- Network: Peacock
- Series Premiere Date: Sep 22, 2023
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Critic Reviews
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“The Continental” is a worthy prequel with suitably gothic production design, brilliantly executed stunt work and some fantastically timed needle drops.
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We can say that director Albert Hughes (the first and last episodes) and Charlotte Brandstorm (the second one) keep the action and storyline lean and mean, and the body count high, allowing us to soak up every second of these 90ish-minute episodes. Wick devotees will walk away satisfied.
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It’s fast-paced, ludicrous fun, with Purge-star Woodell full of dapper charm as the young McShane. But, for better or worse, the driving force is Gibson, who puts in his most over-the-top appearance since Mad Max. In the process, he transforms The Continental into a bug-eyed, b-movie cheese-fest hewn in his gonzo image.
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We arguably didn’t need a detailed backstory for McShane’s leathery innkeep, and much of the High Table’s more intriguing aspects are left frustratingly in the wings (a lone Adjudicator is our main link to the broader mythology), but with guns (lots of them), charm and buckets of style, The Continental is proof that John Wick is more than just a man.
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It’s all style at best, and no substance—even for a series that prioritizes bravura and flair over everything else. Ultimately, “The Continental” is an adequate detour; just a linear connection-of-franchise dots explaining how Winston stole the keys to the house.
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While the payoff is ultimately well worth it, a much tighter story might have been told within the usual 60 minutes.
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As a pure continuation of John Wick lore, The Continental is a worthy watch, one that offers similar bloody mayhem to its predecessors in a new, wide-lapelled outfit. But it’s hard not to feel that the show, with its leaden pacing, convoluted cast of characters, and lack of a nucleus in a powerhouse figure like Reeves, comes up short compared to the film series it desperately wants to evoke.