How JOHN WICK Avoided Sequel-itis
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
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John Wick, starring Keanu Reeves, is a massive success story for modern action cinema. With a John Wick TV series (The Continental) and a John Wick spinoff movie (Ballerina), starring Ana de Armas both in the works, this John Wick video essay unpacks why all four chapters of this series have managed to be equally strong, where so many other franchises get worse with each passing instalment.
🎞️ JOHN WICK: John Wick is a neo-noir action thriller media franchise starring Keanu Reeves as John Wick, a former hitman who is forced back into the criminal underworld he had previously abandoned. The franchise began with the release of John Wick in 2014, followed by three sequels: Chapter 2 in 2017, Chapter 3 - Parabellum in 2019, and Chapter 4 in 2023. 🎞️
CHAPTERS
00:00 - The Boogeyman
01:50 - Chapter 1: Why sequels get worse
04:20 - Chapter 2: John Wick
07:27 - Chapter 3: The Importance of focus
10:11 - Chapter 4: The appeal of John Wick (and why the sequels work)
15:28 - Chapter 5, and beyond: Ballerina
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SOURCES
John Wick Interviews:
Making Of JOHN WICK 4 - Best Of Behind The Scenes, Stunt Rehearsal, Fight Training With Keanu Reeves: • Making Of JOHN WICK 4 ...
Keanu Reeves - John Wick Interview HD, Tribute Movies: • Keanu Reeves - John Wi...
Flashback Filmmaking: Keanu Reeves training for 'John Wick 3' Behind The Scenes: • Keanu Reeves training ...
Nerdist: John Wick 4 Director on Working with Martial Arts Legends: • John Wick 4 Director o...
Keanu Reeves and The Machado Brothers -John Wick 2 Training, John Machado: • Keanu Reeves and The M...
Other John Wick behind the scenes clips used are from the following videos:
• John Wick 2014 Behind ...
• What 12 Keanu Reeves S...
• Keanu Reeves Breathtak...
Other sources:
Reeves only saying 400 words in Chapter 4: variety.com/2023/film/news/ke...
John Wick 5 news: www.hollywoodreporter.com/mov... - Krátké a kreslené filmy
If you liked this, watch the video where I count every single John Wick kill across all 4 chapters - czcams.com/video/7hNIU6PO2Qk/video.html
*Correction* The clip I use at 09.20 is from A Better Tomorrow II (1987), not A Better Tomorrow. Still directed by John Woo as the sequel to his original, but that's 100% my mistake using the wrong clip. Also while we're at it, the clip at 2.41 is from Rambo 4, not 5 like I say (Rambo 4 is significantly better than Rambo 5).
The newest one is my favorite atm. Granted, part of it was waiting so long for it, but the other part was that it succeeded in almost all its aspirations.
My biggest gripe with it? I in know way believed that John Wick died.
My list of JW in preferential order is 1,4,2,3. They are all good. I found that I liked #2 more than #3 because of the intensity that Common brought to his role and had the pencil scene, yet I still loved #3 a lot because it was just amazing too.
#1 was great because it was the start of the JW mythology with Michael Nyquist's excellent monologue about the bogeyman, and #4 is just so finely polished, it really expanded on everything.
Every movie was better than the last
That being said chapter 4
My favorite one is whichever one I saw most recently, currently 4.
2 and 4
One thing i noticed is while the underworld gets more fleshed out with the sequels, Wick's character and the limits of his universe remain the same. We don't have to endure watching John suddenly able to disarm nuclear bombs to save the world. He's still just an assassin who needs guns, heaps of luck, and goodwill from others to survive. Like you said, the films are grounded.
Exactly, the sequels get more interesting by gradually expanding the world, not changing the fundamental premise of who Wick is and why we love the action he delivers.
Grounded? Fleshed out? Limits? By the fourth one they’re magic, the criminal underworld became everyone in the world is an assassin, and the code of conduct among organised crime became a ridiculously convoluted morass and was now basically an entire population of New York, and seemingly every other person in the world, and organised crime became basically a religion.. It went WAY apart from grounded by movie 2 and was pretty much a fantasy movie by the fourth one, making them a very different premise than from when it started but the same main character, other than going from skilled but rusty retired Hitman to superhero who can be hit multiple times by cars in one movie and still be mobile and can win a one-man war against the world.
Plus he’s the world’s best assassin, but his go-to move is run up to you and shoot you multiple times in full view of everyone, or judo throw you and then shoot you.
Tactical, maybe in a run-and-gun video game type way, but worlds best assassin and one-man-army are pretty different things.
One is Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 80’s, and the other is Leon. Not quite same skill set.
@@Nevyn515 that's because this is the way the world of John Wick works. The Assassin network is incredibly vast and highly influential, to the point that even regular taxi drivers and hobos are all part of it. And it doesn't really matter what John's go-to move is, he comes out alive - that means it works
@@Nevyn515 You're not wrong, but because the movies adhere to their style so strictly it nonetheless still works. I mean sure, the underworld we see in the first was only a small glimpse of just how far it goes by the fourth movie, but because the movies know exactly their style and what they can get away with it never comes across like the additions don't belong. It just feels like we're getting to see more of how the hyper-realism of the John Wick universe works the further the stakes are raised. In the first movie the high table has no issue with John Wick, then in the second one member does, then in the third they have him condemned, and in the fourth they're looking to extinguish everything he is connected to. It's a natural escalation that the franchise makes part of its style and mythos - this isn't Jason Bourne after all. This is John Wick, it's had mythos and the intrigue of this alternate world crafted into it from the very beginning.
@@Nevyn515 That’s just how the world works. It’s grounded in its own world, not the real world. He doesn’t suddenly gain superpowers in the sequels, he’s equally strong in the sequels as the original.
RIP Lance Reddick
A sad loss
o7
o7
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they give the fans of the first one exactly what they want without muddying the sequels trying to diversify their audience. people that didnt like or see the first one have no interest, but the core audience is very loyal and will continue to turn out for new installments.
lots of studios could learn from this. not everything has to be for everyone.
I agree - these are films that know exactly what they are and who they will appeal to, and they're fine with that. Weirdly, the Fast and the Furious movies are the same!
Every bit of this! Nothing makes less sense to me than when a filmmaker says they’re making a franchise entry for the people that don’t like that franchise. It’s like you’re intentionally throwing the middle finger at the core audience that made you successful.
Somewhat the first 3 fast films were for car lovers. I can't say that about the later instalments because I haven't watched any. However, the trailers convey a completely different tone. Which is fine. I would say, the fast films are one of the few franchises that lost one audience but gained another even more loyal one.
I think fast franchise did this too, lile who the fuck keep watching fast series but it has its audience
maybe current society can learn that not everything can be for everyone
The Wick series is simply a beautiful example of modern cinema. The spin-offs don’t bother me because technically John Wicks story is over. They can’t ruin that unless they attempt to bring the character back, and have him resolving the problems he spent 4 films doing - a major problem many sequels have: regressing character growth in order to have them learn the same lessons all over again.
I generally agree; I think spinoffs don't necessarily pull the main story down. But with Reddick, Reeves and McShane returning it risks affecting their stories in the main Wick story. Let's hope it keeps them consistent with what was established in Wick 1-4.
i think a fifth movie would be really good, but only if its set before the events of the first movie, if you are a fan you might remember viggos impossible task, that would make a good movie.
@@bruhlol2744 I disagree, another problem that plagues modern films are attempts to fill in every little backstory ever hinted at in the first film (something the Star Wars franchise is terribly guilty of ). Showing me this cool past event characters speak about seldom if ever live up to the imagination as to how those stories actually happened, and most times are just plain underwhelming.
So then perhaps John Wick in Space!
its already been said theyre working on a 5th one, but it could be good if its a prequel, like the other guy said. Wick isnt at his peak during the movies, itd be sick to see him during his prime and why hes so infamous in the first place
Part of what makes the action in John Wick so engaging is that the excellence of the choreography and the legendary status of the character never overshadow his humanity. John isn't a breathless terminator, he struggles for every victory through visible exhaustion and injury. He feels like he wins because he earned it, not because he's the protagonist.
Yeah but he is a breathless terminator though, after the first one we know he know will survive pretty much everything - he will just be slower and brush off major injuries.
@corail53 Dude, almost every single action film that has ever existed sees their main character surviving at the end of it all.
It doesn't matter whether we the audience know Wick dies or not. What grounds these films and makes them enjoyable is how much damage, both physically and emotionally, the protagonist suffers. And that is what Wick constantly deals with on a daily basis throughout the course of the 4 films.
And besides, SPOILERS, but he literally does die by the end of the 4th movie?
have you seen the last movie?
it looks like steven seagal made it, fight scenes are horrible, wick punching guys one by one while others are fight/dancing in the background waiting their turn
I REALLY hope Ballerina does well because I truly need the Caine vs Akira story we were teased in the post credit scene of John Wick 4
I still can't get over the fact that they actually called the blind character 'Caine'
@@PentexProductions Honestly, I'was enjoying seeing Donnie Yen kicking ass so much I didn't even thought about it xDD
@@IrethEdelstein Caine has to be one of the coolest blind characters to step on the silver screen. Donnie Yen's characterisation of him behind the scenes with Chad is excellent.
I also love how he breaks the Hollywood Asian Sifu stereotype as well.
Ballerina happens between Wick 3 and 4 supposedly. so none of the caine/akira stuff is likely to be shown in that movie
@@FaqUrNwoBS I know! which is why I want for it to succeed so we can have more spin off
I'm excited to see what Chad Stahelski is going to do with Ghost Of Tsushima and Rainbow Six. he's done an absolutely brilliant job with the John Wick quadrilogy.
I had no idea he was doing Rainbow Six - now I am very excited!
They're making a Rainbow Six movie? Shit, sign me up
Hopefully they can get actors that can actually pull off these intense action scenes and not be like generic video game movies ie Tomb Raider (not the ones with Angelina Jolie) or Uncharted.
@@Jay9966 Michael B Jordan is starring in it, they've actually already made a first movie called Without Remorse, which is kind of a prequel to the next movie, Rainbow Six. the action in Without Remorse was pretty decent, so I've got hopes for it
@@Jay9966 It's a sequel to Without Remorse meaning that Micheal B Jordan will star in it
the john wick movies are like a big video game.
the story slowly progresses and the sequences are like their own unique level with a boss every now and then.
I thought this exact thing watching Chapter 4 - they even look like video games sometimes with the long takes, and when the camera follows John's perspective from behind
i thought i was the only one that felt that
they feel like a rpg game but john is a newgame+ charakter thats already maxed out haha
There's a scene in 3 where he assembles the gun and it even plays a rewarding guitar chord like a game would do. They know what they're doing
Now if they can make Sifu's video game martial arts action plus guns we'll have a great John Wick video game
The only real complaint I had about the finale is that they turned John Wick into this indestructible wrecking ball that brushed off car hits, 3-story falls, and bullets like they were feathers and cotton candy. In the first movie, you FELT every hit, every fall, every bit of damage, as you saw it take a serious toll on him. But in Chapter 4, you don't really see him feel any pain until the final confrontation.
Other than that, though, the action was great and was an amazing conclusion to the story.
It's funny how he complains how Die Hard went from a tight well contained masterpiece into a completely nonsensical mess... While not noting how the exact thing happened with JW... I mean on its own JW4 is quite decent but compared to JW1 it's hot garbage.
@@here_be_dragons9184 It is the weakest of the series for sure.
@@here_be_dragons9184Highly disagree. JW4 expands on the underground universe and shows some different people in different high-up positions but it's still just about a guy taking on an entire organization by himself (with a couple friends along the way).
It's literally the exact same grounding, just with slightly less ambiguity about the world.
The kills are definitely more over the top but they have to be because 4 movies of nothing but headshots would be really boring
Well at least people still covered their heads as if a head shot would be game over, but yeah, the amount of car hits that got shrugged off was excessive and really strained suspension of disbelief, in a franchise that had already been straddling that line since the first sequel.
AGREE Marvel series is also becoming ridiculous and boring now. Only so much spectacle you can take. what happened to acting ??
Each John Wick movie has been a logical continuation of the movie that proceeded it. In the first movie, John avenges his dog, in 2 he gets sucked back into the assassination world as a direct consequence of his rampage in 1, in 3/4 it naturally escalates into a direct fight against the High Table. They didn’t pull a Star Wars and make a movie where John has to avenge his dog again. I hate having to praise this basic concept in movies where the previous movie is supposed to be the spring board for the new movie and not the blue print
I know people used to clown on Keanu in the 90's, but John Wick is such a great example of this mans hard work and talent. While he doesnt get much dialouge, his physical acting is impeccable. Its perfect.
What are you talking about? Keanu was getting big the in 90's and would often quote his characters from bill and ted, point break etc. The matrix was his big break in 98 and people loved him for it.
@@corail53 - his greatest hits help us forget all the bad movies he made. I am thankful for this.
The John Wick quadrilogy is a perfect balance of action, sound design and visuals. I really hope Ballerina can live up the standards tha John Wick set for the franchise. However, I'm even more excited to see what Chad Stahelski can do with his upcoming Ghost of Tsushima movie. The John Wick movies are already littered with asian influences, so it'll be cool to see him tackle a fully fledged samurai film.
I haven't come across this movie before - and now I am beyond excited to see Stahelski try his hand at something new.
Same with the Continental mini-series.
Learnt a new word
i swear to fucking god if they seriously continue this series with another character i will not give another fucking cent to them, WHY do we have to take characters from series we love and just fuckin replace em? no fuck that, idc if she "lives up to the standards." i came for john wick and keanu said he'd be happy doing as many of these movies as fans wanted. I DONT WANT SOME FUCKIN CHICK OR OTHER FUCKING DUDE TAKING HIS MANTLE
47 ronin isn’t a samurai film?
I want to add that Len Wiseman is well known for the Underworld movies....he directed the first 2........and he laid a rich lore in those movies
the reaction to these movies is like the second movie when John puts a couple rounds in a dude's face on a stage and the crowd goes wild :D
that's how good the movies are, they havent disappointed!
the crew directing and producing the films are a crew of focus, commitment, sheer will.
I love how in the club in Chapter 4 no one even reacts when Wick axes a guy in the head. Just a standard Tuesday night out in Berlin, apparently!
John Wick and DOOM the game are unique. They give you exactly you expect, but the execution makes sure it never gets boring.
Execution is everything. There are lots of terrible films sitting on top very solid, imaginative ideas.
@@NelsonStJames that's why the first john wick will always be the best, he doesn't get rolled over and hit by car without fucking consequcences, and he doesn't have a stupid bulletfroof suit, this video is honestly so bad, because john wick as a franchise did decline in quality in each sequel
@@aBOreSSs I simply disagree, it expanded the universe and got better every movie.
To me, they each got better and better. The franchise is perfect. The last movie blew me away. Dialogue. Story. Action. Soundtrack. Just an amazing piece of work by the whole cast and crew.
Aside from using Toy Story 4 as an example of a good sequel, I really liked your video and analysis, the Jonh Wick saga really did something special, something I thought movies weren't able to do anymore (with all the incentive to go the usual route of changing the foundations of the previous installments)
On the topic of dialogue, I remember a video that said that the series manages its dialogue like real conversations. Short and simple phrases, not needing to draw out their sentences to explain actions or thoughts. I think JW fairly unique in its dialogue because you'll see characters talk like normal people or argue like normal people compared to other movies that mostly have characters ask questions and have answers from somewhere.
Years ago when majority of action films were blockbuster Michael Bay movies that just weren't good I somehow ended up finding a bunch of gritty South Korean action flicks like The Man from Nowhere and just binge watching them over and over because the fight scenes were done so damn well. One day while hoisting the black flag I stumbled upon John Wick. I had never heard of it before, didn't even know it existed until I stumbled upon it and decided fuck it and gave it a go. And was completely blown away. It had everything I basically wanted in an action film. I love well fleshed out stories with layers of meaning and symbolism but sometimes I just want to watch someone beat some ass in a club to techno music and John Wick delivers it. And it knows it delivers it, and knows it doesn't need to be some deep plot driven story. The audience is there to see John Wick beat some ass, and that's what we get.
In terms of story, the first two (maybe three if I really want to stretch this argument) films are about as barebones revenge stories as you can get. Dog died --> Kill dog-killer (and everyone in the way). But that's not the point, because every fight told a story in and of itself. It wasn't just killing everyone, it was like a videogame level: in the bathouse we have infiltration, being noticed, and the target running away (optional stealth mission), in the church we have an escape mission with a Deus Ex Machina NPC to save the mc to boot... So on, so on. The story or the characters aren't genius or new, it's making the action the story, and making a world for it that was still interesting out-of-focus that's genius.
Yeah, to be honest Les being put in charge of Ballerina worries me a little too, but that said, the movies you mentioned were big studio movies and he wouldn't have had as much control as he may have liked. And he was the one of the ones who gave us, and developed the Underworld series. And Underworld has a similar reverence for creative and practical stunts and deep, well thought out lore.
I'm hoping it's going to be one of those redemption stories for him.
That's a fair point. I'm keeping optimistic, and you make a good point about the studio flicks he's previously done. It'll be interesting to see what he does under Stahelski's eye, with such an already established world.
Honestly, imagine how good movies would be if the producers, actors, writers and directors would watch as many CZcams videos like these as possible. That would genuinely help them so much at making new movies good.
It really would not.
Watching the entire series feels less like watching a movie with three sequels, and more like watching one really really long movie.
Having rewatched them all again recently, overall I think John Wick: Chapter 2 is my favourite.
Thank you my friend.
I agree, I think it strikes the best balance and it's the most re-watchable. Loved Chapter 4, but think I'd enjoy it less on re-watch.
@@PentexProductions - My thoughts exactly with regards to re-watchability.
Nah… Chapter 3 is where it’s at.
Have to agree. Story wise chapter 2 was the best, and most immersive in the world building.
If I were to rank the movies it’d be 2,1,3,4
It is still unbeliveable to me that we have a film franchise in 2023 with 4 entires where no movie is objectively bad
I think John Wick 2 is the weakest of the 4, mostly because the villain was dumb as hell
@@milestone380 i often cant decide if JW 2 or 3 is the weakest for me. However: just because they are weak does not mean they are bad movies.
@@fabiopauli420 definitely not! All 4 films are fantastic. As you said, none of them are objectively bad. I think 4 was the best of them all, followed by 1 then 3 then 2. The ending for 3 is still ridiculous to me and that "Batman move" he does when he meets Zero was a bit much, but the movie was still fun, especially the shootout with Halle Berry. While I liked 2, my biggest issue with it was how stupid Santino was. I get it that it was needed for the movie to happen, but all that went down was all his fault for being a complete idiot
@@milestone380 the only thing i didnt like about Santino was what happened after John kills his sister. His argument is: „who would i be if i didn’t avenge my sister“ but like, stupido you effectively killed and you are the only person that even know who killed her in the first place cause John killed (almost) everyone else. I do not think him killing her as part of a contract was against any continental rules for any of them really. Since she didnt die on Continental ground. And while yes there is the whole thing with emotions getting the best of John in that scene it would have been much more efficient if John went out and literally burned everything Santino had to the ground. Eventually forcing him to leave the building cause he has no money left ending in him getting continental approved killed by John.
@@fabiopauli420 that's what I hated about Santino and why I think he's the dumbest villain in the franchise. All he needed John for was to kill his sister. After that he sends people after John, considering him a "loose end". But how though? John made it perfectly clear that he just wants to live a retired life and the only reason he did the job was because Winston told him all markers have to be honored. It's not like John was going to rat Santino out once he took his sister's seat at the High Table. And then he had the balls to call John and say "what kind of man would I be if I didn't try to avenge my sister?" First of all, YOU were the one who planned her death to begin with. And given John's reputation and it being very well-known how dangerous he is, I highly doubt anyone would ask Santino why he did nothing if they found out that John is the one who killed his sister
What i love about the series is that you're actually in awe of the action sequences and immediately realize how special those scenes are, while watching.
Once the stakes don't get too high in the first film it's easier to build from that, every time you raise the stakes and save the day it gets harder to build tension
Agree, I think a strength of the films is that they always give John a very clear objective, but it's not a huge 'save the world' scale thing. It makes them feel much more focused.
Yeah, this is the reason franchises like Mission Impossible can successfully up the ante each film. While the stakes are always high, they're never so high that even a similar level threat doesn't get stale, or feel disappointing.
2:17 man’s spitting absolute truth
Man the editing on this video is amazing, great job!
It was a lot of fun
This was such an awesome breakdown of he content you put out. I loved your analysis. Brilliant content. Al the best for your future endeavours. New subscriber
I've seen the first John Wick and avoided the sequals out of fear that they would just be generic hollywood sequals. You have sold me and now I need to see John Wick 2 onwards
Great video! It goes a long way to explaining why John Wick just keeps getting better. In addition to the filmcraft getting better, they have succeeded in expanding on the world while keeping it somewhat intimate, rather than just drowning us in CGI.
Subbed, great video, I'm excited for the future of the series. 💯😃🙏
it's great because Keanu works his butt to the point where his muscles do what needs to be done automatically. So many actors aren't willing to put in months and years of practice to get the fundamental movements correct.
Cracking analysis as ever. I really am very happy i am subscribed to this channel ❤
I'm happy you subbed too :)
With the exception of you adding TOY STORY 4 into the examples of sequels done right (which that film don't deserve to be there at ALL)..............everything in this video is absolute TRUTH, John Wick some how pull off a miracle, and I hope Ballerina and the Continental both live to the excellence that the John Wick films have live up to deliver every time.
Very nice video essay. Great summary of why in a way i cant articulate
Thanks for watching
This really didn't feel like an 18 minute video. Good job, my guy. Kept me engrossed the whole way.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I appreciate how many John Wick commentaries just call him Theon Grayjoy
beautifully captured explanation. Well done 👍 Couldn't agree with you more.
Thanks for watching :)
I loved this video and i'm not afraid of Ballerina being a less action packed movie because it's john's specialty, while ballerina could have a different focus while being in the same universe. While john kills with brute force she could be a silent killer, flirting with the target and poisoning him... It could be a breath of fresh air
poisoning does not work well on screen.
@@corail53You forgetting that poison scene in Dune? It was amazing
That space balls reference in the beginning made me sub 😂😂 i rarely see memes of that movie haha
I hope Ballerina and The Continental do well simply because I loved the world building of John Wick. The coins, the markers, the hotels, the table, etc. Everything is so cool.
So well in-depth explanations of JW movies.
REALLY LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
The action is like a dance combined by the set's lights acting like disco lights.
I think the Ballerina may be coming out a bit too close to John Wick 4, but I think they made a great decision to continue the universe without focusing on John. As much as I love Keanu and John Wick, it would start to be a bit tiresome to see him on screen, even if the movie is on the level of the other John Wicks. I think putting a new character in the driver seat can help alleviate that franchise fatigue. Same thing with the Continental series. Though I do hope the slow down the releases; thats part of what's killing a lot of movie studios now
I agree - I think Chapter 4 had a very satisfying ending for Wick's story. Whatever else they do with the wider franchise, I hope they keep the quadrilogy as it is, rather than being tempted to come back for 'one last ride.' Also agree with slowing things down!
What worries me seeing Ballerina's trailer is that it will be too much like we're just watching a reskin of John. And no, I'm not saying "hurr durr woman can't fight like John Wick", jut look up some female MMA or martial arts tournaments, that'll shut you up XD. No, I mean I want to see what John Would have been like in his prime, when he created the legend. Was he just an absolute meatgrinder, or a Ghost? He can obviously still do both, but only because of experience, and as many times remarked, not as well. If this Ballerina is supposed to be our next John, differentiate her. Make her BETTER than John at something different, maybe stealth, as I said or sheer speed, which would favor knife skills and someone with the actress' smaller frame.
@@TAKGamer-po2yy Kill Bill which is has female protagonist it worked
@@gensischosen251 Full disclosure, it's been a while since I've seen those films, but as far as I remember she still uses (mainly) bladed weapons and martial arts tricks to make up for her lack of brute strength, which is I think how you make any good action hero that's not in the '80s, not just women.
My other, more important point being that I'm not against a female lead, quite the opposite, I'm against a Batgirl like "gender swap", where she would be Wick, but girl, so inclusion 👍. You know, the Hollywood thing.
Unfortunatly here is what most likely will happen. Ballerina won't measure up to the wick series and people will once again go see its a female protagonist issue instead of what you mention which is just franchise fatigue and it being too close to the 4th and being a part of the world that everyone has been built up to expect. If it does not knock it out of the park it is going to get reamed.
All the movies are so lovingly crafted and the characters are simple but compelling, and the world building, action, and the direction and visuals. John wick movies don't get enough credit for it's cinematography. That shiii is beautiful.
I am terrified about the spinoffs as well. They could easily dilute this incredible series.
It most certainly will. Hollywood unfortunatly does not know how to let a franchise die gracefully.
One thing the Wick franchise can do to keep fresh (post Chapter 4), is to focus less on action, and more on story.
That doesn’t mean to not replace the physical performances, but the world they’ve created has so much storytelling potential, and giving the license to trusted filmmakers of differing strengths could keep things interesting.
For example, a mob movie, lead by a character like Viggo, who occasionally dips into the underworld with a gold coin to buy a kill. Or maybe a story about somebody getting sucked into the underworld for the first time.
Stahelski has already said he doesn’t want to interfere with the creative processes of others, so I think that’s the direction we’re going.
I partly agree. Every new JW movie has gotten more and more ridiculous and unrealistic. The first one felt very grounded in reality but now JW survives huge falls, is totally unaffected by bullets and has unlimited stamina. I know he has bulletproof clothes but it still hurts to catch a bullet. I'm not in a rush to watch the fourth one because I already know how it goes:
JW has some kind of mission, he has perfect aim so he kills all the bad guys and no bullets stop him. The end.
That magical bulletproof fabric really made it easy for the makers, now Reeves can do anything and apparently people like the movies because they are doing pretty well.
One thing I would like to add, just imho, there are films that don't need sequels. Some films are stellar cinematic masterpieces that do not need a continuation via sequel or prequel. These films are thought provoking, memorable/classic, and downright enjoyable to watch. One film I can think of would be Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. There's no doubt in my mind that people born in the 80s and 90s that are alive today have seen it at least once. Another film would be Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
I'd have to say that some films suffer Sequel-itis due to the fact the studio wants to pump out films, cashing in on a film's success when it's not meant to have a sequel/prequel/remake. A good example would be Disney's recent "live-action" adaptations of their older works. Mulan was a great animated movie. It's in my top 12 films I'd recommend people to watch. The remake on the other-hand, oh boy, I do not want to open that can of worms.
When a movie, setting, and world is deserving of a sequel, it can be done appropriately. I wholeheartedly agree that BTTF is a great example of of a triology that works. Indiana Jones was another one where it should have ended at The Last Crusade. Instead, we got... whatever that monstrosity was with the Crystal Skull; tell the truth, I hope humanity invents a memory eraser to wipe that film from our minds.
Ballerina does give me a sense of trepidation. There's a lot riding on things when a spinoff is made. It's not impossible, but it must be done with great, great care. If not done appropriately, you'll end up with a character that feels like they're trying to ride on the tail of a greater success for a quick buck vs. telling a story. There's also the worse case scenario where your spinoff character feels like a self-inserted Mary Sue/Gary Stu type to prove "I'm better than your favorite character, take that, Ha!"
Time will be the judge of the Spinoff and mini-series.
Action Flicks usually go for 3 or 4 films.
Lethal Weapon
Die Hard
Rush Hour
The recipe is the same. They used different celebrities in every movie to keep the interactions fresh-ish.
What I love about John Wick is that the action includes different elements of combat that different people love. Are you a guy that loves seeing kickboxing and karate style strikes? The movies have it. Are you a guy that loves grappling like BJJ and Judo? There sure is a lot of that in there. Do you like excessive, mostly impractical, but good-looking moves like from Aikido? We got some of that too. Do you love guns and CQB tactics? Got that as well.
Whatever form of combat you like, the movies have it.
Nice analysis, the scene at 9:20 is Better Tomorrow II from 1987 though.
Good spotting, that's totally my mistake.
Donnie Yen was such a Joy to watch
Caine was definitely my favorite character obvs besides John
6:00 that scene was probably cut so heavily because liam Neeson struggled to get over the fence (due to him not being as agile as he once was) though.
Otherwise, great video :)
The director is an absolute Chad！
I think that one of the really unique things about the series is that John Wick ISN'T his legend. The stories that are told around this Underworld may be either true or "watered down" but they also AREN'T the stories Wick would tell if asked. Even John himself seems to be kinda confused by the fact that he's a legend, like, to him, he's just doing the same things the other hitpeople are doing.
I would like the same with the "Sisu" movie. Action and stunning shots.
De Armas just starred in a sham movie titled "ghosted." I'm more ready to be disappointed than not for Ballerina.
John wick 4 was pretty awesome, but I noticed the lack of a “yeah I’m thinking I’m back” speech. That one scene was the payoff in a movie where the main character barely talked. When he finally did string more than 2 sentences together, the impact and gravitas was felt.
I regret not seeing the first one in theaters.
Scaling up conflict and stakes in sequels leads so often to worse results that you should expect for it to be the case, yet writers will still keep continuing to up the stakes even though a lower stakes movie's average reception would be much better.
Hey Man, Big fan of your works. Think you can make a video about Miguel o'Hara (Spiderman 2099)?
It is insane how much training he went through with hand to hand combat and firearms training for these movies.
The first movie is the best movie. It introduces you to this mysterious world without trying hard to get you to be intrigued by it. The story of losing a pet and grieving is also relatable, and the action driven by the revenge plot is cathartic. All of John Wick's kills feel justified and not gratuitous.
It's the Rolls-Royce of action films.
I enjoyed the Continental and the sound track was great too.
Indeed, JW4 is no joke. Great analysis and many great points that I also agree. Yes, Ballerina and Ana de Armas are under a lot of pressure in light of huge success of JW4. I think Ballerina will be different from JW movies. It should be different, but hopefully different in a good way.
Woohoo a new Pentex video!
Thanks for watching!
Awesome 😎
OK, I am nerding of here - but that clip was from "A Better Tomotrow 2"!! ;) [Edit:] your video is excellent, by the way.
Good spotting, that was 100% my mistake. I have updated my pinned comment to reflect the mistake. Thanks for watching.
Well there's still more to explore. We haven't seen all the members of the high table. We're still not entirely sure about the elder's involvement with the high table.
And chapter 4 had so much action it made the almost 3 hour movie seem short.
I completly agree with your view, but I want to add that even an action-feast like john wick needs a story to initiate and continue the action. The first movie just initiates the runtime by setting up the motivation behind the action (dog). Also the second movie does this. He's forced to do this. However story-wise the third movie was weak imo. Basicly the movie ends at the point where it begins. Nothing changes the situation. The 4th movie sets this up perfectly and was really packed with story elements considering a john wick movie. But I think they reached a limit now. There is no plausible way to do a 5th movie from the story side. Prequels and Spin-offs work all fine but with the story of the 4th movie a 5th will be hard. Hope they won't mess this up.
I love John Wick and I was like, well chapter 2 could be good, but had low expectations, and kept saying the same until chapter 4. Always eating my own words. I feel the same with the new projects and I hope I have to eat my words
I think the biggest win for this franchise was continuity you can watch all movies as one single move without scratching heads wondering where did that come from.
That clip was from A Better Tomorrow Part 2 [1987]
Good spotting, that was 100% my mistake. I have updated my pinned comment to reflect the mistake. Thanks for watching.
@@PentexProductions no problem; one of my all time favourites. Nice to see a nod to its enduring influence in Caine's outfit. Great video 👍
I actually loved live free or die hard. It was my first die hard movie and I didn't care much for the first one when I finally saw it
Fair enough, everyone has their own tastes. Love the movies you love, no judgement here.
He will be the only celebrity if he ever passes i will cry for
I love the fighting scenes that doesnt have like a hundred cuts
Simple. They expanded the lore and kept what made the original good and gave us more of that. It’s a wonder why most sequels can’t do this it’s simple.
Wick killing theon Greyjoy with a calm, clear killing shot and then walking away without any dramatics are consistent with his character. and i love that they stayed loyal to the character
The color scheme of John Wick universe is almost a character in and of itself
It’s because they know what we actually want an action movie it’s not gonna be these little fake stones or constant edits or where the action hero shoots off 100 bullets out of one magazine and then only once and then says he’s out.
Just because Kiana Reves is a very dedicated actor, and he brings what we want to these action movies. We’re still keeping them fresh as well, and just a very great overall performance.
@@xHelloSushix define woke mfer
I mean, you also have Nobody and Atomic Blonde as sort of clone of John Wick and both of them are very good in action. Of course both films are making sequels so we have to wait to see if both of those movies can make a decent sequels or not. As long as Ballerina is largely only sharing the same universe of John Wick instead of trying to take much of John Wick from, then it should be fine.
God I loved Atomic Blonde, such a fun setting of cold war Germany with spies playing quintuple crosses.
Waitaminute there's a sequel to Atomic Blonde coming? For me Atomic Blonde is the template for what a really good Black Widow film should have been like.
John Wick isn;t a movie: It's a video game played out. We just want to see how inventive each level is and how he's gonna survive.
My personal ranking:
JW1> JW2> JW3 > JW4
JW1 is just too perfect.
Idunno if Bladerunner 2049 counts as a successful sequel. Since on release both movies kind of didn’t hit the mark and a resurgence in popularity as time goes by. I was lucky enough to watch both movies back to back and I hadn’t even watched the first one. Absolute masterpieces both of them. Needless to say I came out of the theaters more depressed and with more existential questions
a game in the wick universe would be awesome
I watched Quantumania twice in the past 7 days. It was a very good story. I understand your point. However, the story still made sense for the character. It WAS consistent for Ant-Man to explore the "quantum realm" that Janet Van Dyne had to be rescued from in the 2nd Ant-Man movie.
I loved John Wick 4. But nothing beats the 1st film. And i really hope there isn't a 5th movie even though I love the character. The ending in the 4th movie was satisfying.
I personally don’t like how 4 turned John into a superhuman that can take hits and falls without feeling any sort of real pain, just a slight inconvenience he can somehow easily brush off.
I could get behind his crazy endurance in John Wick 3 for the sake of the plot and the ending because it didn’t happen that often, but in John Wick 4, it is constant throughout the whole movie, non stop. He receives beatings after beatings without needing any rest and somehow manages to get up and walk after all that. What I liked from the first two films is that they still felt plausible because we could see John feeling every hit he took, we could see him getting tired and we could see him being tactical and clever with the way he fights and decisions he takes. John Wick 4 had so many moments where he just stood in plain sight while a dozen guys were shooting at him and you just can’t make me believe that not one of those guys hit him. I know he’s got a bulletproof vest but the amount of times he resorts to using it is pretty ridiculous. 2 also had the bulletproof vest but he never completely relied on it to save his life since he knows it won’t stop bullets forever. The way he uses it in 4 completely lost touch with that aspect. Also in 1 and 2, we could see he was always faster than his opponents and it rarely felt like some guys were just taking turn waiting for him to kill them. Something was lost in John Wick 4. I still liked the movie but it strayed so far from what made the first two so good. John Wick 3 also had some over the top moments but overall kept the realism and plausibility of John being able to win his fights, though it was definitely where it started to stray too far from the realism the original had
Yeah the end of the movie when he was trying to make it to the church was completely absurd
-John Wick isn't too good. He's good, really good. But he's not invincible. It remains grounded.
-The sequels don't fully solve their problems. Each sequel creates a new problem that is related to the story naturally that ups the ante without needing to rely on higher stakes; they don't create totally new problems and avoid having to raise the stakes massively to keep it interesting. Higher stakes means the character has to grow in order to win. Wick's abilities don't improve, he pulls the same tricks in every movie, the fights just get more desperate, more interesting to compensate.
Honestly my experience with John Wick 4 wasn't the same as many others. It definitely wasn't bad, for sure, but it felt a lot weaker than the previous installments. I actually got bored in one of the action sequences, something that's only happened one other time in the entire cycle (and even that one other moment of boredom was very brief). However, I still loved it for the heart and emotions it conveyed, and how it (hopefully) ended John Wick's story. It felt like a fitting and poignant end to the series.
I came out of the cinema feeling that as well. Although the sets and SCALE was absolutely the best in the franchise, I still consider it the weakest, which I think is understandable considering it's the 4th movie. I loved the ending and even with all of it's flaws x3, it's still lightyears ahead of any other action movie we got in the last decade.
@@TAKGamer-po2yy True that
One thing that really puts me off in sequels and more so in prequels is the fact that in the quest to makes things bigger, grander, they have the characters do things they did not do/were not able to do in the original movie. Just as an example, say, the protagonist is in a desperate fight with a goon, but then in his origin story/prequel, the self same protagonist is shown taking down hordes of evil henchmen. Or a character is shown to have skills/technology in the prequel, that they had to have had in the original then, and it would totally change the story.
I mean, I understand characters can grow and learn new things/get more stuff. But if you show a character to have something in a prequel that he didn't also have in the original, that's not logically consistent is it
Keanu sounds like a fan
To me, its just that they recognised why their movies were liked and delivered on that premise. The character development and world building were great but at the end of the day they never watered down the premise of the movies with anything. The recognised that they made something genuinely good and didn't bother trying to make 'improvements' in arbitrary ways. They just gave us more of what we wanted to see and enjoyed about the first.
one of the reasons john wick avoided the sequel-itis is the fact than we don't see that many old school action films anymore. Maybe one or 2 a year
For John Wick 4 i was hoping we would see the high table, finally getting answers on the lore of the John wick universe. Because thr continental is so interesting.
i have faith that spiderverse will join lord of the rings, toy story, and back to the future as one of the few where every single movie in the series is equally perfect. they nailed the first 2, they just gotta stick the landing
There's concerns Keanu would come back for a "5", but after what happened to Matrix 4, it's HIGHLY unlikely he will repeat the same mistake he made with his last iconic role, no matter how big the paycheck they offer. Plus, it's been a decade since the 1st Wick. He's getting up there in age. It was a fantastic run, from start to finish, he's going to let it breath.
Second, I agree with every reason why the series is loved. The number #1 factor is that ALL the original cast and crew came back, over and over again, to create and finish THEIR story. It wasn't hijacked by the studios, people weren't unceremoniously unsteated for "cheaper replacements" or 'more co-operative crews'. Somehow, someway, they managed to hold on to the integrity of the first film for 4 major studio films. That is UNHEARD of. Typically, after the success of a major movie, other people, executives, producers, directors, even actors want to "muddle with things", add their perspective, try to "improve" on things, etc. The studio was smart enough to let those who created the original stay on board the whole way through.
I also have to assume the studios stayed out the way, gave them a blank canvas to create their vision in EVERY instance, and it paid off. Often times studios want to maximize profits and increase the spectacle, compromising storyline, to draw in a larger audience and make it a global blockbuster...I'm shocked they allowed Wick to maintain it's original luster and charecter. It's not to be expected, and sadly, extremely rare.
Third, everyone involved CLEARLY love the movies and story themselves. You can SEE the incredible amount of hardwork and detail that went into telling the story, and it's not gone unnoticed. Their heart and soul is in every part of the film. It's not a cash grab for the box office based on name alone. They OVER-deliver and UNDER promise. Another rarity in films today.