‘John Wick’ Hotel Prequel ‘The Continental’ Isn’t Worth a Stay — and Not Just Because of Mel Gibson: TV Review
variety.comAlison Herman TV Critic I’ll give “The Continental” this: of all the reasons the “John Wick” prequel frustrates, underwhelms and disappoints, the involvement of Mel Gibson barely manages to rank.
That, at least, is a major accomplishment. The three-part series, subtitled “From the World of John Wick,” was anticipated by a steady stream of red flags: a gap of more than half a decade between the official greenlight and Wednesday’s premiere; the move from Starz, a network owned by franchise studio Lionsgate, to Peacock; the news that Chad Stahelski, the stunt performer turned action auteur, would not direct any episodes, though he retains an executive producer credit. (Let’s also throw in the casting of Gibson, whose rehabilitation after a history of racism, antisemitism and alleged domestic violence has been as dispiriting as it is inevitable.) In its final form, “The Continental” bears these misgivings out.
The show lacks the star power and visual panache of “John Wick,” and what it adds is directly at odds with the movies’ source of appeal.
Developed by Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward and Shawn Simmons, “The Continental” stars Colin Woodell as a younger version of Winston Scott (Ian McShane), the proprietor of the titular boarding house’s New York branch.
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