The Continental on Prime Video: How much is the John Wick prequel series worth?

What are you doing?

The three-part series explores the origins of the iconic assassins’ hotel at the center of John Wick’s universe. The series is seen through the eyes of a young Winston Scott, who is dragged into 1970s New York to confront the past that left him behind.

Winston traverses a deadly path through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a desperate attempt to take over the hotel where he will finally claim his throne.

who is he with

There is no Keanu Reeves in the cast, but nevertheless, the series will feature faces well known to fans of the John Wick saga… in younger versions of course! It is worth noting the main character of the program, Winston Scott, who plays in Ian McShane’s films.

In this prequel, the character through whom we discover the workings of the world of assassins is played by Colin Woodell, who notably appeared in the TV series The Originals, but also in the French comedy I Love America, Lisa Azuelos.

Another iconic character from the movies appears in the series. Charon, a concierge at the Continental New York facility, stars Ayomide Adegun in her first on-screen role. He succeeds the late Lance Reddick in that role.

Mel Gibson plays Cormac Fitzpatrick, the series’ main villain, and Winston Scott’s older brother – who never appeared in the John Wick films – is played by Ben Robson (Vikings).

Is it 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 launch a four-film saga, a spin-off (with ballerina Anna de Arma. , soon in theaters) and A prequel series?

Set several decades before the plot of the franchise’s four installments, The Continental explores the youth of Winston Scott, a minor but still essential character in the John Wick films.

The seemingly simplistic starting point of the first feature film (a man seeks revenge on the killers responsible for his dog’s death) is offset by a codified universe.

From John Wick… without John Wick

However, after four films, the question that The Continental series has to answer is: Is it possible to succeed in making John Wick without John Wick? In the absence of Keanu Reeves, will this production be able to charm in three 90-minute episodes without the famous interpreter of the four films?

From an aesthetic point of view, the series answers this question quite quickly. The stylistic world of the films is perfectly recreated through the elegant costumes of the characters and the magnificent environment.

The first episode makes enough of an impression on us to forgive its outdoor scenes that emanate green screen or studio footage. To make it clear to the public that this prequel takes place in the 70s, the series uses and abuses iconic songs from that era.

From this first episode, we measure all the efforts that have been made to develop the story and characters, some of them appearing in the films, some completely new. But all this, first of all, creates the impression of a somewhat vain attempt to flesh out a scenario, the main purpose of which is to connect the action sequences in a chain.

Totally Gun fu world!

The recipe from the movies is reproduced identically here: Gun fu, this martial art that combines close combat techniques with guns, blood splatters and countless enemies standing in the way of the heroes. Amid the televised carnage that this first episode offers, it’s hard to keep count of the on-screen deaths.

Obviously, the composition of the action scenes meets exacting specifications, so much so that the whole thing gives us a sense of déjà vu (and re-watching). Stiff camera movements also prevent us from properly appreciating the fight choreography.

Add to this the excessive use of sound effects (“splouch” and “bang” as a voice accompaniment) and a generous sprinkling of digital blood, and we get a set of action scenes without any real soul.

Because its main flaw lies more in its lack of originality than in its ability to reproduce the John Wick movie recipe, The Continental can function as a good action series.

There is not much to say about the casting of the series, which should not be less about the sophisticated dialogues. The screenplay doesn’t shine with originality either, but the plot still has the merit of not wasting time in setting up a short exposition sequence.

Bottom Line: It’s visually pretty and mostly entertaining enough, but not enough to keep us from checking our watches — including when some of the action scenes are playing.

Definitely recommended for the most dedicated John Wick fans, the series promises to answer questions we don’t necessarily ask ourselves. And at worst, there’s bound to be enough shootouts and backlash to light up your evenings for the next three weeks…

The Continental can be seen exclusively on Prime Video this Friday, September 22, with one episode per week.

Discover the list of all series currently available on the platform!