"I like good action films", explains the star who carries on his shoulders the success of this saga, whose scenarios have more stiffs than lines of dialogue.

At 58, Keanu Reeves, long hair and slender figure, impeccable black suit, considers John Wick to be one of the two most significant roles of his career.

With Neo, "the chosen one" from the "Matrix" saga, whose first opus marked science fiction at the turn of the 21st century.

The actor was then 35 years old and was noticed younger in "My Own Private Idaho" with his accomplice River Phoenix, who died shortly after, or in the action film "Speed" with Sandra Bullock.

"In my youth, the role in + Matrix + was a great experience, one that changes a life. John Wick is also at an older age, in my fifties +", summarizes Keanu Reeves, who shot this fourth opus with Chad Stahelski, his stunt double and former double, who became a director.

After years of triumphing over Marvel and superhero movies, Keanu Reeves still wants to believe in "old school" action movies on the big screen.

John Wick, which tells the story of a widowed killer who comes out of retirement to avenge the death of his dog, has "a darker influence. We use digital technologies but I believe we prefer things in the flesh and in bone, the visceral celebration of body movement and violence, almost like a ballet," he says.

Filming in Paris, "a dream"

"What we do is not easy. I need to train for months before shooting. You need whole teams for the stunts and a director who has the vision to create the image, the design, music, costumes...", says this lover of Hong Kong cinema and martial arts (he made "Man of Tai Chi" ten years ago).

For this fourth opus, Keanu Reeves returned to shoot in Paris, a city where he had already visited the sets, 35 years ago, for "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" by Stephen Frears.

"Coming back to play in Paris has always been a dream for me. Being back is incredible," explains Keanu Reeves.

"To be able to go, for +John Wick: Chapter 4+, to film in front of the Sacré-Coeur, on the steps of Montmartre, in the canals under the city, in the streets, to shoot at night, all of that was very special".

Defenestration, nunchaku fight, falls down countless stairs... Keanu Reeves, known for playing a large part of the action scenes himself, imagines he will soon reach the age where he will no longer be able to shoot this kind of movies?

"I'm getting close!", he jokes before adding: "are we reaching a limit? I don't know".

© 2023 AFP