The most recent Hollywood action film I watched is John Wick: Chapter 4. Known for its intense fight scenes, stylized violence, and striking visuals, this movie continues the saga of John Wick, a skilled assassin seeking freedom from a violent underworld. Above, I provide a screen grab of one of the defining action moments and analyze its significance.
In this scene, John Wick ascends a long outdoor staircase while fighting dozens of enemies under dim streetlights and a pale moon. The mise en scene includes muted, dark colours —mostly black and grey tones of Wick’s suit and the enemy costumes. A warm glow from streetlights highlights the metallic sheen of weapons. Shadows stretch across the steps, creating a visually chaotic and tense environment.
The scene lasts around three minutes and features approximately 60 edits, averaging once cut every three seconds. The editing pace matches the importance of the moment, with rapid cuts during close shots combats and slightly longer shots when Wick’s gets control again. The scene alternates between close-ups of Wick’s expressions and medium shots of his movements, and wide shots that show the surroundings. The camera movement appears natural but is calculated to follow the fluidity of the action. For example, the camera pans and tracks Wick as he moves up the staircase, giving a sense of progression and momentum. However, during chaotic moments, shaky movement of the camera heightens the tension, making the viewer aware of the scene’s intensity.
Viewers can notice the quick edits because of how the camera angles change suddenly. For example, it switches from John Wick’s shooting one enemy to a low-angle view of another attacker running up the stairs. This editing style creates a sense of chaos and keeps viewers focused but uneasy. The fight itself is fast-paced and intense, showing Wick using a mix of martial arts, guns, and even random objects as weapons. The enemies come from different backgrounds, but they are all shown as skilled fighters with minimal character development or story involvement.
The choreography highlights John Wick’s physical skill and creativity in combat. The quick transitions between punches, gunfire, and grappling show how efficient and versatile he is. The editing also uses a mix of close-ups, medium shots, and wide views to make the action feel personal while showing the larger setting. These choices keep the audience engaged and make the scene feel urgent and dangerous.
According to Hall (2022), the movie uses ideas from old hero stories to present John Wick as a modern-day epic hero. In classic tales, heroes often face violent battles that serve a larger purpose. Similarly, in this film, the intense action is part of Wick’s journey to achieve freedom and redemption. The staircase scene, with its blend of detailed fight choreography and striking visuals, feels like a grand moment in an epic story.
The film uses stylized violence to tell Wick’s story, making it both exciting and meaningful. Each fight scene is carefully designed to look artistic, almost like a dance, while also reflecting Wick’s personal struggles. By connecting these battles to timeless hero stories, the film elevates the action beyond entertainment, giving it deeper significance. This makes the violence feel necessary for the story rather than random or excessive.
Action films like John Wick: Chapter 4 often show men as strong and emotionally controlled following society’s expectations of masculinity. Some experts believe these movies promote “hegemonic masculinity,” where ideal men are aggressive and in control, rather than showing vulnerability or working together. According to Dolby (2019), this idea links heroism to strength and dominance. While these portrayals make for exciting stories, they limit how masculinity can be shown, leaving little room for characters who are caring, diverse, or emotionally complex. If action films showed a wider range of male traits, they could challenge traditional ideas and tell more inclusive stories.
John Wick: Chapter 4 did well at the box office, earning over $432 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing movie in the series. Its success shows how popular well-done action scenes and visuals are. However, movies like this, which focus on violence, can have real effects. According to Anderson and Bushman (2001), media violence suggests that watching violence a lot can make viewers less sensitive to real-life aggression and lower their empathy. This is especially important for younger audiences, who might copy the violent behaviour they see in movies.
In conclusion, John Wick: Chapter 4 highlights key elements of Hollywood action films, such as fast-paced violence, quick editing, and striking visuals. While the movie is exciting to watch, it also raises deeper questions about the effects of violent media and how it shapes ideas in society. Its focus on one type of hero and themes like aggression and power makes viewers think about how these stories influence ideas about masculinity and representation.
Bibliography:
Anderson, Craig A., and Brad J. Bushman. “Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior, Aggressive Cognition, Aggressive Affect, Physiological Arousal, and Prosocial Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Scientific Literature.” Psychological Science 12, no. 5 (2001): 353–359. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.00366
Hall, Ann C. (2022) “John Wick: Keanu Reeves’s Epic Adventure,” Heroism Science: Vol. 7: Iss. 2, Article 4. DOI: 10.26736/hs.2022.01.08
Dolby, Aidan. Hollywood Masculinities: Themes, Bodies and Ideologies in 1980s Hybrid Action Cinema. Master’s thesis, York St John University, 2019. https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/4477/
Screen grab from:
YouTube. John Wick Chapter 4 – Sacré Coeur Stairs Fight, YouTube video, 0:27. Posted by High-Def Digest, Jul 15, 2023. https://youtu.be/gNHpmamzr2A?si=69tOV_i_duR2bTpw&t=27
Jamaal Cooper
This is a great analysis that provides a comprehensive and thoughtful examination of the staircase fight scene in John Wick: Chapter 4 while tying its visual and thematic elements to broader cultural and cinematic ideas. You have a clear understanding of the technical aspects of filmmaking, including mise en scène, editing, and cinematography, and effectively connect these elements to the narrative and thematic structure of the movie. The integration of scholarly references, such as Hall’s discussion of hero archetypes and Dolby’s critique of masculinity in action films only strengthened your analysis
One of the analysis’s strengths is its detailed breakdown of the scene’s visual style and pacing. The description of how the camera follows John Wick’s movement and alternates between various shot types is vivid and insightful. These observations provide a strong foundation for the student’s argument that the action is both dynamic and meaningful. The reference to “chaotic camera movements” heightening tension is particularly well written out.
You also addresses the cultural implications of John Wick: Chapter 4. Their discussion of hegemonic masculinity and the potential societal effects of stylized violence demonstrates critical engagement with the material. However, this section could be enhanced by further connecting these ideas to the character of John Wick himself, like his stoic demeanor and relentless drive challenge or reinforce traditional masculine archetypes.
A minor thing about the analysis’s is the somewhat generalized conclusion about the broader effects of media violence. While Anderson and Bushman’s research supports the argument, the connection between this study and the movie’s specific audience or depiction of violence could be more explicitly drawn.
Overall, you did well blending technical film analysis with cultural critique, creating a nuanced and engaging exploration of this iconic action scene. You’d need slight refinements to strengthen connections between theory and specific examples, good work it was great to read!