‘John Wick’ Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee
The first ‘John Wick’ moves fast and looks great, which makes a few slipups easy to miss on the first watch. Once you notice them though, they stand out no matter how slick the action is. These are the little continuity blips, prop changes, and logistical oddities tucked inside the mayhem. All examples below come from the first movie only.
Bullet counts that never add up
During the Red Circle sequence John empties magazines from his handgun and rifle for long stretches before a reload shows up on screen. Standard capacities would require noticeably more reloads in that stretch of action. The editing stitches multiple angles together and the running shot count carries across them. The end result is more rounds fired than the on screen reloads can reasonably support.
A Mustang that heals and re breaks
John’s Mustang picks up heavy front end damage during the early encounters and that damage does not stay consistent. Dents and scrapes change size or location when the car appears again after quick cutaways. In one scene the bumper looks caved in and moments later it looks less severe from a different angle. The continuity of the vehicle condition does not track cleanly from shot to shot.
Windows that break then look fine
The home invasion leaves glass everywhere and a shattered window is framed clearly. Later wides in the same area show panes that appear intact or less damaged than before. The cleanup within the scene time does not make sense because there is no gap for repairs. The change comes from mixing takes where reset breakaway glass was not matched.
Blood and bruises that reset between cuts
John collects cuts on his face and blood on his shirt as the night wears on. Close ups show fresh streaks and swelling that soften or relocate in the next angle. When the camera returns, the earlier marks come back again. Makeup continuity drift is the culprit and it is visible once you look for it.
A suppressor that plays hide and seek
In parts of the bathhouse hunt the handgun is shown with a suppressor attached in tight shots. The following wider shots sometimes show the same weapon without the attachment while the action continues. The sequence was shot with multiple setups and the accessory was not matched every time. The swap is quick but you can catch it on a pause.
Shell casings that move on their own
During hallway and club exchanges the floor fills with spent brass in clear patterns. After a cut the casings shift positions or thin out even though no one has cleared the area. Returning to the same patch of floor shows a new scatter that does not match the last angle. The casing continuity resets between takes and the edits expose it.
A phone that changes its look mid conversation
Calls between characters feature close ups of smartphones with distinct lock screens and interface elements. Cutaways within the same call sometimes show a different layout or a different case. The prop swap is likely from using multiple hero and dummy phones for separate angles. The on screen conversation flows but the handset details do not stay uniform.
Rain and water that dry too quickly
Exterior shots around the church and street approach show wet coats and dripping hair. Interior cuts that follow moments later look noticeably drier without time for that to happen. The camera then cuts back outside and everything looks soaked again. The moisture level shifts with the shooting schedule rather than the story timeline.
A dog collar that does not match between shots
Daisy’s collar and tag are visible in several early scenes with clear shape and placement. In close ups from another angle the tag looks different or sits on the opposite side of the buckle. When the camera returns to the wider view the original look is back. Multiple collars or mirrored setups led to a small but noticeable mismatch.
A stash that rearranges itself
When the church vault is opened the arrangement of cash, bonds, and gold sits in neat stacks. After a cut to reactions and a return to the stash the stacks are disturbed in a way that does not reflect the few items removed. The layout shifts again when the camera moves for the next angle. The contents were reset between takes and the continuity does not line up.
Share the slipups you have spotted in the first ‘John Wick’ in the comments so everyone can compare notes.