The Matrix, another of the most talked about action series of the last thirty years, served as a model for John Wick as a film and trilogy. They both star Keanu Reeves, and they both acquire an underground rock/metal club ambiance that they relinquish in favour of the East Asian influence woven into their picture. Although The Matrix allegedly became weaker with each sequel, John Wick continues to shock and thrill with its wickedly timed and devilishly brutal action set-pieces, as well as its world-building. Starz is producing a miniseries named The Continental about the Continental hotel and Winston—who is depicted in the film by Ian McShane—because the hidden society of assassins and criminals is so rich and full of possibilities.
The popularity of John Wick, like that of many other action films, was based on word of mouth. The current mythology of Baba Yaga expanded as news spread. Seven years and three films later, fans await the next two announced parts in the tale with bated breath. Yet the wait does not have to be agonising. Lots other action films have achieved the same level of grandeur in terms of badass stunt work and fight choreography, but they lack the same marketing or star power to capture the attention of mainstream viewers. Check out some of the films below to satisfy your John Wick cravings before John Wick 4 arrives in 2023.
The Raid 2
The Raid 2, dubbed “the best action movie ever,” is a high-octane sequel that vastly outperforms its predecessor in terms of quality and money. The same ensemble from The Night Comes for Us completely demonstrates their combat and stunt talents, which undoubtedly paved the road for these future productions. With this in mind, this film has been hailed as their greatest to yet. There are plenty of action sequences and interesting side characters, but in the end, there’s only one guy who takes on a small army of adversaries on his alone.
Atomic Blonde
Atomic Blonde is a rockingly vintage, badass film about international espionage and double spies that defines Charlize Theron as the awesome leading lady she is. Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is a British agent who must traverse the chaotic metropolis on the year the Berlin Wall down. As one might expect, it’s difficult to determine who to trust during the Cold War, leading in several storyline twists and turns. The inclusion of James McAvoy as Theron’s antithesis is also a fantastic choice, as their clear on-screen chemistry will only help this unique film’s watchability.
The Man From Nowhere (2010)
The Man From Nowhere (also known as This Man) is a lovely fusion of components that organically balance each other out. It’s a genre-mixing picture that kicks ass and may bring a tear to your eye. Despite some cheesy editing and soundtrack choices, the narrative, actors, and action are all extremely good. The characters are entertaining and well-written, adding a humorous element at times. It doesn’t have as much action as John Wick, but the revenge-based narrative easily makes the wait worthwhile. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 100%, it’s difficult to miss this film’s excellent attributes.
Street Kings (2008)
Outside the John Wick trilogy, Keanu Reeves has been in a variety of action thriller films, some of which place an equal focus on martial arts, but one of the most similar characters to John Wick that Reeves has portrayed is corrupt officer Tom Ludlow in Street Kings. Ludlow and Wick are both seasoned murderers with a penchant for muscle cars who are plagued by their numerous sins and work out their grief over the loss of their spouses by uncompromising acts of cruelty. Nonetheless, Ludlow still believes in doing the right thing, which makes his discovery of a vast conspiracy inside the LAPD a compelling mystery.
Deliver Us From Evil (2020)
Not to be confused with the 2014 horror film of the same name, Deliver Us from Evil is a South Korean action thriller starring Hwang Jung-min as a stony assassin who is dragged back into his former life after learning that his old flame was murdered by human traffickers and the daughter he never knew he had been kidnapped by them as well. The main character is also persistently chased by a renowned ruthless yakuza killer, portrayed by Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae, every step of the way, so John Wick fans will never be short on stakes in the action as the suspense is always nail-biting.
The Equalizer
The Equalizer is an action thriller based on the iconic 1980s TV series of the same name. Denzel Washington appears as Robert McCall, a quiet man living a lonely existence in Boston before attempting to aid a little girl in the grasp of the local Russian mob. The subsequent fight pits him against a wicked enforcer, but, like John Wick, McCall is revealed to be a highly-trained assassin with a creative edge who isn’t afraid to nurse a grudge. In films like Taken, Liam Neeson established surprise action movie turns from older dramatic actors, but Washington improves on their cliches with a more emotionally meaningful performance.
Kate (2021)
The first film on our list is produced by the media conglomerate Netflix. Kate, a professional assassin, works for curator Varrick, who has reared her since she was a toddler. A female in Osaka agrees to assassinate an unknown target, but quickly finds that the client wants her to kill a teenage girl named Ani.
Kate refuses to finish the project and travels to Tokyo to prepare for another assignment that will boost her reputation. Kate meets an attractive man in a pub before an important occasion, but the next day she faints while performing a task. As the killer awakens in the hospital, she discovers that she has been poisoned and has only 24 hours to live. Kate sets out to discover who and why chose to get rid of her.
Deadpool 2
Let’s get started with David Leitch’s filmography. Deadpool profited greatly from the realistic combat choreography. Wade Wilson fought an incurable condition as well as the villain Ajax, who exploited people’s pessimism by changing them and selling them into slavery. Instead, he bestowed abilities. They assisted Wade in winning and reuniting with his lover in a new image and under a new moniker – Deadpool. But now he faces new problems and terrible conflicts. After all, a superhero’s life cannot be easy and dull.
Wrath of Man (2021)
Our list is completed by Guy Ritchie’s newest picture, which stars Jason Statham, a jack of all trades. This is the only film on our list that does not borrow the style of fighting sequences or complicated combat choreography from John Wick, but left too comparable sentiments after seeing it. Hill, a quiet and resolute English gentleman, is preoccupied with establishing justice. It is critical that he identify the clients and culprits of a string of robberies. No matter how hard they attempt to conceal, the perpetrators will feel Hill’s anger and his power to exact retribution.
We hope you discovered something fascinating for yourself and that you have a good time.
Conclusion
We’ve arrived! These are some of the finest action films, such as John Wick. Action movie lovers adore the series because it nails the spirit of a dark action thriller while still being aesthetically attractive. All of the films named above are among the best in the action genre, rivalling the calibre and class of the towering John Wick trilogy. Watch them to relive the excitement of John Wick.
