The recent John Wick franchise has been nothing short of prolific, delivering some of the best action scenes of the past decade to the big screen. Each installment of this epic series has been praised for its impressive choreography, expert cinematography, and in-depth character development. Because of this, the films have successfully pivoted from a low-budget action film into one of the most successful franchises of all time.
The series has also given the ageless Keanu Reeves a long-deserved comeback thanks in part to his epic performance as the self-titled assassin. Reeves, of course, had to undergo much extraneous training for the role, and the work certainly shows. The truth is this franchise would be neither as impressive nor as beloved without the physicality of him as the main character. Stunt person turned director Chad Stahelski was able to utilize this, along with his experience, in bringing these scenes to life. At the end of the day, the film reads like a stunt person's dream. Let's take a look at some of the more creative and iconic moments from this series. Here are some of the best scenes in this action-packed franchise.
Updated September 30, 2023: In honor of the John Wick prequel series, The Continental, airing on Peacock, this article has been updated by Amanda Minchin with even more great action scenes from the franchise.
10 Home Invasion - John Wick
The first action scene in any film needs to make an impact, and this one does not disappoint. Audiences were left shocked and stunned at this brutally choreographed and beautifully shot action scene between Wick and a team of Russian 'fixers' that takes place early on in the very first movie. Up until this moment, audiences are lead to believe that John is just an average Joe grieving the loss of his wife (and dog). They might even have been worried knowing he's about to be surrounded by bad guys.
That being said, the fixers are the ones who should be scared. As they surround the house, the audience is treated in voice over to the tale of the legendary assassin known as Baba Yaga. Turns out our hero, Wick, was, in his old line of work somewhat of a legend... and this scene proves exactly why, with a nickname like Baba Yaga (aka The Boogeyman), they're the ones who should be scared.
It turns out John Wick is a retired assassin, feared even by the most dangerous in the assassin world. These poor henchmen have no idea what they are up against as John Wick handles this crew with ease from the ruined safety of his home base. John feels like a predator, stalking his prey and attacking them with perfect headshots and deadly takedowns. If you didn't believe how legendary and dangerous John Wick is, you will, after watching "The Boogeyman" go to town on these measly henchmen.
9 John vs. Cassian Street Fight - John Wick: Chapter 2
This tense fight scene in John Wick: Chapter 2 pits the two assassins, John Wick and Cassian (portrayed by Common) against one another. This scene is backed by a whole lot of tension. Bodyguard Cassian is hot on John's heels after he kills his former employer, Gianna D'Antonio (who is coincidentally an old companion of John's as well). John, on the other hand, was forced into the arrangement to a blood pact he'd made prior to the first film, one that aided him in securing his short-lived retirement.
This results in a thrilling and brutal fight scene between two similar-minded opponents with oppositional goals. Together they tumble downstairs, get hit by cars, crash through windows, and, of course, exchange vicious blows. Both are formidable opponents. Neither quite gains the upper hand, which makes for a stunning rematch later on in the film. In another change of pace, there's also no accompanying music, which adds a whole new layer of tension and suspense.
There's an emotional brutality to Cassian's fighting style, especially when juxtaposed with Wick's tactical efficiency. This, plus the compelling performance and physicality that Common brought to the role, led to the short-lived Cassian becoming a fan favorite of the franchise.
8 Reflections of The Soul - John Wick: Chapter 2
What has since been dubbed The Reflections of The Soul scene is probably one of the most creative and elevated set pieces in the entirety of the franchise. The scene is filmed in a room packed full of mirrors and reflections, fitting for both a moment of self-reflection and some serious external hemorrhaging. The atmosphere of this scene is what sets it apart. From the mirrors to the ambient music and even the false reflections, this art installment is meant to confuse the expert assassin's senses, making this scene perhaps one of the most suspenseful in the entirety of the franchise.
Achieving this was not without its own set of difficulties. The cinematography was meticulously planned, with every shot framed and edited to perfection. In an interview with Cinema Blend, Stahelski talks about the difficulties in shooting this type of ambitious scene on a restrictive budget.
"The most expensive thing in John Wick 2 was that I wanted to do the mirror room sequence. I really wanted to do something like that. The first time I set that out, the production designer said, 'Do you need that?' I said, 'Yeah. It's an awesome idea. How are we going to do it? We have to figure out how to do it.' And the first blueprints come back, and it's a $1.5 million set piece. In our model, that wasn't going to work! So do you scrap the idea? No. Do you build a $250,000 version? Well, no, because then it's two mirrors on a wall. But there's a big gap between a quarter of a million and a million-and-a-half".
The result is that we, along with the henchmen hunting John, are equally tricked by the receding reflections.
7 Escaping Casablanca - John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum
Finally, the dogs get a chance to fight back! After two movies on pins and needles for their safety, a set of attack dogs were finally given a starring role, which is only fitting considering the lack of respect henchmen had for these four-legged creatures is what started all this mess in the first place.
In the film, negotiations for information go awry for Wick and friend Sofia (played by Halle Berry) when the person they're negotiating with shoots one of her beloved guard dogs (don't worry, he's fine, he was wearing Kevlar). There's a moment where both are clearly thinking through their options after having successfully gotten what they came for... but at a price. Sofia is clearly torn, and rightfully so. Kevlar or not, the person they're negotiating with shot her dog. In the words of Wick, "I get it."
In keeping with the rest of the franchise, they of course, chose to err on the side of violence and proceed to shoot their way out of a heavily guarded fortress. What makes this scene stand out are Sofia's deadly German Shepherds, who destroy the guards with about as much ease as Wick and Sofia. The use of the dogs is both creative and exciting. Between watching the two German Shepherds run up the walls to pull henchmen down from on high and Sofia ordering them to keep the guards 'busy' before Wick or Sofia can put a bullet in their heads, they stand apart from the rest of the cast. On top of this we get to see Sofia in action.
Not surprisingly, she's about as proficient as John. Similar to Keanu, Berry had to go through extensive combat training for the scene, and her impressive physicality is what makes it that much more enjoyable. As always, the choreography and camera work were excellent as well. Neither shies away from showing the audience the nitty-gritty of exactly what's going on. Because of this, not a single moment of awesome headshots, epic stunts, and intricate dog action goes to waste.
6 The Catacombs Shootout - John Wick: Chapter 2
There's nothing quite like a dark set of ancient catacombs to add some ambiance to your fight scene. After being double-crossed by Santino D'Antonio, Wick is forced to fight for his life against a bombardment of henchmen. "The Baba Yaga" is unstoppable here. He takes down almost an entire army of henchmen as he navigates through the dark catacombs of this European city.
How does it do it? Well, John, luckily, saw this coming. He planted two guns around the catacombs, along with his trusty pistol. Our favorite assassin doesn't just take out D'Antonio's thugs with pistols, however. This time, he comes prepared with a deadly rifle and powerful shotgun, dealing out even more perfect headshots and brutal shotgun shots to the chest and face. This is thanks in part to the concierge services of the local Continental.
Wick truly demonstrates his gun mastery in this scene, handling each of the different weapons with ease. He even dispatches many enemies while he is in the middle of reloading, resulting in some of the best and most impressive kills in the franchise. Reeves went through more strenuous gun combat training for this scene alone to pull off the many quick and tactical kills.
5 The Continental Siege - John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum
What does John Wick do when he comes face to face with his greatest threat? Break out the big guns, of course.
After New York's Continental Hotel gets deconsecrated, the Judicator sends an army of heavily armored guards to take out John Wick and Winston. John is, therefore, left to protect them all alongside Charon, the trusty concierge. The fight starts off in the hotel lobby, as John struggles to take down these heavily armored henchmen wearing some impressive bulletproof tech. Realizing this, Wick takes a detour for a shotgun with armor-piercing shells. He uses this to blow off the legs, arms, heads, and faces of thugs, double and triple tapping before finally fighting a guard underwater in a very inventive continuation of the scene. Wick then continues to outsmart his foes by shooting off clips of powerful rounds into their armor, stunning them long enough for John to get up close and personal to deliver some brutal headshots through gaps. John even hurdles his empty rifle at a guard before grabbing him and using him as a human shield against an oncoming onslaught of bullets.
The ambiance is electric in this scene despite the lack of power. This shades the eclectic and undoubtedly expensive decor in shades of black and green. It also successfully raises the stakes of the franchise by taking out the one safe space for Wick in this world. One added bonus is that we finally get to see Charon show off his skills while Winston enjoys a stiff drink or three.
4 Knife Shop - John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum
After being declared "Ex-Communicado" (again), John runs into an abandoned knife shop, where he dispatches a whole host of enemies in some of the coolest kills of the franchise. After countless gun battles, this scene is a perfect showcase of hand-to-hand combat. John is simply jaw-dropping as he displays his impressive skills with sharp objects, cutting and stabbing many foes before launching countless knives at the assassins' chests and faces. The vicious choreography and gorgeous cinematography culminate in an impressive fight scene.
The cherry on top of this brutal and thrilling set piece is the close-up shot of John stabbing a knife through one of the assassin's eyes. With no cuts or edits, audiences are treated to this final shot in all its gory glory, leaving almost every audience member wincing in their seat.
3 The Red Circle - John Wick
This scene arguably set the standard for what would become the blueprint of an iconic John Wick action scene.
In it, John goes in guns blazing, killing anyone that gets in his way after getting tipped off that the man who stole his car and killed his dog is in The Red Circle nightclub. John's sights are set on his target like a predator. Although the man he's looking for, Yosef, ultimately escapes, John gets to go full-on beast mode against anyone who dares to protect him. He executes perfect headshots, deadly point-blank shots, and vicious hand-to-hand kills in a closed-door setting, one that includes a shadowy entrance, a private pool lounge, a locker room, and, of course, a raving nightclub full of party-goers. The awesome electro DJ score that accompanied the scene added yet another layer of fun, elevating it to epic status.
The scene quickly became among some of the best shootouts in cinema history upon the film's release, making John Wick a fan-favorite action icon. An unstoppable force to be reckoned with, apparently getting beaten and shot added vulnerability to his character, humanizing Baba Yaga's his mission for revenge.
2 The Staircase - John Wick: Chapter 4
What goes up must come down...
John Wick has been through it all and then some. He's being actively pursued by bounty hunters intent on cutting him down on the way to his final boss fight. This, of course, leads to an all-out war on the streets of Paris, all of which is framed by a WUXIA Radio DJ calling out the locations of our hero and his increasingly rising bounty.
The last leg of his journey towards being freed from the oppressive forces of the High Table has led him to one final obstacle - an impressive set of 200+ stairs lined with henchmen who would relish the opportunity to throw him right back down them. Which, of course, they do. A lot. Let's just say the feeling of the floor dropping beneath his feet is mutual. If he doesn't make it through this literal uphill battle, he loses his chance at freedom forever.
Luckily, two new 'friends' he's met along the way arrive, surprisingly willing and able to help... for now. One of them is the impressive Caine, played by Donnie Yen, a blind fighter forced to do the dirty work for the Marquis De Gramont. Introduced as a carefree but proficient fighter early on, he helps John get to the top of the stairs, after which they are prescribed to duel each other to death.
Another unlikely hero also appears in the form of The Tracker (played by Shamier Anderson) alongside his trusty canine. A professional finder for hire, his on-again-off-again relationship with Wick is decidedly on again after Wick saves his dog from being shot by one of the people out to get him. The moment of their arrival on the scene is punctuated by the appearance of said dog ready to pounce upon the felled, but still very much alive, body of the man who tried to shoot them just a few scenes earlier. Revenge is, needless to say, sweet.
Not many final films of a series could get away with introducing a whole slew of new characters in a manner that doesn't take away from the story. This film, however, did just that, integrating the new with the old in a fitting fashion.
1 The Duel - John Wick: Chapter 4
A fitting ending to John Wick's journey was the final duel scene that takes place at the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
After beating up what seems like half of France, Wick arrives at the dueling pitch alongside his opponent, Caine, who serves as the first for the Marquis De Gramont. Should Caine win, he would succeed in freeing himself and his daughter from the grip of the Marquis. If Wick wins, he secures his freedom from the High Table and restores the New York Continental back to Winston. After all the unsanctioned, unstructured combat, duking things out on a traditional dueling pitch under the rules of the high table seems a perfect choice on which to end the series.
To add to the fun, the pistols themselves aren't entirely accurate... and neither man truly wants to hurt the other. But rules are rules. Someone here has to die. What ensues is a rabbit and hare game of will they or won't they shoot to kill that ends with, well, a dead body. Or, as Wick would put it, consequences.
The ending to this film is fitting, beautiful, and somehow incredibly wraps up four whole running times worth of content in a neat little bow. The beautiful surroundings of the church are even more poignant as the sun rises on a new day for the characters that remain.