When John Wick was released in 2014, the major opponent wasn't the Russian mob boss so much as the ever-expanding Marvel machine that had already overrun the world. John Wick, on the other hand, conveyed a rather dramatic story in its own unique style without trying to keep the viewer entertained for the entire running duration.
David Leitch and Chad Stahelski, the film's major stuntmen and directors of the action sequences in the renowned The Matrix, did an excellent job of staging fights that fit in well with the narrative. Each battle has an authentic sense of difficulty.
Although John Wick becomes more of a superhero in the sequels, the path he took piqued the imagination of audiences, and today we'll look at a dozen films that were influenced by John Wick.
10. Atomic Blonde
The closest thing to John Wick sans Keanu is Atomic Blonde. It's no surprise that it can compete with the Baba Yaga, given that it was directed by one-half of the team responsible for bringing John Wick to life. In her role as British Royal Intelligence agent Lorraine Broughton stationed in Berlin during the conclusion of the Cold War, Charlize Theron is more fierce than ever.
This racy action-spy film avoids becoming too grim thanks to its stylization of the era and location with bright colors and '80s remixes. With her use of both force and seduction, Agent Broughton proves to be as resourceful as she is clever. The apartment set piece is a particular showcase of Broughton's sheer brilliance, but all of the fights and shootouts are top-notch.
9. The Raid 2
The Raid 2 is the high-octane sequel that vastly outdid its predecessor in terms of quality and budget, earning praise from critics and audiences alike. Starring many of the same actors as The Night Comes for Us, this film is a showcase for the fighting and stunt work that no doubt opened doors for these actors in future films.
It's worth noting that this is already being hailed as their best film to date. Very much like John Wick, there are exciting action sequences and interesting supporting characters, but in the end it's simply one man who faces off against a horde of enemies.
8. Day Shift
Like John Wick, the writers of this terrible Jamie Foxx action-horror-comedy seem to get a kick out of creating alternate realities, in this case imagining a world in which bloodsuckers wreak havoc across the San Fernando Valley, necessitating the formation of a secret organization of vampire-hunters whose mission is to exterminate the species.
With the standard fare of over-the-top action sequences and a flippant sense of humor that says we shouldn't take any of this too seriously, Day Shift, produced by Chad Stahelski and scored by regular collaborator, composer Tyler Bates, is a typical junky Netflix offering. Director J.J. Perry delivers a very basic genre flick, despite a few enjoyable buddy-cop moments involving Foxx and his goofy colleague Dave Franco.
7. The Man from Nowhere
The groundbreaking action thriller directed by Lee Jeong-boom was a smashing success in its home country of South Korea and has since spread throughout the world thanks to positive word of mouth. The film follows the typical mystery loner as he comes into contact with a group of criminals, only for him to show himself as an unstoppable killing machine with a problematic past, as is the case in many of the best flicks like John Wick.
The Man from Nowhere is a must-see for any lover of the towering John Wick character because of the film's gleeful building of a legendary action hero badass and main actor Won Bin's unflinching portrayal of the role.
6. Equilibrium
An old-school dystopian novel set in a society that forbids any feelings. Officer Preston rebels against the system. This isn't a hard story to follow. It's guaranteed to make you think about the world in new ways. Preston is moved to defend his right to feel and the right of others to do the same. It's propelled by several thrilling action set pieces.
5. Polar
Duncan Vizla, also known as The Black Kaiser, retires after being the best assassin in the world, but his former employer soon realizes he is a liability and forces him out of retirement. He has to fight for his life against a horde of younger, faster, more merciless killers who will not back down. He, like John Wick, is forced out of retirement for a fight against his will and must do so if he wants to keep from dying.
4. Blade
The blade is one of the earliest and finest adaptations of a Marvel comic book, and it is highly recommended for fans of the action genre. The discussions of R-rated comic book films and comic book movies, in general, tend to overshadow this adaption from 1998. Wesley Snipes was fantastic in the part of the resolute vampire hunter.
The grumpy old coach Whistler, played by Kris Kristofferson, is priceless. He and Karen, another human who is exposed to the vampire underworld, are responsible for giving the film its humanity. Blade has a high body count and a lot of gore, so if those things are must-haves for entertainment, it should be fine.
3. Hardcore Henry
One of the things that made viewers fall in love with Hardcore Henry was the intense, over-the-top violence. No warning is necessary because the Bond-like prologue has enough bloodshed to scare away any hesitant viewers. This film is unusual in that it manages to make you care about a character who has no face and no voice thanks to its use of the first-person perspective throughout.
The film's strong humorous self-awareness is highlighted by its recognition of its own ridiculousness, as evidenced by the emergence of Sharlto Copley clones. Hardcore Henry has everything you could want in terms of over-the-top action, with the added bonus of becoming ever more bizarre as it progresses to its twisted conclusion.
2. Deliver Us from Evil
South Korean action drama Deliver Us from Evil stars Hwang Jung-min as a hardened assassin who is forced to revisit his past when he discovers that his former flame was murdered by human traffickers and that the daughter he never knew he had has also been kidnapped. Fans of John Wick won't be disappointed by the level of stakes presented here, as the protagonist is constantly followed at all times by a ruthless yakuza assassin (played by Lee Jung-Jae of Squid Game).
1. Payback
Payback was the first film directed by Academy Award–winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland, and it was based on Donald E. Westlake's novel The Hunter, which had previously been adapted into the 1967 cult crime film Point Blank.
In the much grimmer director's cut of Payback, the main character goes to war with a powerful criminal organization over the relatively meager sum of $70,000 stolen by a traitorous former partner, and fans of the odd but strictly observed principles that motivate John Wick and his associates will find him equally fascinating.
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