Early in the first John Wick movie, one scene makes it perfectly clear why the movie's concept was strong enough to build an entire franchise. John Wick first debuted in 2014, and despite the star, Keanu Reeves, already being 50 years old when the movie came out, it sparked enough intrigue and excitement for the film to inspire a larger franchise. The film and character were original concepts, focusing on action, stunts, and a world full of assassins.
The fact that the film was also directed by a seasoned stunt performer, Chad Stahelski, meant that it paid particular attention to the stunts involved and how to make every moment of action hit harder, better, and faster than most other movies. Quickly, a sequel was commissioned and since then, the film has expanded with numerous sequels, a prequel TV series, a new spin-off film starring Ana de Armas, and more franchise expansion plans in development. However, it's no surprise how successful the franchise has been when considering one crucial early scene.
John Wick’s Dinner Reservation Scene Offered A Glimpse Into The Assassins’ World
The World Of John Wick Is Elaborate And Extensive
The first movie gets into some action scenes fairly quickly, but it's ambiguous who Wick is as a character, and who the thugs are that attack him. While John is initially beaten up and bested, he prepares carefully for another round with the people who killed his dog. When he does meet them again, Wick operates with incredible efficiency and skill, assassinating numerous targets and coming out nearly completely unscathed. But the part that makes Wick's world more exciting comes immediately after.
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Wick picks up a phone, and as he plays with gold coins, he appears to make a "dinner reservation" for 12 people. The scene then cuts to a few minutes later, as a waste disposal service shows up at the door, and the man in charge greets John Wick like an old familiar acquaintance. Then, a large cleaning crew comes in, and with equal efficiency to Wick's initial shootout, they clean the scene, and take the bodies away. This clearly establishes a world that is very different to reality, where the business of assassins is widespread, and has spawned other legitimate businesses to cater to these needs.
John Wick’s Worldbuilding Was Too Good Not To Continue With Other Movies
The Story Was Bigger Than Just One Movie
The singular concept of the John Wick films is simple. A world where assassins are widespread, recognizable, and treated with a high degree of reverence and respect for their essential line of work. Everyone is a potential assassin, and their world operates with specific rules and leadership that helps them to accomplish their work with minimal interference. Entire hotels around the world cater specifically to assassins as clientele. An organization known as the High Table acts as the judge, jury and executioner for assassins to disobey the code of conduct.
With these details in place, the world of John Wick becomes rich and vast, with a premise that is immediately worth exploring. The vast differences between the real world and the world of Wick make it more entertaining, and ultimately, a great story. Seeing how the hotels of this world were founded, or how other seemingly ordinary people operate in a world where assassins rule the roost, is just profoundly intriguing. And the execution on top of this made the movie a high-quality product that demanded more films to explore it.
The John Wick Franchise’s Lore Is As Interesting As Keanu Reeves’ Character
At the heart of the films, John Wick stands out as an assassin who strikes fear into the hearts of every other assassin. While no one is able to retire from the life of an assassin, Wick finds a way out, thanks to his incredible skill, and strikes a deal with the right people. But equally, when he comes back to this type of work, everyone knows his name, and they shrivel in fear at the idea that he may be coming for them. The terrifying Baba Yaga becomes the stuff of legend and nightmare, but he isn't the only interesting part of the story.
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The wider world that Wick operates inside is full of intriguing ideas and concepts. From the telephone operators who send out bounties for assassins to claim, to the Continental hotel which operates as a safe house, but under the orders of the High Table, it can be deconsecrated, allowing assassins to begin fighting once again. Everything about the world of John Wick becomes a deeper, more intricate detail that demands explanation, and that becomes worthy of exploring and expanding in new franchise entries.
John Wick
- Release Date
- October 24, 2014
- Runtime
- 101 Minutes
- Director
- David Leitch, Chad Stahelski
WHERE TO WATCH
John Wick is the first entry in the action-thriller franchise directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves. Retired hitman John is brought back into the field when the dog his recently deceased life left him is murdered. Full of rage and equipped with unparalleled combat skills, John begins to track down the ones responsible for the act of violence and lays waste to any who dare to cross his path, sending panic throughout the criminal underworld.
- Writers
- Derek Kolstad
- Sequel(s)
- John Wick: Chapter 4
- Franchise(s)
- John Wick
- Studio(s)
- Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven Productions
- Distributor(s)
- Summit Entertainment
- Budget
- $20-30 Million
- Main Genre
- Thriller
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