Scene Analysis #18: Baba Yaga-John Wick (2014)

Scene Rating Scale:

9/9: Flawless! Outstanding scene!
8/9: Great scene! Totally Rewatchable!
7/9: Pretty good. Not as perfect as I expected though.
6/9: Decent. Doesn’t ruin the movie/episode.
5/9: Mid.
4/9: Pretty bad. One of the weakest scenes of the movie/episode.
3/9: You hear that? It’s the wind of lameness.
2/9: One of the worst scenes of the film/episode.
1/9: Horrible, unwatchable, and unacceptable.

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Good evening, my handsome and beautiful jesters! Your beloved friend and Uncle J is here with another scene analysis for tonight! It is time to review one of the most badass exposition scenes in cinema history! Ever since I first watched this movie, I was fascinated by its cinematography, acting, writing, and storyline. This scene in particular was quite interesting and unique to see. How so? Let’s take a closer look!

In this scene, Viggo’s son previously stole John Wick’s car and killed his dog. Once he bragged about it to Aurelio, he gets rightfully punched in the face. Viggo calls Aurelio and demands why he punched his son; once the latter honestly informs him the reason, Viggio figuratively shits his pants and strikes his son for it. From there, we get more information about who John Wick is and how dangerously powerful he is.

Now, usually in a lot of fictional movies and TV shows, the heroes monologue about the villains and how dangerous they are. But in this scene, the villain expositions about the protagonist. Quite the role reversal, isn’t it? Viggo reveals how much he both fears and respects John; when he learns why his son was struck, he only says, “Oh..” That one line says so much about his thoughts, his knowledge of John’s capabilities, his history with him, and what he WILL do.

Also, notice when Viggo describes John’s personality—a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will—John slams the hammer on the concrete to emphasize the brutal truth of each word. The way the camera made those transitions between scenes is flawless.

It’s even intense to see John angrily unbury all his weapons beneath the concrete. He’s basically digging into his past life—bringing the Boogyman back from the grave and become the Grim Reaper to exact vengeance on those responsible for his misfortune.

Imagine being Iosef and being such a spoiled, stupid punk and not know anything about John Wick…yeah, he became dead the moment he messed with the wrong guy. It makes me wonder why Viggo never told him about John or their history together.

The acting is immaculate…and I cannot emphasize that enough. Viggo says all this as if this will be the last time he will ever talk to his dead son—telling him how much he fucked up and that John will come for him. Again, it frighteningly reveals the level of fear he has for John—coming not only for his son but also for him and everything he owns.

At the end, Viggo gives John a phone call and tries to reason with him, but the latter gives him a bone-chilling silent treatment. We all know that words can kill, but so can silence. It is the most threatening, scary thing to do—being silent in the most intimidating manner without even trying. That’s how pissed John was. Everything about this revelation of John’s character is well-written.

I give this a strong 9/9! Great acting, solid writing, and wonderful cinematography. The rest of the movie wouldn’t feel substantial if this scene didn’t exist. It just highlights that even certain protagonists can be more terrifying than the villains in any fictional story, depending on the circumstances. Quite epic, honestly.

RIP Michael Nyqvist.