John Wick: Chapter 4 – 4K UHD Review

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Lionsgate Films | 2023

R | 2hrs 49 mins | Action | Thriller | Crime | Martial Arts | Adventure

HD | 1080P | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Native 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Vision | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1

Staring:  Keanu Reeves | Donnie Yen | Bill Skarsgård | Laurence Fishburne | Hiroyuki Sanada | Shamier Anderson

Directed by: Chad Stahelski

Ratings & Reviews

Please see here for my comments on reviewing movies.

My ratings are simple being marked out of a maximum of 5+. My reviews are biased towards the technical production aspects of the film with brief comments about the story line. Extras, sorry, that’s just not my ‘bag’.

So what did the 7.1 soundtrack sound like? Reference in all respects and the 4K HDR10 video? Also reference.

Entertainment: 5

Video: 5

Audio: 5

Technical Review – Native 4K UHD HDR10

John Wick: Chapter 4  was shot digitally in the ARRIRAW codec by cinematographer Dan Laustsen at 4.5K using Arri Alexa LF and Arri Alexa Mini LF cameras with Master Anamorphic, ALFA and Signature Prime lenses. It was finished as a 4K Digital Intermediate at the 2.39:1 aspect ratio and graded for HDR for this 4K release in both Dolby Vision and HDR10. This triple-layer BD100 disc has been well authored and shows no use of noise reduction or edge sharpening, no obvious compression artifacts or excessive noise was noted. The package also contains a BD 50 Blu ray HD disc and a redeemable digital code.

Despite an appreciably amount of the movie taking place at night in darker rooms and clubs, the movies overall darker appearance is never dull or excessively dark and the image literally punches its way onto your screen as a terrific reference HDR10 presentation.

With the film shot in a high resolution format, this 4K release has excellent overall image clarity with a dazzling display of crisp, razor sharp detail with refined texturing throughout. Objects, clothing, threads and facial close-ups all provide excellent detail and definition. From the handmade kakite bikei wrapped in rope to the textures of the suits, shirts and metallic guns. Facial pores, stubble, wrinkles, eyelashes, hair strands and features are all accurately rendered without any undue exaggerations. CGI and special effects integration are very good, having realistic textures, blending well with the real action shots and never looking soft. Effects like fiery explosive rounds, flying objects, debris and car engagements are well integrated into the live action with no distractions.

Even with those dark rooms and club scenes, contrast balance was excellent throughout, from the brilliant uncompressed whites of the daylight exterior shots and the dazzling specular highlights to the deep and noise free inky blacks that showed excellent low level and shadow detail. Individual clouds, sunlight, various light sources, metallic objects and shot-gun blasts and rounds sparkle with a true-to-live realism. All creating a very good dynamic contrast range and enhancing visibility of objects in both exterior and interior shots, creating an excellent depth of image having a impressive three-dimensional quality almost as if “looking through a window” at the action.

The color palette presents with a solid array of vibrant colors. Color fidelity is excellent throughout with vivid and well saturated primaries and secondaries, all having good color depth and density, hues are bold and vibrant. From those bright neon lights with their brilliant green, red, and purple glows to the shades of amber and yellows of the sun and sunrise, the cerulean blue skies of the desert with its brown and sepia tones of the rocks and sand. Pops of color appear everywhere from the blood reds, brilliant costume trim warm golds and deep maroon textiles to the strong yellows and reds of the fiery explosive rounds. Skin tones and facial complexions throughout looking wonderfully natural.

This video is excellent on all fronts, providing a top notch HDR10 reference image.

The overall sound presentation is very dynamic, with outstanding sub involvement and surround action. The soundstage is wide and surrounds are constantly active with ambience, directional cues and movement, delivering an active environment that drops the listener into both calm environments and every action-packed sonic spectacle alike. Effects placement are accurate and natural, with plenty of movement in both the rear and side surrounds, together with the general environmental and room acoustics effects consistently pulling you into the many locals and environments, like the sewers, the Bowery King’s domain, the desert, various rooms and the club and hotel environments. From those dialogue sequences steeped in the surrounding activity of people talking, drops of water, shouts and screams, to the punches, gunfire, flying bullet casings, galloping horses and general chaos and mayhem. All fill the surrounds pulling you into the scene and keeping you “in the mix”.

Sub action is stellar and wall rattling, having the serious, low-end, hard hitting extension that this movie deserves. Low frequency effects are there in bucketful’s. They are extended, powerful and add tremendous weight to the flying punches, impactful gunfire, hand wielded weapons and rave party. Imaging continuously feels broad and expansive following the action as it moves on and off-screen. Dialogue was always crystal clear and well detailed with an outstanding mid-range and solid front-center imaging and prioritization, providing good clarity and detail no matter how loud and aggressive the high action sequences become…..and some become really loud and aggressive!

Flushing out the soundscape and supporting the movie throughout its entire length, the films score, composed by Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard is bolstered by various artists to include; Lola Colette, Rina Sawayama, Manon Hollander and In This Moment. It provides a highly supportive and well integrated mix for both the aggressive and more relaxed scenes equally well. Presenting with great bass and hitting a good balance between the dialogue and effects, the score provides a light spill into the surrounds and excellent integration within the soundstage.

An outstanding reference audio track that compliments the reference video in every way.

Story Overview

Both John Wick (Keanu Reeves) and the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) amazingly survive their onslaughts in John Wick 3 and as evidenced by the closing moments of that movie, are as mad as hell and aren’t going to take any more punishment from the High Table and their assassins.

Chapter 4  opens up exactly to where John Wick 3 left off, with John Wick now recovering from his hotel fall. John wants to get out of the game, but after the High Tables attempt to kill him now wants revenge and is looking for a way to defeat them. Wanting to challenge his aggressor to an “old-fashioned” duel, Wick is required to go through  various events in order to satisfy the rules that separate assassins from regular killers. With Marquis Vincent (Bill Skarsgård), Johns aggressor, putting a huge bounty on his head every assassin is now in the game to kill him. So within no time the movie has ramped up to its usual action packed succession of “kick ass” over the top fight scenes that get bigger and badder, piling action on top of action from New York to Paris and Japan to Berlin, as John once-and-for-all struggles to regain his freedom.

My 2 cents

An exhausting 2hrs and 49 minutes of action that flew by. If you are looking for a fast, violent, action packed movie, with more action layered on top of that, John Wick 4 continues the saga, dovetailing right into where John Wick 3 left off. All with reference grade video and audio to go with the “kick ass” over-the-top action.

Lionsgate and Keanu Reeves have both confirmed that if John Wick 4 is a box office success that there is supposed to be a John Wick: Chapter 5. Not too sure how that happens based upon this story, nor to what action level or direction a John Wick 5 would take this war with the ‘High Table’?

For those John Wick fans amongst us there is an up and coming spin-off movie called Ballerina that takes place between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4, in which a ballerina-assassin Rooney (Ana de Armas) hunts for the murderers of her family, with; Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, and Anjelica Huston returning to the screen. While filming and post production are said to be underway no release date has yet been announced.

This is without a doubt another terrific addition to this growing series. You MUST watch past the end of the movie credits!

Highly recommended.

Purchase from Amazon.

See my other Blu-ray reviews here.