John Wick 4 Perfectly Redeemed Keanu Reeves’ 11-Year-Old Action Movie With 16% On Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

John Wick 4 may be one of Keanu Reeves' final outings as the Baba Yaga, but the movie was a widespread success and helped redeem an 11-year-old action flop. Having already put in three incredible performances as John Wick's protagonist, Reeves returned for the fourth installment in 2023, which became the franchise's biggest entry to date. Not only did it continue the strong reception of its predecessors, but John Wick 4 also set box office records by becoming the highest-grossing movie in the series, giving Keanu Reeves a well-deserved hit to help overcome his decade-old failure.

Although Reeves will return in John Wick's Ballerina spinoff, he isn't expected to feature in the main movies anytime soon, making his previous appearance all the more important. The first three films already proved John Wick was one of the biggest action franchises around, but with the fourth installment reaching new heights alongside reuniting Reeves with a former costar, it acted as the perfect redemption for the actor. After having one of his biggest misfires a decade earlier, Reeves' gun-fu movie's massive achievements helped officially prove that his 2013 disaster was nothing more than a small blip.

John Wick 4 Reunited Keanu Reeves & Hiroyuki Sanada 10 Years After 47 Ronin

Reeves & Hiroyuki Finally Made Up For Their $170 Million Flop A Decade Later

Despite 47 Ronin's failure, Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada were able to reunite 10 years later and redeem their action flop through John Wick 4. The duo first appeared alongside each other in 2013's 47 Ronin, which had a $170 million budget and made just $151.8 million. In addition, the movie has a 16% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, with its audience score sitting at just 48%, highlighting how poorly the movie performed. With the fantasy-action film leaving a lot to be desired, Reeves and Sanada's reunion faced a lot of pressure, but it couldn't have gone any better.

While John Wick 4 was a huge triumph and an all-round success, the duo also had great on-screen chemistry that fully made up for their struggles 10 years prior. Sanada's performance as Shimazu Koji stole the show and became one of John Wick's best-supporting characters, while Reeves continued to deliver a captivating action performance in the leading role. Both actors thrived in the franchise's fast-paced, close-quarters action, and showed that they can work together seamlessly in the right environment, proving John Wick 4 is exactly what they needed to put 47 Ronin behind them.

What Went Wrong With Keanu Reeves’ 47 Ronin Movie

The Movie's Mediocre Action Wasn't Helped By The Poor Portrayal Of Japanese History

Given the heavy investment 47 Ronin received alongside having the talent of Reeves and Sanada on board, the movie seemed like a surefire hit, but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. Attempting to cash in on the iconic Japanese story of the 47 ronin, this fictionalized retelling combined fantasy with action, but it failed to engage its audience and ultimately fell flat. While the fantasy elements sounded like a potentially unique take on an already popular story, 47 Ronin produced an overcomplicated yet underdeveloped plot that failed to appeal to a large audience, hence its underwhelming box office performance and reviews.

47 Ronin

PG-13

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Based on a true story set in 18th-century Japan, 47 Ronin is a fantasy-action film that takes an extreme fantasy approach to the tale. A half-Japanese, half-English man named Kai is saved by a kindly ruler, only to be soon betrayed by those in his own hold. Kai and several other samurai are branded traitors for their loyalty to him. Seeking revenge, the 47 ronin band together, facing men and monsters alike.

Director

Carl Rinsch

Release Date

December 25, 2013

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures

Cast

Keanu Reeves , Hiroyuki Sanada , Kou Shibasaki , Tadanobu Asano , Min Tanaka , Jin Akanishi

Runtime

128 Minutes

Budget

$170 million

Additionally, the movie was criticized for casting a white actor to play the leading role in a movie about Japanese samurai, as some felt it was disrespectful to the country's history since stories about the 47 ronin are based on real events from the 1700s. These valid complaints definitely hurt the movie and, despite how beloved Reeves is, even he couldn't save its reputation. While 47 Ronin isn't Keanu Reeves' worst-ranked movie, it did come at a time when he wasn't at the peak of his popularity, which further cemented the film's status as a disappointment.

John Wick 4 Was The Team-Up Keanu Reeves & Hiroyuki Sanada Deserved

John Wick 4 Was A Significant Improvement On 47 Ronin

Watching Keanu Reeves and Hiroyuki Sanada team up in John Wick 4 was the perfect evidence that the actors can excel together. Their characters had a mutual respect that allowed them to fight for the same cause, and while their interaction was fairly brief, it still exceeded their time in 47 Ronin. While Reeves has had numerous fight scenes throughout his time in the John Wick franchise, his one inside the Osaka Continental is among his best, and Sanada also got a great showing with both actors flaunting their action skills through a variety of interesting sequences.

Although Sanada's character was sadly killed off early in the movie, he still played a memorable role and got the redemption that he deserved alongside Reeves. With John Wick 4 being the highest-rated entry in the entire franchise, it's clear Sanada helped elevate the action series, and his short time on screen with Reeves set up an interesting narrative. The duo also sold the long-standing history between their characters despite it being Sanada's John Wick debut, and their dynamic significantly improved on 47 Ronin, which finally gave them the captivating reunion they both deserved.

John Wick: Chapter 4

R

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Following the events of Chapter 3 - Parabellum, John Wick Chapter 4 will see the titular character battle against some of his most dangerous foes yet. With a bounty on his head that continues to skyrocket, John decides to take the fight to the High Table on a global scale and battles across areas like Osaka and Paris to wipe out some of the strongest players in the underworld.

Director

Chad Stahelski

Release Date

March 24, 2023

Studio(s)

Lionsgate

Cast

Hiroyuki Sanada , Clancy Brown , Scott Adkins , Keanu Reeves , Ian McShane , Bill Skarsgard , Laurence Fishburne , Rina Sawayama , Donnie Yen , Lance Reddick , Shamier Anderson

Runtime

169 minutes