Laurence Fishburne

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum - 3/5

This movie tries to expand the world-building that the first two films started, but it quickly falls apart. There are some fun action scenes, and one in an antique shop in particular that is stellar, but the rest of the movie is a blurry confusion of self-contradiction and tensionless posturing. Asia Kate Dillon is particularly atrocious, and her portrayal of a such pompously incompetent character is not only grating to watch but badly written to boot. The contrivances just keep piling up and after an hour or so everything that happens happens because the plot needs it to. The director’s affinity for beautiful cinematography has been pared down to only beautiful shots, with much of the camera work that made the other two films stand out lost and lazily lacking in this one.

Closest comparison: It’s the Jonh Wick entry that couldn’t be bothered to be any good.

Setting: Secret World
Plot: Action
Tone: Action

John Wick: Chapter 2 - 3/5

They lost their way with the second one. It still has beautiful cinematography, some fun fight scenes, and memorable side characters. But the lack of specific motivation or creativity in resolving fairly straightforward conflicts makes it a definite drop in quality from the first one. I found the suit gimmicky and by the end they had really gotten John Wick's character wrong.