state by the time it reaches its un-
inspired climax, in which Keanu
Reeves inflicts more head trau-
ma on an army of faceless Asian
goons.
The John Wick series has always
taken its cues from Asian action
cinema. That’s generally a good
thing, as Asia is practically the only
part of the filmmaking world where
you can find action sequences put
together in a way that translates
to excitement on screen, eschew-
ing the shaky cam and CG of Hol-
lywood action for practical stunts
performed by talented athletes
filmed in a comprehensible man-
ner. In John Wick 3, this debt is
acknowledged with the titular hit-
man, now a marked man following
the climax of the second install-
ment, facing off against Zero (Mark
Dacascos), a Japanese-coded as-
sassin with an infantry of Asian ste-
reotypes at his beck and call.
As we watch Wick dispense these
rent-a-thugs with relative ease,
we’re reminded of how many Hol-
lywood action movies have traded
on the notion that Americans can
Watch the trailer for John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
NJ STAGE - ISSUE 59
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