John Wick changed action movies forever. Here are 10 great examples to watch at home
polygon.comOne of the big releases currently in theaters is the Brad Pitt-led Bullet Train. This adrenaline-fueled slice of cinematic absurdity about a speeding train traveling from Tokyo across Japan that just so happens to contain multiple hitmen battling over a mysterious briefcase is the ticket to catch at the moment for film lovers who value practical stunt work and fight choreography over bombastic CGI spectacle. The man behind Bullet Train is a director well-versed in the art of film action: David Leitch.
While Leitch has helmed high-profile and successful films like Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2, his first directorial effort (shared with Chad Stahelski) is easily the most influential action film of the past decade: John Wick. There’s much to be said about the Wick franchise, from its clandestine world of sharp-dressed assassins to the heroic yet humane character at its center with low-stakes but relatable motivations. But it really changed the action game when it came to how it depicted fight sequences, blending traditional kung fu staging with martial arts that don’t often show up in movies, like the throw-based judo and limb-breaking jiu-jitsu.
On top of that, the series features gunplay choreography that puts an emphasis on dynamic yet tactical level-changing movement, and manages to be clear and easy to understand despite the chaos happening on screen. Leitch and Stahelski’s background as former stunt performers (Stahelski doubled for Keanu Reeves, no less) goes a long way toward that, and plenty of other studios have caught on and started to place former stunt professionals in directing roles (and putting more of an emphasis on stunt performers in front of the camera) in hopes of capturing some of that John Wick
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