Yeah, I went to see it. The first time I've gone to see a Hollywood movie in theaters since Avengers: Endgame. I had basically sworn that off, though a time to see the first three on a free streaming service did provide me with good entertainment, so I knew what to expect, and I was not disappointed at all. Over the top violent fun, "toxic masculinity" abound, and a couple of plot points that just don't make any goddamn sense.
I wanted to like "Nobody," but I don't think there was enough explanation behind him to make his actions make sense. At the very least, his action scenes with his dog were much better than the Halle Berry rinse & repeat from 3. I always liked the "old badass" look Hiroyuki Sanada has going for him ever since The Last Samurai. There is a "strong female character," but she's not a "girl boss that only excels so that male characters are brought down;" she has to play to her own strengths to get the upper hand as she does, and has to struggle to do so. Actually, one of the most impressive things I saw in this movie was a strange turnabout as John is chasing down a fat bastard mafioso, when suddenly, the fat bastard actually fights back EXTREMELY WELL.
No cliffhanger on this one. The story is wrapped up unless they pull some really screwy shit. But hey, it's John Wick, it wouldn't be the first time.
If Winston, Cain, and John's other friends wanted to help him get out of the life, for sure, it would make sense that they'd fake his death and give him a mock funeral. However, from what Keanu and the producers have said, they're not sure if they'll make a 5th John Wick, yet. They said it depends on the audience reaction. It's weird, though. I kept hearing news that they were filming John Wick 4 and 5 at the same time. They're also planning on making 1 or 2 spinoff movies.
I hope they make John Wick 5. I didn't like him dying the second he got his freedom. With the way Winston and The Bowery King were acting at his gravestone makes me thing they faked his death so he could live in peace. With the way chapter 3 ended I always thought they were going to end everything with John going after the high table.
You have described my feelings to a T, down to him going after the high table.
But the only way to make JW5 is to drag him back in again. If you want the satisfaction of knowing John gets to live some kind of peaceful life afterwards, the only way to do that is a post-credits scene like TDKR (or the end of the first Bourne film, I suppose), and end the series there.
The movie feels like two movies in my view, so I think they combined what they wanted to do while allowing themselves an opening if they wanted it.
They keep saying they'll wait to see audience reaction to decide on a fifth, but I think that's rooted in the third not doing as well originally. But the reaction is pretty good so far.