John Wick is going to Hell. (Spoilers)

This week I watched the first two John Wick movies in preparation for the premier of John Wick 3: Parabellum. The boogeyman returns with Halle Berry, who, for the first time in any John Wick movie, actually helps him in the field. She leads John to the leader of the High Table, who is seeking amendment for his actions after breaking one of two rules set by the Table: No business on company ground.

Halle Berry, before saying goodbye, tells Wick that “One day you will die, John”. When that day comes, John will go straight to the gates of Hell, because up to about the halfway mark of the movie Wick committed every murder out of revenge and dispair for his wife and the only thing left to him from her is his now dead dog. While speaking to the Head of the High Table, The Administrator, who made John walk in the desert for days only for a chance to speak with him, offers John a choice. John explains he wishes to make amends to the organization he disrespected and wants the opportunity to live to honor the memory of his past wife. The Administrator gives Wick the option to die and end the suffering his actions have brought or complete a task (by killing more people), be forever in debt to the party, and “serve the memory of his wife” this way.

Now, let’s imagine for a moment, I am John Wick. I’ve killed a lot of fucking people, just retired, watched my wife die, killed everyone who disrespected her, and managed to exile myself in the process. I could either die, pray my intentions were pure, and see her again, in whatever is beyond death. Or – and this is assuming his fairly normal wife wasn’t too stoked when she found out her husband was the world’s greatest assassin – “carry on her memory” by killing more people than you could fit in the entire Los Angeles County.

Up to this point in the series, I viewed John Wick as a good guy, but after not hesitating to spit in the face of his wife’s memory, that has changed. Here lies the fault in the film, as John completes tasks to avenge actions taken against him he strays from the reasons that kept his intentions pure. Essentially, as more time passes, John gets closer to the life to which he vowed not to return.

Wick is personified as badass, classy, and honorable; but by seeking justice, he is in turn out for revenge. And with revenge comes moral degradation. But it is a John Wick movie and that won’t happen.