John Wick 3: Parabellum
The John Wick movies occupy an odd little spot in my brain. I think that they’re excellent action movies with amazing action sequences. The violence is visceral, Keanu Reeves is perfectly suited for the taciturn role, and the world building is stellar.
Yet I have zero desire to watch any of them a second time. I really don’t understand it. This third movie alone has multiple standout fight scenes, each one immediately recognizable with a simple label - The absolutely bonkers knife throwing fight, the horse stall fight, the shootout with the attack dogs, the fight with The Raid guys. All of them showed me something I’d never seen before, and impressed me on top of that.
So why is once enough? I love watching action movies over and over again. What’s the key component that’s missing from this series? Is it because John Wick is coldly clinical in his killing? No, Jason Bourne is just as ruthlessly efficient. Is it the brutality? Sure, I could have done without the eye-stabbing bit, and I didn’t enjoy the finger severing, but none of those affected my enjoyment of the action. Is John Wick too good at killing, making everything a boring foregone conclusion? No, it’s not like John Wick doesn’t take his licks. Do the fights lose their luster once the shock value runs its course? No, these are legit strong sequences.
Yeah, I don’t know. These films hit all the right notes, but still leave me cold after the initial viewing.
Other notes:
How does Halle Berry look the same after all these years? Loved seeing her do an action scene, she kicked ass. And I’ve never seen one that incorporated dogs like that.
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| Twenty years ago. Seriously. |
Ian McShane and Lance Reddick steal every scene they’re in.
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| Spinoff. Now. |
Jerome Flynn needs to look out, lest he be typecast for the rest of his career.
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| Master of Coin for Westeros |
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| Master of Coin for the High Table |
Regret watching: No
Would buy on DVD: No
Would watch again: Yes
Rating: Nice
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