John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the most recent installment to the popular action-packed franchise, sees Keanu Reeves reprise the title role of Wick, a hitman who is now on the run. Forced out of retirement to avenge the death of his puppy in the first film, Wick was pulled back into the shady goings-on of the assassin underworld.
Parabellum‘s action takes Wickfrom his home city of New York to Casablanca, as he goes on the run from the top bosses of the High Table, who want Wick to pay for gunning down one of their members within the walls of the Continental in Chapter 2. Wick’s main mission in the narrative of Chapter 3 is to stay alive long enough to save himself.
Not Just a Dog
Dogs play an integral role in the John Wick series, and in Parabellum their importance is heightened to new levels. Wick’s current dog, a calm and obedient Pit-bull, might evoke an anxiety in the viewer since the first film saw his Beagle puppy, a gift from his late wife, brutally murdered by home invaders.
Our communal worry surrounding the dog’s welfare, scarred by the trauma of John Wick 1 continues in this third chapter. The Pit-bull symbolises everything Wick has been through since his wife’s death, and like the beagle puppy, is more than just a dog to Wick, but his companion and family.
Parabellum‘s narrative takes us to Casablanca where Wick asks for the assistance of Sofia (Halle Berry) in preventing his untimely death. She begrudgingly agrees to help him out, owing him a favour after he previously saved her daughter, and they go to Berrada (John Flynn) for help. Things go awry when he attempts to kill one of Sofia’s German Shepherds, which is quickly followed by a prolonged fight scene in the grounds of Berrada’s residence. The dogs assist Wick and Sofia throughout, and become the true heroes of this groin-biting battle. It transpires that Sofia’s dogs are actually trained to attack and work as a team to take down bad guys, which is pretty handy since there seems to be an abundance in the area.
A Sequel to a Sequel to a Sequel
Due to the popularity of the series, it’s safe to say that this isn’t the last of Wick and his pupper’s adventures. 
In fact, John Wick: Chapter 4 has already been given a release date for 2021, and a prequel tv series as well as a spin-off film have potential releases in the years ahead to add to the Wick universe.
We won’t be seeing the last of John Wick anytime soon, and he won’t be fulfilling his retirement plans for the foreseeable future while he’s on the run with his dog. No rest for the Wick, so we’ll have prequel and sequel narratives aplenty, hopefully with more great dog actors too.
debbie writes reviews here 