Ranked: All Four John Wick Films from Worst to Best
By Daniel Rester
Stunt performers Chad Stahelski and David Leitch moved into director chairs to make John Wick in 2014. The film was meant as a star vehicle for Keanu Reeves, who plays the title character. The action picture found many fans and kickstarted an exciting franchise. There are now four John Wick films. Here’s how I rank them from worst to best, though it’s really more of a case of least best to best best.
4. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)
The third chapter in the series opens with a bang, with twenty or so minutes fulfilling the promise made at the end of the second film. It’s awesome stuff as Wick battles baddies on motorcycles while riding a horse. The plot then begins to move in fits and starts as Wick searches for an elder to be able to clear his name. Weak performances by Mark Dacascos and especially Asia Kate Dillon as the antagonists don’t help the film either. Even so, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum delivers plenty of thrills and features Halle Berry in a cool supporting role as an ex-assassin named Sofia. Grade: B+ (7.7/10)
3. John Wick (2014)
The one that started it all is a simple revenge tale of ex-hitman Wick going after the thugs who killed the puppy his late wife gifted him. The film immediately stood out in 2014 with its fluid and stylish action scenes (especially the club scene) and world-building ideas that held a lot of franchise potential. It still holds up too despite feeling a bit small now compared to its sequels. At 101 minutes, John Wick is a lean and mean action flick with a perfect role for Reeves and a terrific supporting cast. Grade: B+ (8/10)
2. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
The second film takes everything cool in the first film and expands on it with aplomb. The crime world Wick lives in is richly developed as the hitman is drawn back in to perform a mission for a past associate. The action scenes manage to top those in the original and the extra locations (love that catacombs scene) give the presentation more variety. Common and Laurence Fishburne are great additions to the supporting cast too. John Wick: Chapter 2 has maybe the best ending of the series as well, leaving audiences with a wild cliffhanger. Grade: B+ (8/10)
1. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
The John Wick films have gradually gotten bigger and more ambitious as the series moves forward. John Wick: Chapter 4 has four times the budget of the original film and a lengthy runtime of nearly three hours. The filmmaking team makes the money and time worth it though, delivering an action epic to rival The Raid 2 (2014). The film has a handful of the best action scenes in recent years (the car traffic scene, the Osaka Continental scene, etc.) as Wick takes on the forces of High Table member Marquis Vincent de Gramont, expertly played by Bill Skarsgård. The supporting cast is the best of the series too, with Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Shamier Anderson all getting moments to shine as new characters in the John Wick world. John Wick: Chapter 4 is long but frequently amazing. Grade: A- (8.3/10)
