3 Reasons Not to Watch The Continental If You’re a Devoted John Wick Fan
Was there even a chance that anyone could top Keanu Reeves?
Recently, the producer of John Wick admitted that Keanu Reeves hopes that the death in the fourth movie will be final and irreversible, due to character fatigue. The mercenary in the bulletproof suit may have died, but there are still plenty of other killers in the franchise with their own stories, so there's definitely no reason to get upset.
On September 22, 2023, a John Wick spin-off called The Continental: From the World of John Wick will be released. Critics have already reviewed the show about the young owner of a hotel for assassins and shared their opinions.
1. The show adds little to John Wick universe
Critics believe that The Continental is worth watching only for those who already miss the John Wick movies. The authors fulfill the bare minimum – they talk a little about the universe and provide action in the spirit of the movies.
However, those hoping for more will likely be disappointed. The characters were not as bright and well-written as in the movies, and the staging of the battle scenes was much less impressive.
2. The show is way too slow
In addition, the show takes a very long time to pick up its pace. For example, the writers spend almost the entire first episode, which runs 86 minutes, revealing Winston's motivation. For comparison, the first John Wick movie only takes a little longer — 1 hour 45 minutes.
3. Winston is not charismatic enough to replace John Wick
John Wick became something like James Bond 's evil twin from a parallel universe, but in much better physical shape and without so many bad habits. Without Keanu Reeves' charisma, the franchise might not have gone beyond the first movie.
Unfortunately, Colin Woodell, who plays the role of Winston, was doomed from the start to be compared to the main character of the original films, and so far, these comparisons have not worked in his favor.
However, if you're preemptively disappointed by The Continental, there's still room for optimism. Another John Wick spin-off is on the way, titled Ballerina, with Ana de Armas as its star.
Ballerina will tell the story of a woman named Rooney, a dancer and part-time assassin, who seeks revenge on her enemies for the death of her parents. The movie will take place after the events of John Wick 3, in which the character first appeared.
The estimated release date for Ballerina is June 7, 2024.