The John Wick series may seem like a neo-noir action franchise, but at its core, the Keanu Reeves movies are secretly part of the Western genre.

Although the John Wick franchise may seem like a neo-noir action saga, John Wick is secretly a Western movie in these 10 ways. Westerns have been one of the most popular movie genres for decades now, with many Western movies sharing common tropes when it comes to storytelling, esthetics, dialogue, and more. Although the John Wick movies may not see Keanu Reeves’ titular character wearing a cowboy hat or being a sheriff, the series has a surprising amount of similarities with some of the most popular Western movies.

The John Wick series is one of the most popular action franchises of the past decade, with the Keanu Reeves movies being immensely popular since the first film was released in 2014. Each film sees John Wick, a retired but deadly hitman, attempting to take down a powerful figure as all kinds of other 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ers go after Wick himself. The John Wick movies are known for their choreography, creative 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s, and spectacular neon lighting, with the connection between John Wick and Westerns not being immediately apparent. However, upon closer inspection, John Wick actually has 10 major things reflective of the genre.

8 Clues John Wick Really Is Dead After Chapter 4’s Ending10John Wick Is A Determined Hero

John Wick is the protagonist of the franchise, and like many Western heroes, Wick is incredibly determined. No matter what challenges he may face, whether it be taking down the mob in order to avenge his dog or it be climbing a massive staircase filled with assassins, Wick will never back down from what he wants. This is a character trait reflective of many of the most popular Western heroes, with characters of beloved actors like John Wayne and James Stewart doing whatever it takes to accomplish their goals.

9John Wick Has A Love For Animals

One of John Wick’s defining traits is his love for animals, something he has in common with many of the most popular Western characters. The entire John Wick saga is incited by the death of John Wick’s puppy, with nearly everything he does throughout the four films being a product of this murder. However, Wick also shows love for horses in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, the animal more commonly associated with Western protagonists. Whether it be Roy Rogers’ trusty steed Trigger or The Lone Ranger’s iconic horse Silver, loyalty to animals is a defining trait of Western heroes.

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8John Wick Is A Protagonist Of Few Words

Although there are some Western protagonists that are known for being blabbermouths, such as Dr. Jesse W. Heywood in The Shakiest Gun in the West, Western protagonists are often portrayed as the strong and silent types. Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name is the most popular example of this trope, with the quiet and mysterious cowboy not being known for quippy dialogue. John Wick also falls under this banner, as Keanu Reeves’ titular character tends to stay pretty quiet throughout the franchise, with the surrounding characters doing most of Wick’s talking for him.

7The Landscape Of John Wick Is Incredibly Violent

The landscape of John Wick is incredibly gritty and violent, with characters rarely ever hesitating to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 someone. Violence is second nature in the world of John Wick, something that is questioned no more than breathing. Western movies also create worlds of violence and hardships, with characters rarely making it out of their stories unscathed. Films like Django Unchained and Bone Tomahawk exemplify this, and while the John Wick franchise may not take place in the Old West, it outdoes almost any Western when it comes to violence.

6John Wick Is Motivated By Revenge

Throughout the John Wick franchise, Wick is almost solely motivated by revenge. At first Wick just wants to take down the 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ers of his dog, but this soon escalates to him wanting to dismantle the world of assassins by 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ing the members of the High Table. Revenge is a common motivator in many western movies, with films like The Revenant and True Grit following protagonists who will do anything to get vengeance on those who wronged them. However, like some other Western heroes, John Wick is taken down before fully accomplishing his goal.

5Every Character Is Morally Gray

Western movies rarely portray their characters as either morally right or morally wrong, with many Western heroes and villains operating in the grays. Films like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and The Searchers have heroes that viewers root for, but nobody would want to be friends with them, as they are often violent, inappropriate, bigoted, and just generally awful people. John Wick is also a character who is morally ambiguous, as although he is getting revenge, the amount of deaths that come at his hand are almost certainly unnecessary, with him being one of the deadliest people in the John Wick universe.

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4Each Movie Has A New One-Off Villain

Western movies, especially those that take place within a franchise, rarely have overarching villains. Villains are often taken care of at the end of each film, with sequels tending to bring in a new foe for the hero to face. John Wick pulls off this same trick, as each film has a new main antagonist. Viggo Tarasov is the villain in John Wick, Santino D’Antonio is the villain in John Wick: Chapter 2, The Adjudicator is the villain in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, and Marquis Vincent Bisset de Gramont is the villain in John Wick: Chapter 4.

3John Wick Can’t Trust Anyone

Throughout the John Wick franchise, it becomes clear that John Wick can’t trust anyone. John Wick has had friends become enemies, with Winston shooting him in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, while he has also had enemies become friends, such as Caine in John Wick: Chapter 4. Untrustworthy friends and later betrayals are a common trope in westerns, with plenty of films having twists in which former allies become enemies.

2The John Wick Movies Rely On Practical Effects

Unlike most other movie genres, Westerns rarely rely on CGI, with practical effects being one of the staples of the genre. Westerns often use real horses, use squibs for gunshots, and actually put their actors in danger when performing some stunts. John Wick also uses minimal CGI, with it only being employed when the safety of actors is at risk. Otherwise, the characters on screen are actually fighting, the stunts are really being done, and even the animals are real.

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1It All Ends In A Standoff

Standoff shootouts are one of the most common ways to end a Western movie, with the tense moments leading up to guns being drawn being some of the most exciting moments in many films. Movies like Shane, The Mercenary, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly feature iconic standoffs in which characters stare each other down before taking one final shot. The story of Keanu Reeves’ John Wick also ends in a standoff, with Wick and Caine’s shootout in John Wick: Chapter 4 proving that John Wick is truly a secret Western franchise.