Summary
John Wick 4may be one of Keanu Reeves' final outings as the Baba Yaga, but the movie was a widespread success and helped redeem an 11-year-old action flop. Having already put in three incredible performances asJohn Wick’s protagonist, Reeves returned for the fourth installment in 2023, which became the franchise’s biggest entry to date. Not only did it continue the strong reception of its predecessors, butJohn Wick 4also set box office recordsby becoming the highest-grossing movie in the series, giving Keanu Reeves a well-deserved hit to help overcome his decade-old failure.
AlthoughReeves will return inJohn Wick’sBallerinaspinoff, he isn’t expected to feature in the main movies anytime soon, making his previous appearance all the more important.The first three films already provedJohn Wickwas one of the biggest action franchises around, but with the fourth installment reaching new heights alongside reuniting Reeves with a former costar, it acted as the perfect redemption for the actor. After having one of his biggest misfires a decade earlier, Reeves' gun-fu movie’s massive achievements helped officially prove that his 2013 disaster was nothing more than a small blip.
John Wick 4 Reunited Keanu Reeves & Hiroyuki Sanada 10 Years After 47 Ronin
Reeves & Hiroyuki Finally Made Up For Their $170 Million Flop A Decade Later
Despite47 Ronin’s failure, Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada were able to reunite 10 years later and redeem their action flop throughJohn Wick 4. The duo first appeared alongside each other in 2013’s47 Ronin, which had a $170 million budget and made just $151.8 million. In addition, the movie has a 16% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, with its audience score sitting at just 48%, highlighting how poorly the movie performed. With the fantasy-action film leaving a lot to be desired,Reeves and Sanada’s reunion faced a lot of pressure, but it couldn’t have gone any better.
Both actors thrived in the franchise’s fast-paced, close-quarters action, and proved that they can work together seamlessly in the right environment.
WhileJohn Wick 4was a huge triumph and an all-round success, the duo also had great on-screen chemistry that fully made up for their struggles 10 years prior. Sanada’s performance as Shimazu Koji stole the show and became one ofJohn Wick’s best-supporting characters, while Reeves continued to deliver a captivating action performance in the leading role. Both actors thrived in the franchise’s fast-paced, close-quarters action, and showed that they can work together seamlessly in the right environment, provingJohn Wick 4is exactly what they needed to put47 Roninbehind them.
The Exact Moment John Wick Surpassed The Matrix As Keanu Reeves’ Best Movie Franchise
Keanu Reeves' gained worldwide recognition as Neo in The Matrix franchise, but John Wick surpassed the iconic sci-fi franchise at one pivotal moment.
What Went Wrong With Keanu Reeves’ 47 Ronin Movie
The Movie’s Mediocre Action Wasn’t Helped By The Poor Portrayal Of Japanese History
Given the heavy investment47 Roninreceived alongside having the talent of Reeves and Sanada on board, the movie seemed like a surefire hit, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. Attempting to cash in on the iconic Japanese story of the 47 ronin, this fictionalized retelling combined fantasy with action, but it failed to engage its audience and ultimately fell flat. While the fantasy elements sounded like a potentially unique take on an already popular story,47 Roninproduced an overcomplicated yet underdeveloped plot that failed to appeal to a large audience, hence its underwhelming box office performance and reviews.
47 Ronin
Based on a true story set in 18th-century Japan, 47 Ronin is a fantasy-action film that takes an extreme fantasy approach to the tale. A half-Japanese, half-English man named Kai is saved by a kindly ruler, only to be soon betrayed by those in his own hold. Kai and several other samurai are branded traitors for their loyalty to him. Seeking revenge, the 47 ronin band together, facing men and monsters alike.
Additionally, the movie was criticized for casting a white actor to play the leading role in a movie about Japanese samurai, as some felt it was disrespectful to the country’s history since stories about the 47 ronin are based on real events from the 1700s. These valid complaints definitely hurt the movie and, despite how beloved Reeves is, even he couldn’t save its reputation. While47 Roninisn’t Keanu Reeves' worst-ranked movie, it did come at a time when he wasn’t at the peak of his popularity, which further cemented the film’s status as a disappointment.
John Wick 4 Was The Team-Up Keanu Reeves & Hiroyuki Sanada Deserved
John Wick 4 Was A Significant Improvement On 47 Ronin
Watching Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada team up inJohn Wick 4was the perfect evidence that the actors can excel together. Their characters had a mutual respect that allowed them to fight for the same cause, and while their interaction was fairly brief, it still exceeded their time in47 Ronin. While Reeves has had numerous fight scenes throughout his time in theJohn Wickfranchise, his one inside the Osaka Continental is among his best, and Sanada also got a great showing with both actors flaunting their action skills through a variety of interesting sequences.
John Wick 5has been officially confirmed, but the project currently has no release date.
Although Sanada’s character was sadly killed off early in the movie, he still played a memorable role and got the redemption that he deserved alongside Reeves. WithJohn Wick 4being the highest-rated entry in the entire franchise, it’s clearSanada helped elevate the action series, and his short time on screen with Reeves set up an interesting narrative. The duo also sold the long-standing history between their characters despite it being Sanada’sJohn Wickdebut, and their dynamic significantly improved on47 Ronin, which finally gave them the captivating reunion they both deserved.
John Wick: Chapter 4
Following the events of Chapter 3 - Parabellum, John Wick Chapter 4 will see the titular character battle against some of his most dangerous foes yet. With a bounty on his head that continues to skyrocket, John decides to take the fight to the High Table on a global scale and battles across areas like Osaka and Paris to wipe out some of the strongest players in the underworld.
