Rotten Tomatoes Critics Deem The Continental The John Wick Franchise's First Misfire

For four action-packed films, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) was impervious to death. The "John Wick" franchise was similarly bullet-proof when it came to reviews; each installment was hailed as sleek, thrilling, and impeccably choreographed, with Rotten Tomatoes scores never dipping below 86%.

The same cannot be said for "The Continental." Subtitled "From the World of John Wick," the prequel is the franchise's first spin-off project, and maintains a disappointing "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has big shoes to fill, and if critics' early reviews are any indication, it doesn't succeed in filling them.

The three-part Peacock show follows a young Winston Scott, played by Colin Woodell, as he rises up the ranks to become the proprietor of the assassin-friendly hotel in 1970s New York City. Mel Gibson co-stars as Cormac, the hotel's manager and resident baddie.

For some critics, Gibson's presence is disqualifying in its own right, given his history of racist and anti-semitic remarks and the allegations of domestic abuse against him. In his review for The Daily Beast, Nick Schager wrote, "Whoever thought Mel Gibson would be a suitable replacement for Keanu Reeves — coolest guy in Hollywood — should look for a new job." For Variety's Alison Herman, Gibson isn't even the show's biggest problem. "Of all the reasons the 'John Wick' prequel frustrates, underwhelms, and disappoints, the involvement of Mel Gibson barely manages to rank," begins her takedown. "That, at least, is a major accomplishment."

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It's one thing to replace Keanu Reeves, Hollywood's sweetheart, with the infamously intolerant Mel Gibson. But "The Continental" doesn't do star Colin Woodell any favors by measuring him up against the great Ian McShane. Reviewing "The Continental" for Looper, Alistair Ryder wrote, "It's just a shame Winston himself isn't as interesting in 'The Continental' as McShane's portrayal is in the 'John Wick' films."

Fundamentally, critics found the show unsure of its role in the "John Wick" universe. On one hand, "The Continental" rests on its "John Wick" laurels. "'The Continental' seems to exist on the assumption that 'John Wick' fans will gobble up anything even tangentially related to the adventures of a man who just loved his dog," wrote Alan Sepinwall for Rolling Stone. At the same time, the series lacks the visual flair of the films, and its story is comparatively ham-fisted and exposition-heavy.

Incidentally, all of that exposition takes away from what hooked many "John Wick" fans in the first place: the fight scenes, lovingly crafted by former stunt actor-turned-director, Chad Stahelski. "What 'The Continental' lacks in fight scenes," continues the aforementioned Looper review, "it more than makes up for in a plodding revenge narrative."

Some critics concede that "The Continental" has flashes of Wickian brilliance, like fun needle drops and a stylized take on '70s New York. Still, it's telling that Chad Stahelski's involvement is limited to an executive producer credit and that he doesn't direct any episodes. Perhaps he'll have a bigger role in the upcoming spin-off, "The Ballerina."