John Wick: Chapter 4

In a movie with some of the best lighting, some of the best usage of architecture and interior design, some of the best fighting choreography and music, and some of the best stunts performed on screen in an action movie, it’s pretty awesome that my biggest takeaway is how fucking cool Donnie Yen truly is, even at age 60. The man oozes swagger in almost every frame of this film, and even goes a step further in giving one of my favorite performances of the year for a character almost entirely based on the way he fights as a blind assassin that somehow rivals John Wick. The way he practically glides across the screen and consciously attacks in an almost robotic, precise way is so satisfying. It’s rare to see actors put this much thought into who their characters are and how they interact with the world around them, much less how they fight in an action movie. In a movie filled with stars like Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Bill Skarsgard, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Larry Fishburne, alongise bonafide SCENE STEALING performances from Shamier Anderson, Rina Sawayama, Marko Zaror, and Scott Adkins (whose goofy ass I LOVE), it really is a testament to the legend that is Donnie Yen that he can steal almost the entire movie all on his own. What an icon.