‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Cinematographer on Painting Beautiful Carnage

thewrap.com:

Why do movies look so bad?” is a main point of online media discourse, Lionsgate’s “John Wick” franchise stands out not just because of its genre elements, but because each sequel raises the stakes in terms of raw production value and cinematic splendor.The latest movie, “John Wick: Chapter 4,” takes place not in empty warehouses, poorly lit apartments or barely populated streets, but in bustling and beautiful locales worldwide.

Even an extended exposition sequence deigns to take place in a gorgeous art museum where supporting characters rattle off plot points while walking in front of giant paintings.Considering the constant challenges of delivering big-screen spectacle while working under COVID-specific restrictions, as well as having a budget that is large but well below the stereotypical MCU installment, TheWrap wanted to know how and why “John Wick: Chapter 4” looks like one of the most visually beautiful Hollywood action movies ever made.Cinematographer Dan Laustsen, who also shot the last several live-action Guillermo del Toro films, focused on making a visually spectacular action-adventure movie that blended arthouse razzle-dazzle with grindhouse action.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.What choices did you make to make this film look and feel different than the previous three?Dan Laustsen: We knew we would have to go big because “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” was so cool.

I shot the first two sequels and each time you must make it bigger, more powerful and more colorful. We had a lot of discussions about which way we should go with the colors.