John Wick: Chapter 4

“I’m going to kill them all,” promises the title character early in John Wick: Chapter 4, and whether he fulfills that claim shouldn’t surprise fans of the first three installments of the action franchise.

Both deliberately solemn and playfully over-the-top, this latest sequel reuniting star Keanu Reeves and filmmaker Chad Stahelski is a showcase for some top-notch stunt work and action choreography, not to mention men’s formal wear. After all, what’s the use of escaping mortal danger if you can’t look cool doing it?

However, emphasizing spectacle over substance at every slow-motion turn while trying to constantly outdo itself, this ambitious globetrotting thriller feels like a director’s cut that could have benefited from some judicious trimming.

As the film opens, our resilient and invincible assassin has a lucrative bounty put on his head by Marquis (Bill Skarsgard) on behalf of Wick’s nemesis, the powerful criminal collective known as the High Table.

That leads hopefuls to converge on Paris for a shot at Wick, including a blind hitman and former Wick associate (Donnie Yen), and a rogue bounty hunter (Shamier Anderson) with a canine sidekick.

Wick’s allies also are under siege, including the manager (Ian McShane) and concierge (Lance Reddick) at the safe-haven Continental Hotel, and the elusive Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne), who runs an underground intelligence network.

Reeves is committed as ever in reprising the enigmatic title character, going beyond brooding and macho posturing to convey a sense of resolve and resignation about his fate. He embraces the physicality of a role with only sparse dialogue.

From a technical standpoint, there’s plenty to appreciate in the action set pieces that are skillfully staged and photographed to maximize the brutality and body count. Wick manages to cheat death at least a dozen times — he can’t even walk into a church without the priest pulling out a shotgun.

While the film visually justifies its epic scope, the story bridging the confrontations seems padded and ponderous. Newcomers to the series might lose patience trying to engage with a screenplay that strains to expand upon its mythology. Yet the primary function here is fan service.

The stakes have never been higher, as exemplified by a final showdown for the ages. However, it takes a long time to get there. John Wick: Chapter 4 features enough action sequences for three or four sequels, but barely enough plot for one.

Rated R, 169 minutes.