John Wick's 10 Most Painful Injuries Ranked: Ouch!

The John Wick series subjectively subjects its main character, John Wick (portrayed by Keanu Reeves), to an extraordinary amount of suffering, comparable to any hero in action movies. Making his debut on the global stage with the surprise hit “John Wick” in 2014, which marked the beginning of the ongoing John Wick series, has been instrumental in redefining action cinema. The John Wick films’ focus on stunts, gun-fu, and martial arts has established Keanu Reeves’ iconic assassin as a formidable figure who has battled through countless enemies and miraculously survived numerous seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

In much the same vein as action films, the John Wick series occasionally pushes the boundaries of what’s plausible for a human survivor. Yet, it does not shy away from subjecting its protagonist, John Wick, to the full brunt of the pain that comes with each injury he endures. Here are 10 injuries sustained by John Wick, listed in ascending order based on their intensity.

10) John Gets Attacked by Iosef’s Gang – John Wick

In the first “John Wick” movie, Baba Yaga’s vengeful quest starts when Iosef (Alfie Allen) and his ruthless gang murder John’s beloved dog. However, John doesn’t emerge from this encounter unharmed. He’s unable to fend off the attackers nor save his dog, as one of them hits him at the back of the head with an aluminum bat, then strikes his arm and kicks and punches him until he surrenders. Though it’s a relatively mild beating compared to typical R-rated action movie violence, it inflicts John with considerable visible pain.

The initial blow to John’s head with an aluminum bat was the most serious injury at that moment. Although it wasn’t a powerful swing like in baseball, it was strong enough to knock John unconscious, as it would anyone who got hit by it. The subsequent strike on his arm might have broken it too, but John’s list of injuries inflicted by Baba Yaga is only growing longer, suggesting he has an extraordinary ability to recover.

9) John Gets Dropped Onto the Dance Floor – John Wick

In the gunfight at the nightclub in the first John Wick film, the character Baba Yaga confronts one of his major adversaries, Kiril who is a henchman of Viggo. Although John had Kirill at a disadvantage initially, Kiril later performs a Fireman’s carry throw and hurls John off the second level of the nightclub onto the dance floor below. The fall is estimated to be around 15-20 feet, and even though John manages to get up after it, the impact is evidently severe.

Falling from that great height would undoubtedly result in severe injuries at the very least, with the breath knocked out and multiple bruises. More often than not, one could expect broken or fractured ribs, and possibly other bone breaks, given such a fall. Even though Baba Yaga is tough, John Wick certainly doesn’t portray the true extent of the damage from such an impact on the human body.

8) John Getting Kicked Through the Glass Cases – John Wick: Chapter 3: Parabellum

In the thrilling final confrontation from John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John faces off against a group of sword-carrying Shinobi warriors, headed by Zero (Mark Dacascos). Despite emerging victorious over both Zero and his team, John undergoes the brutal ordeal of being hurled through numerous glass cabinets multiple times. At one point, he even plummets through a glass floor alongside two of Zero’s accomplices, Yayan Ruhian and Cecep Arif Rahman. Contrary to appearances, this series of events is far more hazardous than it seems to the untrained eye.

The broken glass pieces from smashed glass scatter sharp edges everywhere, causing potential deep lacerations or abrasions if one comes into contact with them. Remarkably, John Wick only sustained minor scratches and cuts, mostly due to the protective plot device known as “plot armor”, and because the shattered movie-glass splinters into countless tiny fragments upon impact. In reality, the character Baba Yaga should consider herself lucky not to have suffered fatal injuries after being thrust through so many glass barriers.

7) John Severing His Ring Finger – John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

At the start of “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum”, John finds himself in a precarious situation, as he’s marked for death by many. He battles his way to meet the Elder (played by Saïd Taghmaoui) from the High Table. In exchange for hearing his plea, the Elder demands that John serves as an assassin under the High Table’s direct command for the remainder of his life. As a further display of loyalty, John must amputate his left ring finger. Recognizing the immense agony this act would cause, he cauterizes the wound before severing it.

In my perspective, the gruesome tradition of self-amputation as a form of personal penance is strikingly evident across various real-world scenarios, particularly linked with the notorious Japanese yakuza. Although John wouldn’t perish from such a finger amputation, I can attest that the agony he endured during the subsequent searing to stem the bleeding ranks among the most excruciating ordeals he has faced within the franchise.

6) John Takes a Knife in His Torso – John Wick

In the climactic battle of John Wick, the character Baba Yaga confronts the enraged Viggo (Michael Nyqvist), seeking retribution for his son Iosef’s demise. John and Viggo engage in a brutal hand-to-hand combat under the pouring rain. When Viggo retrieves a knife, John skillfully disarms him by seizing Viggo’s arm and causing the blade to pierce his own body, thereby breaking Viggo’s arm, taking the knife from him, and ultimately using it to kill Viggo. It’s important to note that John’s unconventional method of knife disarming is definitely not something recommended for one’s health.

John’s expertise as an assassin gives him unique insight into how deeply a person can be stabbed in the torso without causing immediate death. It’s worth noting that many individuals have survived such wounds, which might initially seem life-threatening. However, it’s clear that John is taking a significant risk with his own life by using Viggo’s knife on himself, and it doesn’t take a seasoned professional to understand that getting stabbed in the abdomen is one of John Wick’s most excruciating injuries.

5) John’s Is Tossed From His House as It Explodes – John Wick: Chapter 2

In “John Wick: Chapter 2”, John attempts to evade Santino D’Antonio (played by Riccardo Scamarcio) from being drawn back into action. Yet, due to a debt marked against him by Santino, John finds himself unable to refuse. Eventually, Santino detonates a grenade at John’s home, sending it and John soaring through the air. Remarkably, John escapes unscathed from the destruction of his house – an extraordinary stroke of luck given the close proximity of John to the blast site when the grenade went off.

Given that John was only a few feet from the blast that catapulted him onto his lawn, it’s likely he would have suffered severe burns, possibly second-degree ones. Furthermore, the demolition of his house can also be considered one of John’s most financially distressing injuries. Although he’s wealthy in retirement, Santino’s actions left John homeless, and while he might be able to leverage real estate connections to secure a good deal as the Baba Yaga, it wouldn’t be pleasant returning to the housing market under these unfortunate circumstances.

4) John Gets Kicked Down the Rue Foyatier Staircase – John Wick: Chapter 4

In the climactic battle of “John Wick: Chapter 4”, one of the most thrilling action scenes in the series unfolds as John Wick battles his way to the summit of the Rue Foyatier staircase in Paris, only to be brutally knocked down by the relentless Chidi (played by Marko Zaror). Remarkably, John manages to rise again, with assistance from Donnie Yen’s character, Caine. However, the descent down the stairs is a hard landing for John, and to make matters worse, Chidi rams him into a lamppost to complete his tumble.

While it’s not unheard of for characters like John Wick to survive a fall down a long staircase such as Rue Foyatier, there’s always the concern that he might break his neck during the descent. Moreover, when Chidi throws John into a lamppost, it seems plausible that John collided with the post using his upper back, given how unlikely it would be for him to stay conscious if he hit his head instead.

3) John Getting Hit by One Car After Another – John Wick: Chapter 4

In the action-packed scene of “John Wick: Chapter 4“, the character known as Baba Yaga engages in a fierce battle with Chidi and numerous relentless assassins near the Arc de Triomphe, Paris. Amidst heavy city traffic, John and his adversaries constantly dodge oncoming vehicles only to be hit moments later. Some assailants are propelled into the air after taking hard blows, mirroring the fragility of dolls, which are yet another source of injury that John must overcome in the John Wick series.

It’s certainly reassuring that John has never been run over by any vehicles involved in accidents, which adds to his safety. However, it’s worth noting that the John Wick series requires us to set aside some disbelief, as both John and his surviving enemies from the Arc de Triomphe fight walk away unscathed, with not even a broken bone.

2) John Falling From The Continental – John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

In the prolonged plunge John Wick experiences off Rue Foyatier in John Wick: Chapter 4, his descent in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is much more severe. Following a negotiation with the High Table Adjudicator (Asia Kate Dillon), John’s ally, Winston (Ian McShane), is confronted with the dilemma of how to handle John himself. After a brief pause, Winston decides that “he must be killed,” firing at John repeatedly, propelling him off the Continental’s roof and onto the street below.

It’s astonishingly remarkable that John managed to survive after falling from such a great height. Not just did he plunge onto hard concrete from over 200 feet high, but he also tumbled off an awning and collided with a balcony rail on the adjacent building before landing. It seems as though John’s survival could be one of those rare instances we occasionally hear about in the news where someone survives a fall from a tall building. However, it’s crucial to note that such a feat should never be attempted as a stunt, even at home.

1) John Gets Shot by Caine in Their High Table Duel – John Wick: Chapter 4

In the thrilling finale of “John Wick: Chapter 4”, John Wick and Caine engage in a fateful duel mandated by the High Table. John aims to break free from their control, while Caine yearns to protect his daughter. Their dueling pistols exchange bullets, leading to an unconventional stalemate; Caine emerges victorious over John, yet John manages to slay Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont (Bill Skarsgård), thus winning his liberty. However, it’s left uncertain whether John survives the wounds inflicted by Caine.

The main question since the enigmatic finale of “John Wick: Chapter 4” has been stirring discussion. With Lionsgate expressing optimism about “John Wick: Chapter 5”, and director Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves hinting at more installments, it seems increasingly plausible that the death of Baba Yaga might have been a clever ruse orchestrated by John in collaboration with Caine. The fact that John successfully faked his own death using real gunfire, even from the blind Caine, is an incredible feat, one of the most impressive tricks John Wick has ever executed. Yet, it also implies that John will have to suffer more pain than ever before, assuming Baba Yaga’s return in “John Wick: Chapter 5” will subject her to additional torment.

The John Wick movies are available to stream on Hulu.

2025-01-27 04:10

John Wick’s 10 Most Painful Injuries Ranked: Ouch!