Summary
- John Wick revived Keanu Reeves' career and proved action movies were still alive amidst superhero films.
- The spinoff movie Ballerina gives fans a fresh protagonist and action, but maintains a slower pace.
- John Wick: Chapter 4 features intense action, explosions, and a mesmerizing finale, serving as a fitting end to the series.
John Wick did two things when it hit theaters in 2014. It rejuvenated the career of Keanu Reeves, and it showed that pure action movies were not dead in the wake of so many superhero films from Marvel and DC. It was helmed by stuntmen who knew what they were doing, and over a decade later, fans are still eating this series up.
7 Best Movies To Watch If You Love John Wick
The John Wick movies give fans incredible action with a unique feel, but if fans want something more then here are the best movies like John Wick.
With the first movie spinoff, Ballerina, fans may be wondering what’s next. Will Ballerina get a sequel, or will another character be spun off into the next project? Those are all great questions, but for now, let’s rank the five movies that are out in terms of overall quality.
There will be spoilers for the John Wick franchise.
5 John Wick
They Killed My Dog
John Wick
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 24, 2014
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 101 minutes
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Studio(s)
- Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Productions
The original John Wick has problems that every first entry in a franchise has. It has to set up a lot of context for the world. It starts a bit slowly with John getting over his relationship, but caring for a dog that was left for him. Of course, this dog ends up getting murdered because some people were not happy with him. Unfortunately for these gangsters, they messed with one of the most legendary assassins of all time.
Hearing villains constantly relieve themselves upon hearing the name John Wick is something that never gets old. The action is refreshing for this time in cinema history, even though Keanu Reeves is still a bit rusty in his action moves and perhaps some of his deliveries. John Wick is a character he will grow into, but this is an excellent debut, if not a little held back by some of the pacing.
4 Ballerina
A Femme Fatale In The Making
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- June 6, 2025
- Runtime
- 125 minutes
- Director
- Len Wiseman
- Studio(s)
- Summit Entertainment, Thunder Road Films, 87Eleven Productions
Ballerina takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4 and stars a different protagonist, Eve Macarro. Eve was raised in a cult, but her father took her away when she was very young. Unfortunately, this cult eventually found and killed her father, but Eve was able to escape. During twelve years of training, Eve honed her skills as a ballerina to become a deadly assassin for the Ruska Roma, to hopefully get revenge one day.
8 Strangest Things John Wick Turned Into A Weapon
As an incredibly versatile assassin, John Wick often utilizes odd weapons to execute some of his astonishing kills.
A fifth movie in any action franchise can feel a bit stretched, and while Ballerina is slower-paced than the main John Wick movies, there is still some fun to be had. When the action gets going, it’s a treat, and audiences will likely exclaim, “I’ve never seen that in a John Wick movie before!” Hopefully, they say that internally, though as not to disturb the peace. From skater nunchucks to flamethrower battles, there are a lot of creative encounters in Ballerina that make it worthy of the John Wick name.
3 John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
A Global Offensive
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- May 15, 2019
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 131 minutes
John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum carries over what made the second movie great: more action. It also does something fans have been waiting to see since the first movie introduced The Continental and all of the rules associated with it. With no other choice, John has to fight inside The Continental in a full-out war. He’s not the only one that gets to kick butt during this sequence as Charon picks up a gun and shows he’s more than just a concierge.
That’s the end of the movie, though, but John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum has a ton of incredible set pieces, including riding through the desert and fighting alongside Halle Berry, who plays another assassin, Sofia Al-Azwar. She’s strong on her own, but her dogs are what make Sofia a terrifying presence. It’s a shame this dynamic duo didn’t get to be in the movie together more, but John Wick is a one-man army who doesn’t need a partner anyway.
2 John Wick: Chapter 4
A Lot Of Ups And Downs
John Wick: Chapter 4
- Release Date
- March 22, 2023
- Runtime
- 170 minutes
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Writers
- Michael Finch, Shay Hatten, Derek Kolstad
- Producers
- Basil Iwanyk, Chad Stahelski, Erica Lee, Carl Woebcken, Christoph Fisser, Henning Molfenter
- Prequel(s)
- John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum
- Franchise(s)
- John Wick
Cast
-
Donnie YenCaine -
John Wick
- Studio(s)
- Lionsgate
John Wick: Chapter 4 was a long time coming in a story that focused on one man just wanting to get some revenge for gangsters who killed his dog. This blew up to a war that led to some literal explosions in this fourth chapter. Even though Keanu was older in this film, he still had the presence that made John Wick famous. He’s calm and collected in the face of danger, even against his deadliest opponent yet, Caine, who is a blind swordsman that can still kill with the best.
John Wick: 10 Most Awesome Kills, Ranked
The John Wick franchise is packed with gun-driven action and martial arts, driving memorable kills that make the action-thriller a masterpiece.
The highlight of the movie has to be the finale on the staircase, as every kill is meaningful, and every time John falls down the stairs and gets back up again, it is mesmerizing. Viewers can feel his pain because quite a few probably know what a tumble down a few stairs can feel like, let alone dozens. Will this be the end of him? That’s the big question, and even though there is a fifth chapter in the making, that doesn’t mean it is a sequel. As a final movie for John Wick as a character, the closing feels well-deserved in John Wick: Chapter 4.
1 John Wick: Chapter 2
Things Are Heating Up
John Wick: Chapter 2
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- February 8, 2017
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
- Director
- Chad Stahelski
- Studio(s)
- Summit Entertainment, Thunder Road Pictures, TIK Films, 87Eleven Productions
When it comes to sequels, sometimes the original movie cannot be topped, and sometimes the direct sequel is the best in a franchise. For Star Wars fans, that is the case with Star Wars: Episode 5 - The Empire Strikes Back, and for John Wick fans, many believe John Wick: Chapter 2 is the best in the series. From the start, it already outdoes its processor by starting with a bang. There’s an incredible car chase scene where cars are used as weapons and are just as deadly as the guns John Wick uses.
The increased danger of other assassins going after John is also a threat throughout the film, and the finale set piece in the mirrored hallways makes for some jaw-dropping sequences of bloody duels. The world-building is also better with a mysterious council running things behind the scenes, which does a good job of making this franchise more than just a series of gun battles. This is Keanu Reeves back on his feet and in full fighting condition, and it’s still fun to watch.
15 Best Games To Play If You Love John Wick
These video games are must-haves for John Wick fans, due to their exhilarating action, gameplay, and relatable story beats.