John Wick, the legendary assassin, finally arrives at his last stop. A film editor takes a close look at what many consider the series’s best entry, starring Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Donnie Yen. What do “freedom” and “redemption” really mean in this 169-minute action epic? Let’s explore a movie that changed the landscape of action films.

The third John Wick film has cemented Keanu Reeves’ signature franchise, picking up where the last movie ended—with John on the run and fighting for his life. The nonstop, inventive action scenes featuring horses, motorcycles, knives, guns, and even dogs keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Legendary hitman John Wick returns in Chapter 2, expanding on the excitement of the original and delving further into the underworld ruled by its own code.

As a POV horror film following ‘Paranormal Activity,’ this movie is notable for its setting in an abandoned mental hospital and its cleverly ironic opening with a staged paranormal TV show. The film effectively builds tension in confined spaces through skillful ghost effects, despite its low budget. However, its main weakness is the disconnect between its amateur-filming premise and the professional-grade camerawork, compounded by a loss of momentum in the latter half. Ultimately, while it doesn’t fully realize the potential of its asylum setting, it stands out as a worthwhile watch for POV horror fans seeking both innovation and genre shortcomings.

This film elevated Keanu Reeves to action stardom. The story is a straightforward revenge tale, but its creative gun-fu action and distinct underworld setting set it apart. While the inciting incident is the killing of a dog, it introduces secret rules and assassin relationships that add meaningful depth. With no romance and a bold, dark aesthetic, John Wick redefined action movies in the 2010s.

The new installment in the horror franchise, Final Dead Blood, returns after 14 years and brilliantly delivers on series fans’ expectations. While the series appeared to have concluded with the previous film, Final Dead Bridge, this chapter makes an unexpected comeback based on a concept by Jon Watts, director of the Spider-Man trilogy. Notably, the film’s most distinctive feature is its innovative concept: “three generations battling death.” Where past entries depicted young survivors of isolated accidents succumbing one after another, this film shifts the scale, presenting the franchise’s most expansive story to date. It follows an entire family line, starting with the 1968 tragedy, trapped in a curse of death. Importantly, the grotesque death scenes are still present—more extreme than ever—and the visual quality, thanks to Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema’s generous budget and the perfect balance of CGI and practical effects, overwhelms the viewer.