A Brand New 'John Wick' Fan Ranks Every Film – Including 'Ballerina'!

With the release of Ballerina, I decided to dive headfirst into the world of John Wick by binging the four prior movies in the few days leading up to the release of the newest installment led by Ana de Armas, which is in theaters now. Let's get into the results!

5. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)

To be clear, there isn't a badJohn Wick film. Each chapter breathes new life into the franchise and furthers its mission of originality and inventive action sequences, and the second installment does just that. It’s a strong sequel to a film that shook the action genre to its core, dialing up the unique visual style of the first film and establishing what became the consistent aesthetic of the franchise. John Wick 2 furthers the world-building by fleshing out this vibrant criminal underworld, but it's the only film that perhaps throws the audience a little too far into the deep end in this area. That being said, when you have the devastating stakes of John Wick to compare it to, it's hard not to make this sequel feel like anything more than a routine (but awesome) action film. (Stream on Peacock)

4. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019)

John Wick 3 takes what its predecessor did well into account and dials up the vibrant colorization and the sometimes ridiculous fight sequences up to the max. The pacing is ruthless, the tone is impossible to pin down, yet it remains thoroughly fun and engaging. Easily the funniest film in the franchise, John Wick 3 engages with a endearing sense of humor about itself, often including slapstick gags and a comedic style of violence that really makes the film shine and feel different from its companions, or even other action flicks. (Stream on Peacock)

3. Ballerina (2025)

Ballerina might be a cash grab, but no one could say it isn’t also a good time. Ana de Armas shines in a role that demands a lot of its lead actor, managing to evade most harmful stereotypes around women in action films. The world building is compelling, and despite a different director taking the helm, the action is quick and smooth and the colors are as shocking and enchanting as ever. The film feels deeply creative, pushing the rules of fight sequences to their furthest limits, and the ways in which it chooses to connect to the world and character of John Wick feels surprisingly natural and earned. (In theatres now)

2. John Wick (2014)

The film that started it all, John Wick combines a classic and comforting action film essence with a stellar protagonist, an emotional throughline, and effortless world building. The emotional stakes are clear and felt deeply by viewers, thereby creating a character who can commit atrocities without losing audience sympathy. The pacing is clean and simple, but the action is impressive and complicated. Few other films have built up their lead to such a height and completely delivered on every violent, blood-soaked promise. (Stream on Peacock)

1. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

To put it simply, John Wick 4 takes everything incredible about the first three films and combines them into a nearly 3-hour long epic that practically blows every other installment out of the water. The side characters are comedic, threatening, and relatable all in one, the visuals are gorgeous, John Wick himself might even be at his strongest character-wise, the action is insane (shout-out to the stuntman who threw himself down 222 stairs three times), and the finality of the film captures the emotion that has always made it so special. (Stream on Peacock)