Every John Wick movie is based on Greek mythology, and John Wick: Chapter 4 is no exception. After watching the movie, I have to say John Wick 4 was great! Hidden Greek mythology associations in John Wick 4 made it even better.
So what kind of secret John Wick: Chapter 4 Greek mythology insights will you get by reading this review? Well, you’ll have to read on to find out.
I visited the cinema to watch John Wick 4 on the official opening day, the 23rd of March, 2023. You probably can’t tell from that statement, but the film’s release date was on the symbolic date of 23-03-23.
Several other Greek mythology movies have also been released on special symbolic dates. Films like Immortals, released on the incredible date of 11-11-11, and who can forget the classic movie Xanadu released on 08-08-80. Xanadu is extra special because it confirms the secret meaning of the film Grease. Now John Wick 4 is also a member of the club.
In this John Wick 4: Chapter 4 review, I talk about Greek Gods like Zeus and Hades. I also talk about the Greek hero Odysseus, and who can forget Charon, the ferryman who guided souls on the River Styx to Hades, the Greek underworld. I even talk about the High Table members. So let’s get into it.
John Wick: Chapter 4 Movie Review.
Everyone familiar with John Wick movies knows they are action-packed and extremely violent. John Wick 4 even manages to shift the violence up a gear, so you’re in for one hell of a ride when you see John Wick 4, that’s for sure!
John Wick 4 runs for 2 hours and 49 minutes, so it is a long movie, but in my opinion, the length was good. I certainly didn’t feel like it went too long.
Watching John Wick 4 on a big screen at the cinema was 100% worth it. If you like action and violence in films, you have to watch the movie. Watching it at the cinema is the way to go. It was money well spent. Wow!
John Wick: Chapter 4 movie rating – 8/10 (my opinion).
I don’t have a strong urge to see it again, so for that reason, I won’t give it a 9/10, but I would like to watch it again someday.
Out of all the four John Wick movies, I think this is the best one.
John Wick: Chapter 4 Official Trailer
For everyone who hasn’t seen John Wick: Chapter 4, watch the John Wick 4 official movie trailer and judge what it would be like for yourself.
John Wick 4 and Greek Mythology
Let’s consider some of the John Wick 4 Greek mythology connections.
Charon is the ferryman who guides souls on the River Styx. He would take them to Hades, the Greek Underworld, provided they could pay with some coins.
The actor and musician Lance Reddick played Charon in all four John Wick movies. Sadly, he passed away at the age of only 60 years old, just before John Wick: Chapter 4 was released.
In the upcoming Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series, Lance Reddick appears as Zeus, the king of the Gods. The much-anticipated TV series is based on the fantastic Percy Jackson books and has a release date set for mid-2023. I’m a big fan of Percy Jackson films and books, so I look forward to watching the TV show.
A mysterious man calling himself “Nobody” even appears in John Wick 4. In Greek mythology, the name “No one” or possibly “Nobody” was given by Odysseus as his name to the one-eyed cyclops to confuse the giant brute.
When Odysseus escaped the cave, the angry blinded cyclops Polythemus called out to his brothers that Nobody had blinded him. As a result of hearing the crazy claim, his cries for help were ignored. That’s how Odysseus outwitted the cyclops.
Then there is the Sisyphus scene on a long steep staircase in John Wick 4. The God Zeus punished Sisyphus in the Underworld by forcing him to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity. However, just before Sisyphus reached the top, the boulder rolled back down the mountain, which meant that Sisyphus had to start over again. Luckily for John Wick, it wasn’t as bad for him. He managed to climb the staircase on the second attempt, though he did have some assistance.
Greek mythology monsters in John Wick
The hydra monster from Greek mythology is also mentioned in John Wick 4. Winston, the Owner, and Manager of the Continental Hotel in New York brings it up. The discussion with John Wick pointed out that as one head of a Hydra was cut, more heads sprang up in its place. Just so everyone knows, Hercules was the hero who killed the multi-headed Hydra in Greek mythology.
In another memorable scene in John Wick 4, Winston walks past a collection of impressive artworks. Unfortunately, I could only recall one of the paintings after watching the movie.
The Raft of the Medusa stood out to me for some reason. Medusa, remember, is the snake-haired Gorgon, who could turn men into stone.
In all likelihood, there is probably at least one more painting with an even better association with Greek and Roman mythology on the gallery wall in the John Wick 4 film. But the name Medusa alone still inspires awe.
The Matrix connection
Lawrence Fishburne played Morpheus in The Matrix Trilogy. I’ll forget about the fourth movie because that was truly terrible.
You can read 14 Greek myth sci-fi movies like The Matrix explained to get a better understanding of how the Greek Gods played a role in The Matrix.
It makes perfect sense to have Lawrence Fishburne appearing in another movie with Keanu Reeves based on Greek mythology.
Lawrence didn’t appear in the first John Wick film. However, he did appear in John Wick: Chapter 2, John Wick 3 – Parabellum, and John Wick: Chapter 4.
The Elder: A Greek Actor
Greek actor George Georgiou plays the Elder in John Wick 4. His role as Razdal mo Eraz in Game of Thrones made him famous. To have a Greek as The Elder probably signifies something.
Greek Mythology in John Wick 2
Ares, the God of war, is the name of a woman assassin and personal bodyguard of an Italian crime lord in John Wick: Chapter 2.
Hercules even appeared in a scene in John Wick 2. As John Wick was moving past a group of marble sculptures, one was a statue of Hercules. The scene also included Poseidon (Neptune) and the other Olympian Gods.
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Orion was mentioned by a bad guy in the dog scene. In Greek mythology, Orion, the hunter, had a dog called Sirius (the “dog star”). Yep, I’m serious!
John Wick and The Warriors
John Wick 4 even pays tribute to the cult classic movie The Warriors (1979).
The Warriors movie and Greek mythology go together in the same way as John Wick and the Greek Gods. Both films are entwined with Greek myths and compelling ancient Greek history.
The Warriors film has a memorable scene with a black DJ woman, played by the American actress Lynne Thigpen. I’m a big fan of The Warriors film, so I immediately knew where John Wick 4 was going when I saw a similar-looking scene with a black woman speaking into the silver microphone. A few seconds later, my suspicion was confirmed when I heard the song Nowhere to Run.
Listen to the original Nowhere to Run song, first released in 1965. Martha Reeves and the Vandellas sing it.
High Table Members in John Wick
Who are the powerful mysterious High Table members? They are the rulers of the Underworld in the John Wick movies. The twelve High Table members of John Wick 4 are crime lords. Think of them as the 12 Olympians of the Underworld.
The Greek Gods rule on Olympus, so the High Table must symbolize the opposite in the John Wick films.
What is the exact opposite of Olympus? Well, it would seem to be the Underworld.
However, the Greek Underworld is the domain of Hades, so where does that lead?
Since Charon is the symbolic ferryman in John Wick 4 and all the other John Wick movies, you have to assume that John Wick has a strong connection to Hades.
Therefore, Hades must be a member of the High Table or numero uno, as they say in Italian.
John Wick 4 Ending Explanation
Thinking about a suitable John Wick 4 ending explanation takes me in two different directions. It makes me believe that John Wick will either fall or rise in the afterlife, which is confirmed near the film’s end when John Wick falls down some stairs.
Will John Wick rise to Olympus, or will he rise to the Elysian Fields, where the heroes of the ancient past went? Alternatively, is John Wick ultimately destined for Hades?
I’ll leave it for you to judge. But remember one thing, John Wick got rid of a hell of a lot of bad guys.
Maybe Zeus sent John Wick to the Underworld to show his power and clean up the place.
Could it be that John Wick was a demigod like Hercules? When you think about it, maybe John Wick was already a Greek God.
Whatever the ending was supposed to mean, John Wick: Chapter 4 is a great film. I highly recommend watching it.
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