Note: I’ve been up well over 21 hours now with maybe an hour of sleep, having not even gotten enough sleep before the 21 hours began. I’ve been cramming to an insane degree to get this finished—this is already much later than I intended to post it—so I’ll be returning later to add some extra polish where needed—more images, click-to-tweet excerpts, needed links, etc. For now, the important thing was the written content of the post and getting it up ASAP!
As before, this will contain heavy spoilers for John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2.
Having followed the progression of the first two films now, that brings us to the topic of what will happen in the third, and how it’ll stack up against its predecessors.
To make a sequel that lives up to or exceeds the original film is a notoriously difficult accomplishment. To do it twice in a row and create a trilogy that’s excellent throughout is an even rarer feat.
But I think this franchise absolutely has the ingredients it needs to pull this off, and I have a great deal of faith in the team that’s been involved throughout.
It looks like this third film could quite easily be the best one yet, taking the jaw-dropping action and sheer visual beauty that began in the first film and was already upped in the second film, and making them completely off-the-charts amazing here, as well as taking that emotional core that has given the franchise such heart and depth, and really solidly digging into that.
I know people generally seem to feel that the first film was better than the second, and the area of heart and emotion seems to be what really puts the original film on top. I think that aspect may be because it was working in a smaller, more focused space in terms of what was covered world-wise, both in a storytelling and geographical sense. [Note: I’m about to begin using terms like “narrow” and “limited” to describe elements of the first film. This isn’t meant as a criticism, but rather as a description. Indeed, I think those very limits are what created a number of the elements that people loved.]
In terms of the physical spaces, we have a more limited geographical area to cover: the film takes place in New York City and Jersey (where John and Helen lived). And within those areas, it feels like we’re kept to smaller, tighter slices of it. Scenes often take place within relatively cozy, contained environments like Viggo’s penthouse, John’s gorgeous and hidden-away home, and some of the smaller areas of the Continental hotel. The filming style itself also matches this: We often use very close, tight shots that focus intimately on characters—especially the main character—and provide a sense of being right there with them.
I think that last part is especially key. We feel like we’re truly by John’s side, watching him navigate through his grief, having quiet moments of reflection and reminiscence. This also relates to the character and storytelling part of the equation, in terms of how that was also more narrowly focused. The journey of the movie feels unmistakably personal and intimate. We’re there with and for John, and it’s the moments of his life—whether active or quiet—that matter. We have some side characters, and they each make relatively brief but also impactful entrances. The pool of significant players feel small, and the story itself is very localized: John pursues Iosef Tarasov and his two thug friends Victor and Gregori, with Iosef’s father Viggo serving as the primary roadblock.
While the other players here like Winston, Charon, Marcus, and Aurelio all matter, it’s unmistakably John’s story, his personal quest.
Even the enemy type is more limited: the people John fights—both literal red-shirts and named characters—are Russian Mobsters, or in the case of Perkins, people working at the Russian Mob’s behest.
Things are simple and streamlined, down to the running time and progression of the film. It feels compact, efficient, and direct. (Indeed, people even complained that it was too simple in story. I disagree, though; while there’s a definite straightforwardness to it, and the film certainly isn’t the type of story with countless plot twists and whatnot, there’s really more going on than I feel it gets credit for.)
Moving on to consider the emotional core of the film (as opposed to elements like the physical spaces and style), I think there was also a greater sense of rawness and immediacy in terms of what was driving our protagonist emotionally—the losses of Helen, Daisy, and then Marcus. Harry might also qualify, though we never see John react directly to that, and it’s unknown how close the two were—they seemed friendly enough and trusted each other, but also seemed more distant and casual in connection than John was with either Winston or Marcus.
With the second film, we encounter an opposing picture in several respects.
Geographically, we include but also expand beyond New York and New Jersey, now spending a substantial piece of the film in Rome, Italy. And in New York, we’re also seeing new sections of it: the subways, the hidden realm of the Bowery King, etc. We go from underground to rooftops to open park spaces.
And again, the cinematography mirrors this. We use wider, more grandiose shots with a sweeping feel to them. This is felt in the filming of both indoors and outdoors shots, like our scenes in the Continental of Rome and our moment where John is on the rooftops of Italy, surveying the area. We get those moments where we’re meant to gaze out across a landscape or setting, drinking it all in and taking a breath in admiration.
The theme continues with the story and character elements. We now start to learn significantly more about the wider world that John belongs to. We get introduced to new characters, and both they and the characters returning from the original film arguably play stronger roles here, exerting more influence over John and forcing him to navigate the system (Hmm, I’m suddenly getting Matrix vibes, y’all…). There are points where John ends up feeling—from the viewer’s perspective, and likely from his own—like a cog in the machine. I think one moment emblematic of that is when he finally reburies his weapon and clothing, ready to finally reenter his civilian life, and almost the instant he finishes laying the new section of concrete over his basement cache, the doorbell rings again to announce Santino’s arrival.
Other examples soon follow—the destruction of his and Helen’s home, the conversation where Winston reminds him of the rules…. Even the conversation with the Bowery King. Even though he agrees to help John, he’s not impressed by him the way others are, and only agrees to help him for the sake of having a proxy and having his own goals furthered without invoking wrath upon his own organization (in theory, at least). For me it was a bit jarring to see that dynamic, and it felt like our protagonist was being knocked down a peg for the audience. I do think that was a deliberate move, because it was the opposite of what we would expect to see.
And once more, the filming style is linked to the character and story style as well: we’re seeing a larger picture and physically it feels like we’ve been pulled back from John. It tends to feel at times like we’re following him at a distance, both physically and emotionally, and rather than intimately sharing his grief, we’re meekly tagging along as he makes a grim and reluctant return his professional life, prepping for a job and meeting with people from his old life—people of importance and stature, people significant in the larger Underworld society. And again, this is a job, a glimpse of what his life was like during his days as an assassin for hire. There’s a greater sense of detachment at play.
Additionally, in the first film, the quest for vengeance gave Wick a very solid, concrete sense of purpose and direction. He knew what he wanted to do and why.
In the second, John feels more reactive than before. And more than that, he feels lost. He finds himself compelled to follow paths he doesn’t wish to be on and harm people he doesn’t wish to harm. And the very actions he’s forced into trigger a domino effect that he’s left to sort out and major dilemmas he’s left to face. The focus also becomes more scattered: he has multiple goals and motivations vying for attention, and I think that makes it harder to grasp onto any particular one ourselves.
And near the end of the film, after what he knows will likely be a fatal decision, we initially see him facing a very dark future with a quiet and unblinking resignation. The man who had clawed back the will to live by the end of the first film, letting us end on a hopeful and triumphant note, seems to have lost it once again as we approach the end of the second (Though happily enough, we do see him rally once he discovers his new chance, courtesy of Winston).
I think the lack of agency and certainty we see for much of the second film is part of what makes it less enjoyable for some people. One of the things that made the first film so much fun was that, while he did definitely have significant and necessary vulnerability on both a physical and emotional level, he ultimately still felt powerful, and overwhelmingly so. John was the predominant and inescapable force at play throughout the first film, and the attempts to stop him fell away like a beachfront house trying to withstand the power of a hurricane. But in the second film the roles were somewhat reversed; rather than personifying fate, John himself became more clearly subject to it, and fate—or karma—was the unstoppable force that kept tossing him around like a ship at sea. And his old life became the water slipping through the cracks and slowly drowning him.
He’s our main character, but he’s no longer at the center of events in the same way—he’s being used as a weapon in political and territorial fighting amongst the Underworld, and we see that he holds a more vulnerable position—and less freedom—than we previously realized. And I’d say John also has that same realization.
I mentioned earlier the sense of professional detachment in play. Even once that is removed and it becomes a matter of seeking justice for himself and Gianna, as well as defending himself from Santino’s onslaught and protecting the city at large (those scattered goals and motivations I mentioned before), we still have the issue of having the overall scenario feel more on the defensive. Wick is running for his life in a way he wasn’t in the first film. Even during the assault on his house, the first time we get to see him fight in the franchise—and it still holds up beautifully—Wick was acting in self-defense, but he didn’t feel vulnerable or on the defensive in the same way. Indeed, he was actually lurking in his own house, making full use of the homegrown advantage and quite literally waiting in the shadows to flip the scenario and launch an ambush on the armed assault team. If there’s one word to describe his aura in that scene, “masterful” would do the job. It’s one man waiting for a squad of enemies to descend upon him, yet the vibe we get from him is one of being utterly and unquestionably in control. His movements as he waits and makes preparations are slow, controlled, precise, and downright peaceful.
We do get to see some of this during the second film as well, but we also see greater amounts of fragility and being at risk—or simply have a greater focus on them as such. As with the Bowery King interactions, I think this likely left a bad taste for some people—it felt like we were losing some of what we’d enjoyed about the first film.
Another thing that made the first film easier to enjoy and deal with was the greater emotional and ethical simplicity when it came to fighting. While that whole topic throughout the series is definitely a sensitive and delicate one, and leads to some tough questions, it was less painful the first time around.
We watched a man at his wife’s funeral. We saw him receive a touching and heart-wrenchingly bittersweet final gift from her in the form of Daisy the beagle. And then likely less than 48 hours after the funeral, we saw that same grieving widower attacked in his own home simply because he hadn’t wished to sell his car and had calm and politely turned down the offer. For that he was beaten unconscious, his prized car was stolen, and worst of all, his late wife’s gift—a precious, innocent puppy—was killed, and in a particularly brutal fashion, no less.
We watched as John regained consciousness to find her cold, lifeless body, seeing a blood trail where she had dragged herself over to him in her final moments.
And after that, all anyone saw was red. Daisy’s death is easily the most infamous element of the franchise, and it’s what set us firmly on John’s side for the rest of the film. After that shocking brutality, we gave him carte blanche to unleash whatever sort of hellfire he pleased upon the people responsible. And while they were uninvolved in the assault and thus more sympathetic, the ground troops he wiped out in the course of his fights weren’t super sympathetic, either; they were also mobsters, ones who worked for and protected Viggo, and worse, Iosef. On an impulsive level, it was easier for us to justify what John did and enjoy seeing it play out.
(And if you pay attention, John’s actually a less ruthless character than you might think at first glance. I plan on writing about this in more detail eventually, but I feel the people he killed were ones he knew presented a threat and whom he couldn’t simply talk down or negotiate with—it was either him or them, so he was perfectly willing to make that choice.)
But then Chapter 2 comes along. John goes from seeking vengeance after losses to instead actively being forced to kill someone whom he considered a friend, someone who’d done nothing to provoke him. And while we’re shown that Gianna herself definitely has a ruthless side as well—which I assume is done to prevent her being 100% sympathetic within the film—it’s established that she’s still preferable to her brother…the very one John’s now aiding, albeit unwillingly so.
And then when we see him fighting Cassian and the rest of Gianna’s troops, we’re of course rooting for John and don’t want him to die, and the gorgeous choreography remains a true pleasure and gift to watch, yet it’s also harder to stomach the thought of those particular fights and kills upon further consideration. The troops protecting Gianna were of course mobsters and doing their job, just like the red-shirts from the first film. But because Gianna herself was a less deserving victim, that feeling extended to those protecting her, and I suspect John felt much the same way.
It definitely becomes easier to stomach when the fight switches from them to the people on Santino’s side, like Aries and the random assassins who are pursuing the 7 million USD bounty that the doubly traitorous Santino has placed on Wick.
But even so, the overall vibe of the film is harder on the audience. There’s a general sense of greater distance between ourselves and our lead character. And when we do get those more emotional and personal moments, they get turned against us—rather than simply sharing his grief over Helen’s loss and being able to sympathize because of it, we feel a blend of guilt, grief, horror, and regret as he is forced to kill Gianna, and it becomes harder to only view him as the hero or even just antihero of the story. I think it’s safe to say that when I first watched that scene, I was desperately hoping that John wouldn’t follow through with it. And even better understanding now what took place and why, it’s still one of the darkest moments we’ve seen on John’s part.
Although there is one very ironic aspect to the emotional and ethical dichotomy between the first and second films: In the first movie, John could’ve chosen not to pursue vengeance. Although he was pushed over the edge and what he ddi is extremely understandable, he technically didn’t have to go the route he chose. But in Chapter 2, he was actually being compelled to take action as a matter of life and death. So one could actually argue that while they may at times feel darker and more questionable, his actions in the second film are likely more justifiable than what we witnessed in the first.
Looking at the overall picture, I must say this: while I do feel I understand what people mean about the original John Wick and that sense of connection (although I can’t make up my mind about whether I fully agree, especially in calling it outright better), I actually did get strong emotional impacts from John Wick: Chapter 2, as well. As an example early on, I really felt the pain and distress in terms of how John was trapped and was all but begging Santino to leave him in peace, and how Santino refused to listen, and the sheer weariness John felt at this point. He was both mentally and physically bruised already. I was also honestly terrified and several distressed by his initial refusal (we didn’t even know what the job was yet, and neither did he. He didn’t even ask before refusing), because I figured it would have massively bad consequences, and I knew as a general principle it was in very bad form not to repay a debt, especially such a major one.
And then with unexpected swiftness we see severe consequences restful from the refusal—the destruction of the home John and Helen had shared together, a place of peace, refuge, and love for John. (I must add that seeing such a gorgeous home go up in flames was painful in and of itself. It was even worse than when I see beautiful cars getting wrecked, as they tend to be in action movies. At least those can be repaired sometimes. The home would’ve had to be rebuilt outright, and what it contained wasn’t fully replaceable.)
Then a short time after this, we discover the unexpected cruelty and brutality of Santino’s demand on an emotional level once we find out who the target is—Santino’s own sister— and later on John’s own connection to Gianna. We could tell Santino was scum, but I don’t think we expected him to be as sinister and soulless as he turned out to be.
Then there’s the irrevocable choice John makes near the end of the film. That moment shocked me and also broke my heart. I was right there with Winston, just even more emotional, outright begging him internally not to pull the trigger. When he did so, I was furious and heartbroken for him, and it took some time for me to understand why that move actually was necessary on his part, and not simply an impulsive choice. I now actually admire Wick for the move rather than being disappointed in him.
And looking deeper at various details, I don’t believe the second film is as lacking in heart and emotion as people sometimes believe—I think it’s harder to notice those aspects because of the increased scale and the levels of complication in the story. The Wick films have from the first relied upon a minimalist style that makes meticulous and brilliant use of visual elements, often communicating a great deal either nonverbally or with a great economy of words. It’s likely that the grander spectacle of the second made it easier for those subtle touches to get lost. One particular example is what happened with John’s phone.
After the first fight with Cassian, John pulls out his phone and finds that it is cracked. Broken. He ends up getting a call via the hotel phone instead.
I think most of us who’ve had a smartphone for any significant length of time probably get the aggravation factor there, right? But oh, that moment actually meant so much more, as I later discovered.
The phone that was broken in the fight is the same phone we’ve been watching him use throughout the series…the phone that held his videos of Helen.
When he crashed that beaten-up SUV near the end of the first movie, fading fast from exhaustion and loss of blood from the reopened stab wound, it was hearing her voice in the video recordings that brought him back, helped him lift himself from Death’s doorstep.
And after the loss of their house early on in the second film, it was likely that most of his mementos of her had been destroyed.
What’s more, he didn’t just lose it in a random way during the fight, either. If you go back and watch carefully, you’ll realize that the phone is what shielded him when Cassian successfully broke through and stabbed him. Cassian cut through the suit, but John didn’t actually sustain a chest wound, because the cell phone blocked it. So it’s like one final gift or act of salvation, protection. Helen’s still his guardian angel in a way.
I think there’s also an element of symbolism there, as well. The incident occurs quite soon after the assassination of Gianna. During that scene, Gianna levels some haunting questions at John: What would Helen think of his actions and the consequences stemming from them? What would Helen think of him?
Helen herself carries huge intrinsic value, and she was truly the motivating factor behind the first film—Daisy was an extension of her—but I think she also carries a lot of symbolic value, as well. To me Helen represents the light not only of but also in John’s life. She represents his civilian life and self: just John or Jonathan, as opposed to John Wick, the feared hitman. And it’s been indicated that she smoothed out some of his rough edges and that even when he returns to the Underworld to pursue vengeance, the elements of restraint we see with him are at least partially due to her influence.
Is it then a coincidence that right after killing Gianna, he loses a valuable connection back to his memories of Helen? It’s like he’s watching the best of himself slip away piece by piece.
Another example of one of the subtler touches was Winston’s use of terms like “priest” and “temple” in his speech to Santino. Obviously, “temple” referred to John’s house, but it took me far too long to really think about his word choice and why he was being so poetic in describing things.
I discuss that section of the speech scene in my post here, which spends some of its time talking about symbolism and theme as I ponder what things might take place in the third film as a culmination of the first two.
But it’s not just about the small details—there’s also the strength of some clearly emotional scenes that are unmissable as such. I mentioned several earlier, but I haven’t really discussed one of my favorites: The key scene with Gianna and Wick. That was absolutely phenomenal. I felt this maelstrom of strong and very conflicting emotions in that section of the film. It was brutal, beautiful, heartbreaking, elegant, disturbing, dignified (mostly…), and simply haunting. And I loved how they described Gianna it in the commentary—something to the effect of how she basically takes your soul with her as revenge. By this they meant the questions she asked of John and the points she raised. In her final minutes of life, she made sure that Wick knew just what havoc he was really wreaking, and she left him with questions meant to haunt and torment. Even in death, Gianna carried with her an air of defiance, the tragedy tinged with a sense of dark triumph.
That scene carried a similar vibe to the absolutely brilliant sequence from the first movie in the Red Circle Club where they’re playing “Think” by Kaleida. That blend of beauty, emotion, and violence is so confusing and conflicting and disturbing, and it creates this mix that’s absolutely mesmerizing, and that’s the brilliance of it. It probably would’ve been easy to go in the direction of having it feel grotesque or sinister or distasteful, or even just straightforwardly active and kinetic, but they deftly avoided either approach that and instead created something that was genuinely fascinating and stunning. Something that raised the bar in a way most people probably wouldn’t have thought to do.
There’s a particular memory that comes to mind for it.
I first became familiar with the Wick franchise from catching bits and pieces of the films on TV—first with my family and then individually. And I remember there was this moment during what was probably my second time watching a significant amount of John Wick, and I had gotten pulled away to do tasks for the family, which is the norm. (Hence why I need a pausable format if I want to have a good chance of watching anything in full.)
While I was performing said tasks, I suddenly heard the song start up, and this lightbulb just clicked on in my memory—I had earlier heard some of the other music playing in the background, and I think I confused that as being the beautiful music that I knew was present in that scene.
(I believe the song I’d been mistaken about was In My Mind, by M86 & Susie Q. It’s a very peaceful, soothing sound and is lovely to listen to—if a bit moody.)
But when “Think” began playing at full volume, it was like a switch clicked. I raced over to where I could see the television better, and I just was glued to the screen, immediately and powerfully immersed in that whole intense, sensual, haunting vibe the various elements of that scene created.
That sequence is something I just go nuts for, and it’s just like a siren song to me. The conflicting emotions it evokes blend to create this experience I can best sum up as, “I don’t know exactly how to feel, but this is incredible!”
The entire Red Circle Club sequence is just phenomenal and there are multiple great moments from it. And the Kaleida scene is a double treat, because it also contains one of my single favorite moments of the film: That moment starting at about 3:49 where John stabs his opponent and then stares into his eyes unflinchingly as the man fades (Wick was likely checking for pupil dilation to ensure the man was truly dead), before finally removing the blade. The fact of having these sweet, sensuous female vocals playing in the background as it happens makes the moment all the more memorable and chilling, and it sublimely encapsulates the contrast and perfection of combining that particular track with a scene filled with dynamic action and hardcore yet beautifully executed violence. It all blends together so well, and even though it provides contrast, the music also complements what you see onscreen in another way—the fluidity and silkiness of the music pairs with the fluidity and smoothness we see in Wick’s general style of movement and his execution of the choreography and in his ability to react and adapt to new situations with such speed and ease rather than being thrown off.
And honestly, the whole club sequence is just so good for multiple reasons.
And one element that makes it all the more impressive is knowing that Reeves was rather sick during some of the filming of it and running a high fever. The guy’s sick as a dog and the directors are worried about him, but he’s busy pulling off all this crazy choreography like a champ, and they can’t seem to make him stay resting! And that’s very representative of what his work ethic is like and how committed he was to that project and making it a truly phenomenal one. He’s also quite acutely aware of the fact that there’s a huge amount of responsibility on him, because what they can do creatively is chiefly limited by what he’s able to do physically. And he’s already a very humble guy and a perfectionist and also tends to sell himself short, so he really feels the pressure and worries about making sure every little thing on his end is absolutely top notch.
And boy, has it paid off! I really, really hope he and the rest of the team get the accolades and recognition they deserve for this franchise, because it’s bloody incredible. And it’s not even “just” the action, though the action is definitely the crowning jewel of it.
Looking ahead to the third film, I believe that what we’ll get this time around is something that will soundly continue and fulfill the developmental arcs that have been leading up to it.
If I were to summarize the chief and opposing criticisms of the first two films, relative to each other, I think it could be accurately encapsulated thus:
John Wick hit the right emotional notes, but the plot was too simplistic.
John Wick: Chapter 2 expanded the world building and had a more substantial plot, but lacked the emotional resonance of the original.
Having read the post thus far, it’s probably clear to you that while I understand and partially agree with those assessments, I also think both films actually do a better job than they’re appreciated for. What’s more, it also saddens me that Chapter 2 gets the degree of negativity that I’ve seen. I think it’s actually much more even between the two films, and it’s hard for me to rank them because they each do different things.
And one striking element of the John Wick series thus far has been that the second was able to heighten and intensify the action aspect from multiple angles, yet without making the original film feel inferior to it. It seems like a true paradox—the action and set pieces in the second film most certainly raised the bar, yet the original doesn’t feel like less. As an example, even though the choreography has objectively become more challenging and complex as the series has progressed, I can easily refer back to that home invasion scene in John Wick as still being a bloody amazing and impressive scene and containing some of my favorite fight choreography from the series. I think that’s a testament to the incredible level of quality the franchise has possessed from the get-go. One huge shared trait of the films thus far that has distinguished them from other films is the number of favorite moments and scenes. In most films, I’ll have a small selection of moments and maybe one or two particular scenes or sequences that will stand out to me as favorites. The rest of the film may still be great overall, but what I would label the best parts are easy to pick out.
With the Wick films, it’s another matter entirely. Throughout the movie I find myself going, “Oh, here comes one of my favorite scenes, one of my favorite moments, one of the best pieces of choreography.” And then I hear myself and realize that a huge percentage of it basically qualifies as the best part of the film. And even though I do still have favorites amongst those favorites, it’s like the far majority of the movie is on the level of what would be the exceptional pieces from a more typical film.
It actually feels comparatively easier to pick out some small bits or scenes that I didn’t care for as much rather than narrowing down my favorites list to a small percentage of the overall movie as I might normally be able to.
And moving back to the second film, while I absolutely do miss the emotional closeness from the original film, the second actually left me quite hopeful and optimistic. Looking at the end result and also the interviews done for it, I feel that the creative team has actually demonstrated a very strong grasp of what it takes to make a good sequel. While the execution wasn’t perfect—and to be fair, even the stunning first film had its flaws, as any film will—I really feel they were pointed in a great direction. Despite the veneer of simply being fun, stylized, and somewhat fantastical action films, these movies are in fact insanely meticulous in their construction. And the approach to the second film carried that trademark thoughtfulness and direct concern for making a truly superb creation and avoiding pitfalls as much as possible. They didn’t simply want to make something that was bigger and more showy—though it does have those elements, too—they wanted to make something that was also deeper and added actually substance. It’s not that the first film wasn’t enough; it’s that the point of making a sequel should be to improve and make things genuinely better in a meaningful way. So they opened up the story elements, expanding both the plot and world building.
Even being cognizant of the flaws in Chapter Two and hoping they can improve things as they made an effort to in the progression from first to second, I think the team was already aiming in the right direction; they just need to hit the target closer to center.
Now that, ladies and gentlemen, brings us to the third film. (Heading)
I don’t know whether this is going to be the last film, whether in regards to the sequential in-universe timeline (meaning the door would only be left open for prequels) or the last film, period. I will say I’d much rather they go out on a magnificent high point rather than dragging the series out and eventually declining (something that should never be allowed to happen with this of all franchises!).
And I don’t know how completely things are going to be resolved in the third film. I do at least hope they give us a more complete-feeling ending than the maddening cliffhanger from Chapter Two. That, I admittedly hated, though as with other things, even this has proved a good decision on the team’s part.
But what I do strongly anticipate is that in this film we will get a level of culmination to what’s been built up through John Wick and John Wick: Chapter 2, with both the story and thematic elements coming together, the butterfly and domino effects meeting up with the search for redemption.
What’s more, I also strongly anticipate that this third film will most likely be the best entry in the series to date. It should at the very least equal the first film, and I would give it very high chances of even surpassing it.
When the bar has already been set so high, that’s a daunting task, but we’ve already seen proof of this crew’s ability to somehow surpass their previous efforts. I look at the first movie—the action, the visuals, etc—and don’t know how it could get any better. And then it does. It’s already hard to choose a single favorite scene or sequence from John Wick, but it’s even harder to make that selection in the second film. And guess what? I expect them to blow my darned mind once again!
I think there are three basic categories we can break the elements of John Wick into: spectacle, story, and emotional core. In order to climb to a spot even higher than that of the beloved first film, all three will have to come together. Let’s look at what we’ve seen thus far.
1. Spectacle. We already have some idea of how they plan on upping things for this third film when it comes to the elements like action and visuals. The glimpses we’ve seen via trailers and interviews are extremely promising. In the film we’re going to be visiting new places and experiencing environments unlike anything we’ve seen previously in the franchise. We’re going to be visiting Morocco—turns out there’s a branch of the Continental there!—which means we’re visiting at least one new continent, and a particular location with a very different vibe than New York, New Jersey, or Rome. And there’s something very grounded about it, standing apart from the more urban, concrete-jungle or even marble-jungle environments previously.
And in stark contrast, we’ll also be visiting glossy high-rise buildings, replete with glass, tech, vaults, and…crystal skulls? Holy cow, there’s gotta be a story there. I’m also curious if we’ll be traveling to some part of the Far East, possibly Japan? It seems quite possible.
Oh, but don’t worry—The Big Apple hasn’t been forgotten; we’re going to show it some love and visit at least a couple of major and iconic locations, and at least one hidden gem, that we haven’t seen in the Wick films to date.
So we’ve got the settings, unquestionably. Elements like lighting and use of color look like they’ll be on-point, as well. Speaking of which, I must make a quick note here: In the Red Circle Club, we see a theme of using blue, red, and purple. Blue represents the zones and moments where John is in control. The red lighting comes into play when he’s in danger and his enemies have the upper hand. While using both red and blue or purple itself indicates a more uncertain situation. Why is this important? The general color scheme for the first film was largely steeped in blues, blacks, etc–John’s colors. And that accurately reflected not only that sense of being in—and then emerging from—the shadows, but more importantly matched the vibe that John was in control. He was in his domain, in his element, the driving force.
In the second film, we witnessed the color palette opening up more. This created spectacular visuals but also matched the more scattered and varied nature of the second film and of John’s role and arc within it. He was no longer the dominant force.
And now with Parabellum, I’ve noticed that the marketing materials seem to have purple as the predominant theme color, with some elements on the yellow spectrum (likely representing his friends and allies), followed by the control and danger colors. But if they’re maintaining the same system, the biggest color theme here seems to be uncertainty. All righty, moving on!
B. What about the sound design? Between the second official trailer and the action montage shown at the end of the Continental featurette…I’m pretty darn sure we have that covered. In the second trailer, which is by far my favorite, we bring in the Vivaldi. And not just any piece, fascinatingly enough. While “Summer” was used for the museum sequence in the second film (speaking of which, it’s really worth looking into how things like the action choreography and even gunshot sounds are aligned with the music during the two films’ various scenes), “Winter” is the piece revamped for the Parabellum trailer. Given how deliberate they are about every little detail, I can’t help but read into that one some!
But even aside from that, this choice of music perfectly encapsulates the John Wick universe and its brand of both action and world building. We have all of this incredibly intense, gritty, and visceral action that yet carries an amazing beauty, elegance, and precision to it as well, tempering some of the harshness and heightening the sheer awe that’s inspired. And it all takes place against a backdrop of elegance, formality, and outright opulence. To watch the action play out against the backdrop of Vivaldi fits the John Wick universe to the core. And in the action montage at the end of the featurette, we see another aspect of their sound design—the ability to judiciously employ quiet and silence in order to highlight the in-scene action and also increase the sense of rawness and realism, as well as audience attentiveness. There’s a moment where John readies this sword he’s wielding as he strides towards an enemy, and the line he delivers along with the accompanying sound from the weapon are sheer perfection, especially with the simultaneously beautiful and minimalist—stark, even—environment the moment takes place in. (Heck, just that moment actually inspired another post I’ll be writing, although it focuses more on the character himself and the vibes from him rather than the elements I’m highlighting here.)
So…that’s a check on the sound and music. We’re covered! (As a side note, while there were complaints about the soundtrack of the second film, I was quite surprised once I listened to it separately, as the two are actually linked quite well and both are gorgeous. I’m definitely looking forward to hearing the one from Parabellum when it becomes available, plus of course in-film.)
C. What about the action itself? Bloody heck, do we even have to ask? Well, let’s go with yes. Just for fun.
I only feel the need to point out two things, maybe three.
1. The cast. The human cast, I mean. The fact that things are coming full circle and we’re going to have dogs kicking butt in this film is by itself enough to have me beyond giddy with excitement, but hey, we gotta talk about the people too, right?
I’m not as familiar with Mark Dacascos as other people—I actually know him from “Iron Chef: America” rather than from the rest of his martial arts and acting career. And unfortunately I haven’t been able to get ahold of the second Raid film in its entirety, though I’ve seen some awesome stuff from it, including a darned good fight from it featuring Cecep Arif Rahman. But I have seen the first Raid film in its entirety, however. So I’ve most definitely seen Yayan Ruhian in action there! I’ve also seen him in Beyond Skyline. But the Raid credentials alone are enough to solidify it for me. If he is going to be in a fight scene, I hardly see an option but for it to be killer…no pun intended. The killing is for Mr. Wick to do, after all.
2. Speaking of which, Keanu Reeves is the cornerstone here, not only because he’s the lead but also because the film’s trademark and unique action and cinematography styles are truly dependent on having an actor who can do the vast majority of his own action or stunt work (the ever-humble Reeves is a bit fussy about the distinction between the two, saying that the things he does don’t qualify as true stunts. He simply calls it action instead).
Now, I could show you some of his training videos, and I’ll likely add some once I have the chance. But for now, I just want to show you one super-quick moment from the second trailer.
That. That right there is all you really need to see. Do you realize what the man is doing here? A number of reactors seemed to not register it, despite the fact that I would argue it’s easily one of the sickest moments from the trailer.
Right around the time you hear The Bowery King, Fishburne’s character, say, “You think you can take John Wick…you’ve got a nasty surprise coming,” you see John in hand-to-hand combat with a pretty good-sized opponent. After blocking and/or exchanging blows with the guy for a couple of beats, John proceeds to climb up onto the guy’s shoulders, grip him in a locking move (thinking it’s a variant of a triangle lock), and headshot him…all while the opponent is still standing.
The special throws and floor grappling that we’ve seen in the two prior films have often provided some of the most impressive, complex, and beautiful choreography from them—and the fact that he does it all while multitasking with a weapon makes it doubly impressive. But this takes that already jaw-dropping choreography and ups it to an incredible new level by taking a move we would expect to see John use in floor grappling or as the set-up for a throw, and instead give it a fully vertical execution…no pun intended, haha!
It’s one of those hilariously badazz and creative things that show why the films, character, and actor are so renowned and why John Wick is a legend within that story world.
Good Lord, even if it turns out they had some kind of extra safety measures in place for that particular stunt, I’m still in awe thinking of the combo of core/torso strength, balance, and flexibility it probably took on Reeves’ part to pull that off. My muscles and joints are hurting just thinking about it!
And it’s all the more amazing to consider from a character perspective when you realize Wick is seamlessly doing all these things within the flow of battle. He is fluidly problem solving and can transition between varied and creative tactics and solutions with amazing smoothness, whether it’s switching to a secondary weapon in time to protect against an attack during the reload of the primary weapon; buying precious moments to handle a gun malfunction in the middle of combat; or finding ways to even the odds when at various physical disadvantages.
One of my favorite examples was when he was grappling with Cassian in the second film, and only had one hand free to reload his firearm with. His response? He simply made use of a different limb instead, using the crook of his knee to grip the gun and keep it stable while his one free hand handled the magazine.
And some of the really impressive stuff he does not so much because he has to, but instead because these killer moves are as much a part of his repertoire as the more standard moves are for a more typical person. And once more, the very fact that he can be so casual about it makes it all the more awesome—like that one-handed chamber check that he does in the second film, immediately before heading to the Reflections of the Soul exhibit.
Oh, and might I remind you that the man is primarily left-handed, yet did that move with his right hand! I believe we can say the action question has been solidly handled.
3. Hmm, I feel like there’s something I forgot to mention…oh yeah. Keanu’s 54 freaking years old and is doing stuff the average person half he age isn’t. Have I mentioned I already plan on doing a post about how amazing he is and why he was the perfect person for this role, despite some objections that have been raised by skeptics? Consider yourselves informed, my dear readers. Moving on!
2. Story. I actually don’t need to post nearly as much here. The posts I’ve already written about the butterfly and domino effects, Winston’s possible role, and a dark way out for John pretty much cover what I have to say about the topic:
Now it’s possible that none of these ideas will pan out, though I think at least one of them will. But in summary I can say that Stahelski has indicated that this will likely have the most substantial story of the franchise thus far, with a storyline focusing on Winston and the High Table running alongside John’s personal journey in the film. I think we’re going to have all the story heft of Chapter Two, and a good bit more!
3. Emotional core. Now here is where I’m seeing a couple of very interesting things. One is that despite all the weight and vulnerability I anticipate in the film, I think we’re also going to at times see a Wick who’s more upbeat, confident, and relaxed than we saw in Chapter Two. (I speak of this a bit in the Way Out post, and will address it more so in another, more fun and lighthearted post to come.) I feel like we’re going to see more of the confident legend that we saw in John Wick, some of the uncertainty and vulnerability we saw in Chapter Two, and then a new and fun angle that we really haven’t seen fleshed out to such a degree in either film. I think John is…dare I say it…having a little fun with this.
And I already found the films insanely fun and joy-inducing back when things were darker! This…could be unbelievably satisfying.
But what about the more serious aspects? Again, I’ve talked about this some in my previous posts. But there’s also something else I haven’t really noted yet. You remember what I said in my comparison of the first film with the second, and why the emotional beats felt the way they did? The combination of story elements, cinematography, and emotional/ethical notes? And you recall what I said about how the third film looks like it’s going to expand things even further than the second film? Well there was something I was waiting to add to that, and here it is. I think it’s the single biggest and most challenging, uncertain factor that is needed in order for this film to be the best one yet:
I think they’re about to combine the best of both worlds.
Are we going to get these new locations? Yes.
Are we going to get a broader, thicker story? Yes.
Are we going to get wide, sweeping visuals that showcase gorgeous locations? Yes.
Are we going to get visuals even more spectacular, and also inventive, than before? Yes.
But you know what else I think we’re going to get? The elements that made the first film so great and resonant.
I’m looking at the camera work, and I’m seeing scenes with John where even in these new and often striking locations, we also have the sense of intimacy. We get these points where we’re in tight, close quarters, right there with him.
And while yes, we’re expanding the cast and the story, we’re also bringing our focus back to John. In an interesting twist, I see some of the same elements that may have caused trouble during the second film now becoming a full benefit here. The vulnerability, the being hunted? We most definitely got those elements in the second film. But this time, it’s different. John’s about to be cut off from most of the people and resources he would normally be able to depend on, ones we saw in the second and even the first film. It’s gonna be down to him and us again, more the way it felt in the first film. I’m looking at the scenes and the camera work, and it feels like we’re down there seeking refuge in that dark tunnel with him. We’re right there hiding out in an alley with him in the rain as he checks his watch and catches his breath. We’re not just watching him work. We’re on the run with him, on the move with him again.
And it’s once again become deeply and solidly personal.
Sure there are the political aspects we’ll likely see go down with Winston and the High Table—and I expect John will actively play a part in all of this himself—but I think even those aspects will have a more raw and gritty feel. The stakes are higher, the gloves have come off, and we’re going from looming threats to massive and aggressive action. The world of high-society of assassins might be getting a lot less polite right about now. Though of course Winston’s going to stay classy, haha.
And don’t forget—Wick’s excommunicado status means that he’s no longer bound by their rules. They’re about to fully unleash their wrath upon him, yes…but it’s going to be mutual. Even in how he fights we see this increased level of aggression. He’s even going overkill a little. Like 8-rounds-to-the-face overkill. Is he venting his frustration? Is he sending a message? Or is he enjoying having the freedom to completely let loose once more? I think it could easily be a mix of all three, but either way, it’s gonna be bloody satisfying. One major vibe I get from Wick is that he is by now Goddarned tired of having these people screw with him, and while yes, I think we’re going to have increasingly forceful and substantive oppositional characters as we did in the second film, we also have a Wick who’s had it up to here with these at times pretentious pissants who have yet to be on the receiving end of what he’s really capable of. The man has lost so much so quickly and has also taken care of business each freaking time. Yet they still don’t get the hint? Like I’ve said before, Winston, with his 50/50 odds between Wick and the rest of the city, can do math much more soundly than anyone who actually thinks pursuing the bounty is worth it!
Ahh, which reminds me…there’s that ethical and emotional aspect I mentioned, where things felt simpler in the first film but then more ambiguous and complicated and painful in the second. But this time around? Yes, he broke the rules. But we know he did it for good reason. He was actually moving to protect the city and its dwellers from the walking nightmare that was Santino D’Antonio, plus he was getting justice for both himself and Gianna here.
What’s more, while arguably the people reporting directly to the High Table might well be doing their jobs, much as Gianna’s men were, in this case it looks like the High Table’s going to be pretty darn unsympathetic, especially if they go after Winston and a certain rooftop dweller they way I suspect they will. And mirroring the pattern of the first and second films, how we feel about the person in charge can determine how we feel about those serving them. In this case, I don’t think we’ll feel any more regret over them than we did when the Tarasovs’ men chose to side with them against John.
And in this case, many of the other opponents will likely be like the outright assassins from the second film: people seeking to collect the bounty on Wick’s head. Cold day in Hades we’re likely to cry over them.
I fully expect this to be one massively satisfying bloodbath. And to quote Keanu Reeves on the topic of all the creative and diverse ways they came up with for offing people during the second film…”John Wick is fuuun.”
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So looking ahead to this movie…am I without worry? No. I have seen a few glimmers, that while at this point unsubstantiated, could indicate some really aggravating and even morally objectionable plans for the storyline. This could really be a serious mark on the series for me, so hopefully none of it plays out. Right now I’m mildly worried, but I don’t plan on even naming the potential issues unless they’re confirmed (or significantly implied) when I see the film. And c’mon guys, really—it’s a film about a very, very successful contract killer. I’ve been extending plenty of understanding, and we have enough moral ambiguity and stickiness to grapple with already, thank ya very much!
But those for now moderate worries aside, I think our team here has unquestionably set themselves up for not just success, but for absolutely brilliant success, where the third film will bring all the best elements together in a perfect mix, combining the most insane and mind-blowingly gorgeous action yet with a deep plunge into the storytelling realm of it.
They have the elements—they just have to tie it all together and nail the execution. From what I’ve seen, they have no excuse not to.
While I’m not necessarily choosing the original as being the best of the first two films, it seems to generally be considered that, plus I do agree it has the most emotional resonance, which is the one factor of the three I mentioned that I feel has the most potential for error. So using it as the standard, I’ll put it this way:
If Parabellum doesn’t surpass the first film, that will be a surprise and a slight to moderate disappointment, but I’ll still be proud of it for equaling the beloved original.
If it doesn’t equal the first film, instead landing in a middle spot between John Wick and John Wick: Chapter Two, that’ll be downright confusing, plus frustrating.
And if it doesn’t surpass the second film…that’ll be borderline criminal and an outright shame.
You better not sell yourselves short, guys!
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