‘John Wick’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Shea Serrano
September 17, 2024 · John Wick (2014) · Action · Crime · Thriller · 1:48:56 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Would Roger Ebert Have Liked This Movie
Chris RyanHe would have liked it but found it mind-numbing and a little thin, wanting more character development for Helen▶ 34:17
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including the gas station interaction, Vigo explaining John Wick (Baba Yaga scene), and the attack at Wick's house where John kills 12 guys▶ 37:08
Chris RyanAgrees with the Baba Yaga scene and highlights the attack at Wick's house, particularly the knife hammering moment▶ 40:28
Shea SerranoVigo explaining John Wick (the Baba Yaga scene) - calls it 'the best character introduction in an action movie'▶ 38:06
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsWhen they capture John Wick and don't kill him immediately - they have guns drawn on him after he's killed 50-60 of their people but decide to bring him to a remote location instead of just killing him▶ 1:07:19
Shea SerranoThe same issue as Bill - Vigo not killing John Wick when he has the chance, particularly when John is knocked unconscious twice in the movie, but explains it's due to Vigo's ego needing to give his speech▶ 1:08:48
What's Aged the Best
Bill SimmonsMentions considering 'I'm thinking I'm back' but decides against putting it in this category▶ 1:14:50
Chris Ryan'I'm thinking I'm back' - argues it can be both the Rubinick and what's aged the best because it's dialing it up, not bad acting▶ 1:15:12
Shea SerranoHuman shield scenes/trope in movies - loves when bad guys grab people as human shields▶ 1:12:49
Best Quote
Chris RyanReferences a quote as potentially the best but doesn't specify what it is, only calling it 'sick'▶ 1:15:13
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsVigo is right that John Wick's wife died due to karma - maybe don't kill 1,500 people and the karma wouldn't have ended up with your wife dying▶ 1:17:27
Chris RyanJohn Wick's reaction to the dog dying is a massive overreaction and deflection from his own boredom at suburban life - he had a void in his soul he was trying to fill▶ 1:19:14
Shea SerranoJohn Leguizamo should be in every movie for at least 90 minutes - every movie you can think of, put him in it and it's better▶ 1:16:36
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsIan McShane — Ian McShane replaced Jason Isaacs as Winston - only casting what-if he could find▶ 1:20:26
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsExtensive research on Keanu's training (4 months, multiple martial arts, tactical gun training with SWAT/Navy SEALs, stunt driving), car details (1969 Boss 429 Mustang, only 1,359 made), production facts about fight scenes and injuries, and John Wick's total kill count of 84▶ 1:24:18
Chris RyanAlfie Allen went to Russian bathhouses to research his character Yosef, and the Red Circle nightclub is named after Jean-Pierre Melville's French crime film Le Cirque La Rouge▶ 1:24:59
Shea SerranoGuessed 112 for John Wick's total kill count (actual was 84, closer than Bill's guess of 67)▶ 1:27:08
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsThe Matrix — Matrix for Keanu; Yes for Fake Hotel Universe; Tyra/Friday Night Lights for Adrian Palicki; Yes for Russian boogeymen; Yes for burying/digging up former career; Yes for John Wick movies▶ 1:27:27
Hanks or Cruise
Bill SimmonsTom Cruise — Cruise for John Wick role - references his performance in Collateral as evidence▶ 1:30:56
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsWhy is John Wick a 6 a.m. guy when he's a retired hitman? Could a boogeyman hitman really find true love? Czechians are the scariest because UFC fighters from there are always badasses▶ 1:40:31
Chris RyanVigo's henchmen lack separation - it's basically just Kyrill and then everybody else, which would make ranking them difficult▶ 1:43:15
Shea SerranoAlbanians are number one in evil foreign mobster rankings - doesn't want to mess with the Albanians from Taken▶ 1:42:06
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Chris RyanIf you're a Russian mob boss, just let your kids know about the Bobby Yeager/John Wick - warn them never to fuck with this guy▶ 1:45:03
Movies Referenced (46)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Matrix (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan | ▶ 8:09 |
| Point Break (1991) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:27 |
| Friday Night Lights (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 31:49 |
| The Equalizer (2014) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 24:21 |
| Die Hard (1988) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons | ▶ 15:48 |
| Eastern Promises (2007) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano | ▶ 1:28:43 |
| Fargo (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 53:57 |
| Gladiator (2000) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 34:45 |
| Knock Knock (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Shea Serrano | ▶ 51:10 |
| Man on Fire (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 24:22 |
| Rebel Ridge (2024) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 18:12 |
| Side Effects (2013) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | ▶ 1:22 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timothy Nyquist | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:02:44 | |
| John Woo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | ▶ 32:42 | |
| Kosta Jokic | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:42:50 | |
| Baz Luhrmann | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Shea Serrano | The Great Gatsby | ▶ 1:17:48 |
| Chad Stahelski | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | John Wick | ▶ 1:26:31 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 32:33 |
| Tom Brady | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Hot Chick | ▶ 41:28 |
Actors Referenced (53)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keanu Reeves | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 39 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Shea Serrano | The Matrix, Speed, Point Break | ▶ 4:24 |
| John Leguizamo | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Shea Serrano, Bill Simmons | ▶ 31:59 | |
| Adrianne Palicki | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | John Wick | ▶ 54:52 |
| Tom Cruise | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Top Gun, Minority Report | ▶ 10:25 |
| Dean Winters | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | John Wick | ▶ 32:17 |
| Alfie Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | John Wick | ▶ 32:00 |
| Lance Reddick | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano, Chris Ryan | John Wick, John Wick: Chapter 2 | ▶ 29:27 |
| Viggo Mortensen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | Captain Fantastic | ▶ 1:28:51 |
| Andy Garcia | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Ocean's Eleven, The Godfather Part III | ▶ 1:13:51 |
| Ian McShane | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Kung Fu Panda | ▶ 55:08 |
| Steve McQueen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | The Great Escape | ▶ 17:16 |
| Vincent Chase | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:06:00 |
Writers Referenced (4)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 34:06 | |
| Derek Kolstad | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 32:22 | |
| James Cameron | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day | ▶ 1:11:43 |
| Noah Baumbach | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story | ▶ 1:39:11 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Shea Serrano | The Other Guys | ▶ 4:08 |
| Ryan Creasy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Terminator Genisys | ▶ 1:35:43 |