I think because he is in charge of everything in the world, he was putting new coins into circulation
The bigger question is why 1 coin gets you two drinks, but 3 coins gets you all the intel you need to kill a person and 4 coins gets you a couple hundred grand worth of illegal weaponry. That drink be pricey.
At the center of this universe is The Continental, a sort of hit-man hotel run by Winston (Ian McShane), one of the few people who can get away with referring to John Wick (Keanu Reeves) as Jonathan. The Continental is a fascinating place: Like holy ground in Highlander, all assassins are welcome yet all are prohibited from doing harm to anyone, lest they risk incurring the (deadly) wrath of Winston. The economy of The Continental indeed, the economy of John Wicks life, generally revolved around the exchange of vintage-looking gold coins for goods and services.
In the sequel,
we get another glimpse into how this means of exchange works. Early on, as Wick is seeking out Winstons advice on how to handle the would-be head of the Camorra, we see the hotelier signing off on a new batch of gold coins. Here is another clue as to how the Wickonomy operates: These are not ancient doubloons, as one might have thought, but newly minted and injected into The Continentals monetary flow for, one would presume, distribution to the brotherhood of assassins who wander its halls.
How these gold coins actually get into the hands of the assassins is still a bit of a mystery, given that the contracts we hear of are priced out in dollars. One wonders what the dollar-to-gold-coin conversion rate is, exactly, especially since the price-per-item for goods and services in The Continental seems relatively uniform: a coin for a drink, a coin for a gun, a coin for a favor, etc.
Outside of the hotel, things appear a bit more varied: Wick pays a corpse-removal service one coin per body in the first film, for instance, while doling out several coins at once for information on infiltrating the Roman catacombs in the sequel. What are we to make of all this? Well, as Marginal Revolution blogger and George Mason University economics professor Alex Tabarrok might say, a price is a signal wrapped up in an incentive.
So what are the signals and incentives in the gold coin system? It seems clear that Winston has used his prices to incentivize hit men into using The Continental as little more than a way station. By pricing a cocktail and carbine at similar levels, Winston is making it far too expensive for the average assassin to use The Continental with its rules against murder and such as a permanent safe house. The relative cheapness of guns combined with their impotence onsite means that murderers are incentivized to go elsewhere, to pick up contracts and be on their way. In other words, the economic system serves to keep the motor of the movie turning as much as anything else.
I feel this is overblown. They don't HAVE to be assassins. They could be something else in the business - cleaners, mechanics, receptionists, bartenders, bodyguards, managers. It's like an underground society.
After seeing the film in theatres for a third time, I have to say that I think Ares isn't deaf, just mute. There were a couple of scenes, like when she found Santino in the mirror exhibit at the end, and when John was shooting at them right after, where it looked like she could hear, so I think she can, she just can't speak.
Just got done watching it. So where exactly do they go from here, I loved the action scenes, but i also want Johnathan character to progress in his supposedly retirement. Or will he just run around forever from the contract.
Also, does anyone know from who or what is the marker Winston gives John at the end?
Just got done watching it. So where exactly do they go from here, I loved the action scenes, but i also want Johnathan character to progress in his supposedly retirement. Or will he just run around forever from the contract.
Also, does anyone know from who or what is the marker Winston gives John at the end?
I feel this is overblown. They don't HAVE to be assassins. They could be something else in the business - cleaners, mechanics, receptionists, bartenders, bodyguards, managers. It's like an underground society.
Great movie, i loved it.
A little detail that i might have to watch again to be sure but
the very first scene of the movie when a John's car stops a motorcycle and the dude in the motorcycle has like a weird looking badge is from the third movie right?
It seems like that's when John's car is already repaired, maybe "Christmas...2030"
Just got done watching it. So where exactly do they go from here, I loved the action scenes, but i also want Johnathan character to progress in his supposedly retirement. Or will he just run around forever from the contract.
Also, does anyone know from who or what is the marker Winston gives John at the end?
Great movie, i loved it.
A little detail that i might have to watch again to be sure but
the very first scene of the movie when a John's car stops a motorcycle and the dude in the motorcycle has like a weird looking badge is from the third movie right?
It seems like that's when John's car is already repaired, maybe "Christmas...2030"
So then what happens? He becomes the leader? Or perhaps Winston. Hmm but if he goes for the high table I'm thinking Winston will have to go. Will be an emotional scene if so
So then what happens? He becomes the leader? Or perhaps Winston. Hmm but if he goes for the high table I'm thinking Winston will have to go. Will be an emotional scene if so
I think retirement is hopeless now. The High Table seems to represent the entire underworld in the Wick Universe. If John takes out the other 11 seats he still has to wrestle with the individual criminal empires that comprise it. That means the Camorra, who is already gunning for him. And "the Russians, the Chinese" and the other 9 organizations that make up the ruling body. The bounty on his head now is just from the Camorra alone. We haven't even seen what sort of retribution the High Table is going to enact. Winston implied it's going to be something rather frightening.
Actually something I've been thinking about doing quite a few times for super hype movies, is taking a plane to Seoul or Hong Kong for the weekend and enjoy both the movie and some tourism there
So then what happens? He becomes the leader? Or perhaps Winston. Hmm but if he goes for the high table I'm thinking Winston will have to go. Will be an emotional scene if so
I know it probably won't happen, but man would I love a Conan-style "Wipe out the kings and then plop down at the throne with a frown on your face" ending. He wanted out of it, then he has no choice but to lead it at the end, all melancholy.
Collateral did 2 to the stomach 1 to the head first.
John Wick seems like an extension of the gunplay in Collateral but amped up to ridiculous (but entertaining nonetheless) levels.
as for Accountant, I think it was pretty enjoyable. Not as good action as John Wick series but it was a decent action thriller that just went all in on it's ridiculous concept.
I'm honestly surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reaction this has gotten. I saw it yesterday and thought it was abysmal. Perhaps my first clue should have been when I couldn't even remember how I felt about the first John Wick. I might post fuller impressions later but my summary would be it was a dull, poorly written (while still insisting on having interminably long scenes full of nothing but dialogue) action film with the odd bit of creativity about every forty minutes.
I'm sad that despite John being a really nice guy so far, he doesn't seem to have any trustworthy friends.
His friends all abandoned him when they realized there's no gain in it.
His only friend was gone in the first movie, and we have no idea about Cassian.
Was disappointed that
Cassian didn't show up by the end to help John Wick out as a favour for sparing his life.
I'm sad that despite John being a really nice guy so far, he doesn't seem to have any trustworthy friends.
His friends all abandoned him when they realized there's no gain in it.
His only friend was gone in the first movie, and we have no idea about Cassian.
Was disappointed that
Cassian didn't show up by the end to help John Wick out as a favour for sparing his life.
I'm sad that despite John being a really nice guy so far, he doesn't seem to have any trustworthy friends.
His friends all abandoned him when they realized there's no gain in it.
His only friend was gone in the first movie, and we have no idea about Cassian.
Was disappointed that
Cassian didn't show up by the end to help John Wick out as a favour for sparing his life.
Just watched the first John Wick, it blew me away. Might do a LTTP thread or something when I wake up tomorrow. Good to hear that the sequel is great too.
I genuinely loved the gunfights and I expected to love them but what surprised me was how much I ended up loving these tense build up moments before the gunfights. Like these few seconds of calm before all hell lets loose.
JW and Connor(?) staring down at each after he killed the mafia chick and then drawing at the same time. Them both getting closer and closer as the subway train gets emptier and emptier. JW at the Museum facing down Santino's guard.
Just all these moments before a gun fight where people just stare each other down was probably one of my favorite things about this film. Felt very old school and western-like.
Got to give the movie props. Usually stuff like that is best left to your imagination, because showing it onscreen is never as cool as what you can think. But damn, here it was more brutal and awesome
I think because he is in charge of everything in the world, he was putting new coins into circulation
The bigger question is why 1 coin gets you two drinks, but 3 coins gets you all the intel you need to kill a person and 4 coins gets you a couple hundred grand worth of illegal weaponry. That drink be pricey.
Thought the same thing while watching it and my brother mentioned that maybe that 1 coin also covers the smashed window and the mess they made getting in the Hotel. Makes sense, but the writing doesn't really indicate that.
