John Wick 4 Early Reactions Promise A Stellar Action Flick (But It's Not Without Faults)

"John Wick: Chapter 4" looms ever closer, and it looks like it's going to be another hit for Keanu Reeves' titular assassin. Expectations for the movie have been sky-high, bolstered by a set of trailers and teases that suggest this latest outing may be the most thrilled-packed entry in the series yet. Even Reeves himself has gone on record to say that "John Wick: Chapter 4" blows away everything that's come before in terms of its action sequence. Suffice to say, that's a high bar.

With how strong hopes are for "John Wick: Chapter 4" to be the best movie in the franchise yet, some may find themselves worried that the flick isn't going to live up to the hype. After all, it's a lot of pressure to foist on the fourth entry in a blockbuster franchise that could possibly start suffering from diminishing returns (just take a look at the disappointed reaction to last year's "Thor: Love and Thunder" as an example). Despite these concerns, it seems that nervous fans have nothing to fear. Early reactions to "John Wick: Chapter 4" are proving to be extremely positive, while also acknowledging a few potential faults.

Those that attended early pre-release screenings of "John Wick: Chapter 4" have taken to social media outlets to voice their opinions on how the film stacks up against its predecessors. Luckily, a lot of these early reactions have a lot of good things to say about the upcoming flick. Film critic Eric Eisenberg tweeted that he was pleased to find that despite "John Wick: Chapter 4" being the longest movie in the franchise yet, its extended runtime feels warranted. "It's an epic with smart pacing that never lets the action feel exhausting, and the set pieces are phenomenal," he wrote.

Meanwhile, fellow critic Erik Davis was similarly impressed by the film's level of quality, particularly with regard to its action sequences. "This is definitely the biggest & most badass 'JOHN WICK' movie yet w/ a runtime near 3 hours & an ending everyone will be talking about," he tweeted. "No one does action like this – it's on another level. Part 4 simply rules."

Beyond the stellar action sequences, particular praise has been leveled at the movie's cast. This latest iteration features a mix of series veterans and newcomer characters. "Keanu Reeves continues to push his body to the limit while Donnie Yen & Hiroyuki Sanada add real gravitas to the most epic film of the franchise yet," critic Matt Neglia opined.

For all the positive sentiments that have been swirling around "John Wick: Chapter 4" since early reactions first began cropping up, there's also a fair few critics out there that feel the movie falls short in some minor regards. Critic Jordan Farley found the film's high amount of action sequences to be a little excessive and a touch too over-the-top. "Moment to moment fight choreography is as thrilling as ever but the set-pieces don't have enough variety to sustain their jumbo size," he wrote. "Wick's 'Looney Tunes' pratfalls stretch credulity, even in a world this heightened."

Similar opinions on the film's length have been echoed among other viewers. Critic Sean Mulvihill argued that the movie goes for too long. Critic Simon Thompson took things a step further, labeling the film as simultaneously "exhilarating" and "exhausting." It seems those hoping for a breezy action flick may find the scope and scale of "John Wick: Chapter 4" overwhelming.

Perhaps the most intriguing critique surrounding "John Wick: Chapter 4," however, has to do with the ending. Based on early reactions, it seems the film goes in an unexpected direction by its conclusion, and the effectiveness of that creative decision may vary from person to person. As critic Kirsten Acuna put it: "Lots of surprises in this one that's going to deliver a divisive ending." Nonetheless, "John Wick 5" is confirmed to be on the way, so readers should make of that what they will.