John trains as the Bowery King brings him a new suit. After hiding underground, John travels to Morocco to meet the new Elder of the High Table. John asks the Elder for his ring and freedom. The Elder tells John the wedding ring is long gone with the previous Elder. And they won’t free John either. John is to serve and to be of service to the High Table. John stands and shoots the Elder in the head.
Marquis Vincent de Gramont visits the New York Continental Hotel. He strips Winston of his title and condemns the hotel because Winston didn’t kill John. Vincent is the highest-ranking official of the High Table. And he wants to put an end to John Wick. But he knows that killing John will make him a martyr, so he must kill everything John touches and everyone John knows. It starts with New York. Vincent will make every city respect the High Table by demolishing John’s flagship hotel. Vincent pulls out his gun and kills Charon. Charon is Winston’s consequence for deceiving the High Table.
Vincent leaves New York and travels to Paris. He summons Caine, John’s friend and a retired assassin for the High Table, for a meeting. Vincent gives Caine a card with his mark’s name: John Wick. Caine doesn’t want to do it, but Vincent threatens to kill Caine’s daughter if he doesn’t. Caine and his daughter can be free if Caine kills John. Caine sighs and agrees.
John runs to the Osaka Continental to meet with the manager, Koji, against the wishes of his concierge, Akira. No one sees Tracker in the lobby with a notebook full of information about John Wick. The bounty of $15,000,000 isn’t enough for Tracker, but he will keep an eye on John while it rises. John tells Koji that he plans to kill every member of the High Table. Koji warns John that John’s path will only lead to more killing and destruction. The High Table is a hydra with someone waiting to take another’s place.
John meets with Winston, who agrees with Koji, to offer condolences for the Continental and Charon. Winston offers John a better idea. Winston tells John to request a duel against Vincent. John thought High Table duels were a myth, but Winston assures John that they are a fact. According to legend, a family must sponsor him in the duel, and he tore his ticket to gain passage. John needs to find a new family, obtain a ticket, request a duel, and kill Marquis Vincent de Gramont to free himself of the High Table for good.
The fourth installment of John Wick packs more plot than its predecessors but maintains all the action (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The battles were well-timed, in sync with the music, and innovative. One fight scene is a birdseye view shot of a home’s first floor. If you fear heights, this camera angle could make you motion sick. If you haven’t seen the previous three films, watch them before watching this film. The movie doesn’t take the time to catch viewers up on what happened and why. So you won’t understand John’s soft spot for a dog. This film is funnier and wiser than the first three films. The characters pack plenty of pearls of wisdom for the viewers while making you laugh out loud. Don’t worry, because this film has a lot of blood, guns, axes, and nunchucks. So it has all the cringe-inducing violence you love. And the best battles feature the Arc de Triomphe, The Basilica of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre, and 222 stairs. The downside to this film is the unrealistic survival. Viewers could believe one man could live through these battles, but a 50-foot drop onto the pavement is too far for any stretch of your imagination. This movie is a fitting conclusion for John Wick fans with new characters and locations. Also, it has one post-credit scene at the end.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
Amen – John
You hit my puppy – Tracker
A man’s ambition shouldn’t exceed his worth – Harbinger
I know a guy who knows a guy who shot a guy – Bowery King
Such is life – Charon
Of course. And second chances – Winston
Second chances are the refuge of those who fail – Marquis Vincent de Gramont
Mario and Luigi quit their job at Spike’s Wrecking Company to start their plumbing business. They watch their new commercial in a restaurant, and Spike laughs at them. Luigi gets a call from their first client, but the job doesn’t go as expected. Mario comes home to a family that loves mushrooms and criticizes his career choice because Mario spent his life savings on the commercial. However, Luigi believes in Mario. During their conversation, Mario hears a news report on TV. A main water pipe burst in Brooklyn, and it’s flooding. Mario decides to save Brooklyn.
Mario and Luigi drive to Brooklyn, but Mario can see the workers are digging in the wrong spot. Mario opens a maintenance hole cover and jumps underground with Luigi. They fall to Level 1-2, and Mario can’t find Luigi. He sees Luigi’s tool in a green storm drain and walks inside. They are pulled into a Warp Pipe but get separated along the way. Mario sees Luigi heading to darkness and fire, but he lands in the Mushroom Kingdom.
Mario looks at the world around him and gags. He hates mushrooms. He attempts to touch one, and a mushroom jumps and introduces himself as Toad. Mario describes where Luigi landed, and Toad knows it well. It’s the Dark Lands. KoopaKing Bowser took over the area and stole the Super Star. Toad knows that Princess Peach is planning a preemptive strike to keep King Bowser’s reign from spreading. So Toad takes Mario to Princess Peach to get her help. Princess Peach and Mario have a unique first encounter, but she recognizes him as a human. She doesn’t know her origins. But she has a curiosity about the human world.
After talking to her counsel, Princess Peach knows she will need an army to defeat King Bowser. The closest army is in the Jungle Kingdom, and King Cranky Kong rules it. Mario and Toad demand to go, so Princess Peach takes them. King Cranky Kong refuses to let Princess Peach uses his army, but Mario won’t take no for an answer because he wants to save Luigi. So King Cranky Kong will let Princess Peach use his army, but only if Mario can beat his son, Donkey Kong. Mario will fight with power-ups, flying fists, and a catsuit. Then, Princess Peach can save her Kingdom while Mario rescues Luigi. However, they have Bowser all wrong. He doesn’t want to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. He stole the star to impress and marry Princess Peach.
This feast for the eyes combines Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart, and Donkey Kong (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It has hidden easter eggs throughout the movie for long-time gaming fans. The colors are vibrant. They teleport you to a universe you may or may not know. And video gamers, be ready for the training montage. It will make your hands twitch for the controller. The plot is captivating, and the animation is a work of art. The movie provides humor for kids and adults without being raunchy or sneaky. The soundtrack includes music from all genres and decades. And make sure you stay for the mid and post-credit scenes. They will give you a Bowser moment and a look into an upcoming sequel.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
You’re not bringing me down – Luigi
Nothing can hurt us as long as we’re together – Mario
This guy’s brother is going to die eminently – Toad
Will you marry me – King Bowser
Dad, wave back – Donkey Kong
I will convince him – Princess Peach
Time, like hope, is an illusion – Lumalee
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