Geeks logo

Film Review: 'John Wick 3'

Keanu can't save this one.

By M W RPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
Like

Slight spoilers. Nothing major.

First things first, I am a big John Wick fan. I've been excited for this film since I first saw John Wick 2, and I liked the look of the films trailers. I didn't think there was a way this film could go wrong. But as I've learnt from season eight of Game of Thrones, just because something was once good does not mean it is safe from ever turning bad.

Let's start with the positives. The first 20 minutes are absolutely insane, but in the best way possible. The action was non-stop, the jokes landed, and the deaths were brutal (a lethal use of a library book raised gasps from the entire audience). As always, Keanu Reeves is flawless and he deserves more from the script, he is often let down by poor dialogue. The supporting cast is mostly good too, with Ian McShane and Lance Reddick also standing out.

The problem arises when John Wick leaves the only setting that we've ever really seen him in. The scenes in Morocco don't belong in a John Wick film, and unlike any other John Wick film, they seem to drag. Whilst more of the mythology of the series is touched upon, it is never explored with any real depth and it's frustrating that three films into a franchise I still don't really understand the world of the film. The scenes in the desert are also the first time I've really questioned why John does the things he does. The deal he makes to save his own life feels out of character, and the reason he gives for wanting to save his own life feels even stranger. That being said, it's also important to remember that although this franchise has spanned many years, the plot of these films have actually only spanned a couple of years.

When you look back at the other John Wick films, the scripts are never particularly strong, but everything else about the films is so strong that it doesn't really stand out. With this film, however, the logic of the characters and the scenarios they find themselves is so questionable it's very hard to empathise with the characters. Despite being seemingly unkillable, there are countless situations where characters choose not to kill John, and these undermine the stakes of any fight. As I mentioned before, the dialogue is bad, and the decisions characters make are worse. The ending, which I won't mention in any real detail, is so unbelievable and out of nowhere that it's hard to gather any real excitement about the inevitable fourth instalment.

The most frustrating thing about this film is that I love the world they have created, and I feel like they've only scratched the surface of this. I do want more from this world, but I don't think I want another John Wick takes on the world film. I've heard that there may be a Continental Hotel TV series and I think this may be a more suited avenue into uncovering the truth of the high table. I do love Keanu Reeves as the suit-wearing assassin, but there's only so many times I can watch him kill a room full of people, and I think this is a franchise that needs some freshening up now.

2.5/5—not bad, but not good either.

review
Like

About the Creator

M W R

Films.

Tv.

Books.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.