Film review: John Wick so far...

For my film review this week I am going to review the neo-noir action film series John Wick so far, of which there are three, with a fourth due for release next year. Directed by Chad Stahelski the series follows the titular character, played by Keanu Reeves, who is a famed assassin living in New York that retired to spend time with his wife (Bridget Moynahan) who has passed away from a terminal illness.

Before I go further I will say that there will be spoilers, so if you intend to watch the film and don't like spoilers wait to see the film first.

John Wick: Chapter 1

The first instalment of the series stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe as the supporting cast.

The film begins shortly after John's wife has died and her final gift to him is a puppy called Daisy to help him cope with his grief. Soon after a Russian gangster called Iosef (Alfie Allen) breaks into John's house, knocks him unconscious, kill Daisy and steal his car, a vintage 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1. John seeks retribution by setting out to kill Iosef, which he eventually achieves.

Iosef's father Viggo (Michael Nyqvist) tries to protect his son and talk John out of killing him, when he fails he puts a bounty on John's head for $2 million. Later while John is recovering from injuries in the neutral Continental Hotel run by Winston (Ian McShane), a fellow assassin and former lover Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki) attempts to kill John but his former mentor Marcus (Willem Dafoe) warns him. After killing Iosef, John discovers that Viggo has killed Marcus so he goes and kills Viggo in revenge. After the fight John is injured and breaks into a vets for supplies, he also frees a pit bull puppy due to be euthanized. 

I must say I really enjoyed this film, it provided a different type of assassin in a different setting, it is very rare you see an assassin get the chance to retire and have a happy life, even if only for a short period of time. Even the fact that John is grieving and bonds with a puppy from his dead wife shows a level of emotion you don't often get to see from an assassin, which makes him a very refreshing character, brilliantly played by Keanu Reeves. One of the aspects of the film I really liked is The Continental Hotel being neutral and having the rule that there is no killing allowed there, this is enforced with death, as proven when Ms Perkins kills a fellow assassin that John left to guard her after she attacked him, Winston later executes her for breaking the rules. It is interesting that there is a code of conduct that all assassins have to follow in this story, although the main one mentioned is as above, others are hinted at throughout. The ending of the film is also quite poignant with John freeing a puppy that is alone like him so they make a natural pair, it shows another aspect of John.
All in all this is definitely a film I would watch again and is an exciting different type of action film.

My rating for John Wick: Chapter 1 is 8/10

John Wick: Chapter 2

The second instalment of the series stars Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo, and Ian McShane in the supporting roles.

The film continues from where the first one ended, with John retrieving his stolen car from a chop shop then returning him and cementing his weapons in the ground to continue his retirement. However Italian crime lord Santino D'Antonio (Riccardo Scamarcio) visits him to call in the marker (an unbreakable blood oath) John swore to him, but John refuses. Santino burns down John's house, John and Dog (the pit bull he rescued) walk all the way to The Continental Hotel and Winston insists he must agree otherwise he is violating an unbreakable rule. John reluctantly accepts and Santino asks John to Assassinate his sister Gianna so that he can take her seat at the High Table (a council of twelve high ranking crime lords), with his mute personal bodyguard Ares (Ruby Rose) to oversee him.
John completes the marker and while leaving Gianna's bodyguard Cassian (Common) attacks him realising what he has done. As John escapes to the catacombs John is ambushed by Ares and Santino's other henchmen but he kills most of the henchmen and is pursued by Cassian, their fight is only halted when they crash into the Rome Continental Hotel. Santino opens a $7 million contract for John's death and after defeating several assassins John fights and kills Cassian. John visits the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne) for help and is patched up and given a gun with 7 bullets. John goes after Santino, kills his henchmen and Ares then follows him to The Continental Hotel, where despite several warnings from Winston John kills Santino. In response the contract on John is double and he is declared excommunicado, however Winston gives John an hour before actioning it.

I really enjoyed the second part of the series aswell, I like that it continued on from the first film and gave a deeper look into John as a character. It is clear John has more of a history with some of the characters than the film delves into, which gives a richer feel to the betrayal by Santino, John clearly doesn't want to kill Gianna but he has to honour the blood oath. Which leads to him having to fight and kill Cassian which, considering the respect they have for each other, is another things John didn't want to have to do. Therefore by the time he reaches the point of killing Santino he actually really wants to, so much so that he breaks one of the most sacred rules of the assassin game. This leads nicely to my next point, the other sacred rule that 'every marker must be honoured', a brilliant concept of proof for a blood oath, although this causes John problems it is clear he is loyal to the rules up to a point, as shown with his killing of Santino. I also thought the expansion of the crime universe in this film was brilliant, bringing in the Italian siblings and the Rome Continental Hotel, the Bowery King as another crime lord in New York and the introduction of the High Table being the ruling elite who make the rules and ensure they are enforced.
Overall a brilliant follow up to the first film, providing the same quality and definitely re-watchable.

My rating for John Wick: Chapter 2 is 8.5/10

John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum

The third instalment of the series stars Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, and Ian McShane in the supporting roles.

This film starts where the last left off with John's last hour of freedom, he uses the hour to get Dog to the safety of The Continental Hotel and to pick up a marker medallion and a crucifix from the public library. After killing several assassins who go after him, he reaches out to the Director (Anjelica Huston) the head of the Ruska Roma for help to get to Casablanca, she reluctantly agrees as he is a former protégé.
An Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) of the high table meets with Winston, the Bowery King and the Director to punish them for helping John. Winston and the Bowery King are given a week to resign, however Zero (Mark Dacascos), a Japanese ninja is hire to slaughter the Directors guards and stab her hands.
In Casablanca John meets Sofia (Halle Berry), a former friend and manager of the Moroccan Continental, to call in the blood oath they have. She accepts and takes him to her former boss Berrada (Jerome Flynn) for him to direct John to the Elder, the only person higher than the High Table. John finds the Elder and requests atonement, the Elder agrees on the condition that he kills Winston and works for the High Table until his death.
The Adjudicator and Zero confront the Bowery King who refuses to step down, as he gave John seven bullets Zero cuts him seven times with his sword. John confronts Winston, who encourages him not to die as an enslaved killer, the Adjudicator arrives and they both refuse to do what was asked of them. The Adjudicator 'deconsecrates' the Continental, removing nuetrality and sends Zero and heavily armed High Table enforcers to kill them both. John kills them all and although he is ambushed by Zero he eventually defeats him. They agree a parlay and Winston explains his rebellion was a show of strength and offers fealty to the High Table, then repeatedly shoots John who falls off the roof of the Continental. The Adjudicator 'reconsecrates' the hotel but finds John's body has gone. A seriously injured John and Dog are taken to a the Bowery King, who is covered in patched up wounds, they agree to take on the High Table together.

Another brilliant part to the series, again expanding the crime universe and delving into more of John's past to help with his current and future situations. I really liked that he sent Dog to safety at the beginning, showing how much he cares for him. I found the Adjudicator a very interesting addition, firstly the fact that the High Table sent them to enforce their rules and hand out punishments however they never actually get their hands dirty, which in a a world of assassins where everyone is ready to fight, makes them stand out. I also found it interesting how directly involved the High Table got in this situation by sending the Adjudicator with licence to authorise the wounding of the Bowery King and the Director, it really shows just how much power they have, with the ending leading to a potential direct confrontation in the next film. With some final pieces of John's past coming up in this film we seem to know almost everything we can about him, with his past being raised as part of a Russian crime group that seems quite powerful revealing his birth name is Jardani Jovonovich. Using this connection he was able to reach another friend from his past allowing him to use a blood oath to get to someone who can overrule the High Table, the fact that someone like this exists gives a whole new level to the power play in this series. I really liked the fact that there was a chance at redemption for John, even though the cost was high and he ultimately refused to carry out the task, this in itself says a lot about John as a person too.
Overall this is a brilliant third instalment which brings together everything from the first two films ready for a big face off in the upcoming fourth film.

My rating for John Wick: Chapter 3 Parabellum is 8.5/10