I wouldn't say it's overrated on it's own. But i don't get how anyone can like it more then the sequels.
Story/plot is the only thing i can see debating over but lets be honest here, no one is watching these movies for story.
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John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum |OT| Si vis pacem, parabellum (Use Spoiler Tags)
- Thread starter SweetNicole
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I wouldn't say it's overrated on it's own. But i don't get how anyone can like it more then the sequels.
Story/plot is the only thing i can see debating over but lets be honest here, no one is watching these movies for story.
The Raid movies have a brutal intensity to them that the John Wick films don't. Not to say one is better than the other, but it's kind of hard to compare than since they provide such different types of action.
Raid 1 is martial arts as action-horror survival, with life or death brawls where the choreography was stunning but also felt desperate and vicious. Raid 2 was similar but on a larger scale
The John Wick action is more reminiscent of watching Jackie Chan films; we know Wick is going to win, because he's John Wick, and the choreography revolves around seeing him smoothly, tactically carve through enemies.
They're all in my top ten but I think The Raid films are superior in terms of choreography while the Wick are superior in terms of spectacle, if that makes sense
it blew my mind when I found out that the Raid films were directed by a Welshman
Sure, 2 and 3 have more varied/creative set-pieces. Escalation is the nature of sequels.
Not being as creative as the sequels doesn't diminish Wick 1 in any way, because John Wick easily the best-paced and most narratively-effective of the three.
What I've come to really appreciate in action movies, as much as clarity and choreography, is a sense of purposeful momentum. Where the story and action are interwoven rather than the spectacle being gratuitous. John Wick 1 absolutely excels at this. Every set-piece is the exclamation point at the end of masterful build-up. Each one drives the plot forward or reveals new facets of John or expands the world. Every action scene tells us something new and none overstay their welcome. Each is different in their own way
Also, the drama in the first act is legitimately effective, which makes the action that much more compelling. The first movie is like an onion, each act revealing new layers. Oh, poor guy just lost his wife, gets a cute dog. Oh, he can speak Russian, huh. Asshole gangster kills the dog. Oh, he's a famous assassin. Oh, there's a whole assassin underground with their own rules. And so on
Chapter 2 is actually my favorite of the three, due to the expanded universe and grander scope, but the first John Wick is praised so much for a lot of reason and it's not just because its action scenes are so great.
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I enjoyed this movie a bunch. Hands off to the stuntdogs although that part went on a little too long. Overall I did feel the movie went on a bit too long in general too, wish the Raid actors were the final bosses in the end and they leaned on them more. But still a great movie.
I was surprised that John didn't die and close the series on 3 here. I hope they dont feel compelled to drag it out beyond the lengths of their creativity. I hope JW4 has even more matrix feel with Laurence Fishburne and Keanu together again. Bring in Carrie Ann Moss too.
Loved it, though Halle Barry's fight scene was a bit too lopsided on her side for my liking. Also had too much of her acting, still not a fan.
That said it was still a great movie. I'm excited to watch 1 again, can't remember if I own 2, but I'm going to see 3 again this weekend.
That said it was still a great movie. I'm excited to watch 1 again, can't remember if I own 2, but I'm going to see 3 again this weekend.
Fair point. I think if the significance was set up a little better and something actually happened to the dog, I'd have cared more. But it did include the best line of the movie as a result.
"I get it."
Chapter 4 confirmed!
You have served. You will be of service. John Wick: Chapter 4 is coming - May 21, 2021.
You have served. You will be of service. John Wick: Chapter 4 is coming - May 21, 2021.
My mind is blown is Mark was in this...
And becomes the 2nd best thing in this.
I knew I know this guy
Good
Saw this today, great movie all the way through. I love the worldbuilding so much.
Action scenes reminded me of jackie chan movies the way they almost added a sense of humor into them.
Action scenes reminded me of jackie chan movies the way they almost added a sense of humor into them.
I'd even consider this threadworthy. I think their character is awesome.
Having some time to think on it for a day, I think this one may be the weakest in my opinion. However by no means do I think it's a bad film and my opinion will probably change on a rewatch.
I really dug the supporting cast and all the new characters introduced. Halle Barry, Mark Dascascos, and Asia Kate Dillon especially. Also neat to see Jason Mantzoukas pop in a small role.
I think the first act is by far the strongest. The fight in the antique shop is probably one of the best in the film.
I also think to try and mix things up from the familiar "grapple n' shoot" stuff we've been getting the past two films they try to focus a bit more on hand to hand and melee combat in this one. I just think it somewhat pales in comparison to the gunplay. Keanu can still hang with the best of them but I just keep thinking about how other films do hand to hand stuff far better.
My only other big issue is because the entirety of this movie's plot essentially deals with the fallout of John's choice at the end of 2, it ends up feeling more like a bridge film than something that could stand on it's own. Especially with all the sequel hooks and teases they throw in. The fourth movie already confirmed for 2021 also kind of cements this for me.
Still really enjoyed the film and I'm excited to see where the story will go next.
I really dug the supporting cast and all the new characters introduced. Halle Barry, Mark Dascascos, and Asia Kate Dillon especially. Also neat to see Jason Mantzoukas pop in a small role.
I think the first act is by far the strongest. The fight in the antique shop is probably one of the best in the film.
The detour to Casablanca kind of dragged, and the much hyped co-op shootout with Sofia and the dogs really didn't do much for me. Which sucks because I can absolutely appreciate it's construction. The shootout in the Continental against the armored dudes was a standout however.
I also think to try and mix things up from the familiar "grapple n' shoot" stuff we've been getting the past two films they try to focus a bit more on hand to hand and melee combat in this one. I just think it somewhat pales in comparison to the gunplay. Keanu can still hang with the best of them but I just keep thinking about how other films do hand to hand stuff far better.
My only other big issue is because the entirety of this movie's plot essentially deals with the fallout of John's choice at the end of 2, it ends up feeling more like a bridge film than something that could stand on it's own. Especially with all the sequel hooks and teases they throw in. The fourth movie already confirmed for 2021 also kind of cements this for me.
Still really enjoyed the film and I'm excited to see where the story will go next.
I just wish they'd edit that Sofia/Dog shoot-out.
It needs to be MUCH shorter.
The repetitiveness of her flipping dudes and shooting them, along with all the crotch-attacks via the dogs, was such a chore to sit through.
I'll have to rewatch the film to get a better sense of how it compares to 1 & 2.
It needs to be MUCH shorter.
The repetitiveness of her flipping dudes and shooting them, along with all the crotch-attacks via the dogs, was such a chore to sit through.
I'll have to rewatch the film to get a better sense of how it compares to 1 & 2.
I was kinda exhausted by this film by the time they're fighting with dogs.
Still love the mythology and world building and just all the technical skills going into it.
John's reason for his gauntlet of violence doesn't feel as motivating or strong as 1's revenge and 2's marker and then revenge. Living to remember his dead wife, then throwing away his act of coming back into the fold when he had burnt so many favors made the first act feel less impactful. I see that they're trying to get me to be pissed at the High Table and Winston, but I just felt tired when the Bowery King set up the 4th movie.
Still love the mythology and world building and just all the technical skills going into it.
Going to see this tonight.
Watched John wick 1 for the first time 4 days ago, wick 2 last night and tonight this one.
I liked the first a lot more than 2 but hopefully this one beats the first! I'm not one for nostalgia so it has a chance!
Watched John wick 1 for the first time 4 days ago, wick 2 last night and tonight this one.
I liked the first a lot more than 2 but hopefully this one beats the first! I'm not one for nostalgia so it has a chance!
Great read, and I gotta say I love the Adjudicator as a character.
I was kinda expecting them to get some obvious karmic death, but I'm glad they didn't. It would have undermined their power.
Oh god, that was him.My mind is blown is Mark was in this...
And becomes the 2nd best thing in this.
Wow this was an interesting entry. I kinda thought the creative choreography present in the previous movies took a backseat to world-building in this one, which is fine because the world of John Wick is endlessly fascinating to me, even if it doesn't immediately all make sense from a first glance. I love the new Adjudicator character, and Mark Dacascos practically steals the movie, getting the biggest laughs from our audience. Dammit I hope he returns for the next one somehow.
Halle Berry was great in the short time she was in this. I really thought she'd factor more into the story but maybe it's a good thing that her bit was so brief, just so we could appreciate it more. I thought that outside of the that action sequence with her and her dogs, the motorcycle fight was the next best action sequence of the film. Those two action scenes shared something in common in that they featured fighting that wasn't just pure gunplay or hand-to-hand, which I'll be honest I wasn't really as impressed by in this one. I guess seeing John flip a dude on his back and swiss cheesing the poor sap's skull just doesn't wow after we've seen it a few dozen times. I did like that they worked more humor into the action this time, revolving it around the bad guys being John Wick stans.
Anyway, long review short I really liked this one, a solid entry and since I went into seeing this already knowing about the 4th one being announced I could enjoy this knowing there will be more definitely coming in the future. Ranking: 1 > 3 > 2.
favorite things:
1. Mark Dacascos
2. Halle Berry & her dogs
3. The Adjudicator
4. Lance Reddick getting to kick some ass.
edit: If I had one big problem with the movie it'd be overly cgi stunt fall down the side of a building at the end. Won't spoil anything but it felt more like something from a superhero movie than what was established in this series prior.
Halle Berry was great in the short time she was in this. I really thought she'd factor more into the story but maybe it's a good thing that her bit was so brief, just so we could appreciate it more. I thought that outside of the that action sequence with her and her dogs, the motorcycle fight was the next best action sequence of the film. Those two action scenes shared something in common in that they featured fighting that wasn't just pure gunplay or hand-to-hand, which I'll be honest I wasn't really as impressed by in this one. I guess seeing John flip a dude on his back and swiss cheesing the poor sap's skull just doesn't wow after we've seen it a few dozen times. I did like that they worked more humor into the action this time, revolving it around the bad guys being John Wick stans.
Anyway, long review short I really liked this one, a solid entry and since I went into seeing this already knowing about the 4th one being announced I could enjoy this knowing there will be more definitely coming in the future. Ranking: 1 > 3 > 2.
favorite things:
1. Mark Dacascos
2. Halle Berry & her dogs
3. The Adjudicator
4. Lance Reddick getting to kick some ass.
edit: If I had one big problem with the movie it'd be overly cgi stunt fall down the side of a building at the end. Won't spoil anything but it felt more like something from a superhero movie than what was established in this series prior.
I mentioned a few times in the thread,and I don't know if I'm the only one here that thinks it's cool that John Wick's ethnicity
is Romani, being from the Ruska Roma tribe in Belarus.. Jardoni Jovanovic being his real name
Besides some lore additions I'm iffy about and a middle act that felt largely extraneous, my main gripe is people not reacting at all to brutal very-not-stealthy killing in crowded public places. Chapter 2's silencer shootout was funny, and the nature of Hollywood silencers made the scene work on some level of heightened-reality logic. Here, bodies drop in the middle of crowds and no one even reacts.
I think I remember reading/talking about this shows how giant the lore/Continental is.
That almost everybody is apart of it and none of this phases them.
Great movie, but felt let down by the action scenes. Particularly in the beginning. Every time we got an action scene it just went on far longer than it should and there was no emotion there, it told me nothing about the characters or the plot. Like it was a video game, unlike with previous films. The movie picked up once we got back to the story. Halle Berry is a welcome addition to the franchise. The lady was worked for the Table was spectacular, much more interesting than the guy from 2.
That's one of the things I actually love about John Wick. Every person you come across is a member of some assassin conspiracy, or so used to murder that they just walk around it, or whatever. It's just this absolutely unreal thing that I think kinda makes it seem like a weird esoteric dreamworld. Like when background characters just pull out knives and become suddenly part of the scene, or like how fucking cool a kung fu fight would be if civilians were just walking heedlessly through it. You know if they started having even more celebrities cameoing as themselves that Lady Gaga would just bust out an uzi or whatever.
So yeah, this movie is awesome. Loved how it starts hot and keeps escalating. The stuff with Halle and the doggos were my favorite. Only thing that kinda took me out if it was seeing Keanu fight the two guys from Raid 1 and Raid 2. No way they should've lost that fight lol
Question re JW3:
Is it just me or did him going to Casablanca feel utterly pointless and the only reason for it was to basically have some cool action scenes with Halle Berry? Because he goes all the way there to get back in, then throws that out the window in the end.
Basically
- John is excommunicado and has a High Table bounty
- Spends the first act being hunted and on the run
- Seeks passage to Casablanca, wants a way to left the exile and bounty
- In the meantime, the High Table gives Winston an ultimatum.
- John gets back to NYC, is hunted and on the run
- Reaches the Continental, Winston says fuck no to the High Table, John decides to not do what the High Table asked
- Fights the High Table, John "betrayed", still excommunicado and has a High Table bounty, back to square one
Cut out everything that happens in Casablanca and nothing in that story changes:
John fleeing on horse > [insert him reaching a safehouse for the night] > High Table threatens Winston, summons Zero > John arrives at Grand Central > movie continues from there
- Spends the first act being hunted and on the run
- Seeks passage to Casablanca, wants a way to left the exile and bounty
- In the meantime, the High Table gives Winston an ultimatum.
- John gets back to NYC, is hunted and on the run
- Reaches the Continental, Winston says fuck no to the High Table, John decides to not do what the High Table asked
- Fights the High Table, John "betrayed", still excommunicado and has a High Table bounty, back to square one
Cut out everything that happens in Casablanca and nothing in that story changes:
John fleeing on horse > [insert him reaching a safehouse for the night] > High Table threatens Winston, summons Zero > John arrives at Grand Central > movie continues from there
So damn happy a fourth movie is confirmed so quick. Would have sucked to end the franchise on a cliffhanger if the numbers weren't good or something, but luckily that doesn't seem to be the case. Looking forward to the spin-off and the Continental TV show too if they finally materialize.
How do you guys compare this to MI: Fallout, both were movies that featured practical stunts where both their lead actors really put alot of passion and work into the stunts
John Wick concentrates on smaller scale stuff, with the exception of a couple fairly short scenes involving bikes. You could compare the fights in JW3 to the bathroom scene in Fallout in intensity, except the battles go on for far longer and more creativity. The shootouts are also very different from MI and the likes because John doesn't really care for cover and just goes in guns blazing.
its just great that both Tom and Keanu are 50+ and putting in work for their respective franchises
Absolutely, and they deserve mad respect for it. In a way it's fair: these actors get millions for the roles they get in these huge franchises, so they "deserve" to work hard on earning that money. It's too bad a lot of actors do 2-second scenes in front of green screens, with every jump, push or fall done by doubles, and then collect the cheque. Some actors end up being considered great or likeable when even I would appear great, probably, if I were to work with the designers, special effects guys, stunt doubles, etc. Marvel and such use. So absolutely kudos to guys like Keanu and Tom doing real work.