The John Wick series keeps the action ticking in just about every scene. This is because of the abundance of kills that the hero doles out. Not only does he take down scores of enemies, but he accomplishes this in a creative fashion. Because of this, fans have seen dozens of deaths that are carried out in a variety of ways.
Still, there are some kill scenes that stand above the rest due to what they represent. Those who’d like a rundown of John Wick’s greatest hits need to check these out. They show just how well the hero can kick butt and look as classy as he does. It also reconfirms that John is an absolute killing machine who’s deadlier than a small army. That said, here are the top 10 best John Wick kills.
10. Motorbike Chase Kills (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)
There’s a sense of urgency when John tries to return to the Continental at the climax of Chapter 3. It’s perfectly illustrated by this chase scene where the protagonist is pursued by ninjas on motorbikes. With no option left, John starts to hack away at them with a katana while the bikes are blazing full-speed ahead.
Even with the high-speed nature of the chase, the movie doesn’t incorporate shaky cam – instead, the sparring is seen while the environment around them blitzes away at full velocity. John begins to dispose of his enemies two at a time, impaling men while they’re seated on the same bike. It’s, unfortunately, shorter than it should have been, but the sequence conveys the desperation that John feels in that moment.
9. Club Massacre (John Wick: Chapter 1)
The first John Wick instantly became one of Keanu Reeves’ best action movie thanks to kill scenes like this one. Incorporating neo-noir elements like neon light shading, bass music, and a purple aesthetic, the nightclub massacre is both bloody and beautiful. Here, John tracks his targets to a nightclub where he looks to end them in one sweep.
Men are initially shot down in discretion as John seeks to head deeper before he starts a mass annihilation. It’s the first time that viewers see how perfect John is as an assassin, as he mows down enemies left and right. It’s also a mark of intelligence with the way he uses the crowd to hide while quickly and methodically shooting down anyone who challenges him.
8. Pencil Kill (John Wick: Chapter 2)
This takes place during a time when John is relentlessly pursued by several assassins. A montage ensues where the hero dispatches his enemies in various ways and in different places. But the most striking one is when he uses a pencil to kill two guys with piercing accuracy.
Having been engaged in a reception area, John has no choice but to improvise with a pencil. He stabs the heck out of the first man before shoving the other one into the pencil that’s against the wall. It’s a highly creative kill that shows the sheer deadliness of John Wick’s skills. The addition of other assassinations complements the pencil sequence as well.
7. Glass Room Fight Kills (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)
While the John Wick films are renowned for their “Gun Fu” style, the protagonist is more than capable of finishing people with a sword. Case in point is the Glass Room battle, where the main character takes on two of Zero’s assassins. While he gets beat up for much of the fight, he roars back with authority.
John turns the tide by using the numbers game against them, holding one as a human shield in order to attack the other. After getting slammed into the glass multiple times, it’s very pleasing to see John use the same glass to evade attacks and cause the assassins’ demise. The best part arrives when he makes the first assassin slit the throat of his friend, followed by taking his katana to finish him off. It’s a see-saw affair with the best payoff at the end.
6. Book Kill (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)
Sometimes it’s good to rely on fisticuffs, which is what John does against a truly hulking opponent. Despite still having time left before he’s excommunicado, his fellow assassin tries to cheat and take his life. What the man has in strength, he lacks in speed and smarts, which is what John uses to his advantage.
The library offers him nothing apart from a book as a weapon – this is more than enough, as John uses it to crack open the man’s jaw before snapping his neck by laying it across the spine of the book. It doesn’t have any blood, yet it’s certainly a gory death scene to behold. In addition, the kill represents the fact that John can take down opponents of all sizes without any real weapons on hand.
5. Hall Of Mirrors Kill (John Wick: Chapter 2)
Santino’s personal enforcer, Ares, wants to validate herself by killing John. But this backfires when she can’t contend with his superior strength and skills. The Hall of Mirrors scene is breathtaking to watch because of the slick fight that balances the overwhelming confusion from the many mirrors around the characters.
It’s something of a deconstruction of a fight scene since viewers watch John tear Ares’ offense apart one by one. After she’s unable to defeat him with her martial arts, John moves in to overpower Ares, breaking her arm before using her own shiv to impale her. The kill demonstrates that John is no slouch when it comes to pure strength. The effect of the mirrors in the surroundings makes an otherwise easy kill for the hero look like a real challenge.
4. Museum Shootout (John Wick: Chapter 2)
There’s perhaps no other scene that confirms how much of a one-man army John is than this one. He tracks Santino down in a museum, where there’s an extended moment when everyone stands still in preparation for the carnage that follows. John blazes through Santino’s men with headshot after headshot, pursuing his enemy as he kills.
Keeping with the realistic nuances of the series, John is shown reloading using his victims’ guns, conserving his ammo. He primarily goes for one-hit kills like headshots, improvising with kneecaps when he can’t get a clear shot. It’s a bloodbath that spirals out of control, with the entire museum left in disaster. John maintains his “Baba Yaga” status with this incredible sequence that gives fans their money’s worth.
3. Knife Fight Kills (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)
The actors in John Wick: Chapter 4 had their work cut out for them because of the dedication of Chapter 3’s performers. The knife fight is strong proof of their efforts, as John’s rampage looks as lifelike as can be. Even though it’s over-the-top with so many kills in quick succession, the fight scene is also a masterclass in John Wick’s evasion abilities.
The hero dodges everything thrown at him, which includes knives and axes. John realizes he’s essentially in an armory with many blades around him and proceeds to fling them at his enemies. Both parties engage in a battle of throwing knives, where John emerges victorious by dodging to perfection. It’s another brutal sequence with a lot of deaths, but this one lasts long enough to leave viewers satisfied.
2. Headshot To Santino (John Wick: Chapter 2)
There are no drawn-out fights, explosions, or shootouts here, but Santino’s death has the greatest moment of catharsis for fans. After antagonizing John for the whole movie, the villain gets what’s coming to him with a bullet in his head. This happens when the hero finds him at the Continental, where Santino gloats he can’t be touched.
John is way past putting up with Santino’s taunts and shoots him mid-speech to, in his words, finish it. The film was leading up to this moment for the entirety of its runtime and it’s as satisfying as you’d imagine to see Santino go down. Although this act causes John to become excommunicado, the headshot stands firm in memory for delivering the protagonist the vengeance he sought.
1. Death Of Zero (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum)
John generally goes through enemies like they’re nothing, which takes a bit away from his victories. But Zero is a foe who is able to match John’s skills, nearly eliminating him before John takes sanctuary at the Continental. By the time they have their climactic clash, fans are ready to see him defeated by the hero’s hands.
Zero’s downfall is his own doing since he doesn’t capitalize when he had John nearly beaten. In the end, the protagonist sees through Zero’s tricks and flashy moves to slash away at his limbs. Even though this kill is of just one man, it means the most because it’s the person who’s challenged John the most. Watching his defeat proves that the main character is the alpha assassin in this universe.
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