This is John Wick, a dog lover, hotel enthusiast, and reluctant (but extremely deadly) assassin.
If you have seen any of the three John Wick films, you'll remember that he had escaped his life of violence for a quiet existence with a cute beagle, only to be accosted by thugs who murdered his cute li'l dog and dragged him back into a life of crime.
And since the death of his dog, John Wick (played by Keanu Reeves) has been involved in dozens of shootouts, car chases, and one-on-one fights to the death.
Of course, John's journey is not over, as he'll be returning to the big screen on March 24 inevitably trying to find a peaceful existence but getting dragged into all manner of mayhem.
View this video on YouTube
The Adjudicator just won't freaking rest.
So, in honor of John Wick: Chapter 4 arriving in theaters, I decided to rank every fight scene from the first three John Wick films, all of which are now streaming on Peacock.
Let's begin.
34. The Break-In — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
Let's begin where it all began, with a group of thugs breaking into John Wick's house and killing the dog his wife left him as a gift before she passed away. This is one of the few fights that Wick loses (mostly because he doesn't fight back). It's quick and very depressing.
33. Harry vs. Perkins — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
One of the few "fights" that don't involve John is this one in which Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki), who John has left tied up in his friend Harry's (Clarke Peters) hotel room, dislocates her thumbs and proceeds to shoot Harry in the head. Jokes on her, though, because you can't kill someone at the Continental without getting killed yourself, which happens to her shortly thereafter.
32. Marcus's Execution — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
In the first installment, John is aided by Marcus (Willem Dafoe), an old friend and sniper who picks off a few key adversaries throughout the film. However, the Russian crime boss baddy discovers he's assisting John and kidnaps him. Marcus does manage to take down a few henchmen before he's clipped by Ms. Perkins.
31. The Church Break-In — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
In the John Wick franchise, it's often difficult to distinguish where one scene ends and another begins because Wick is just battling for most of the run time. In the first film (which you may be realizing has some of the most lackluster fights due to the lower budget), John infiltrates a church that serves as the baddy's stash house. He kills a few people with a machine gun, but it lacks creativity.
30. Casablanca Alley Fight — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
This fight from Chapter 3 is another getting-from-point-a-to-point-b-style fight where Wick has to knock off some henchmen just because. This one involves a little more martial arts, but ultimately fades from memory quickly given the stronger battles in the film.
29. Wick vs. Winston — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
Continental manager Winston (Ian McShane) shooting John Wick a few times and letting him fall off a building isn't really that exciting in its own right. However, given the relationship that the two have built over the trilogy of films, it does come as a bit of a shock to the audience. Also, clearly Winston is an expert marksman because he knows how to hit Wick in just the right places to allow him to escape.
28. Car vs. Motorcycle Chase — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
Chapter 2 begins with this brief car chase in which Wick takes down a cyclist to learn the whereabouts of his beloved Ford Mustang. We will get to motorcycle scenes with much more pizzazz.
27. Coronation Party Shootout — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
The slightly elevated version of the Casablanca alley fight from Chapter 3, in this scene Wick flees a massive Roman concert/coronation party for Gianna (Claudia Gerini) after murdering her to fulfill a deal he made. Wick is clocked as an assassin by Gianna's bodyguard Cassian (Common), who pursues him through the crowd. There are lots of bright lights and a heavy synth background track, but ultimately, John just shoots a few people and leaves.
26. Wick vs. Ares — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
Of Wick's one-on-one matchups, something he has in every film, this one with the mute Ares (Ruby Rose) is the weakest. Yes, he stabs her through the hand, and the hall of mirrors adds a cool effect, but ultimately, she feels like a sympathetic novice compared to him, and he lets her live. I keep waiting for her to pop back up somewhere, so we shall see if she returns in Chapter 4.
25. Wick vs. The Violinist — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
In a very fun montage in Chapter 2, Wick is beset upon by a host of New York assassins after a bounty is put on his head. Although the three scenes are intercut with one another in the film, I separated them out here. First up is the subway violinist who has a gun hidden in her violin, but has very poor close-range aim. I love how campy this scene is and that in this world, assassins are moonlighting as beret-wearing, public transit buskers.
24. Wick vs. The Sumo Wrestler — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
In the same montage, Wick also takes out a giant sumo wrestler (played by famed Japanese wrestler Yamamotoyama Ryūta). The introduction of multiple styles of fighting in the franchise keeps it fresh, and I only wish that we got more of this character before he was shot through the top knot.
23. The Safe House Attack — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
While John Wick has a number of great sequences, the scene in which Wick finally pays back Iosef (Alfie Allen) for killing his dog is a bit uneventful. Yes, it is a big action set piece in which John infiltrates a safe house, but there isn't much of note here, and the fact that it's not even the climax of the film speaks to its mediocrity.
22. Wick vs. Kirill — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
Prior to arriving at the safe house to kill Iosef, Wick escapes the clutches of Iosef's dad Viggo (Michael Nyqvist) along with the help of Marcus. The scene is a bit more interesting and includes Wick's head-to-head matchup with Kirill (Daniel Bernhardt), the henchman-in-chief for Viggo. A solid bit of hand-to-hand combat, but the later films would have made this more interesting.
21. Catacombs Fight — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
After dispatching with Gianna, Wick escapes to the Roman catacombs where he is betrayed by her brother Santino (Riccardo Scamarcio). While the setting is inventive and the film gives this fight an ample amount of time, it all remains men shooting guns at one another in the dark.
20. Church Parking Lot Shootout — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
After breaking into the church/loot stash, Wick must later escape it while beset by Viggo's hoard of no names. This is one of the few fights in the franchise that Wick loses, being taken hostage at the end. That being said, it's an exciting shootout that involves some automotive intrigue.
19. Wick vs. Perkins — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
Wick's first one-on-one battle of the franchise takes place when Ms. Perkins, who he was previously flirting with, tries to kill him in his sleep. The hotel room rumble is masterfully choreographed, with plenty of almost choking, almost stabbing, almost being shot action. Perkins's sick glee while doing so also ups the fun factor.
18. The Glass Room Royale — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
Chapter 3 is the best John Wick film to date with the best action scenes, and this final extended fight sequence is nothing to scoff at. In the glass room of the Continental, Wick faces off against the hoard of ninja assassins that the Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon) has sicced on him. In back-to-back rounds, Wick battles a pair of martial arts experts in one of the most gorgeously choreographed bouts of hand-to-hand combat in the film. Aside from the cool neck slice moment in Round 1, however, the sequence relies on old-fashioned tumbling rather than adding anything new to the mix. Wick also lets the final two assassins live, meaning we don't get an interesting kill shot.
17. Storming the Bowery — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
Prior to their battle with John Wick in the Continental, Zero's (Mark Dacascos) band of assassins infiltrate two other locations in a pair of scenes demonstrating the skill of his stealthy ninjas. In the second one, they pave the way for the Adjudicator to enter the Bowery and face off against the Bowery King (Laurence Fishburne). The sword and knife-work here is a lot of fun, and the camouflage elements are also creative. If only the ninjas had been as interesting when they finally match up against Wick.
16. Ballet Infiltration — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
This ballet scene is virtually identical to the Bowery one, but since it comes first in the film, it has more impact. I also think that cutting back and forth to Anjelica Huston directing ballet is more interesting that watching Fishburne in the rain.
15. Wick vs. Cassian 2.0 — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
This entire battle sequence is ridiculous to watch as a New Yorker because the pair meet in Lincoln Center only to descend into the Oculus subway station several miles away and then get on a train that actually heads to New Jersey rather than anywhere in New York. That aside, Wick's second one-on-one battle with Cassian is made more interesting due to the public setting, but also quashes some of the fighting. A fun scene, but just missing top tier level.
14. Wick vs. Zero — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
Part of the issue with Chapter 3 is that the early sequences are SO DAMN GOOD that by the time you get to the final battles, they just can't quite live up to expectations. When Wick finally faces off against Zero after the pair have been battling on their own the entire film, the fight with samurai blades is expertly executed, but feels a bit like a let down. Both actors are giving it their all, but I wish the setting was a bit more exciting, especially as the third hand-to-hand combat sequence in the same space.
13. House Fight — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
This is the fight that launched the franchise. While Wick is subdued in the first attack on his home, when the Russian mob returns, the audience gets to see John Wick on full display for the first time. The one-against-many action spectacular weaving around Wick's home set the stage for everything to come and set John Wick apart from other American action franchises for its over-the-top fight choreography.
12. New York Harbor Fight — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
The finale of the first John Wick film really defined the way the later films would also capitalize on automotive action scenes, using cars as weapons rather than racers like the Fast and the Furious franchise does. When Wick finally faces off against Viggo and his men at the shipping docks, he does so with his gun, his car, and his fists. Viggo doesn't exactly present himself as the most terrifying villain physically, but the rain-drenched fight was electric.
11. Ambush in the Continental — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
Prior to this scene in Chapter 3, the franchise hadn't really done a siege/war-style shootout before, but I'm certain we'll see more of this in the future based on how well it played. The Continental is stormed by countless henchmen in body armor, and Wick, Winston, and Charon (Lance Reddick) basically take out the army by themselves in the dark lobby. Perhaps we could have used a bit more light and a bit less smoke, but the best scene of Chapter 3's final act for sure.
10. Museum Gala Fight — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
We've arrived at the top 10! Let's begin with the final action set piece of Chapter 2, in which Wick infiltrates an art museum gala held by Santino. Prior to his face-off with Ares, Wick conducts a massive fight scene including guns, knives, and fists through a massive museum space. I love the way that the second film pivoted into its action-as-fine-art motif, and setting the fight alongside the contorted marble statues gives the whole thing an air of importance.
9. Swords on Motorcycles — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
If you're gonna give me a motorcycle scene, it had better include samurai swords. I mean, whoever decided to put those two fight scene staples was a GENIUS. This is one of the most inventive chase scenes I've ever seen, and there are four better action scenes in Chapter 3.
8. Kasbah Battle — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
The middle act of Chapter 3 involves John meeting up with his old bestie Sofia in Casablanca. The pair have plenty of will-they-won't-they energy and are, of course, stalked by various would-be assailants. The action set piece of Casablanca, however, is when the pair must fight their way out of a Kasbah after Berrada (Jerome Flynn) shoots one of her dogs (because it wouldn't be a John Wick film without a dog). It's fun to see Wick get to participate in duo choreography since he's usually fighting as an army of one, plus the dogs of the John Wick universe finally get their revenge by ripping the throats out of several henchmen.
7. The Pencil Kills — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
The third portion of the violinist, sumo wrestler triptych is Wick's murder of two assassins with nothing but a pencil. Not only is the scene deliciously gruesome and expertly choreographed, but it is a smart callback to a scene in the beginning of Chapter 2 where the bad guys discuss the legend of John Wick and how he's supposedly murdered men with a pencil before.
6. Wick vs. Cassian 1.0 — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
John's first run-in with Cassian in Italy is the best of the franchise's Wick vs. the lead henchman series. Meeting on the streets of Rome, the pair conduct a long, brutal-looking scramble through the city. They're throwing each other into walls, onto the cobblestones, and down a massive flight of stairs. The bruises these two must have had by the end of shooting. More than any other scene, this one conveys the physical toll these bodies must be going through, and Cassian seems to be the only assailant who matches Wick in skill and stamina.
5. Wick vs. Ernest — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
THIS IS HOW YOU OPEN A MOVIE. When Wick is declared "excommunicado" at the beginning of Chapter 3 and the entire assassination population of New York descends upon him, his first challenger is a giant man named Ernest who tracks Wick to the New York Public Library. I've seen people murdered with plenty of weapons over the years, but the way Wick destroys this man's jaw with a hardcover book was something to behold. If this is where the movie begins, you know you're in for a treat.
4. Red Circle Nightclub Fight — John Wick
View this video on YouTube
The best scene of the original film is the extended sequence at the film's heart in which Wick breaks into a bathhouse/nightclub. While you might split the two into a pair of action sequences, I opted to keep them as one. It's by far the most involved bit of fighting choreography in the first film, and you know this is the scene that the stunt team kept returning to when they were brainstorming the sequels. There's water choreography, there's hundreds of extras, there's people getting thrown off balconies, and a nasty head-to-head matchup with Kirill at the end. It just keeps going and going, and every minute is more gruesome than the one before.
3. The Horse Stable Fight — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
The first act of John Wick is the best series of action scenes I've ever seen in a movie, and they culminate with this scene in which John Wick murders people with a horse and then flees on one. Somehow, Wick is chased by assassins into the stables where the Central Park horses are housed, and he must fight his way out. The horses seem decidedly team-John Wick (they know he loves animals), and help him take out various assassins. Then, just when you thought the scene couldn't get better, we get a horse-riding chase scene through the streets of New York City. The whole thing must have been a nightmare to shoot, but it's incredible cinema.
2. Chop Shop Fight — John Wick: Chapter 2
View this video on YouTube
An underrated sequence from the franchise imho is Chapter 2's first big battle in which John Wick attempts to steal his Mustang back. He arrives at a chop shop, where he not only gets into a shootout and martial arts extravaganza (as he's likely to do), but also another car battle. There is one particular shot of the car coming off a jump out of the garage that I've watched dozens of times. It immediately tells the audience that Chapter 2 is going to be bigger and badder than the original, and then keeps that promise.
1. The Antique Arms Shop Fight — John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum
View this video on YouTube
The best action scene in the John Wick franchise to date is the chase scene/fight that takes place in between the library duel and the horse stable battle. In this scene, Wick is chased into what appears to be some kind of museum/store that sells old-timey weapons. He and a group of assassins, therefore, attempt to kill each other with ancient daggers, medieval hatchets, and throwing stars. The use of ancient artifacts as weapons is so inventive, and we get perhaps the most grizzly kill of the series, when Wick stabs one man straight in the eye. Three cheers to Baba Yaga!
Stream all three John Wick movies now on Peacock, and catch John Wick: Chapter 4 in theaters on March 24.
