Movies

John Wick Experience

When in Vegas, check into the Continental for an immersive experience steeped in the world of John Wick.

Area 15

Not far off the strip, across I-15 and a smidge northwest of the Treasure Island area (or slightly southwest of Resorts World) is Area 15. Cheekily, the signage tells you Area 15 doesn’t exist.

But this "nonexistent" area is starting to flourish. Home to Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, it’s branching out. There’s the Illuminarium, which currently features Rolling Stone Presents: Amplified, an immersive history of rock ‘n’ roll and later this summer Universal is set to open an immersive experience based on its classic horror movie characters.

And then there’s the recently opened John Wick Experience.

Sure, it’s an escape room of sorts. I can’t say I’m a fan of escape rooms and the term here seems a little too demeaning for my taste, considering what this experience actually offers. It recreates many of the elements seen in the John Wick movies and if you’re a fan of those (superb) movies, it’s quite a treat.

Picture this (mentally, since it’s against High Table rules to take photos during the John Wick Experience, an action which could result in excommunication – and if you don’t get that reference, there are four movies you need to watch): the John Wick Experience features a pretty large cast who recreate various elements of staying at The Continental, the prestige hotel chain catering to those of a certain profession.

There’s the reception desk. Very serious. Get your mug shot taken, and sign some heavy-duty waivers (either online or on-site).

Then relax with a beverage in the lounge area. Enjoy some thematic paintings and photographs. (it’d be nice if there were some Wick easter eggs in there).

Number Two With a Bullet

Based on your reservation time, you’ll get a text telling you your room is ready. Hop in the elevator with the bellhop, who’ll dutifully remind of Continental’s number one rule: no business will be conducted on Continental grounds. And now photographs within the hallways and rooms, either. Lots of confidentiality in people, places and things to be considered.

What follows is a series of rooms that capture the essence of all things Wick. Some of the narrative is a little disjointed, but that’s okay. It works. A mood is set.

Things begin with something of a misunderstanding. You’re in the accounting room, where tattooed secretaries (yeah, we’re talkin’ secretaries) feed notices into pneumatic tubes and a leader board tracks bounties.

Up at the top, in the number one spot, Wick, J. with a substantial $40 million bounty.

Then... Huh? Next is Anderson, M. with a $1.5 million dollar price tag.

Gotta admit, that made my day. Oh, if only I had a photo. But I do have a text.

The next on the list was less than $1 million, but still pricey.

So things are heating up quickly. All 12 members of the group are on the board. We’re wanted. And we need help to get out of the Continental – and not by way of a body bag.

Meet the Manager and the Tailor

We’re ushered into the manager’s room. He’s the Continental Las Vegas’ equivalent to Winston. He’s sporting a cowboy hat and he’s darn serious. He’s rather astonished by my bounty. For spoiler safety, I’ll gloss over the exposition.

But, as I leave that room, I tell the manager I like my odds.

Next, we’re in a room loaded with Wick aracana. (The accounting room was as well.) It’s time to put the pieces together and solve a couple puzzles that’ll get us on our way to safety. It’s a good team-building exercise. Can’t really say more, though.

Then we’re in a gaming room. Some cards, some trickery with dice.

Then we’re introduced to the tailor.

Phew. Good stuff here. Gotta respect the sanctity of the experience, though. So, I’ll just say I evaluated a couple outfits, one I could make work if it was made with Kevlar. It’s a comment the female tailor seemed almost offended by. EVERYTHING is made with Kevlar, she admonished me. A second outfit seemed a little too ostentatious for my taste, but but that was just a setup for what the tailor really had in mind to "blend in" in Vegas so we won’t be so easily spotted by those who wish to hunt us down for a quick, big payout.

I seemed to be a popular target. I was offered another outfit. I’ll just leave it alone with this: CFMP. I wanted to go into a riff on CFMP’ing the hell out of the heels and bedazzling the "F" into the rest, but. Well. I behaved and merely commented on the heels.

Oh. Yeah. I was also scoffed at when I misidentified "dessert." Silly mistake on my part.

Armory and Target Practice

Then we’re ushered into the armory. Guns. Knives. A laser-secured exit.

Then there’s a target range.

This is one element I think could use some improvement. I won’t go into too many details, but the guns are clunky and there isn’t enough consequence to this section.

Anyway, we’re on the run. Time to hide from soldiers with redlight rifles, fully decked out in black, faces covered. Menacing.

While others find places to hide, I’m told to blend into situation, throw on a coat and handle a shopping cart full of discarded jackets. Put my hands up, of course, upon, well, upon the second request.

It’s all good. It’s a "great escape."

Be a Part of the Cast

The John Wick Experience is a really great idea, an ambitious escape room concept built around the world of John Wick.

But, as is typical of this type of attraction, I have a hunch the more the players are "into" the Wick movies, the better the experience. The cast seems to be well-versed in the world of Wick and my comments certainly seemed to lead them down certain paths while the more casual players got less in return. Or that could all just be a figment of my imagination.

I dig John Wick. In many respects, we’re kindred spirits, so I felt quite at home. And, much like that $1.5 million price tag, when all was said and done, I was actually congratulated by one of the cast. He shook my hand and told me I fit right in.

It makes sense he’d say that. I’m sure every one in the group is watched at all times, particularly if there are any issues getting things solved. I can imagine how a group failing to put it all together might be briskly assisted by one of the accountants. That could actually be a fun way to go through a second round.

Again, this experience did my heart a lot of good. Rough year. Good to know I fit in somewhere.

And it was an opportunity for me to use the term CFMP, which is resurgent in my vocabulary after breaking it out for the first time in ages after seeing Mariah Carey at Dolby Live on the Strip back in February.

I think of some lines I should’ve said. Comments that would’ve added more zing. It’s more fun to frame it as that kind of experience: participatory, but be participatory within that world. Know it and be rewarded seems to be the aim, so to speak.

But, as I commented the target practice gallery could use a little something, there’s also a desire to not be so time constrained. There are so many props and details in some of the rooms, it’d be great to simply hang out and soak it in. Those bounty hunters looking for me be damned! I want to look at those dossiers, dig through the filing cabinets. Talk shop with the (hot) tailor.

Stuff like that.

As there was the lounge at the entrance, there’s a bar at the end. It has some interesting decorations, but it’d be nice to see it kicked up a notch with more in-world details.

And, of course, you’ll exit through the gift shop.

In the center of the shop is a table full of Wick wares for sale, and in the center of that table is glass case with some nice, genuine props from the movies. (Those are not for sale, of course.)

Naturally, I picked up a few things. Mementos of a fun, whirlwind trip through the world of Wick.

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