John Wick revenge porn violence
Courtesy Ex Hitman and YouTube

Some kinds of entertainment are simply too difficult to experience in today’s society.

(F)or me, it’s becoming harder to come to terms with on-screen gun violence in a country defined by real-life tragedies. That’s specifically the case with a movie like John Wick, where the overall plot involves a violent revenge fantasy. Sure, John Wick is a character who, despite being a hardened killer, is a reformed wannabe pacifist in search of a peaceful life. But we’re never exposed to this emotional struggle or his battle with the violent life he’s forced to lead. For the most part, John Wick just silently and effectively kills in order to achieve the tranquil life of which he dreams. The movie exists solely for the action and violence. It has nothing to say beyond the excellently choreographed fight scenes. It doesn’t bother to wrestle with the effects—physically or psychologically—of gun violence.

There are, of course, countless violent movies that choose to ignore the emotional fallout of gun violence. John McClane seems to delight in killing terrorists in Die Hard, but his violence serves a purpose: to rescue scores of people from their captors. The carnage in John Wick exists as a form of pornography—it’s violence for the sake of violence.

I found myself wondering how I could enjoy something like the excellent fifth episode of Barry Season Two, but not the mindless entertainment of John Wick. That’s because Barry forces us to confront—on a deeper level—violence, whereas John Wick makes it look cool.

There will likely be a John Wick: Chapter 4, not to mention a spate of other revenge movies. Maybe it’s time for this type of cinema to evolve, to wrestle with what’s happening in our country in an artistic way beyond simply seeing how many people one guy can kill in a brutal three-movie rampage. A number of exceptional movies and TV shows already do. Why not John Wick?

– Matt Miller in I Couldn’t Bring Myself to Enjoy John Wick: Chapter 3

 

(Video NSFW)

https://youtu.be/0y0vZnKLS2o

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92 COMMENTS

  1. I understand that these people hate themselves (watching a comedy like Barry for deeper level anything) but why are they so hellbent on making everyone else hate themselves too? Your mental illness is yours. Don’t try to make it mine.

    • Personally, I don’t see why anyone wants to go pay $15 to sit for a couple hours watching any movie. Haven’t been for years, refuse to feed the Hollywood complex. Better ways to waste time and money.

      • I wait for it to play at the second run movie theater. As a bonus, I support a local business owner. Cheap, fun entertainment.

      • “Haven’t been for years, refuse to feed the Hollywood complex.”

        I *gladly* feed the Hollywood monster that made the ‘John Wick’ series.

        For every panty-waist like that fuckwit, there are 10 or more in the audience eating it up. 10 or more that see guns being used to right a wrong, save the day, and get the girl.

        Hollywood is the very best thing for gun rights, and Hollywood is too stupid to see that. All Hollywood has to do is stop making movies like the ‘Wick’ genre, and only make movies that show guns as evil things.

        But they can’t and they won’t, because they are making so much money off movies like that. They won’t sell any fucking tickets to movies that bore the young adults that buy the vast majority of movie tickets.

        Remember the communist saying about how the west will sell the rope the commies will use to hang us? We are using that to hang their efforts to kill the 2A…

        • If it supports something like Taran Tactical, which is where Reeves trained for the movie, then I will also gladly sit through a movie.

          But for the other 99%, torrent that shit and my ISP’s can suck it!

      • I agree with your sentiment about Hollywood. However, I would re-think your opposition to John Wick. There are a lot of pro-gun people that contributed to the movie. Namely, Taran Tactical, and all of the support people he employed. I’m not opposed to not supporting typical Hollywood communists, but if you were to break your rule, the John Wick franchise might be one worthy of some support.

  2. Oh,for fuck’s sake;it was a fun movie. And yes I also love the series” Barry”. I kinda preferred the first two movies for the overall darker tone(and the awesomely beautiful music soundtrack)but this was fun.
    Bonus points for the Blue Pitbull Terrier,Hale Berry’s Maligators and the guest/cameos by Jerome Flynn and the crew cut girl from ” Billions”.

    • Some people, also known as reviewers and critics, are just incapable of watching a movie for just the sake of watching a movie.

      For them a movie MUST have journeys of self discovery, obscure symbolisms, and above all the triumph of struggle.

  3. Reeves is anti-gun and a hypocrite. I won’t be watching any of his acting. Not interested. It’s all fake besides.

    • Thanks, Bob… further proof (if such was needed) that you don’t need facts or validated sources to spew garbage on the Internet.

    • Your an ignoramus. Keanu knows more about handling weapons than you know about pissing in a toilet. Reeves is a 3 gun competitor. He may not be an outspoken 2A advocate, but has never dip even a pinkie into the control pond.

      • He is also a motorcycle aficionado, And has his own company that makes sick hand made motorcycles! I have a lot of respect for him as someone who seems to be a regular, non crazy person outside of their film work.

    • I don’t think that’s correct. Everything I’ve read about Reeves seems to suggest he is a very genuine person. He’s given a lot to charities, and has helped out the people around him when they are in a jam. He may be anti-gun, but he keeps those beliefs to himself, if he is. While I do not want to support people that actively undermine gun rights, it makes it a more difficult to ban someone for their personal, inner beliefs. We all have the right to believe what we want. We all have the right to disagree, and have mature discussions about our points of view. Not communicating in a mature way, does no good for anyone.

  4. Steady there, Dan. You’re sounding like a progressive. By that (lack of ) logic people should avoid porn because rapes happen and the whole Fast and Furious slash XXX genre should cause guilt because 20 people died in a foggy icy pileup.

    • You realize that isn’t Dan’s quote, right? He’s essentially mocking Matt Miller for being a snowflake.

    • You do know Dan didn’t write this, right? Dan was sharing something from some dude named Matt who had his feelz hurt by John Wick.

  5. Well… somehow Demokkkommie vermin like Matt keep getting jobs at publications. Maybe it’s time for some “common sense” press control?

    • A strategic ass-beating in his youth would have been much more effective in curtailing this sort of anti-social behavior, been cheap/free, and not impacted the freedom of society as a whole one bit.

  6. I don’t know,I loved my ’69 Boss 429 Mustang enough to cause someone serious bodily harm and that was before they added way too many zero’s to the price tag. Black Jade ’69 Boss 429 w/2200 miles for $2500.00 in 1975… Today $250,000.00 to $325.000..00, besides the assholes killed his dog, blew up his home and forced him to do shit he didn’t want to do..The moral struggle was obvious in the beginning, but when you are running and fighting for your life the morality shit has to be put on hold. Anyway it’s just a bullshit movie about the luckiest asshole on the planet, nobody walks into a room with 20 or 30 hired killers, manages to kill them all and walks away (except in Hollywood) real world John Wick would have been “retired” permanently..

      • I like them both but my preference is toward the outboard headlights of the ’69, that being said I would not refuse a ’70 if it was 1975 again and that is what is available, I’m just a fan of the Boss 429 period, that and my 2003 Terminator Cobra Convertible which I’ve owned since 2004… Bottom line, If I was planning to drop three hundred grand on one today it would have to be a Black Jade ’69….

      • There have been countless billions of universes discovered to date. So far, in not one among them does a 70 Mustang look better than a 69.

  7. Wow. I was going to wait to see chapter 3 on Netflix or something, but now I think I’ll catch this on the big screen.

    • I made that connection a month or so ago here and got savaged. I also took some for calling the Wachowskis ‘the Wachowski siblings’ because I don’t figure they are male anymore now than they are women. Any JW2 reminded me too much of Wachowski excrement for me to enjoy much.

    • All the John Wick movies will never hold a candle to any Matrix movie no matter how many Matrix references and nods they stick in a John Wick movie.

  9. Little Matt thinks John Wick should become a beta male. Some people are just not clear on the concept.

  10. I dont support the ENEMY. Hollywood is the enemy. They are major players in the socialist infestation by shaping opinions with propaganda ( often very subtle propaganda , clever and insidious )

    “I think the subject which will be of most importance politically is Mass Psychology. … It’s importance has been enormously increased by the growth of modern methods of propaganda … Although this science will be diligently studied, it will be rigidly confined to the governing class (Elite).
    * * * The populace will not be allowed to know how its convictions were generated.”
    Bertrand Russell, philosopher, educator and atheist

    • I think you just demonstrated why education has been engineered to dumb down the population. Their job will be complete when the students are no longer able to read.

  11. “…John Wick exists as a form of pornography—it’s violence for the sake of violence…..”

    No, it’s a cautionary tale about what happens when you screw with the wrong person. Besides..they killed his puppy.

    • No, he’s right; it’s entertainment for its own sake…and there’s nothing wrong with that. No one is feeling anyhing but the most shallow sort of righteous catharsis watching Wick, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I thought these people celebrated pornography, anyway? Even though that industry truly does destroy countless people & damage us on a personal & societal level (then again so do lots of things taken to excess)

      • ” I thought these people celebrated pornography, anyway?”

        That is a *great* comparison. Just as all porn has a ‘naughty’ aspect to it, so does that.

        I’m swiping that for future Leftist debate ammunition…

  12. “There will likely be a John Wick: Chapter 4, not to mention a spate of other revenge movies.”

    I’m guessin that matt miller have never seen or heard of Charles Bronson and Death Wish 1-4…or the myriad of other “revenge movies” undoubtedly made before his time…

    matt miller, THEY KILLED HIS DOG, if you don’t get that concept, perhaps you should stick to tiddly winks and tea with your local feminazis…

    “Matt is the Culture Editor at Esquire where he covers music, movies, books, and TV—with an emphasis on all things Star Wars, Marvel, and Game of Thrones.”

    Well, that says it all right there, matt is a eunich…

    • Well that and a Disney shill. Star Wars & Marvel aren’t even entertainment for their own sake, anymore…unless you’re like six and are delighted by bright colors.

      • I laughed so hard, I almost spit out my coffee. Don’t know how I missed that the first time around. Thanks!

      • Passion of the Christ 2 done as a Lethal Weapon knock-off was still a better spoof of the concept; “Let he who is without sin, kick the first ass!” Hell, even the Robot Chicken skit based on the Kill Bill plot was funnier (Jesus sword-fighting the Easter Bunny)

  14. Something tells me that his time and column inches would have been better spent focusing on the STEM school shooters and an honest assessment of what actually led to the shooting and the yellow and red flags that were (seemingly) ignored rather than lashing out at fun, mindless Hollywood entertainment. These were not healthy, well-adjusted kids that happened to see a violent Hollywood movie and then decided to act it out in real life.

  15. Movies romanticize violence. They do the same for alcohol, drugs, sex, rebellion, crime… adults are typically capable of differentiation between fantasy and reality. I’ve never smoked weed, butI’ve seen people set aside life for weed. However, I think Cheech and Chong are hilarious, Half Baked was funny, I enjoyed Pineapple Express, and I think both Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg have their merits. Being illegal such as it is, I have chosen not to partake. However, gun haters blame things not choices, so I wouldn’t expect them to realize that if your state is a relative firearm safe haven or iron-clad gun free zone, murder is still illegal. In major metro areas, about 90% of shooters have at least one felony, so they are prohibited persons. They can’t have a gun, which means they (gasp) broke the law! Oh, about 90% of the victims are felons, too. Play stupid games…

  16. People mad that they did not get picked for the movie so they could show a true pistolero at work, this is a bad guy shooting bad guys, pure wild bunch style. Must be tough not being able to separate fantasy from real life; sorta like most potlickers I know!
    granted some military shows cause me to have flashbacks, fire works star burst firing causes me too cringe too this day or with choppers flying overhead! it is what it is, to each their own!

  17. “..The movie exists solely for the action and violence. ”

    So you DO understand that is is just a movie and not real life.

    Now lets work on a simple concept of turning off the screen. Or changing the channel. Or not going to the theater.

  19. I saw it last night…great movie! A popcorn flick. Halle Berry & dogs were terrific. Unparalleled action and quite interesting scenery(I couldn’t figure out what all the old weapon repository was). Go see it…Keanu is great. Taran Butler done good. Matt Miller is a twink😄😊😏

  20. If I want to see people wrestling, I’ll watch WWE. If I want to see shooting action, I’ll watch John Wick. Matt has an underdeveloped sense of entertainment.

  21. The first one was OK. The 2nd one was just over the top for ultra violence and one shot stop body counts. Ridiculous. If the 3rd one comes on cable one day, I’ll probably watch it but I dont think this sort of movie or any of the ultra violent video games help our cause.

  22. Nonsense! We may have a free press here in the U.S.A. but what is the point if we refuse to use it? Even Mexico freely publishes the results of cartel shootouts and pedestrians who happen to get smashed by a bus.
    Self-censorship is every bit as egregious as that enforced by government. Make no mistake about that.

  23. The castrated reviewer who wrote that garbage is an example of everything that’s wrong with society. I for one am dying to see this movie. I hate Hollywood as much as the next patriot but a sect of the industry still exists solely for making money and not virtue signaling. Tho it may not be a large one these days.

    I live here and my pops ran into Keanu Reeves on a motorcycle ride in the local mountains and hung out with him for an hour shooting the shit about his motorcycle company and guns. He is very pro 2nd amendment from what my pops mentioned and an extremely nice and down to earth guy. Here in Los Angeles there are many true patriots but if you work in the industry you can’t exactly be outspoken about it and expect to keep getting work.

    • +💯. Reeves is a non-egotistical quiet professional that has been humbled in his private life. He also has a perfectionist characteristic that clearly demonstrates his abilities as a practitioner in whatever endeavor he takes on, wether it be gun handling, BJJ, or motorcycles. Those that have met him, describe him as a salt of the earth. Unlike many of these shallow Hollywood big-headed assclowns.

      I like guns, bikes, and movies and have owned a bunch over the decades. And I plan to own this latest Wick Flick to add to the library, just because.

    • “Tho it may not be a large one these days”

      Gun blazing Action flicks are one part of hollywood that will never be money losers.

  24. What kinda person thinks movies like this are anything more than entertainment?
    Raise you’re hand If you think the John Wick movie”s are a real life documentary and “you” plan to go to the nearest school and do this In real life..Please remain seated we will arrange to have a Mental health professional talk to you.

  27. There is no such thing as “Gun Violence”. It does not exist and never has existed. No “thing” can display a behavior. Takes a person or an animal to display a behavior.

    The “John Wick” movies are stupid and absurd and terrific employment opportunities for stuntmen and stunt women. I’ve watched both, I’ll watch this new installment. I am absolutely certain it is not real, that it is completely incapable of altering my own behavior, and that Halle Berry has still got it.

    Plus, there are YouTubes of Halle Berry being trained in tactical shooting by Taran Butler and some hot babe shooting instructors/competitors and all of them are terrific at it.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa2RJPrY2Og

    Plus Plus, Reeves and Berry both like puppies, so that’s something.

  28. Wait, was EVERYBODY gun-Fu Fighting?

    Those mutts were fast as lightning, the price was a lotta-bit frightening, but the swag was expert tie-dyeing.

  29. I dont need to wrestle with or suffer guilt about false flag gun violence perpetrated by our self proclaimed owners. Havent you noticed there are much fewer of these mass killings here at home now that Trump is president? Yeah, I wrote that.

  30. I think it’s funny that they call it violence for violence’s sake, as if you’ve actually watched the movies you’ll see that he goes out of his way to not harm those that aren’t involved. In fact, in the latest movie that I saw yesterday, one of the “bad guys” makes the comment “that’s why your different…they wouldn’t have stopped me” when a line of kids gets between them stabbing each other. He also makes it very clear that he doesn’t want to go back into “the life”, but when someone kills your dog, can you blame him?

  32. I think that Matt Miller’s spent sooooo much much time watching “The Notebook” that he’s grown breasts.

  33. The carnage in John Wick exists as a form of pornography—it’s violence for the sake of violence.

    That;s what an “action” movie is. If you want something more “deep,” you are looking for a movie in the “drama” genre. Action movies are where you get: big explosions, unrealistic and crazy car chases, martial arts, armed combat, a lot of death and injuries.

    • He must miss the good old days, when Hollywood made action movies that *meant* something; like Commando LOL

      At least John Wick only ruins the lives of people who very clearly deserve it in his storylines, and doesn’t really even leave them alive to suffer significantly. Quite merciful, as far as fantasy-plots go.

      Compare that to the equally-“pornographic” typical ‘independent woman chick-flick plot’ where the ‘protagonist’ destroys both her own & her love interest’s successful existing relationships/marriages, brings less to the table than her target’s previous gal, and ruthlessly takes advantage of everyone present to arrange a trap in order to seduce her love interest (often screwing over one/all of the other cast members in some way before it’s all over). All because she wanted to bang some guy who was ‘off limits.’ Wick joylessly kills scores of bad guys because they actually wronged him, not because he’s thinking with his dick & chasing a piece of ass.

  34. The John Wick flics are totally excellent and exhilarating violent action movies. They are fun to watch.

    People who want movies that make philosophical points, can watch “Through a glass, Darkly”. I do not need liberal philosophical excrement shoved down my gullet, and then have to pay for it.
    Besides, you gotta remember: THEY KILLED HIS DOG !! That alone deserves Apocalyptic retribution which John Wick dished out in massive amounts.

    As far as theaters, they suck. I wanna put my feet up, play with my guns and shovel bacon down my gullet with some Wild Turkey while watching John Wick. Hard to enjoy it in a theater that way.

    John Wick is one of the best things about America. Spare me the guilt trips and asinine comments about:
    “That’s because Barry forces us to confront—on a deeper level—violence, whereas John Wick makes it look cool.” Nothing can force me to confront violence. It just is. Just hope you have it when you need it, and a kind word of advice: Stay away from my dog.

    • I love how these sissies think you confront violence with anything but violence. “The flowers will protect us” goddam that has to be the darkest real-life humor that’s ever been achieved. Like I said before, a good ass-beating in their youth by someone stronger would have disabused this poor bastard of a lot of the angst & insanity he seems to insist on carrying around through his life.

  35. I will admit that the first John Wick movie, 4 years ago, sparked my interest in the C.A.R. System. When I practice at the range and home I use CAR a lot. Thanks Hollywood.

  36. Saw Wick 1. Okay action movie. Have seen part ( 2d half) of Wick 2. Just more of the same. Equalizer 1 had a much better Story than Wick. Number 2 had plot holes so big you could drive a truck through. All just to watch a quasi-good guy kills droves of bad guys.
    It just gets to be murder porn. Boring. Pointless.

  37. Hey, it is a movie. We can still rationalize that a lot of movies are just make believe. It is funny to watch some people thinking that life can be the same thing as art

  38. I was at my lgs yesterday picking up my new cz shadow target, while admiring the sti 2011 models on display (3k starting price). They had a John Wick model on their screen, for $4k ! Same gun as a $3k gun, but John Wickier (lettering). Pass.

  39. When you get down to the meat of the matter, or the matter of the meat, Keeno likes trannys and Glocks

    So he aint all bad.

  40. Bleeeeeegh, whatever. Nobody’s making these dickless losers watch it. “Muh today’s political climate”? Look at murder rates today verses 25 years ago and get back to me.

  41. I’m retired military and retired police officer. I left barely able to do what this man (who I hear goes to a combat shooting range regularly because he enjoys it) does in these movies. He does it right. Don’t like the reality of a head-shot just in case they wore body armor, don’t watch. Don’t watch, don’t whine, bitch and demean. Enjoy a romantic comedy and your safe secure life and ignore those mean looking sheepdogs.
    .
    The same sort of well-meaning souls protected my men and women willing to do the ultimate violence in their defense have told me two things my entire lifetime- nothing is worth committing violence under any circumstances and there is no glory in war.

    Both are lies and they will NEVER understand why.

  42. I can avoid things and not expect planet Earth to avoid them for me or with me.

    I hate cats…I don’t own one.
    I’m allergic to strawberries…I don’t eat them.
    I don’t like bluegrass or jazz…I don’t listen to them.
    I don’t like reality TV…I don’t watch it.
    I think champagne is awful…I don’t drink it.
    Don’t even get me started on skinny jeans and man buns.

    I don’t give shit if some folks love the above and make it a way of life.
    Independent thinking adults should be able to negotiate their way through life without feeling the need to preach to others and have them comply with individual delicate sensibilities.

    Hike up your big girl panties and join us at the big people’s table.

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