John Wick: Writing A Terrifying Protagonist

[@claytonlehmann3483]

I love how Vigo is simultaneously mad and sad for his son. Because he’s mad at who he pissed off, and he’s sad because he knows his son, is already dead

[@eropatissier6706]

I wouldn’t say dead, I would say almost dead, he knows that John can and will probably kill his son but he also hopes that maybe he can stop John if he throws everything he has at him

[@SerdnaYole]

@@eropatissier6706 I mean, by the time they were talking Iosef became Schrödinger's cat and Viggo knows it

[@Vyxsenthesnowfox2002]

@@eropatissier6706 well... when he shoots him in the face id say hes pretty god damn dead

[@Ignirium]

Vigo knew in that moment that he himself cannot sit idly by and let John kill his son, he has to fight John. They're all fucked is the realization, and it's amazing!

[@Slender_Man_186]

@@eropatissier6706 at the same time though, he knows John’s done the impossible before.

[@adamheywood113]

"One of these doesn't belong" Oh I got it, Thanos doesn't kill anyone with a pencil

[@DInfXsMD]

Thanos doesnt belong because he was right.

[@grimwaltzman]

I'd say Thanos doesn't belong because is the only one with motivation that makes no sense no matter how you look at it.

[@willmungas8964]

Grim Waltzman but joker doesn’t have any motivation either... it’s a bit point of his character, he causes chaos for chaos’ sake. Thanos at least has a line of logic he follows (yes it’s not good logic but he’s also “the mad titan” so...). Everyone always says “oh he should have doubled the resources” but that’s just not what a warrior figure like thanos would do; he serves to teach the universe a lesson and save it by harsh penalties rather than gifts. Joker deliberately changes his backstory throughout the film and simply fucks with Batman... because he loves it. I’d say thanos and the joker are both equal in terms of motivations. Thanos has one that doesn’t really logic out but makes sense in his warlord, punishing abusive father figure character. Joker doesn’t have any stated motivation other than that he simply likes causing chaos (though of course there are theories that are implied like the war veteran idea). They’re still both effective, menacing villains in their own rights :)

[@HeyYaaaaaaaa]

Ian MD so was John Wick

[@solutionghostsimple6470]

Lol

[@pitbullranger]

Remember, John Wick used to BE a villain. He was a cold and remorseless killer in the service of a ruthless global crime network. His wife changed him, that is why she gave him the puppy. She knew that without that reminder of love he would revert to his old ways, and when it was taken from him, he did. Also why he rescued “Good Boy” at the end. He knew he needed someone or something that needed and loved him to hold on to his humanity and keep her memory alive.

[@Jack-kx5rf]

I don't think she gave him a dog so he doesn't go back to crime. I think she gave him the dog so he wouldn't be alone.

[@jamosongamez7546]

Mehga maybe it’s both?

[@AeternaQueen]

Many ppl don't realize that even though John is the lead of the movie he isn't a good guy. He was a hitman for the mob. And based on how everyone talks about him the man of focus thing, it actually sounds like he's compulsive. It very well might be both reason why. for him to not be alone after all he left his left of crime and obviously everyone he knew and all his friends to be with her so she'd know that when she died he'd have no one. And that he's living the decent person life because of her and once she's gone he'd no longer have much reason to keep on the average guy path. Being protagonists doesn't mean you can be a villain. Marvel has said that Infinity War was actually Thanos' movie and he was in a way the protagonist of it hence why the snap happened. If Thor had succeeded it'd be his movie as he was the main avenger in that movie along with Stark.

[@toxicmar7111]

Jamoson Gamez not both. It was literally said in the note so he isn’t alone lol.

[@orion8981]

It's very easy to argue that he is *still* a vicious villain incapable of handling his problems in a 'civilized' way. Most people don't ruthlessly hunt down every single person who ever associated with the principle perpetrator of their misfortune, to include a number of people the hero would have almost considered friends at one point or another. I think the biggest smoke and mirrors trick is emotionally convincing the audience to support the actions of a monster in a damn near prototypical example of black and gray morality. It's honestly quite masterful for a movie that is pretty much just gun porn.

[@PhoutianPhill]

"He stole John Wick's car and... Killed his dog." "Oh." That single word in response let me know this was to be a great film.

[@vincentterraneo263]

That's my favorite moment. So much said in so few words

[@guilhermearoeira8900]

@@vincentterraneo263 if the main russian mafia leader geat no words... Well...

[@Hedgehog3342]

when viggo said "oh" he knew already he was gonna sign his own death certificate. lol

[@attitudeproblem6462]

Yep. That “Oh” means you understand the gravity of the situation.

[@kosviik9584]

Spot on. At first he was mad at the mechanic , like he demands answers and cannot imagine why Aurelio would talk and act so out-of-line; like he assumed that "corrections" need to be made in his business. Then John Wick was mentioned and his mind went blank... I swear Mikael Nyqvist's incredible depiction of Viggo is a HUGE part of the reason why John Wick as a franchise became so succesful.

[@I_m_4m4n]

"That fu*king nobody is John Wick." This dialogue still gives me chills whenever I watch the movie.

[@ShatteredGlass916]

"He's the one sent to kill Baba Yaga" This line too. They dropped expositon of this guy Baba Yaga as the top assassin, and then John Wick comes and killed the top assassin. All the while the dad mafia boss were in full panic explaining all of this. To top it of, that kid were like "--oh", as if he now knows the Baba Yaga, and now realizes the extend of his fuck ups.

[@Bobba8590]

And the way he says "John Wick". Nobody else in all three movies say his namelike that. Maybe because it's a swedish actor doing russian accent. And also, Baba Yaga isn't pronounced like he pronounces it :D

[@ThePLAYER1888]

In my opinion the best part is when the mob boss calls John Wick and John never says a word.... It's so chilling to realise with the mob boss how utterly screwed he is

[@joehardy1288]

V-go's like boy you better put some respeak on John Wick's name lol

[@ThePartisan13]

How did that give you chills?

[@atticusleeds3957]

Heroes are usually on the defense and villains are usually on the offense. John Wick is a hero on the offense.

[@adamcarroll9613]

Hero might be overselling it. Protagonist is a better term because it is devoid of the moral justifications associated with hero. John isn't a hero. Throughout the movies we're reminded that he's done shit so awful that people only speak about it in hushed tones in private when the help isn't around, as if just talking about the guy will summon him there on business. His history is one drenched in blood and covered in bodies, and THAT is why we're rooting for him. He was done. Out. Retired. He had a lovely wife, a swank car, and an adorable dog, and a nice suburban home. He just wanted to live a good life from there on out, and Iosef, in a bid for most clueless villain ever, decides to take that away from the man. Think about it. Because it's now established that even once he's out of that life, it can still find him and drag him back, while taking everything he ever wanted away from him, he is likely never going to want to try and be happily retired with a wife, house, and 2.5 children in suburban America for the rest of his life. All because one moron decided he wanted something that wasn't his to take, and took it anyway.

[@nunliski]

It's entirely common for protagonists to be on the offense. Virtually all of humanity's original protagonists were on the offense.

[@MrNationalWonder]

Punisher

[@DragonKnightX12]

@@adamcarroll9613 Otherwords a Anti-hero just like The Punisher.

[@MrNationalWonder]

@Unkwon Malaysian Guy Sure he does, honesty, loyalty, trust, and honor. You can see this by his actions that he performs. He truly never kills innocent people.

[@gathoblaster4329]

"John will come for you. And you will do nothing...because you can do nothing" is honestly such a great line imo

[@OCD-GIRL]

If John Wick is terrifying then Léon is the Devil.

[@hiroshi4978]

Dude I got chills from that line.... Just shows how its hopeless

[@RebelGoku13]

That line seriously sent chills down my back!!

[@eviljeanyis]

it is a good line, however I believe it was inspired by (and done better) in the movie 300 by King Leonidas, when he was speaking to the politicians before leaving for the hot gates. When they realized that Leonidas was going to war against their wishes. One politician asked the others "what should we do" and leonidas replied "what can you do".

[@alianouer8619]

@@eviljeanyis doubt it

[@daisyoh4705]

You missed something. They also name him. Normally when a character is a contract killer or a super spy or whatever they have code names or are left in some mysterious shadow form but they name John Wick. They name him in the " all shall know me and despair" sorta way. He is a killer, there should be people wanting revenge but he answers his door in the dark and when someone says "are you John Wick?" He's like yup. His name is feared, so feared it protects him.

[@theliar4558]

What I got from your comment was: In most fiction, assassins who were written to be terrifying were made synonymous with death and/or pain by the writers. In John Wick, however, death was synonymized with him instead. The former gives the impression that the character was an agent of death, while the latter presumes that death itself follows the character's agency. Regardless of how far off I am from your point, I think mine is also valid, to a certain degree.

[@acgearsandarms1343]

Turns out “John Wick” isn’t even his real name so that throws the need for a call sign bit out the window somewhat. However that name is still tied to that dark legend.

[@mikefarino4368]

@@acgearsandarms1343 yes and no. His name is John Wick. It wasn't the name he started with. But it is the name everyone knows him by and the name he uses in everyday life

[@attitudeproblem6462]

Yep. We didn’t know Beatrix Kiddo’s name until the second movie.

[@RandomL0s3r]

​@@acgearsandarms1343 TBH, John Wick just seems like an "americanization" of his real name Jardani Jovonovich. Like how Nas Daily uses Nas because his roommate had difficulty saying Nuesir. So while it isn't his REAL name, it's a "transliteration" of it, making it just as much of his real name

[@nightwishfan1991]

The conversation on the phone is absolutely perfect. Theon's father is trying to do the standard mob boss tough act we've seen in movies many times. And usually the mechanic would be shaking and apologizing. Fearing what consequences may come. But the mechanic just cuts the bullshit and told him what his son did. And the father's response......."oh". Then hangs up. He had this whole mob boss speech planned. We've all heard it but the moment John Wick was mentioned that all got tossed out the window. That tells the audience in a matter of seconds that his son has made a huge mistake. Just an absolute perfect scene.

[@cassiemcd1911]

Interesting take. I always thought it was him begging. Like ‘don’t kill my son please’ but in a less direct way.

[@cryamistellimek9184]

@@cassiemcd1911 I think he’s referring to the call with the mechanic alone not when he calls John

[@Graycata]

That's probably my favorite scene in the whole movie. Especially the long pause between John Wicks name drop and the bosses response

[@Vibing2443]

Cool analysis

[@hypergreedgaming9590]

In one stupid act, the entire operation was destroyed

[@sportskid7022]

The sledge hammer scene with John hitting the concrete is huge to establish what lengths John went to leave his life behind him.

[@haddenmiller4364]

Great symbolism in that scene!

[@SomeMaoriDude]

Not to mention him literally digging up his past life

[@ekscalybur]

It also highlights more of his heartbreak. He didn't break from his past completely, he stored it securely. He knew his past would always come back to him. His reprieve with his new life with his wife was always going to be temporary, and he was fully aware of that.

[@wolfen26]

@@ekscalybur And his old life was part of the foundation of his home. He tried to bury that life too.

[@redjive_industries3760]

Another good scene similar to this is in one of the later movies, when he goes to the Continental and retrieves a cache and takes all the steps necessary to do what he needs to do... And when he finally opens the case with his guns in it, he lets out a pained scream. It isn't until then that he manages to completely face that he's being forced back into this life, as much as he hates it and wishes he didn't have to be.

[@warningthetacohasagun8562]

Don't forget that John Wick told the door guard to "take the night off" while talking to him about how the guard lost weight. They said good night and that was it.

[@12hdhkw23]

The weight loss was code for the amount of people in the club

[@Ashnitshivesh5588]

@@12hdhkw23 yes

[@Simple_Caster]

Also, that “door guard” is big daddy cool Diesel.

[@Ashnitshivesh5588]

@@Simple_Caster what

[@Adam_Strange]

@@Ashnitshivesh5588 A wrestler from WWE

[@L1VE3V1L]

Initially when Viggo caught John I thought “just kill him what are you waiting for? To monologue? Oh of course” but after many rewatches, it makes more sense than any other action movie that Viggo wanted to question him first. They were associates. John made Viggo what he was, he even said it himself. He knows John VERY well. Viggo wanted answers as to why he was rampaging over a dog. It wasn’t until John mentions the last gift from his wife being the dog that Viggo looks to the sky and realises, this isn’t going to ever end unless kill him now. Then he is immediately bagged. He was hoping to talk John down, but then got to the point he knew that wasn’t going to happen.

[@squashiejoshie200000]

Honestly? Just kill him if you want your son to live. At the point where dozens if not hundreds are dead, the instant you get an opportunity, kill whoever is doing it, because the reason is no longer important.

[@MonclerMissions]

I completely agree the actor who plays Viggo captures this frustration and does a brilliant ‘ffs’ gesture to his henchmen whilst swearing in Russian, which interrupts JW’s angry monologue. He knew JW was pissed off but similar to Santini who also doesn’t like to get his hands dirty, he walks off and doesn’t confirm the kill tut tut silly Mob boss. Just as much as they think they know JW they always underestimate him in one aspect or another ..

[@MidnightDStroyer]

"Kirby is a ravenous cannibal that thrives on the blood of mass murder." ~Wiz, Death Battle; "Kirby vs. Majin Buu"

[@dbeerewout]

@@MonclerMissions What everyone forgets, John woulda been dead if not for Marcus his distraction kill shot

[@Minicario]

@@dbeerewout Marcus was a goat for that, but ngl what I still don’t get is why she even tried to do it. We know she’s in it for the money but we also know that her killing in the continental literally signs her death warrant. No amount of money in the world would save her from what would come if she actually did manage to kill John so I got no clue why she even tried.

[@Bruuns_]

The fact that johns final job was deemed “impossible” just so he could be with his wife and the body count of the job is described by the villains as “the foundations of who we are today” really seals the deal on just how terrifying John can actually be

[@IdealistINFP]

In later films it describes that he actually got help on the final job.

[@normalname3623]

@@IdealistINFP yeah, he don't have superpower so that make sense

[@Celtic_Blade]

Yup, then they had him need help in the second one and took his coolness down by half.

[@gamerplays5131]

@@Celtic_Blade Nah it's more of, "I need a legal pass can you help me?", then like 3 minutes later, "fk da rulez"

[@Mugen0445]

The Scene that made John Wick scary was the first "Oh......"

[@elucid07]

The puppy crawled to John before dying. That's the most heartbreaking thing about the set up.

[@smalldicksexpert4495]

Didnt notice this detail till i read your comment!

[@agtl3168]

That's what dog's do irl especially puppies, it's like a child seeking their mom for help when they get hurt. My dog who loose from his leash and was unfortunately hit by a car did the same thing. He knew he didn't have much time left so he went over to my mom and stayed in her arms for comfort before he passed

[@RyxxyRx]

They dragged the corpse over to him to be bigger assholes.

[@romantybor4219]

@@agtl3168 I love that small detail in the movie that they put that but goddamn its sad to see that and for that movie SCREW YOU MOVIE

[@bikinibottom9809]

@@RyxxyRx that’s what I thought they did too

[@BlackPantherFTW]

I love how Viggo gives his son a glass of vodka and waits for him to finish it before punching him in the stomach so the alchohol burns on the way back up too. RIP Viggo's actor.

[@alexhamer4762]

He actually gives his son the shit vodka, probably know he was about to throw it up again. After that, he opens the good stuff for himself and the other guy. Never waste good vodka lol

[@theNoobmaster69]

Had no idea he passed. That's really sad. Hope he's at peace.

[@nuunyabizzness]

@@theNoobmaster69 he's not dead, just being a bit dramatic cause it would have hurt a lot. Actor is Alfie Evan Allen, Lilly Allen's little brother! (I just found THAT out today)

[@Gabriel-cu4xk]

@@nuunyabizzness he/she's taking about viggo actor not losef actor

[@bargun3943]

@@alexhamer4762 There is such thing as good vodka? I must be drinking the shit stuff.

[@325figgy]

The sledgehammer scene for me is so iconic because of the fact that he doesn't just become consumed by his demons, but rather, Wick literally claws his past, demons, and darkness out of the earth and carves it back into himself. The dog, sadly, was just a last ditch representation of Wicks humanity or at least a living symbol of anything that humanized him. Take that away from any man and you create a harrowing monster.

[@yes8807]

At least his has a little bit of morality, like not harming any innocents and keeping them away when possible.

[@salsadancer4965]

Best possible description. There is a little bit of John Wick in all of us.

[@daltonevans5149]

One thing about the sledgehammer is that it referenced Baba Yaga’s pestle she wields.

[@salsadancer4965]

The deep meaning is what made jw1 such a great movie. The sledger scene. The contrast between Ioseph a punk and Baba Yaga. The fact that although their job is about cold blooded murder they all have persons for whom they had feelings. Viggo and Ioseph, John and Helen. That although killing is lawless there are rules to be followed. The profound diologues and monologues epic. Unfortunately the sequels descended into a video game.

[@stevenschnepp576]

Eh. Most people would like to think they'd be scary, but they're just... ineffectual. Most people are peaceful because they lack the ability to do harm, not because they choose to be.

[@Diamond_Squid]

When he confronted the car shop boii about why he hit his son , Viggo’s “oh” summed up the whole franchise.

[@Diamond_Squid]

@@willparker8498 Explained Wick and made him more scary and should-be-feared than literally all (horror) films in general. As the point of the video ya know shit is going down when the antagonists are shitting themselves.

[@isaac2990]

Yeah when you hear a mafia boss say "Oh" to a replaceable chop shop worker when asked why he hit his son, that's all you need to see to understand where John stands in that world

[@sebastianb.3978]

@@isaac2990 Not only that, you can actually see the light fade from his eyes when he said it. He knew they were already dead.

[@aaronhall4613]

That news had the same affect of sitting in front a city while it's getting nuked and ur the only one who survives

[@Fleato]

It also tells you that it is essentially the one thing that viggo would agree “yeah he deserved it. We’re all fucked”

[@sohkanbear7241]

In that scene when John was hammering that concrete. He was literally and metaphorically digging up his past life.

[@xXJMatherXx]

And metaphorically crumbling the very foundation Vigo's family was based upon.

[@DetectivePlays0]

@@xXJMatherXx all before he even dusted off his guns too

[@PandaMuse]

@@xXJMatherXx That's a good interpretation. I'd rather think of it as him destroying the foundation he created for his freedom and to be with his wife. The foundation of his current life. Buried in the foundation of your life is your past, as they say.

[@undertaker2766]

​@@PandaMusewell it's actually both, the people that were buried and laid the foundation of Vigo's family were put down by John Wick, which in return could lay the foundation of his new life with his wife

[@colecook834]

So all of the above are correct in one scene

[@trydenrocks]

He punishes his son by giving him alcohol then punches his stomach so it burns going down and coming back up..

[@humblymichael5823]

I noticed that too, Brutal.

[@rau1488]

Well his son did steal the car and kill the only thing baba yaga had left to love.

[@sythanh14]

@Sin well after he killed the bogeyman he became the bogeyman himself

[@codysykes5568]

I saw it as symbolic, showing his boy he could give him things - but also take them away.

[@kankereganbada1184]

@Sin why would you want to kill me

[@richardyoung9773]

It isn't just a revenge story. The framing story is as important, if not more important, than the action. Wick;s love for his wife transformed him form a remorseless killing machine, into a human being again. The puppy was a symbol of the dead wife and the return to innocence of that transformation. When the gangsters killed his dog, they created their own destruction by reversing John's metamorphosis and returning him to what he used to be.

[@kittikats]

And he has to bury that new life he created, his love, his kindness and compassion. Because they destroyed it. They (Josef + friends) brought back a monster

[@Borderose]

Also drives home the point that Wick is not the sort of figure to be messed with. Yosef didn't think killing a puppy would bring this much destruction on him and his world. But he was wrong. The naughty brat had pissed off the Baba Yaga living alone in the cottage, and so the Baba Yaga has come to punish the naughty little boy. It wasn't the scale of the violation that was important, it was the fact that it was a violation against someone Yosef should never have crossed.

[@richardyoung9773]

Kill the baba yaga's dog. Not a good plan.

[@notthatgerry]

yeah, the box in which John puts the dog even looks like the box he pulls from the basement. While he buries his humanity, he unearths his own demonhood.

[@johnkrstyen]

The woke up the dragon and now are in the warpath of said dragon.

[@Invizive]

"Our hero character is depicted as a single-minded, murderous force of nature that cannot be reasoned with." John Wick has a lot in common with Kirby.

[@Death_Korps_Officer]

*lol*

[@drinalco]

idk man, John Wick can't give da s u c c like korb does

[@acorns-r-us]

Poyo!

[@andresacosta5318]

Danish Wistara kirby with gun

[@cosmicneko7225]

John even had his own copy ability in the form of other people’s guns lol

[@SteveDice21]

Something I think is very important to point out is that, while Vigo is definitely angry with Joseph, more than anything he is hurt. He hugs and kisses his son while on the verge of crying because he's not afraid of losing him, he knows he already has. From the get go, we know John will succeed because the main villain tells us he will.

[@chuckolator1859]

Good observation. This also means that it was a brilliant choice to show John on the rink of death at the beginning of the movie, because then the audience has some idea of his weakness, allowing the story to still have tension. Then when the movie goes back to that scene, we root for John all the more when he survives and gets a dog. It's just beautiful.

[@wafflingmean4477]

It also adds a layer of complexity to Vigo trying to protect Joseph. He knows it's futile. He's doing it out of principle, because he believes a father is supposed to protect his son. The fact that he already mourns Joseph as dead tells us he's not truly trying to stop John, he's trying to make a point.

[@gsteel98]

​@@wafflingmean4477 yup. He knew it wasn't just his sin who was gonna die. It was him to because as the boss and most importantly a father, he had to put up some fight against John. He was never mad at John. He knew what John was and expected to die. He was just frustrated at his son and sad his time was up

[@DominicGreene72]

@@wafflingmean4477 I don’t think that’s completely true. I think he honestly had some hope that Marcus would kill John. We see more emotion coming from Vigo when they torture and kill Marcus than just about anywhere else in the film after Marcus, in Vigo’s eyes, betrayed him or let him down. It’s when he’s getting high in the office and John is getting ready to kill Josef that we see him truly accept it, and all he can do it wait for the news to be delivered.

[@tomoakley760]

​@@wafflingmean4477and he doesn't even follow through on that principle because he gives up his son to Wick the moment he's on the wrong end of a gun barrel 😅

[@mikedubovs1574]

The son should of had some sort of warning.. When a random American at a boondock gas station understood and answered in russian

[@wolfehologram3539]

This is what they call a red flag. Such as when you threaten someone's life, and their reaction is to crack a terrifying smile, and giggle as if they'd just been handed candy.

[@haddenmiller4364]

I still remember seeing that scene for the first time. When John says "not this bitch," in Russian, it made my hair stand up a bit. You start asking questions. Why can he speak Russian? What's up with this guy? Maybe that kid shouldn't have called him a bitch? Say what you will about Keanu and his acting ability, but the man can deadpan.

[@st3vorocks290]

The fact that he didn't recognize the potential threat is the first indication that he is a spoiled brat who is just acting tough. The second indication is that he was willing to steal the car and kill the dog. I would expect any(what's the term here? Mafioski?) who actually earned their position in such an organization to either let it go, or go about it in a more professional manner. The only reason he gets any respect or fear is because of his father. The second he is actually afraid, he falls apart.

[@Bluecho4]

@@st3vorocks290 ^This. To a spoiled mafia son, he's spent his whole life being untouchable. Able to do whatever he wants. He might be smart enough to know not to antagonize, say, the cops, but he knows whatever trouble he gets into, his dad will bail him out. It's the perk of being the scion of criminal royalty. It never occurs to him - because it never HAS occurred to him in his life - that some random bastard could be a threat. It never occurs to him that this one guy might be the one guy that even his father fears.

[@lilscenechick1995]

@@st3vorocks290 He was definitely portrayed as the "fuck up" kind of son, whose dad always has to clean up his mess. That made him feel like he was untouchable and he never had to take accountability for his actions. Until he met John fucking Wick.

[@samuelfawell9159]

It is something so many many “professional writers” seem to struggle with, they don’t give a reason for an audience to fear or hate a villain, they just say “this is a bad dude” and… that’s it, without actually seeing why a villain is a threat it’s all meaningless

[@TheLastSane1]

Or why we should hate them or fear them. My ex was obsessed with Twilight and after reading the books I found it odd that while there are bad guys in the series there is no true villains. James has the framework and from what she tells me of Midnight Sun he would have done some horrible things to make you truly hate him and fear him (through Bella's POV) but in the actual book he is just generic evil vampire who wants to kill Protag and thats it. Same with the Volturi later, its about acquiring their powers. So its very true that they do not given the audience a reason to fear or hate the villain making the villain easily forgotten. Where as you get someone like Killmonger in BP, he is a villain sure but he is also relatable, but you see how cold and calculated he is. He kills his girlfriend, he slaughters innocent people just to hurt people he makes it easy to hate him, to fear that he might be right under other circumstances.

[@samuelfawell9159]

@@TheLastSane1 I look at the recent doctor who as an example of how NOT to write villains, characters who look very impressive but who are meaningless in the end, villains who are drummed up as universe ending threats (or who the audience are told are “universe ending threats”), but who are defeated effectively by running away. The Indominus Rex from Jurassic world I see as a well done villain, because we SEE how violent it can be, if a villain isn’t shown to be dangerous there no impact. Heath ledgers Joker is truely a perfect villain because we see him be dangerous, we see him be “funny”, we see him be an actual rival to Batman.

[@tomoakley760]

Except in John Wick, John himself IS the threat. He's the menace that's been beset upon a mob syndicate that wanted none of his smoke, and only had their hand forced by the boss's idiot son poking a sleeping bear. Of course the son is easy to hate because he kills a fucking dog! But he's not really the actual antagonist of the movie, we don't fear him as an audience, we laugh at just how utterly fucked he is, how helpless he is in the face of Wick's sheer death fuel.

[@Nyssine]

i find that usually modern writers just play on ideological prejudices that most people have, or make the villain so cartoonishly evil that it isn't believable enough to hate said villain

[@MorsGeneralis]

I love how with John destroying the floor and the gangsters scenes flipping back and forth is that the colors of the scenes are opposite. The gangsters are warm tone , seen as inviting and safe (for me at least) and John wicks scene of him destroying the floor is cool tone. Medical, calculated, dangerous. To me at least.

[@switters8679]

Take out the to me at least parts. Make your statement, say it with conviction. Your points are valid, do not apologize for your insight. It undermines the effectiveness of your statement. Which I didn't notice until you shared. Thank you.

[@nuriskandar7817]

i agree with @@switters8679 don't apologize man.

[@jameson1239]

Remove the passive voice like “for me atleast” this isn’t an opinion this is a common technique using the colour gradient to express the atmosphere of a scene

[@weirdofromhalo]

@@jameson1239 That's not passive voice.

[@icouldntthinkofagoodname7216]

@@switters8679 that's what being used to life in internet is. Sometimes even if you're right, there's always these people that goes against it if you don't say that it's in your at least opinion. But yeah you're right.

[@Anansi1701]

Why is no one commenting on the scene where John gives the bouncer/guard that he knew a chance to walk away? That scene showed that he still had empathy for friends who were still in the game.

[@keith6706]

What that scene did was show that Wick wasn't simply out to cause mayhem and mass murder; if people just stopped trying to prevent him from putting a bullet in the asshole's skull, he was quite happy to live and let live.

[@johnsnow9210]

I love that part! The weightloss and all.

[@savagenature1]

Not to mention the Bouncer was played by Kevin Nash. You know you're dealing with a Bad Ass when a Giant Legendary Pro Wrestler looks like he's about to shit himself

[@Nin9211]

And in Russian dialogue

[@Con5tantine]

Apparently, that conversation has another layer. John asking if he's lost weight is John asking how many enemies there are in the club. Kind of a sort of cant slang.

[@jamesborek8125]

John Wick's speech after he's been captured still makes my hair stand up every time I watch the movie.. how his voice changes "And your son.. Took that from me.. Killed that from me!" that rage.. phew..

[@jfietz3299]

I'm thinking I'm back!

[@orarinnsnorrason4614]

It is a fantastic scene. If someone hasn't been paying attention then this scene slaps you in the face so you're wide awake.

[@Levee101]

Hand me your son or you can die screaming along side him! Powerful shit.

[@christinatyree2280]

So you can either hand him over, OR DIE RIGHT ALONG SIDE HIM!!!!!!!!!!

[@nigelft]

I dare say that is the power of Righteous Anger, which - I think - straddles both the moral, and emotional, justification arguments ... Put simply, when you wronged a person whom you knew/know was completely innocent, then be prepared for the potential consequences ... "These three a wise man fears: A storm at sea; A night without a moon; And the wrath of a Quiet Man ..." ... or something pretty close to that; there have been many versions, but essentially they all add up to the same thing ...

[@chaosapiant]

I want to add that while the "Baba Yaga" scene does a lot of heavy lifting in building up the myth of John Wick, it isn't the only scene. The movie constantly goes out of its way to enforce and reinforce the idea that John if a terrifying human being. My favorite part is when, in the back-half of the film, Viggo just sits and smokes a joint to calm his nerves because he know his son is about to die. Or the part where Viggo calls Aurelio and just responds with "oh" when Aurelio states who's car got stolen. Or the very end when Viggo is toying with Allstate-Mayhem by withholding the gun like a child and saying "good luck!" when he finally hands it over. By that point he knows he and everyone around him are already dead, so he's just having a laugh and enjoying the ride. Michael Nyqvist as Viggo did a phenomenal job of setting up our dangerous protagonist in not just the first, but all of the John Wick movies.

[@NumPad]

Another one that I really like is when Viggo actually captures John and John gives his motive rant. Viggo realizes he can't talk John down and gives the go-ahead to have him killed before walking out and leaving. Then Marcus shoots one of the henchmen and saves John, who gives chase to Viggo. The best thing about this scene is that, from Viggo's perspective, John was being actively suffocated by two men while strapped to a chair, and then two minutes later walks out of some random alley, steps in front of his car with a shotgun, and blows his driver's head off. Really reinforces the legend in the criminal underworld that John is some unkillable Boogeyman horror movie monster.

[@qzg7857]

I wanna add one thing. If You are slavic this scene makes no sense. Baba Yaga is Old witch. Yaga is her name but Baba is Old Woman. In Polish if You wanna make him male it would be "Dziad Yaga". Still female name but at least you dont call him directly a woman. So no true slav would ever call a man Baba Yaga. Imagine a Russian movie and someone tries to make introduction like here and call a protagonist like this "He is charitable and good some call him Ivan but for others he is known as Mother Teresa" with straight face.

[@halfmadfalcon2078]

An additional way that John Wick turns this idea on its head is by breaking the rules of “show, don’t tell”. With Thanos and The Joker, we first are *shown* the respective villains being badass, then we are given exposition that confirms what we have seen. Before exposition is given about them, we watch Thanos defeat the “strongest” avenger with ease in a fist fight and see Joker walk into a room full of gangsters, humiliate them, kill one with a pencil, and leave unscathed. *Then* we hear characters talk about how horrifying they are. John Wick does the opposite. John is shown as being nothing but peace loving and downtrodden throughout the film. He is visually established as an entirely emotional character with no agency. Then, when the antagonists give us exposition that disagrees with everything we have seen so far, it turns John from a known quantity to an unknown quantity, raising tension and creating more fear. It also allows us to experience the same emotional rollercoaster that Alfie Allen’s character is experiencing in the scene. Coupled with this moment are visuals that show John breaking the floor with a sledge hammer (an obvious visual metaphor), which confirm what is being said as it is said. So, I guess John Wick follows a “show and tell” rule rather than a “show don’t tell” rule. 🤔

[@chrism6315]

I mostly agree with you, other than to point out that 'show dont tell' is a rule because people tell too much, there's nothing wrong with a little telling.

[@halfmadfalcon2078]

Chris M I didn’t say you should never tell, I’m just talking about the rules in the general sense.

[@Everest314]

@@halfmadfalcon2078 Good point. But, I would say there was a fair bit of showing even before the telling/exposition. The way everybody reacts to what Joseph did - the terrified look on Aurelio the car guy's face and punching him in the face for bragging about killing the dog, the shocked "Oh..." with which Viggo reacts to Aurelio's "He stole John WIcks car and killed his dog" and the anger with which Viggo beats his own son without a word of explanation (right before he does explain / give the exposition) - I think all that already shows how scared everybody is of John Wick without any explicit mention of it. So even the first-time viewer will already realise that Joseph has got himself into an action movie's worth of trouble before Viggo explains it. I do however agree with you that it's a masterful splicing of show and tell, neither of which would have worked as well just on its own or with the usual separation.

[@cabrondemente1]

@@chrism6315 I still don't understand why most people like Death Note. That show is 90% telling, it has more than one entire episode dedicated to exposition.

[@benl2140]

@@cabrondemente1 Savage Books actually has a video specifically about that.

[@allthenamesiwantedweretaken]

"Well John isn't exactly the boogeyman. He was the one you sent to *kill* the *fucking* boogeyman" Chills.

[@matthew_natividad]

Oh

[@jagerfromgsg945]

One of the coolest parts of John Wick, a bit of subtlety in the lines. The stylized holding showing the emphasisz

[@depressedessendonfan5702]

Most cringe line of all time

[@MangoraHorror]

@@depressedessendonfan5702 ?

[@SefuDonalBastet]

I just wish the writers had studied Russian lit a bit more. Babayaga is an old woman who lives in a hut with chicken legs. The scariest entity in Russian Literature is Koschei the Deathless... think a level 20 D&D Lich. Killing a little old witch in her chicken hut has nothing on killing Koschei... or maybe the German Krampus...

[@redfiend1670]

"You struck my son?" Yea....I did. "Why?" He...uh...he stole John Wick's car....and killed his dog..... The light in mans eyes died.

[@-Zer0Dark-]

"...Oh." Absolute gold. 😂

[@Gamerkid124]

@@-Zer0Dark- then he strikes his son xD

[@Tethloach1]

and the action was great, people expected action so they crank it up to 10 and show them action.

[@campkira]

the whole point is john is be kill or kill... since the phone call come in whatever he do... the bloodbath already started...

[@rubberonasphalt]

The reply with “oh...” and a drawn out silence, really says so much with so little. So good.

[@sonlen796]

I love how in the scene where Vigo has John tied to a chair Vigo lays out his mindset about the whole thing: He doesn't necessarily think he will beat John, but whoever wins or loses god/fate is punishing both of them for their misdeeds.

[@bigsmoke5483]

"I heard you struck my son." "Yes sir, I did." "And may I ask why?" "Because he stole John Wick's car, and uh, killed his dog." "Understandable, have a great day."

[@optimusprime1598]

...oh

[@matthew1995king]

That was the moment the father realized his son done fucked up.

[@pizzatime901]

Oh

[@guimecast8100]

Strucks his own son later

[@DeathnoteBB]

“He poked the dragon and it woke up” “Ah, so he has chosen death”

[@jlchd]

"The only solution for bad and violent people are good people that are more skilled in violence." ~ Bushido.

[@jesush7662]

Who is Bushido?

[@bruhmoment2316]

"with all my years being in the force i have known one thing, you don't use a saint to catch a sinner' ~Somebody i knew

[@andreasjensvold9881]

i like this comment

[@nestorgonzalez6078]

Damn that's good

[@facums6545]

@@bruhmoment2316 Rdr2 sheriff valentine xd

[@cringeaholic4082]

"Task your crew" "How many?" "... *How many do you have?* ..." That sold me

[@NekoKuro-il8rz]

Gosh I love that scene. It sets in just how capable and dangerous John is.

[@preethamhegde033]

Man was not ready to take any chances.

[@bartolomeestebanmurillo4459]

One could infer also, how many body bags...

[@emreityiii6019]

This reminds me of a Gary Oldman line from The Professional. "Bring me everyone." "Everyone sir?" "EVVEERRYONEEEE!!!!"

[@paytonwirtjes523]

@@emreityiii6019 ahhh another incredible establishment of protagonist badassery. What a good movie Leon was

[@NickJaime]

The dog and his car, there far more significant than just a gift to remember his wife. They're also something he uses as a way of keeping her alive, later in the movies we see that's exactly what he's trying to do. Since remembering her wasn't enough for a man like him, he needs more.

[@Byrnzi360]

I like how, in the second movie, it’s insinuated that he only wants the car because of the birthday card from his wife which is in the glovebox.

[@DeathBringer769]

Well, he does also love that car. Even he wife mentions it in the goodbye note she gave him in the first movie when the original dog gets delivered, saying he needs something else to love besides that car. So yes, the birthday card was obviously important to him (he kisses it when he gets his car back to his house/garage) but he clearly loves that car as well. There's a reason he asks Aurellio to fix it even though it's basically totaled and it would probably be easier to just get a different/new car -- but he still opts to try to have Aurellio fix it for him no matter how long it takes. So I think it's both a bit of Column A and Column B -- not just the one thing like only the card or only car -- it's both ;)

[@ravoniesravenshir3926]

The power of love and wanting to hold on to those memories.

[@unculturedswine5583]

@Daniel i doubt john would crack just because of an obsession with a nice car, he could probably just get a new one, thematically, it makes more sense for him to want the car because of the car also being one of his attachments and gifts of his wife, the only thing worth enough to him that it even made him stop being an assassin, john isn't angry because people would trample over his pride, he's angry because they'd trample over his memories. though i'm sure he's fond of the car by itself too but not that much, he's far from being some sort of psychopath.

[@darrenhartigan3033]

@@unculturedswine5583 to be an assassin to begin with.... Wouldnt you by very definition of the job ur doing have to be some sort of psychopath

[@OCD-GIRL]

If John Wick is terrifying then Léon is the Devil.

[@dontmindme1681]

It is actually physically painful to me to see John try to curl himself around that dog and comfort it as it dies.

[@danielbueno8474]

The trail of blood on the ground behind the dog, meaning it crawled while dying just to be alongside John is what broke me.

[@reservoir4798]

@@shortkyuu7390 no you can sadly see paw prints on the floor. It crawled over to John for comfort

[@jamiekuryla3940]

I cant watch that whole scene, it hurts too much, they got me bad, I want to kill them all.

[@lhfirex]

Not only is Theon Mafiajoy clueless about John Wick, just bringing him up leaves Mr. Mayhem speechless.

[@benwasserman8223]

New York is really going to need Allstate when this franchise is done for all the body insurance.

[@W0X42A]

"Hi, I'm your idiot son and I just p***ed off the most dangerous hitman in the world. Your cut-rate army of red-shirts may not protect you from the mayhem I created."

[@benmoss786]

Not even Allstate can keep you protected

[@chhol4800]

reek

[@campkira]

the whole point is john is be kill or kill... since the phone call come in whatever he do... the bloodbath already started...

[@cheesychi8317]

This is actually kind of like what The Mandalorian did for Luke Skywalker and the Jedi as the whole. For most of the franchise, the Jedi were our protagonists therefore their foes had to either be Jedi/sith themselves or be appropriately power scaled to contend with them. Because of this, I never truly saw the power of the Jedi through a civilian our highly trained bounty hunter/assassin's (as Din was) eye. I didn't really on a base level understand why they were so revered and respected until I saw our protagonists of the show huddled in fear about to take their last breaths fighting and Luke kriffin Skywalker mercilessly cut down the killer droids that almost ended our titular character. And not only that, he did with it ease and in any other Star Wars movie it would've been expected and overlooked by the audience as a throwaway battle but next to the power scaling of the protagonist who was almost killed by just 1 dark trooper, Jedi look nigh unkillable when taking on half a platoon. I was obsessed with the scene but didn't really have the words to describe why it was impactful until this video. While the Jedi certainly aren't the antagonist, seeing Luke Skywalker through shaky CCTV footage in a hooded robe and ominous glowing saber carve a path of slaughter with ease makes you almost fear the lauded hero of the Star Wars franchise just instinctually.

[@somerandom3257]

I also loved how that scene was Luke’s inversion of Vader’s hallway scene in Rogue One where it is done with basically the same technique, efficiency and sheer power to nearly utterly disregard what should to any normal person be an instantly lethal situation, but this time with Luke’s motivation to save rather than Vader’s motivation to destroy. That scene is perfection

[@davidmauriciogutierrezespi5244]

You also see the sheer terror on Moff Gideon's face the entire time, I mean the dude who was the antagonist all season suddenly wanted to off himself rather than face Luke.

[@selkiara1272]

The Knights of the Old Republic games do a good job of this with some of the dialogue options with non-force sensitives. Hearing Canderous, Carth, or Aton talk at length about who the Jedi are, what they are capable of, and what they have seen Jedi do. There is an awe, reverence, and a sense of facing something greater than oneself on a level that is hard to place.

[@taidghusflynnius]

​@@davidmauriciogutierrezespi5244 I mean, he walked into a room with Darth Vader and The Emperor and walked out holding Vader's body

[@davidmauriciogutierrezespi5244]

@@taidghusflynnius Yes, but Gideon sgrikes me as this non-believer who dismissed it as greatly exagerated accounts for rebel propaganda purposes, but then he sees Luke cut through his Death Troopers like it's barely a inconvenience and he's like "Oh sh*t! Those were not exagerations"

[@ComicWriter-ml3qt]

“Most people don’t like cheering on a ruthless mass murderer” Unless it’s a guy with a hockey mask.

[@jamesvivian2855]

Most of the people Jason kills are so stupid and annoying they deserve it

[@lilscenechick1995]

Or Deadpool. Lol

[@ComicWriter-ml3qt]

@@lilscenechick1995 or frank castle

[@Ray-er4sj]

Or DOOM :D

[@kobiimac5131]

Or in the William Shatner mask or guy in the ghost mask or a soul in the killer doll

[@urdnotstark8270]

Honestly, just hearing Iosef say "Oh" after that phone call Aurelio was all you need to know about John. Like just the name of this guy ws able to make the Don of the Russian Mafia question his life decisons.

[@shoepin385]

That's just a reference to Keanu's woah, other than that, I agree

[@SalinaMoonfall]

@@shoepin385 Yeah listened to the behind the scenes talk that mentioned it, that it was sort of a call back to the old "woah" line...though narratively as they explain it's a single expression that conveys a lot since initially, he calls ready to tear into the chop shop owner, the Oh is him coming to a full stop at being made aware of John. It doesn't always do it, but John Wick's exchanges have a habit of doing more with less, a few words exchanged as possible but with heavy narrative weight with what is there.

[@_Azurael_]

I loved that scene... "you hit my soon!", "yeh he robbed John Wick", "Oh"...

[@Enercia]

Such a good movie. Shame about the sequels.

[@DamianFloresRF]

The phone scene is more crucial than the one in this video, I would argue. It starts as a typical intimidating final boss introduction with his back to the camera on a rooftop and it's turned on its head by just six short lines of dialogue. Very efficient.

[@monke980]

the fact that they describe him like an old mythical creature in itself is terrifying, and that they claim his body count is the foundation of their society it really makes him seem like he is just a made up story to scare people but then he emerges from the shadows and your friends die one by one until he kills you and everyone around you.

[@nathanhays8696]

I'm pretty sure that Viggo meant that literally. If I remember correctly, when John Wick wanted to retire as a hitman in order to be with his wife, Viggo said that if he killed all of the mobs enemies in one night, he could leave. *So that's exactly what John did.*

[@iamfeixue]

His impossible task is that killing all Mobs Organization until theres none left than 3 big powers atleast we see , High Table and rest of New York Mafia that got wiped out by him alone. Taking Santino Marks for Arms. Thats what makes him Baba Yaga , he hunt , not kill.

[@vexjaeger4314]

I like to think also part of Johns rage was the fact while he can rip through these men like nothing kill dozens of trained killers... get his hands in the shit stain that so carelessly murdered a helpless puppy, he CANT get his hands on DEATH. Death is the one thing he can’t, for all his focus, determination And will power... Death is that one thing that he can’t put down

[@seangambone8534]

I like the idea of a scene where John is struggling against someone who is matching him blow for blow. No matter how much he flips and turns him, this guy pulls reversals and counters. It comes down to a brutal beat down, with Wick on top of his attacker, beating the shit out of him. Then he gets a good look, and it's himself. As he has become death incarnate for so many people, so to speak, he now faces himself in a fight only one will win: Inevitable death. Then he wakes up in a cot in homeless militia barracks.

[@bartolomeestebanmurillo4459]

The scene where Viggo is sitting in front of a fire singing a creepy Russian lullaby is straight out of a horror movie as he knows the men he sent after John after not coming back, then the scene shifts, John comes out the shadows like a nocturnal predator and pounces. It cemented for me that John is a frightening force of nature.

[@Drekromancer]

John Wick is a horror movie. We just don't think about it because we're following the monster.

[@chickencurry420]

I love how the son tells his dad he'll finish what he started and Viggo is so taken back, you could almost say he broke character with "Did he hear a fuckin word I just said?"

[@coltonwilliams4153]

Viggo: *hugs Iosef* You will do nothing, because you CAN do nothing.

[@ShatteredGlass916]

It's basically the peak of "bruh, you done goof'ed"

[@wildmoose3979]

It's the ultimate "Oopsy doopsy you made a fucky wucky"

[@LostJanbo]

It's the absolute epitome of "U done goof"

[@sintraficusgeneralof5thbat922]

That's because he just told his son that the hit man that is so well known by every single person in the underground sindicite because the is impossible to kill he is the living terminator the angel of death capable of killing anyone and nothing will stop him because no one can stop him that's why he sends every single man he has not because he thinks john can be stopped but because he knows their bodies will slow him down

[@doublep1980]

Even before the whole ''Baba Yaga''-speech that Viggo gives to his son, the movie already establishes how much of an absolute ruthless and fearsome man, John Wick is. Before Viggo meets his son, he calls up John Leguizamo's character (the mechanic who runs the chop shop) in order to confront him why he punched his son. Leguizamo then tells Viggo: ''Well, your stupid son killed John Wick's dog & stole his car.'' Viggo's reaction is just ''Oh...'' and his face turns literally pale. The powerful russian mob boss, is literally crapping his pants when he finds out, that his dumb son just made John Wick his mortal enemy. Really great acting by Michael Nyqvist in the movie,it's a shame he passed away. RIP .

[@vahlen5281]

Yeah, it is truly a shame he passed away so early. Fuck cancer.

[@antant06]

Oh no, I loved that guy in everything he was in. :(

[@Fridaey13txhOktober]

"I have failed as a parent, haven't I?" "Yes... yes you did."

[@connorjarrell2260]

That one word carried that whole scene. One word set up the next scene because oh all the time things to be said he said one single word.

[@ptolemeeselenion1542]

Indeed.

[@chico1786]

You had me at "Theon Mafiajoy" ngl. btw seeing that the puppy crawled over to it's dad while almost dead breaks my heart every time.

[@PhoneyLoki]

I always thought the gangsters put it there so he'd see it when he woke up

[@chico1786]

@@PhoneyLoki No the blood trail kinda suggests that the puppy crawled it's way there.

[@NotYourRealMom]

i started tearing up. i forgot how heartwrenching that was.

[@DrownedInExile]

See also: just about every other person, from a cop, to all the staff at the Continental Hotel, are all very respectful of John Wick. That also speaks volumes.

[@yes8807]

Literally every single professional in the business knows or knows about John Wick. That already speaks for itself.

[@Salem-1610]

"You uhhh workin' again?"

[@Teixas666]

@@Salem-1610 "Yeah..." its the analogy od the dragon pretty much. "if the Dragon is busy burning down his own cave, you dont go pester him, you thank him for not burning down the village and leave him be.

[@kevincaruthers5412]

Also, when the female assassin tries to kill John, she got "Your membership is revoked". When John broke the rules, he got an hour head start. . That's respect.

[@Loukious]

One thing I loved about the scene when Viggo say "get a team". You cut out his best line "how many can you get?" Meaning Viggo doesn't care how many people they send he wants to make sure John is dead. To an outsider (like his son) that seems overkill. Until you watch the scene in John's house when he kills the team. You realize John is a literal machine. What I look forward to in #4 is the writers said that in 4 John will be the "old" John in mentality. Meaning before he met his wife.

[@AceOfBlackjack]

There’s gonna be a fourth movie? Any info?

[@Loukious]

@@AceOfBlackjack Donnie Yen going to be playing a friend of Wicks. Probably another assassin "disavowed"

[@clintoncole622]

@donkey Kong country master no fucking way

[@firewarrior5828]

I'd love to see a movie on his "Impossible Task" a John Wick Origins film

[@DragonmanX90]

What sealed John Wick as a credible threat for me when I first saw the movie was Aurelio and Viggo's conversation on the phone, and Aurelio's interactions with Iosef before that. The instant Aurelio sees the car, he knows who it belongs to and knows that nothing short of violence would get said car out of its true owner's possession. He doesn't really react to any of Iosef's demands, instead focusing on getting the facts about the situation. On first look with Aurelio, the man is a professional: his operation is very methodical and clean; for him to react so coldly to his "boss's" son screams that Iosef has fucked up. His reaction of laughing when Iosef practically crows about how he and his thugs tuned John up, killed his dog but didn't kill him only makes this more clear. Aurelio says it himself; Viggo is going to understand why he hit Iosef and threw him and his crew out. That he not only patiently awaits Viggo's call, but speaks to the man with no fear is just as telling. In most gang stories, doing anything to the kid of the shot caller is a death sentence, full stop. Both men treat the conversation with a level of respect: Viggo coming off as forceful without being dominating and dangerous as we later see he can easily become. While Aurelio keeps his responses cut and dry, not offering explanation unless asked and even calling Viggo "Sir" as they speak. Aurelio knows striking and dismissing Iosef under almost any circumstance would result in serious reprimands at minimum, and Viggo knows that Aurelio knows this. Viggo is left to wonder why a smart man like Aurelio would do something so dangerous to his business and potentially his life; and can only assume he has a good reason or his son was a bigger asshole than normal. The man doesn't raise his voice, he doesn't threaten, he doesn't deliver his requests in Russian; he simply asks why. The simple "Oh" after Aurelio tells him doesn't speak volumes, it speaks entire archives!

[@przemekkozlowski7835]

To me the call seemed like a formality on the part of Viggo. He knows that he will probably have to kill Aurelio for punching Yosef but wants to hear Aurelio's side of the story even though there is nothing Aurelio can say that would change the outcome. Then he hears the one thing that completely changes the situation and makes Aurelio's action justified.

[@ticandy8549]

Youre hitting the nail on the head, however you're saying that Aurelio speaks to Viggo without fear, but that is not true, Aurelio is clearly distressed and afraid, maybe not so much on his own behalf, but on EVERYONES behalf. He is fearful of John and the rampage Aurelio knows John is about to embark on.

[@zovinchen3281]

Viggo himself is established as a Russian mob boss. Russian mafia irl is so dangerous that even the law enforcers won't mess with them. And then we have Aurelio, who convinced Iosef's pupil to shoot him on his head. Aurelio fears John Wick more than a Russian mob boss. A very good establishment.

[@DragonmanX90]

@@ticandy8549 Fair point; perhaps I should've been a bit more specific. Aurelio speaks to Viggo without overt fear of the man himself. Given the reasons behind Viggo's call, facing a mafia boss without letting your fear be obvious is something worthy of respect. This could be because he knows that Viggo will understand his reasons, as is later proven true; or it could be as you say and Aurelio is far more afraid of John and the apocalyptic shit storm their world is about to get hit by.

[@knockoffmjolnir4864]

That "Oh" laid out the entire plot of the movie from there forwards. When the crime Boss knew he was fucked upon hearing the name of the demon that his son pissed off. lmao

[@rubenmorales7733]

Viggo besting his son up but then embracing him and almost to tears was a great moment. It's like he's pissed-off, but already mourning the death of his son. Then he tries to negotiate with John in a last ditch effort hoping with little to no hope that their history will make amends for anything and realizing John is basically like "If you get in my way I'll take you out too"

[@roys.1889]

This makes me realize that technically speaking the Doomslayer is a terrifying protagonist since hell itself is hyping him up as an unstoppable machine bent on murdering demons.

[@HorribleGamingFun]

obviously they need to hire John Wick to deal with him

[@SuperZergMan]

When the demons describe your actions as "barbarous cruelty."

[@tomatazoo]

Cannot believe you skipped the chance to say that doomslayer is hell bent on slaying demons

[@offlineraided]

@@SuperZergMan *happy* *chainsaw* *sounds* *intensify*

[@sanspapyrus5452]

they repeatedly say that he is a being who will rip and tear until it is done and that even demons could only lock him up but not kill him and even then they never went close to his cage

[@MrPotatoTitan]

Satan: "I heard you struck my son. Mephistopheles: "Yes sir, I did." Satan: "And may I ask why?" Mephistopheles: "Because he stole Doom Guy's shotgun sir. And uh, killed his rabbit." Satan: "--Oh."

[@actuallykizato]

Satan: Lucifer.. do you know who is that bloody fucking guy is?..

[@johnsnow9210]

Well done 👏👏👏

[@Creeping_Jesus999]

Kraken Dude Satan is Lucifer, Lucifer was his angel name before god cast him out

[@Marceline-0522]

DarkLord of TB technically Lucifer is mentioned only once and it’s never stated that Lucifer is Satan. If you want to think of them as the same entity go ahead but they could also be multiple entities

[@ASJacob]

Doom slayer needs a john wick spin off! 😁👍

[@TheOtherNeutrino]

“But in order for the antagonist to be overcome, they must by definition be in an elevated position relative to the protagonist. To say that in a less pretentious way...” they have the High Ground.

[@Rhino-Prime]

You underestimate my power

[@ezrawyvern6795]

@@Rhino-Prime Don't try it. High ground!

[@Rhino-Prime]

@@ezrawyvern6795 applys iron skin for 3 seconds on invisible and jumps immediately

[@pbjracing14yearsago49]

Hello there

[@Rhino-Prime]

@@pbjracing14yearsago49 general kenobi

[@Senrabekim]

I love the symbolism they use in this scene, as Viggo reveals John's past and true identity, it cuts over to John who is hammering through concrete to get to his weapons. He buried the killer, poured concrete over him, and now is putting the work in to get back to the person he needs to be for his revenge tour. Also the way that Viggo's face falls as he is talking and realizing more and more, just how bad this is, reflects the way that John's first movements to unbury the killer are tentative, and grow in rage and confidence. Reeves and Nyquist do a fantastic job in this scene. Alfie Allen does something similar in the way he rejects what Viggo is telling Iosef, He is initially shocked, into a bit of fear, but rationalizes that his dad is just a scared old man.

[@shawn_crabtree]

DOOM Slayer is very similar, with him being feared by everyone. They talk about him as an unstoppable force, because, he is. Even those on his side are afraid of him, though likely not as much.

[@americankid7782]

Except intern guy. That dude has balls of titanium.

[@souptime8420]

and he went on a Rampage for similiar reason He lost his bunny

[@TheKatera4a]

@@americankid7782 Well. He knew that Doomguy was getting Sam whether he helped him or not. So he just decided to help, so the Doomslayer leaves a soon as possible. Every second spent with him is a second in which you could get ripped and teared apart by him.

[@digiking2612]

Both pets were also named daisy

[@isaacyeon6334]

And a similar reason of massacring Hell because demons killed his pet Rabbit

[@kiral3859]

The thing I always loved about the story was this: John was a man that was always able to confront his problems head-on and overcome them. Until his wife's cancer took her. He was helpless in that case. Not something he was used to. He was effectively lost after her death, even with the dog. When he was attacked and his dog was killed, it was more than revenge for the dog he wanted, it was revenge for his wife's death. Even though the kid was not responsible for it, he caused John's helpless anger to be redirected. I think that is why the first movie was the strongest of the three for me. Especially having lost a loved one to cancer myself.

[@nerored6235]

Exactly. Beauty has tamed the beast. While he was struggling to keep the sense of peace she brought him, someone came along and cut his last ties to her driving him back to his darker nature

[@drysoup3017]

I'm sorry for your loss. Amazing statement

[@EmrysMerlin8807]

Point of clarification, if I may- it's not that he made John's anger be redirected, it's that the kid gave his anger a direction at all. Prior to what happened, John had no real outlet for his anger and pain. In doing what he did, the guy gave John a funnel by which he could channel all his anger and wrath in one direction.

[@WillRock07]

I've always loved how they took John Wick and flipped over the cliche. John Wick is the Protagonist, and he's very much the hero in the story, but he doesn't have a stupendous power to overcome. He IS the stupendous power, and because we know he's the hero, we know he's going to succeed. So it flips things over by treating John as the villain to the bad guys, rather than the bad guys being the villain to John. Then, the bad guys start off by killing his dog, which is one of those things that makes everything John Wick do in the film justifiable to the audience afterwards - you don't fuck with a man's best friend. It gives us a completely different type of film - a cathartic experience where instead of the hero coming out against impossible odds against a terrifying enemy, we see the enemies absolutely shit themselves when they come up against a legendary and unstoppable force of nature of a protagonist, and it's so much fun to watch. It's a really simple flip of expectations but it gives us something a little different that you don't see very much in film and TV.

[@yamatosama6028]

I would also like to add that the movie gives John enough damage and struggle to still making us worry about him just enough, but never taking away the force of nature he is

[@campkira]

the whole point is john is be kill or kill... since the phone call come in whatever he do... the bloodbath already started...

[@mitchellfarinasdeleon3543]

It sort of reminds me of the “Doom” games. You’re fighting horror monsters but you are the horror to them.

[@unironicdoomer614]

You actually see it a lot in videogames

[@grecco3300]

If you like that, there is an Anime called Rurouni Kenshin or Samurai X. Its about a legendary samurai, who just wants peace, but he is constantly dragged to battle. The fun part is that we know he is unbeatable and in a sense, his own worst enemy.

[@LostLagrange]

The story further enforcers the audience to cheer for johns willingness to kill the antagonists via subtlety connecting his wicked and merciless past. Here is a man who gave up his evil ways, layed down his weapons and swore off his past to pursue a simple and peaceful life. It makes it even more impactful, by allowing the audience to then see how the antagonists push him to a breaking point and then be met with his past and the fact that he chose to walk away from it and is now forced into an emotional point where his past is his fall back. Essentially setting the bad guys as the “ones who broke the beasts cage.” In a way.

[@mrflip-flop3198]

One of the reasons of why it is easy to dislike the villains is that Iosef's face is so punchable. The guy looks like a douchebag at heart. No offense to the actor, I'm sure the guy means well. He just fits the role really well.

[@tonuahmed4227]

you read my mind bro

[@pedinhu18]

For those who don't know, that guy is also Theon Greyjoy from Game of Thrones, and Alfie Allen.

[@Nihilist_Porcupine]

@@pedinhu18 The guy has made a career out of being punchable

[@pedinhu18]

@@Nihilist_Porcupine He's also Lily Allen's brother, and she made an entire song just to say how much of a asshole he is.

[@sebastianb.3978]

@@pedinhu18 Yeah... 12 years ago

[@Tempest7575]

When John hung up the phone without saying anything created amazing tension. His silence spoke louder than any words or speeches. The click made the father's heart drop you could see it in his face.

[@jimparker9345]

"Why did you strike my son?" "Because he stole John Wick's car and killed his dog." "........oh......" This was the exchange that let us know they f****ed with the wrong person. Then the scene spoke about here told us why. This was my favorite moment in the whole movie.

[@rus0004]

"I'll tell you something, he's gonna understand."

[@chamoo232]

You could keep the movie 95% the same and it would feel completely different if Viggo didn't know who John is.

[@CassidyListon]

I agree. The scene with his son was almost unnecessary.

[@adaephon]

It's so damn good. Sets up perfectly that the mechanic fears John above even his boss, and knows that Viggo will understand that.

[@cepboom1892]

I always call those moments the can openers cuz the guy opened a can o' whup ass

[@ecorona9552]

This wasn't the moment. This was just exposition for what an earlier scene combo had established. You could call it an opinion, but I was in the theater when I and the rest of the audience felt it. It wasn't Viggo explaining who John is/ was. It was the conversation between Aurelio and Joseph in the chop shop that began it, and the phone call from Viggo that solidified who John was. It was the Aurelio explanation and Viggo's epic one word. "Oh." The "ooohhh" throughout the theater created goosebumps. As I said, the rest was just exposition for what we all realized with that one word. It explained, informed, and terrified. "Oh."

[@tremerefury]

I just realized that they used this technique in the first Rambo movie, when his Commanding Officer explained to the cops who they had just picked a fight with...

[@gastererror2563]

I watched John Wick before I ever watched First Blood and all the while I was getting John Wick vibes it was actually the other way around.

[@NarwahlGaming]

"Whatever possessed God in Heaven to make a guy like Rambo?" "God didn't make Rambo. I made him."

[@apocro.]

Man legit killed one dude in the first movie lol

[@magosexploratoradeon6409]

@@apocro. even then it's by accident because the dude really tried to stand on the side of a helicopter without anything to hold him in place. That shit is just stupid.

[@darthrevan454]

@@apocro. and your point is?

[@101Crock]

Imagine if they had just killed John instead. His father would be singing praises, thinking it was impossible.

[@angelfish1192]

Their biggest mistake was not killing John when they had the chance......s.

[@punishedbearzerker5400]

"In general you must either pamper people or destroy them; harm them just a little and they’ll hit back; harm them seriously and they won’t be able to. So if you’re going to do people harm, make sure you needn’t worry about their reaction."- Niccolò Machiavelli, "The Prince".

[@adamdevlin649]

Yup that was their mistake not killing john when they had the chance

[@prelien4690]

@@punishedbearzerker5400 ayy that's the first time I've heard it, thanks for a new quote

[@piranhaplantX]

@@prelien4690 Machiavelli has a lot of quotes like that. He was a bit of a pragmatic authoritarian, and I definitely wouldn't take what he says as gospel. But he was a political realist of his time.

[@theheavenlyfb4071]

Whenever I hear someone explain why John Wick is cool or why they root for him it's usually as simple as "they killed his dog, they took his car, they deserve to die" and as crazy as that sounds it works so well because of the context behind it.

[@jakejohnson9421]

Having your dog killed is a very easy to find sympathetic for a lot of people. Makes it easy to root for the revenge. I'd bet anything animal abuse dropped a significant percentage for a time after this movie woth abusers afraid of how bloodthirsty their neighbors suddenly got.

[@Randerson2409]

I love the fact that, not only does John kill them. As soon as the reality of the situation becomes apparent, every sensible villain spends the entire movie in terror, just counting down the seconds until John finds and kills them, fully certain that he WILL

[@gokcenakdag8189]

Killing innocent animals for no reason is just monterous. The person isnt gonna eat it or get anything from it. They are heartless beings and will do other murders and rape if they continue living. Animal cruelty is the first sign to human cruelty. Killing someone out of anger, revenge is a human behaivor anyone if capable of. But killing for pleasure, witout emphaty or guilt, raping a woman ypu do not know or have a reason to make them suffer, is not something everyone is capable of. So yes killing cats, dogs is a sign of a person way worse than others and they should be removed from society. Idc what stupid answers this is gonna get i said what i said.

[@jahmaisofly]

@@gokcenakdag8189 stop eating meat if your truley care about animal rights

[@gokcenakdag8189]

@@jahmaisofly that is not related to my comment at all. İ said killing for enjoyment and for no reason. Killing to eat something is natural and all animals do it. While that being said, you have no idea if im a vegan or not so why did you order me around to be one ? Chill

[@Adahy_Bullet]

For me personally, that dogs death, the scene of john digging up his old equipment with a sledgehammer, and Viggo describing john and just how fucked his son is are parts i remember the best. And it's for reasons similar to what this video discussed. Those people killed his dog, and in turn unleashed a metaphorical monster. A force of nature and death. And they frankly deserve it. I look forward to what 4 brings us cuz i love these movies so much

[@Profile__1]

I've always felt that John Wick was like watching a movie from the perspective of the horror movie killer. Unstoppable, unwavering, and unkillable. John is even sometimes "killed" by the gangsters, but just when they think they've won his body suddenly disappears.

[@EdgieAlias]

I always wanted to make a movie like that. Saw touches on it, but I really want to go for it.

[@linearman0245]

Huh, that makes a lot of sense. [makes adaptation of Hotline Miami]

[@DeathBringer769]

Though the director Chad Stahelski has hinted many times in many interviews (both before and after John Wick 3, but even moreso after John Wick 3) saying that John will not have a "happy ending" and will probably die at the end of the last movie -- bringing it full circle to how it seemed like he was going to die in the first movie (remember the first movie starts off with him seemingly passing out from blood loss and dying -- only to subvert that expectation at the end of the movie in order to open up sequel possibilities) so given that they might bring it all the way back to the first moment we saw, but actually have him die this time in the final movie. Personally, I just want to see John be that unstoppable, unkillable badass who takes down the entire High Table and the world of assassins while still somehow impossibly surviving, but I could also accept if they killed him off in a way that had impact and gravitas in the final movie.

[@Profile__1]

@@DeathBringer769 I think him dying would be fitting, as he seems to be that type of character that cannot avoid the fight, as something somehow will always arise: it's unfortunately just in his nature, as when he murdered Antonio in the 2nd movie despite knowing the consequences. However, at the same time, in keeping with the theme of John being a horror movie killer, it would also be fitting for him to be seen "dying" but then when the survivor go to check on his body he is again shown missing. Sort of like the ending to Bourne Ultimatum.

[@Codex_0613]

​@@Profile__1 what'd be even more terrifying would be John Wick finally taking down all of high table members, but succumbed to his wounds as well, and collapse on a nearby chair the next shot would be a group of soldier (either on his side or not) storming in the room, only to find bodies of the high table members, but John Wick is nowhere to be seen and then credits roll I feel that leaving it ambiguous like that would make it way more interesting

[@WangChungN7]

Here's another interesting point: Look at the color themes of the mobsters and John Wick before they kill his dog and after. The blue tint and the warm colors switch, showing the audience who the real, cold killer is

[@chukka312]

I saw that in Cinemawins!

[@jackbaxter2223]

It's a consistent pattern in the John Wick films that blue is John's colour and red is his enemies. In the club, the Red Circle, the guards wear red shirts. One of them walks out of some red light and into an area with blue lighting, and then immediately gets killed by John. Even the subtitles do this, and you can see which words are red, blue or gold. In the second movie, John frequently has a circle appear behind or above his head, imitating a halo, and we learn that John is known as as 'Angel of Death'.

[@billbill6094]

@@jackbaxter2223 he has the Halo in the first movie too, when he's walking away from the Red Circle it appears above his head right before he tells Josef he fucked with the wrong one

[@jeremyv4636]

My wife used to think I was crazy noticing things like that: certain film, the tint. Now she looks for it and when pulling a movie up we've never seen and we're "fishing" (giving a movie a few minutes to decide if it's shit or not), she can spot the "bad after-school specials" in an instant. She's better at it now than I was-LOL

[@HokageSama]

i think it helps that through the film john is endeared to us by how he treats others who didnt kill his dog/ fight him. like the scene where he talks to a guar outside the club, and compliments his weight loss, and warns him of the violence to come. its a level of honor and respect that makes us like him

[@Celeste__ch.]

Well, it more reaffirms our love for the man than making us like him, but ya

[@carolg6598]

I'll add to this, it's more of the respect he gives 'co-workers' as well as the 'staff' who are below him. He has fantastic rapport with the barista, but also with Francis the security guard, and Jimmy the cop. They understand if they don't mess with John, they have nothing to fear, because he's a reasonable human being to those who respect him.

[@jcorbett9620]

@@carolg6598 I think it's slightly more than this. John is 100% a ruthless, uncaring killer, but only to those who he has been tasked to eliminate or who get in his way to try and stop him. For example, He leaves Miss Perkins alive, even though she tried to kill him, because she wasn't on his "list" The innocent girl in the club that "brave" Josef used for cover to escape. John didn't shoot her because she wasn't one of the bodyguards. He didn't kill Francis because Francis told him how many of Josef's goons were in the club and there was no need to kill him. He offered Frances the chance to leave and he took it. It appears that in all of the JW movies, if you are not his target and make no effort to interfere, you are completely safe. He doesn't even eliminate witnesses, unless that is a part of his task.

[@0Z4ND3R0]

​@@jcorbett9620 well Viggo did say John is a man of focus

[@CorwinTheOneAndOnly]

It was still as you said, however the weight loss thing is a code. "About X pounds" is how many hostiles there are in the building.

[@wipplewopple1876]

I would argue that the scene with Aurelio, an ostensibly experienced person in the criminal underworld, completely denied the kid of his partner. Then, said partner calls, everything is explained, and the crime boss just says, "Oh."

[@ryjtse]

Yeah they did a bang up job on John Wick. I appreciate that even though he is an unstoppable killing machine he is still human. The mobsters beat him up and he gets progressively more hurt as the movie progresses. Just serves to make him even more intimidating

[@shhs1227]

Progressively more hurt as the series progresses

[@enotsnavdier6867]

@@shhs1227 IKR how the fuck did he survive the end of JW3?

[@dillong7951]

tis but a scratch

[@UnknownUserZeroZero]

@@enotsnavdier6867 That isn't even his final form!

[@RequiemPoete]

In a way I feel bad for the Mafia Boss. If it was any other underling he would gift wrap him and drop him off at the place of Wick's preference, but this is his son. He knows it's almost impossible, to kill John and save him, but as much a stupid fuck-up as he is, it's still his son.

[@rubberonasphalt]

What many don’t know, is that Keane Reeves has had many experiences with death in his life. First, his close friend River Phoenix overdosed. His wife had a stillborn child, and after separation, she also died years later. He then lost his sister to cancer (correction: Kim survived a 10 year battle). Keanu overcame all this, not to mention having an absent father who left when he was a baby, and has become one of the most well liked and respected celebrities in Hollywood.

[@bloodangel19]

I think during the filming of matrix he broke his spine and almost died

[@codysykes5568]

@@bloodangel19 Then gave the grunt workers motorcycles with his salary from it. The first movie I saw Keanu Reeves in was _Speed_ with Sandra Bullock way back when. Then five years later, I saw The Matrix, and since I started martial arts at a very young age I instantly loved the man and thought he was the greatest.

[@bloodangel19]

@@codysykes5568 who dosen't love that man

[@Vejitatheouji]

Last I checked, his sister pulled through. Did something happen recently? I can't seem to find anything about it.

[@rubberonasphalt]

Super Saiya-jin Vegeta oh you’re right Kim Reeves did survive cancer, dont know how i made that mistake. I think i mixed her with Jennifer Symes somehow.

[@judofry]

I liked the scene layered with him digging out his weapons, seems like a nice visual metaphor for how painful it is to re open that part of himself, the hateful, brutal side of him being unleashed (heh pun, get it because of the dog...ok I deserve to be booed)

[@maxxdoutt3585]

Yes you do. Very true, though. lol

[@k1tdragon5]

Aka, having to dig up his past

[@petriew2018]

it was a nice touch, made it quite clear just how much John wanted to have buried his past. that first movie is the closest thing to a work of art an action movie can be. Very little screen time is wasted on people just standing around talking. the setup is quick and to the point, the characters actually behave like they've been part of the world for years and don't need it explained to them, There's nothing ambiguous about what's going down. it just lets you enjoy the ride.

[@maxxdoutt3585]

Petrie W Those are the best kinda movies, where they just let you experience the world without spoon feeding its history to you, or that of the characters. Mad Max Fury Road was the same way. So many fascinating characters, little to no time spent on their backstories

[@TheOnceandFutureJake]

How is that even close to a pun?

[@Nivmax]

This is actually what sold me on John Wick. During the first scenes with the dog, my thoughts were: "Solid foundation for a revenge movie. Let's see how this goes." But then they started building him up as this scary unstoppable force and I knew this might be something special after all.

[@jackdaone6469]

I think you glossed over how the film established Vigo’s presence: The dude’s intro is very reminiscent of Don Vito Corleone’s from the Godfather, but with a twist. With Vito, we get Bonasera demanding justice for his daughter, and Vito’s quiet, yet compelling, responses showing him as a man to be feared, especially when the big, intimidating Luca Brasi(played by a real-life Mafia thug) was stammering and submissive toward Vito in another scene, indicating that the man commanded immense respect and fear even from other feared men(Brasi, after all, was Vito’s top enforcer). It’s also worth noting that Brasi was supposed to be shown as feared by Vito(which Marlon Brando showed with Vito’s uncomfortable body language in that scene, showing that even Don Vito is wary of Luca, but Brasi’s actor flubbing his lines was left in because it showed the opposite effect). Vigo gets something similar, but the twist is when he finds out who he’s up against. He’s introduced speaking to Aurelio in a very forceful, authoritative tone, demanding why Aurelio struck Iosef. He’s shot from the back, tall and mysterious, showing Vigo’s physical presence even though we haven’t seen his face, yet, much like how Don Vito’s face and body was shadowed and obscured during his intro in the Godfather. The scene is implying that Aurelio’s reaction would be fearful and begging forgiveness from a feared and powerful mob boss under normal circumstances. The fact that Michael Nvqvist established Vigo’s gravitas with only a couple of quick lines speaks to the late actor’s skill and charisma. Then comes the twist: Aurelio, who Vigo was expecting to be deferential and submissive, instead plainly states that it was because Iosef crossed John Wick. Vigo turns around, his face in the middle of falling into a grim expression, and all he can respond with is a deflated “Oh”, as if he’d been punched right in the gut. The next scene starts with Vigo going downstairs, his face grim, his body language showing regret at hearing Aurelio’s response, and he almost seems defeated from the outset. Then Ari, his consigliere, walks up informing him of the successful “acquisition” of a rival crime outfit, and all Vigo can do in response to what would normally be great news is ask for his son. So while Iosef established himself through physical action, Vigo is established through subtle exposition and raw charisma. The implication and subtlety of Vigo’s intro establishes him as the true villain of the film, whereas his idiot son was ultimately just some punk who set the events into motion, and he’s utterly TERRIFIED by John Wick. Taking it back to the example of the Godfather, John Wick would be like if Luca Brasi(specifically from the book, which established Vito’s respect and fear of Brasi through the narration) retired, lived a happy life, and then Fredo foolishly crossed him and thus Brasi came after Fredo and the Corleones by extension!

[@bujmoose3992]

John Wick showed some humanity when he let one of the "henchmen" outside the club go unharmed. Their verbal exchange showed a hint that the 2 men worked together and Wick considered themselves, "brothers in arms".

[@Psyk0pepper]

Be he told him how many ppl was inside guarding if I remember correctly

[@gino9040]

I think the story behind this was the bar and pencil one. Francis was the doorman who ran in to stop John (before he knew who it was fighting), and then just let him go, back before Viggo was the head gangster, after he killed the man with the pencil. As he says to other assassin's, it's a professional courtesy. This is the only hint of humanity he shows when on a mission and why he is so terrifying - he is not pyschotic, just focused on his mission

[@nox_chan]

A professional courtesy

[@coolgreenbug7551]

@@nox_chan professionals have standards

[@RichardDicksondlyrch68]

John Wick's character is made in the moment Viggo says "Oh" and just hangs up when Leguizamo tells him what his son did.

[@happiestaku6646]

While true to an extent, we don't know the full extent of who John Wick is till the scene with Viggo and his son. The scene with Viggo make you think, "They fucked up but who is John Wick?" The scene with Viggo and his son makes you think, "They are all fucking dead "

[@TheSeanjohn2012]

They did this with nobody as well. Nobody's tattoo serves as a sign of his mysterious past, and when an initially hostile war veteran looks at it, thanks him for his service and locks himself in a bunker, we only begin to grasp how dangerous this man really is. The cards in the tattoo signify the worst hand you can have at a certain card game (I don't play so idk). It shows that these "auditors" went in with nothing, no backup and no support from the bureau, but they got the job done and that's terrifying. But if he does show up to your doorstep remember that you have rights. Better Call Saul... If you live that is.

[@zachroos3910]

Poker. More specifically if I remember correctly Texas hold 'em

[@cpatch-nh5cs]

The "Thank you for your service" scene cemented Nobody as iconic. The bus scene was better than JW3 and 4.

[@deepaparakkal4241]

@@cpatch-nh5cs My man, have you even watched JW 4?

[@trolledfordrip]

I only know scp nobody who are you talking about?

[@Werewolf.with.Internet.Access]

I love when they’re in the bath house and the mobs kid is like “are you scared of the boogeyman? I’m not” and the guy bends down and says “you should be.” It’s the way he delivers that line. Like “you only say that because you’re literally too stupid to grasp how completely f**ked you are.”

[@BlackGold805]

Dunning-Kruger

[@fangsabre]

Only a fool brags about how unafraid they are

[@poppers7317]

He doesn't need to be scared of the boogeyman, John already killed him.

[@randomjunk1977]

Let's pay a little respect to that nameless character credited only as "Team Leader". He fought John Wick and lived TWICE. John got him the third time but I'm pretty sure that makes him easily the second most badass character in the movie.

[@Ironheart73]

Bot losef being the fuckup he is at that point still did not understand he was already a dead man

[@TimdeVisser86]

I kept thinking of the scene with John Leguizamo's Chop Shop mechanic. I think that sold him to me. The fact that this dude isn't the least bit afraid of Theon, but terrified of crossing John Wick was solid. Just in the subtle acting he was set up as a legendary figure, even though he said nothing about John Wick himself. That's good setup imo.

[@termigasts5227]

And when he talks to his boss, his boss is pissed that he struck his son, but when he explains why, the boss simply says "oh". In that word, all is forgiven and understood, and the change from anger to dread in the bossman's voice is perfect. He realizes what has happened and what is going to happen all in that second.

[@lordofentropy]

Yeah this was a really well done part. "I'll punch this mob boss's kid in the face, even though I know I'm going to get a phone call asking me why I did it. If I don't have a good reason, I'll be dead." That phone call comes in and turns out he had a pretty damn good reason, cause afterwards the mob boss is punching his kid too.

[@campkira]

the whole point is john is be kill or kill... since the phone call come in whatever he do... the bloodbath already started...

[@kereminde]

@@termigasts5227 "How do you know what Viggo likes? I'll tell you what, he's gonna understand."

[@Grubnar]

@@kereminde And the look on his face was just like "Huh?!" He had no clue!

[@mahendrank3391]

"He's the guy you send to kill the boogeyman," said the boogeyman

[@tres8003]

No, he’s the guy you send to kill the guy who killed the boogeymen

[@OCD-GIRL]

If John Wick is terrifying then Léon is the Devil.

[@SeddincY]

i also feel like we really need to give great credit to Michael Nyqvist, the actor who played Viggo. The way he delivered his lines, making it feel he is scared, sad for his son, and still looking somehow badass.

[@saxassoon]

I think a word that perfectly encapsulates how John is characterized is "reverence". John is not powerful just because everyone tells us "hey John is powerful." Its because every instance where John is mentioned is treated with this mystical reverence that elevates the person of John Wick to be above and beyond what we would normally expect. Absolutely masterclass

[@johnbabylon7626]

Classic "show don't tell" tactic. Need more of this in movies.

[@mrev1l100]

How to make the audience hate the villain 101, have them kill a puppy, bam instantly vilified.

[@isares8870]

Ellie from TLOU2. Did they kill dogs in 1 as well? I can’t remember.

[@canvas_125]

Isares No. Killing dogs was just a cheap feature they added in to the sequel to “make you feel bad for killing.” Just like the other cheap attempt when Ellie killed that pregnant woman. All forced bullshit.

[@lfr8666]

You see an interesting inverse in The Thing, which starts with a helicopter chasing down a lone husky. “That poor dog! How dare they!”

[@roreinudesu6199]

Alvi Syahri dogs and JObros have it tough

[@kawaiiqueee]

Most of the audience*

[@HeckleJeckle87]

I honestly think that one of the things that makes John Wick interesting is that Wick isn't really a HERO. Sure Wick is a protagonist, but from any kind of outside perspective Wick is a villain on the levels of Deathstroke or Deadshot. As in Wick is an Assassin for higher that will kill anyone as long as you pay them. So John Wick isn't a hero, or even an anti-hero, but rather a villain protagonist. Sure Wick is fighting and killing other villains, but killing other villains doesn't make you a hero. Which makes this movie a story about a super villain assassin that comes out of retirement to kill other super villains. DAMN I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!

[@travistucker1033]

He gave up his murder fror hire days a long time ago.

[@blackie126]

Definitely an anti-hero.

[@weirdofromhalo]

John Wick is Agent 47 from Hitman, essentially.

[@Xannyphantom905]

killing bad guys makes you a hero. he doesn't touch regular people

[@C4Snipes]

He’s basically the punisher

[@russwaddel08]

And you have to hand the acting chops to Michael and Alfie in that scene as well. Michael's slow cadence and low tones really sell the fact that Viggo (his character) holds John in HIGH REGARD. Alfie's frantic nature and brashness set up his character's arc, and how John deals with him. Just...cinematic gold.

[@roberthipolito1351]

Videogames: Doom Slayer Movies: John Wick

[@knatspray]

Yes!

[@MouldMadeMind]

Videosgames: fucking mario

[@weirdofromhalo]

More like Agent 47.

[@icouldntthinkofagoodname7216]

@@CagerOnTwoWheels I can hear that first paragraph.

[@isaacyeon6334]

Both were people of mass violence, had a pet that was killed and went on a spree of vengeance to those who took their loved pet away from him

[@canvas_125]

John Wick is a force of nature, but he’s not invincible. He is ruthless, but not devoid of emotion either. I love this man! “I’ve never seen you like this...vulnerable...”

[@martin-1965]

Yes definitely a very human creation. Reminds me of Viggo Mortensen in the brilliant "A History of Violence" which is more psychological and less action packed but still packs an emotional punch with visceral violence when the peaceful protagonist is slowly revealed to have a dark and terrifying personality buried deep within himself. In both movies you are on the side of someone who has a terrible, violent history who has no problem taking human life. In the story, however, their actions are shown to be justified, making them flawed and very relatable heroes who we almost guiltily cheer as they win the fight.

[@midascostly]

Say anything but we all know what was the most scariest scene. Bowery: I'm pissed. Are you pissed John? Huh? John: *Yeah*

[@phoenixwarriorvgamingchann8]

The devil speaks...😂

[@Stynkrat]

I was really surprised he even survived that fall, that was kind of a stretch

[@grantdelosangeles5357]

@@Stynkrat He's John Wick Our version of chuck norris.

[@MaddRamm]

I don’t know about scary. But hopeful for number 4. Lol

[@billbill6094]

When he gave the Bowery the middle finger I knew he had been pushed past the edge. It's so out of character for the professional/stoic John that it's like he's saying "you know what, fuck these games. Everyone can catch a bullet now."

[@johnbabylon7626]

I like to refer to this as the villain's "uh-oh" moment. Most stories have the villain as the dominant force pretty much right until the end. The villain is often outwitted or deceived, duped or somehow tricked and that's how the hero prevails. He plays on the villain's weaknesses the same way the villain preyed on his weaknesses earlier in the story. The difference between hero and villain being highlighted as the hero is willing to grow, adapt, learn and change while a villain is not. Disney's "Aladdin" is a good example of this. There was no reason for Jaffar to ever really question his victory over a peasant boy from the streets. He literally had every advantage: money, power, position etc. But the one thing Jaffar considered an advantage--the genie--turned out to be his undoing because of Jaffar's own greed. Aladdin plays on Jaffar's well-known lust for power and defeats him along that singular course of action. This is done typically because the villain remains arguably more powerful than the hero right until the end as this offers the easiest and most efficient way of maintaining the stakes of the confrontation. However, some stories have an "uh-oh" moment from the villain. There is a moment when the villain himself realizes that he has severely miscalculated. Avatar: the Last Air Bender has one of these moments. For basically the entire fight between Ozai and Aang, Ozai just stomps Aang into the ground. It is everything that Aang can do simply to survive Ozai's skill and power. This is the traditional struggle between good and evil in fiction. However, when Aang's back slams into that stone and activates the Avatar state, there is a look of realization that comes over Ozai's features. Yes, it is only a moment before Ozai proceeds to fight again but there is a singular look--that moment in time where Ozai's expression shifts from smug arrogance as he beats a 12 year old boy to confusion, bewilderment, shock and ultimately fear. That is Ozai's "uh-oh" moment. And on the rare occasion that a writer chooses to use this technique, it usually happens very close the end of the story. John Wick does something similar but instead, the writers chose to put this moment at the very beginning of the film. Right from the very beginning, the villains realize that they have made a grave mistake and what the rest of the story is turns out to be a drawn out dose of catharsis as John executes his revenge against the villains. Rather than build a tremendous amount of tension so that the ultimate release is more cathartic, John Wick assumes the tension and provides repeated catharsis over a long period of time. This also happens to be why--in my opinion--John Wick 2 and 3 aren't as good as the first. Don't get me wrong--they're still great films and they also do great things building the world that John Wick takes place in. However, now that we have had an entire movie showcasing the skill of the hero... there's really nowhere to go from there but to create villains that fall in the typical fictional paradigm: they are more powerful and of greater stature than the hero and the hero must now overcome them. John Wick 2 still has the genuine fear and respect paid to the protagonist but it's not quite the same as the scene with Viggo and Josef.

[@Omicron9999]

John Wick 2 had literally every assassin in the company jump at the chance to be murdered by him en masse as soon as they see the contract go up. Sure, they're professionals, but these guys actually WORK for the same company he does. The stories and rumours surrounding him, along with what they actually know is true, should have made it so most of them called in sick. Instead, everyone we see go after him is really eager to fight him. After setting him up to be this terrifying force of nature in the first movie, the sequel kind of pisses all over that. Plus we get that stupid scene where they're firing super silenced handguns at each other in a crowded subway station with nobody batting an eye. And not a single cop anywhere in sight for basically anything that goes down. I dunno, John Wick 2 pushed my suspension of disbelief too far to take it seriously. The first movie is great, and I like the 3rd well enough, but the second just comes off as a really dumb action movie with some cool choreography.

[@ObviouslyASMR]

stop showing da puppy, I cri :'(

[@ghostella_8348]

Crybaby

[@thedistance1155]

Snowflakes

[@tylerj8886]

@Among us why all cry

[@revan0890]

🐶☠

[@der_mind_blender313]

Same

[@Hexagonaldonut]

I haven't watched any of the John Wick movies, so that boogeyman line caught me completely off-guard and gave me chills. I knew John Wick was scarily competent through pop culture osmosis, but that line (among others) *really* sells it.

[@stillcantbesilencedevennow]

I hope you've watched them since this comment! Very good "brain off" entertainment.

[@yes8807]

@@stillcantbesilencedevennow I agree the way they introduced him and built him up so terrifyingly didn't require much thinking at all.

[@danielhenderson3753]

I wouldn't watch it for 10 years because of the puppy. But I did this year and they are great fun.

[@uwumarii]

@@danielhenderson3753 I've rewatched it for idk 10 times now and always skip the puppy part. I cried when I first watched that

[@dustymooneye5858]

@@stillcantbesilencedevennow Even watching it "brain on" is very good 👌

[@StalinMcRally]

I always thought of it in the reverse tbh: John Wick is a redeemed villain, and that dog scene shows us that there was someone who believed that John Wick was worth rescuing.

[@haddenmiller4364]

I could get behind this take, as well.

[@lilscenechick1995]

Thank you. I see a lot of people claiming he was a villain in the movie, when he really did nothing I would consider "villainous". A redeemed villain who became an anti-hero, similar to The Punisher.

[@myrixica4222]

The framing of the setting is also important I think, with Wick for example take the Vigo confronting his son scene/john retrieving his coins and guns scene. The villains get the bright, warm, open space, colours, a fire, drinks, very relaxed and welcoming, nice wide shots showing off the environment, it feels like the "heros" space. Meanwhile John it's all dark, gloomy, blues and greys and blacks, washed out and the camera is often close and tight, focusing on his actions and movements, it feels like watching a horror movie villain moving in for the kill. The pieces you focus on in writing these kinds of scenes really plays into framing.

[@Carstuff111]

I straight up admit, as John Wick was coming out, I had no expectations. I figured it would just be a typical "Shoot em up".... but it wasn't. It turned out to be a surprisingly good movie, and the realism in the gun fights blew my mind. And it blew my mind even more, to see Keanu Reeves actually trains in real life on the range in tactical style shooting. The second movie felt more like a cash grab, but, it was a well done cash grab. With the 3rd movie, it got better again and has really helped to make this world being built feel more real. And, I am glad you can see the passion still exists.

[@ag7898]

There are other youtube channels that have brought in experts in CQC and had them review the action. To a person, they all agree it is nearly perfect.

[@minutemansam1214]

A lot of it is kinda bullshit, though. Gun fu is what they call it, and no one actually does it.

[@Carstuff111]

@@minutemansam1214 While, yes, it was stylized, as most movies are, they did a great job with things like bullet count.... That touch alone was a big deal to me.

[@FalconCooper]

@@Carstuff111 I think you are a bit harsh with the 2nd one being the "cash-grab" I would advise to watch Chapter 2 with the commentaries of the director and Keanu, they say themselves the plot is an excuse to expand this assassin world they love so much and always do more cool and innovative fight scenes. Once you know that, you can't really call it a cash-grab anymore since it's obvious they just want to have as much fun as possible with what they have created.

[@ThoughTMusic]

For me, the scene that really sold me on how scary John is, is when the cop shows up at his door. Initially he has his hand on his gun, but when, even after seeing a corpse in John’s hallway, he’s told from John that he’s just taking care of some things, the way me moves his hand off his gun with such slow precision and fear really got me. He even holds it up in the “stop” position as to say, “I’m no threat.” After he’s nervous and wants to leave but fights to stay as calm and respectful as possible. That part still blows me away. Edit: Another more in your face one was that John had more coins than the actual head gangster.

[@andrewthompson5728]

The additional touch to that scene was when jimmy (the cop) took his hat off, as if to show respect or friendship to John. That, plus the other nuances on the scene, hint at a very deep relationship the two have.

[@RandomL0s3r]

@@andrewthompson5728 There's also the possibility of covering the body cam, also to respect John Wick. Just saw it somewhere

[@superspurgdale1925]

@@andrewthompson5728 I think it may have been because of the dead bodies Cops typically do when someone dies. Take off their hat and give their regards

[@Alucard-A-La-Carte]

It's fascinating how the main villains almost literally piss themselves at the mere mention of the name "John Wick," but the movie is STILL suspenseful and it STILL makes you worried that John Wick might NOT survive. Also the total anti-climax of actually killing Theon Mafiajoy is narratively fantastic. Essentially telling the audience "this had gone much further than the dog."

[@happiestaku6646]

Not really, John ended up terrorising him to the point where killing him was all that was left. He wanted him to realise that no matter where he was, he was not safe. And then when he felt at his safest, he still got to him, terrified him and killed him. Because where else would he go? His father Viggo had just told John where he was so he had no where else.

[@elwcareer]

I was waiting for you to talk about the phone call. "He stole John Wick's car" "Oh" and then hanging up the phone. It was a big deal that he hit his kid, but knew the consequences coming were not as big as John Wick. Great video!