The Continental Review: This crime-drama TV miniseries was developed by Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward and Shawn Simmons. Simmons, Coolidge & Ward wrote, and Coolidge & Ward serve as showrunners of this John Wick prequel spin-off series which was directed by Albert Hughes and Charlotte Brändström. The series stars Colin Woodell as a younger Winston Scott (portrayed by Ian McShane in the movies), Mel Gibson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, Ayomide Adegun as Charon (portrayed by Lance Reddick in the movies), Jessica Allain, Mishel Prada, Nhung Kate, Ben Robson and others. The series, also known as The Continental: From the World of John Wick, has 3 episodes, each with a runtime of around 60 – 90 minutes.
The Continental Plot
When his brother Frankie gets embroiled in some bad blood with Cormac, the proprietor of The Continental, New York, during the 70s, his brother Winston Scott is brought in from London to right the wrongs. However, when tragedy strikes, Winston seeks revenge not only against Cormac but also The Continental and everyone inside it, which results in an all-out war.
– The Continental Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
The Continental Review
I think the John Wick franchise will be a favourite for many – the amazing action sequences, the equally beautiful camerawork and the amazing one-shot sequences have left audiences in awe. However, that’s not all; the emotional backstory is equally nice to watch and sealed fans into the franchise from that first film itself. I mean, we all love an assassin who goes the extra mile for his dog, right? Jokes aside, the movie is a testament that well-made action movies really pique the audience’s interest and put in the effort to showcase realistic and extraordinary sequences to reap their results.
That being said, the first John Wick film came out with 4 other sequels, each showcasing Wick’s further descent into madness in his revenge against the High Table. Thus, it was only a matter of time before we would be graced with a TV show, but interestingly enough, we get that as a prequel and that too on Winston Scott’s life. Now, don’t get me wrong, Scott is quite the character and quite a suave one at that. Previously played by Ian McShane, the character might be nice, but does it require a whole series with three huge episodes? I am quite unsure.
The Continental introduces several characters and takes us back to the life of the famous hotel before Wick came into existence. The proprietor of the place is someone else, and Scott is just about to make an entrance into the world of war and bloodshed. And… that’s about it. I mean, sure, this can be very much considered a stand-alone show, but since we have the “John Wick” name right on the title, it’s difficult not to bring in comparisons and the need for the show in general into question.
In spite of having some really good action sequences, the series has entirely too many of them. Everyone is fighting everyone constantly, but at least they are doing a good job at it. Most of the time, the action is the highlight, but it does get a bit tiring to watch different combinations of people fighting each other. The other issue I faced with the series was that the antagonists didn’t feel like they were much of a threat. Although we see them looking menacing and acting as if they might just de-limb you with only a glance, you’d be surprised how easily they get murdered in a scene not too far away!
On the other hand, the protagonists have good backstories that come to light over the course of the runtime, and thus you learn about them slowly instead of all at once. It feels organic, and you relate to their plight and understand why they are doing what they are doing. These are not good people by any means, but at least they feel real in some ways. Of course, not all of us will be able to take down a bunch of assassins, but you know what I mean.
Apart from that, things definitely progress at a rapid pace in the episode. Although sometimes you do things slowing down, the series immediately throws a fight sequence at your face to keep things moving. And sure, there are moments when the sheer number of such sequences will make you take a minute, but still, it’s the most interesting aspect of the series. That being said, the side characters don’t hold enough weight for you to be really invested in them.
And, again, I must mention again – why are we seeing this extra series about these side characters of a movie wherein only the protagonist holds such a death grip on our minds and hearts? I would understand if we went into Wick’s character’s backstory and his younger days, but Winston Scott isn’t John Wick and the whole point of the movie is, well, John Wick. Either way, the performances by the cast are pretty great, and everyone does a great job with their characters. I liked the characters as well; everyone had a purpose, their stories were relatable and emotion-driven and more or less, everyone had something going for them.
The Continental Review: Final Thoughts
The Continental is a watchable show, albeit the well-orchestrated and mostly entertaining fight sequences do get a bit tiring after a point. The story’s pace and characters are well-done, and other than the sometimes sluggishness you feel watching this tale of revenge unfold, it’s not the worst thing out there. That being said, I just don’t understand the point of it.
The Continental is streaming on Peacock and on Amazon Prime Video in select regions.
Also Read: The Morning Show Season 3 Episode 3 Review/Recap: UBA Leaks and Racism