Is “The Continental” series, the official prequel to the “John Wick” films, worth a watch?
WHAT IS IT ABOUT ?
The three-part series explores the origin of the iconic assassin hotel, which is the centerpiece of the John Wick universe. The series is seen through the eyes of young Winston Scott, who is drawn into 1970s New York to confront a past he thought he had left behind.
Winston carves a deadly path through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to take over the hotel where he will ultimately take his throne.
WHO IS IT WITH?
No Keanu Reeves in the cast, but nevertheless faces well known to fans of the John Wick saga will appear in the series… of course in younger versions! Notably the program’s protagonist Winston Scott, played in the films by Ian McShane.
In this prequel, the character through whom we discover the workings of this world of assassins is played by Colin Woodell, who appeared notably in the series The Originals but also in the French comedy I Love America by Lisa Azuelos.
Another iconic character from the films appears in the series. Charon, the concierge of the New York establishment of the Continental is played in the program by Ayomide Adegun who plays his very first role on screen. He succeeds the late Lance Reddick in the role.
In the role of the main villain of the series Cormac Fitzpatrick, we find Mel Gibson, while the older brother of Winston Scott – who never appeared in the John Wick films – is played by Ben Robson (Vikings).
Peacock / Prime Video
IT’S WORTH CHECKING OUT ?
Who would have believed in 2014 when the first John Wick was released that the adventures of this new hero played by Keanu Reeves would not only revolutionize action cinema, but also initiate a saga of four films, a spin-off (Ballerina with Ana de Armas, soon in cinemas) and a prequel series?
Taking place several decades before the plot of the four parts of the franchise, The Continental explores the youth of Winston Scott, a secondary but nevertheless essential character in the John Wick films.
Metropolitan FilmExport / Peacock / Prime Video
Winston Scott played by Ian McShane (left) and Colin Woodell (right)
The seemingly simplistic starting point of the first feature film (a man takes revenge on the assassins responsible for the death of his dog) was compensated by the composition of a codified universe.
From John Wick… without John Wick
However, after four films already, the question that The Continental series had to answer is: is it possible to succeed in making John Wick without John Wick? In the absence of Keanu Reeves, will this production in three 90-minute episodes be able to seduce without the presence of the famous interpreter of the four films?
From an aesthetic point of view, the series answers this question quite quickly. The stylistic universe of the films is perfectly reconstituted through the elegant costumes of the characters and the majestic settings.
The first episode impresses us enough to forgive its outdoor scenes which exude green screen or studio filming. To make it clear to the public that this prequel takes place in the 70s, the series uses and abuses emblematic songs of the era.
From this first episode, we measure all the efforts made to develop a plot and characters, some of them appearing in the films, others completely new. But the whole thing above all gives the impression of a somewhat vain attempt to flesh out a scenario whose main goal is to chain together action sequences.
Peacock / Prime Video
Charon played by Ayomide Adegun
A completely Gun fu world!
The recipe from the films is reproduced identically here: Gun fu, this martial art combining close combat techniques with a handgun, sprays of blood and countless enemies standing in the path of the heroes. It’s difficult to keep count of the deaths on screen in the face of the television massacre that this first episode offers us.
Obviously the composition of the action scenes meets precise specifications, so much so that the whole gives us a feeling of déjà vu (and seen again). The jerky camera movements also prevent us from properly appreciating the choreography of the fights.
Add to this an overuse of sound effects (“splouch” and “bang” as sound accompaniment) and generous sprays of digital blood, and we obtain a set of action scenes without any real soul.
Because its main flaw is more due to its lack of originality than to its ability to reproduce the recipe of the John Wick films, The Continental can function as a good action series.
Peacock / Prime Video
There’s not much to say about the casting of the series, which has to deal with less than subtle dialogue. The screenplay doesn’t shine for its originality either, but the plot at least has the merit of not wasting time getting set up after a short exposition sequence.
Bottom line: it’s visually quite nice, and mostly entertaining enough, but not enough to keep us from checking our watch repeatedly – including while some of the action scenes are playing out.
Undoubtedly recommended for the most die-hard John Wick fans, the series promises to answer questions that we didn’t necessarily ask ourselves. And at worst, there will surely be enough shootings and backfires to brighten up your evenings over the next three weeks…
The series The Continental can be found exclusively on Prime Video from this Friday, September 22, with one episode per week.
Discover the list of all the series currently available on the platform!