.

Reeves, 58, and Skarsgard, 32, are joined by Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada (Bullet Train), Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, pop musician Rina Sawayama and more in the upcoming movie.

Critics have shared their initial reactions to the movie on social media in recent days after initial screenings, with many praising the film’s pacing even through the series’ longest runtime ever, its action choreography and supporting performance from 59-year-old Yen.

CinemaBlend critic Eric Eisenberg wrote on Twitter Monday that the film “earns” its 169-minute runtime.

Lionsgate Keanu Reeves in John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

“It’s an epic with smart pacing that never lets the action feel exhausting, and the set pieces are phenomenal,” Eisenberg wrote in his post. “Great cast of series newcomers, but Donnie Yen is the MVP.”

John Wick 4‘s “three-hour runtime makes so much sense when you’re going *that* hard,” Consequence editor Liz Shannon Miller wrote on Twitter Monday, teasing an exciting final act in the movie. “The third act alone… just glorious.”

Film critic Erick Weber went as far as to call John Wick: Chapter 4 “one of the greatest action movies ever made” in a review shared to Twitter Monday and wrote the sequel “tops all 3 of its predecessors in storytelling, scope & stakes, countless astonishing set pieces.”

Rotten Tomatoes critic Kirsten Acuna wrote on Twitter that actor Donnie Yen makes for “an INCREDIBLE addition to the franchise” and stands out as one of the film’s highlights, speculating that the film’s ending will prove divisive among audiences.

“At times, #JohnWick4 feels like a video game come to life. (And I mean that as a compliment.) So many of Keanu Reeves’ fight sequences felt like boss battles,” Acuna wrote in her post. “I get a kick out of how the franchise continues to find creative ways to turn mundane objects into deadly weapons.

Collider’s Therese Lacson wrote that director Chad Stahelski “makes every frame count” in the action-packed sequel.

“Yes, it’s ridiculous. Yes, it’s video game logic,” she shared in a Twitter post on Monday. “Yes, it’s extra as hell. Yes, I will be watching again!

Nerd Reactor’s John Nguyen wrote on Twitter that the movie’s action impresses even in comparison to the rest of the series “with armored ninja, fiery weapons, epic one-shot scenes, and more.”

“Donnie Yen is definitely icing on the cake,” Nguyen wrote, also praising the film for offering a conclusion to John Wick’s storyline.

John Wick: Chapter 4 blasts into theaters March 24.