Few things are as enjoyable as a good anthology film. Dating back to the early 1930’s the film anthology has become one of the most enduring types of movie. Typically held together with a common theme or overarching story anthologies have become a great place to not only see your favorite directors’ step outside of their comfort zone but also discover up-and-coming directors with the latest being Blood, Sweat and Terrors.
Produced by horror staples such as Rue Morgue Magazine and Raven Banner, Blood, Sweat and Terrors doesn’t have a focus on the macabre. Instead the focus is on the action genre. Featuring a collection of directors from around the world each short focuses on a different action sub-genre. With such a diverse group of stories and no overarching story it’s hard to review Blood, Sweat and Terrors as a whole. So, here’s a look at each short and how each of them rates out of five.
Empire of Dirt (2017)
Empire of Dirt Director- Adam Mason Writer- Paul Sloan
After some brief credits (and cheesy CG explosions) Blood, Sweat and Terrors opens up with Empire of Dirt. Perhaps the most “horror” of the shorts what starts off looking like a John Wick knock off becomes about a man slowly dealing with his own personal hell. All the while trying to discover who, or what, is torturing him. Feeling more like a pitch video for a television show or a comic book I think there’s potential in the idea. But as an action short, Empire of Dirt stumbles. Despite some cool practical effects, the computer effects can be spotty and fight choreography feeling rudimentary. There’s definitely something cool here I’m just not sure it works as an opening for Blood, Sweat and Terrors. 2.5/5
Awesome Runaway
Awesome Runaway!! Director- Benjamin de Los Santos Writer- Benjamin de Los Santos
I have to admit I was a bit wary of Awesome Runaway. Opening with a violent interrogation it leads into a mostly-single shot action scene that gets more fantastical as it goes on. Despite some uneven fight choreography Awesome Runaway pulls it all together with a twist ending I didn’t see coming. 3/5
Jacob’s Wrath Director- Alexander Carriere Writer- Alexander Carriere
Opening on a post-apocalyptic world Jacob is on the war path after the death of his daughter but things aren’t what they seem. As far as a story plot Jacob’s Wrath is the first short to really have a complete narrative. With questions of what is real and what isn’t Jacob’s Wrath was the first short that really impressed me. 4/5
Just because you are fighting an oppressive government doesn’t mean that everything else stops. Two women are about to strike when her monthly visitor shows up. Like Empire of Dirt, I dig this idea. It is a clever twist on the badass women trope. Unfortunately, everything else falls part. With little actual action and poor special effects, Flow is the movie’s low point. 0.5/5
Taken to an abandoned lot by a hitman only known as The Postman, ne’er do well Swifty (director Beau Fowler) is more than meets the eye. Although the story is rudimentary the action is spectacular. With fight choreography by Sonny Louis (who played the Postman) the martial arts action is fast and furious and a clever script Express Delivery is a good comeback after Flow. 3.5/5
Turncoat Director- Will Gilbey Writer- Will Gilbey
After the action heavy Express Delivery things slow down with Turncoat. Breaking into a criminal’s home two crooked cops illegally search the premise for a big score. The highlight of Turncoat is the writing. Will Gilbey (A Lonely Place to Die) does a great job ratcheting up the tension as the minutes tick by. The problem with Turncoat, at least in this collection, is that it is light on action. More of a thriller than action it feels like an odd fit in Blood, Sweat and Terrors. 2.5/5
Get Some Director- Adam Horton, Joe Horton Writer- Adam Horton, Joe Horton, Simon Uttley
After a viral outbreak the dead return from the grave. It isn’t the end though. Television star and survivalist Hunter Smith has used this opportunity for profit with his show Get Some. The idea of a zombie comedy isn’t particularly original nor is using zombies in a reality tv setting. Despite this Get Some sticks out thanks to a combination of a fun script and great casting. If it weren’t for its frustratingly open ending it would be the best short in the collection. 4/5
Olga (2016)
Olga Director- Olaf Svenson Writer- Olaf Svenson
In this tale of revenge, the young Olga goes after the men who killed her father. Finding them in a mob-owned diner she vows vengeance by any means necessary. Similar to movies such as Haywire this female-driven revenge thriller puts its focus on crisp hand-to-hand combat. Featuring a variety of styles, we see everything from knife play to martial arts and even a little bit of lucha libre. Although the story feels a bit overly familiar, I would love to see this expanded into a full movie. 4.5/5
Fetch Director- Daniel Bernhardt Writer- Daniel Bernhardt
With alimony due and his life hitting the skids private investigator John ‘Fetch’ Fetcher gets the case of a lifetime. Starring David Leitch (director of Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde) Fetch feels like the most ambitious short of the bunch. Taking on a more sardonic tone Fetch does a magnificent job telling its story without taking itself too seriously. And while the movie can lean a little too heavily into the comedy elements, stellar fight choreography has us leaving Blood, Sweat and Terrors on a high note. 4/5
Admittedly Blood, Sweat and Terrors is a bit of a tough sell. With each short being so different from the next one, the project lacks any sense of cohesion. So instead of telling a good story or working thematically we get a collection of short stories that can be hit or miss. With that said it rarely bores thanks to a great combination of talent both in front and behind the camera. And while it may never be considered a classic Blood, Sweat and Terrors is perfect as a jolt of energy for any action connoisseur.
Ever since Lionsgate greenlit this series in early 2017, fans of the franchise have been eagerly anticipating to see how the John Wick universe expands. 4 movies in, the John Wick franchise is widely known as one of the greatest action movie franchises of all time with our titular character (a.k.a Baba Yaga) becoming one of the most iconic and bad-ass figures ever in Hollywood. The Continental: From The World of John Wick is a prequel series that tells the story of Winston Scott and how he became the manager of New York’s The Continental branch.
The miniseries was developed by Greg Coolidge, Kirk Ward and Shawn Simmons. It is executive produced by Paul Wernick, Rhett Reese, Derek Kolstad, David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, the director of all four John Wick movies. It is structured as a 3-night event told through three 90-minute episodes. The series was originally supposed to air on Starz, but the network sold it to Peacock in 2022. After 6 years in development, it finally aired on Peacock this September.
A lot has been made of the subtitle of the project ever since it was announced. The fact that the makers needed to include it says a lot about the show. It almost felt like the prime marketing asset for it many times as the other promotional material didn’t necessarily create a lot of hype for the show. Albert Hughes directed the first and third episodes, while Charlotte Branstrom directed the second, and disappointingly both directors do not bring the same novelty or creative prowess that Chad Stahelski managed to bring in the John Wick movies.
The Continental [credit: Peacock]
The show also surprisingly lacks any real star power. This franchise is one of Lionsgate’s most prized assets, so you would imagine that they would make sure to get a big cast and crew for this prequel miniseries, but they didn’t. Colin Woodell as Winston Scott is the clear standout among the cast despite delivering only a decent performance, which says a lot about the acting standards in this 3-episode miniseries. Many have criticized the casting of Mel Gibson in the series, but I personally had no issue with his performance and he’s also the most recognizable member of the cast despite having no real audience pull anymore.
The writing doesn’t offer too much to ponder upon or any seriously shocking turns in the story as most of the focus is on making the product as epic, badass and action-packed as possible. Some of the characters had some interesting layers to them, especially Charon (Ayomide Adegun) and Lou (Jessica Allain). Lemmy (Adam Shapiro) provides some much-needed comic relief with his witty dialogues. The structuring of the story works really well as a 3-night event which sets the high stakes and sets a standard of intensity for the narrative.
The Continental [credit: Peacock]
But the thing that people were most looking forward to, was the action and how it fared against John Wick. Unfortunately, that department was inconsistent as well. Ben Robson’s fight sequence in the early part of the first episode was great and it makes you optimistic that the action would get better from here on, but it never does. Most of the action blocks here involve explosions and guns rather than the hand-to-hand combat John Wick franchise is known for. Some of the action was awesome and some of it sadly wasn’t.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick brings a lot of glamour as it tries to expand its world but fails to engage with its paper-thin plot. The characters are mostly dull with a formulaic villain and misses the presence of a magnetic protagonist like Wick. A prequel about Wick’s backstory would’ve been much more interesting than this inconsistent prequel event saved by its style and some great action. It has almost enough to be its own thing but doesn’t quite have enough to match its parent movies.
The Continental: From the World of John Wick premieres on Peacock in the US and Prime Video in the UK and Australia on 22 September, with new episodes weekly.