Craving a cinematic cocktail of stylish action, stoic heroes and a world of unspoken rules? Look no further than the best movies that echo the pulse-pounding thrill like the John Wick franchise. These movies, often dubbed “gun-fu” because of numerous scenes of gunfighting, offer a unique blend of elegance and brutality, where carefully choreographed fight sequences meet darkly captivating narratives.
At the heart of these films lies the archetype of the retired assassin. Once a legend in the criminal underworld, the protagonist is forced back into their deadly past by a personal tragedy. This leads to a vengeance-filled saga.
Think the character of John Wick, who is haunted by the grief of his wife’s death, or Bryan Mills from Taken, who is seeking justice for his kidnapped daughter. These characters are often defined by a stoic demeanour, masking a deep well of emotion that fuels their unwavering determination.
But the world of these films extends far beyond a simple revenge plot. We delve into a hidden society of assassins, governed by a strict code of conduct and operating within the shadows of the everyday world. Anything from luxurious hotels to the corner street become battlegrounds. This world-building adds a layer of intrigue, inviting the audience to unravel the mysteries of its hierarchy and customs within the secret organisations and the criminal underworld.
The action sequences in these films are a true spectacle. Imagine gunfights that look like ballet performances, where bullets become extensions of the characters’ bodies, and hand-to-hand combat unfolds with breathtaking grace and ferocity. The choreography is precise and impactful, drawing inspiration from martial arts and firearms expertise, creating a visually stunning and exhilarating experience.
But bullets and bloodshed are not everything about these films; there’s a stylistic element that elevates them, often incorporating neon-drenched visuals and a distinct colour palette backed by a carefully curated soundtrack. This combination creates a unique aesthetic that complements the film’s atmosphere and enhances the narrative.
Thus, John Wick and the numerous films that follow a similar theme blend high-octane action with captivating characters and a captivating world for a cinematic experience that can be called the pinnacle of action movies.
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Watch the best action movies like ‘John Wick’, ranked by IMDb
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- The Villainess (2017)
- Hardcore Henry (2015)
- Wrath Of Man (2021)
- The Equalizer (2014)
- Bullet Train (2022)
- La Femme Nikita (1990)
- A History Of Violence (2005)
- Nobody (2021)
- The Raid: Redemption (2011)
- Man On Fire (2004)
- The Man From Nowhere (2010)
- The Killer (1989)
- Taken (2008)
- The Raid 2: Berandal (2014)
- Léon: The Professional (1994)
Directed by: Jung Byung-gil
Cast: Kim Ok-vin, Shin Ha-kyun, Sung Joon
Awards won: One Grand Bell Award; One Blue Dragon Film Award
IMDb rating: 6.6
Synopsis: A female assassin named Sook-hee (Kim) goes on a killing spree seeking revenge for the death of her husband. She is then recruited by the Korean intelligence agency. During the agency’s mission, memories of her past are triggered.
More about the film: The Villainess is one of the rare movies where a female protagonist smashes skulls and cracks the bones of her adversaries. It is noteworthy for an excellent action sequence in the first-person perspective. There is also a particular sequence featuring katana fighting while riding motorcycles. A similar scene was recreated two years later in John Wick Chapter 3.
In an interview with Meagan Navarro of Modern Horrors at the Fantasia, director Jung said, “I would say the very first conception of this film started with the film Nikita by Luc Besson, and in a way, it’s kind of my way of paying homage to his work and for my respect of him, but I guess putting my Korean twist to it.”
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Cast: Sharlto Copley, Danila Kozlovsky, Haley Bennett, Tim Roth
IMDb rating: 6.7
Synopsis: Henry is brought back from the dead and transformed into a cyborg with no memories. When his creator and wife, Estelle (Bennett), is kidnapped by a telekinetic warlord with an army of mercenaries, Henry must use all his skills to rescue her.
More about the film: Though a mind-boggling wild ride, the English-language Russian film, Hardcore Henry, is considered one of the most underrated action cinema pieces in recent years. It is shot completely from a first-person perspective, making it look like a first-person video game. There is almost no dialogue delivered by the protagonist, Henry. The film, however, has action sequences from end to end as well as a great cast.
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Scott Eastwood
IMDb rating: 7.1
Synopsis: Patrick Hill is a new driver for Fortico Security, a cash truck company in Los Angeles. On one of his rounds, he and his fellow guard Haiden “Bullet” Blaire are ambushed by robbers who flee at the sight of Patrick. The incident causes Bullet to start suspecting his co-worker.
More about the film: Loosely based on Nicolas Boukhrief’s French action thriller Cash Truck (2004), Wrath of Man marks Ritchie’s fourth directorial collaboration with Statham and the first since Revolver (2005).
Being a Guy Ritchie movie, it has quite a few dialogue-driven scenes. But the action scenes are perfectly executed through deft camerawork, Statham’s street-fighter style and an underlying mysteriousness in characters.
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Chloë Grace Moretz, Marton Csokas, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo
IMDb rating: 7.2
Synopsis: Robert McCall (Washington) is a former US Marine and intelligence agent who left his past behind for an ordinary life. His mundane existence is disturbed when he meets Teri (Moretz), a teenage girl who is unable to escape the vicious hold of the Russian mafia. Robert must now return to his brutal avatar to rescue Teri.
More about the film: The character played by Denzel Washington, a two-time Oscar winner, is not only an extremely well-trained assassin but also has a deep human side, which is unlike most other characters on this list.
Though it near-perfectly complements John Wick in many ways, The Equalizer interestingly hit the screens just one month before the first film in Keanu Reeves’ box-office-shattering franchise. Some might also find Washington’s film more similar in narrative and execution to Taken, though Fuqua delivers a more emotionally resonant tale.
Directed by: David Leitch
Cast: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bad Bunny, Sandra Bullock
IMDb rating: 7.3
Synopsis: Five assassins – Ladybug (Pitt), The Prince (King), Tangerine (Taylor-Johnson), Lemon (Henry) and The Father (Koji) – board a bullet train in Tokyo to fulfil their respective missions. But most of them are unaware that it is a set-up designed to kill them all.
More about the film: David Leitch was the co-director of the first John Wick film, which is one of the reasons why Bullet Train, based on the 2010 novel Maria Beetle by Kōtarō Isaka, was one of the most anticipated movies of 2022. The other reason was its galaxy of stars led by Brad Pitt.
Its action sequences are very stylish and, in several ways, match that of the John Wick franchise. Through the characters, Leitch also provides bits of comic moments that complement the bloodbath the killers engage in the bullet train.
Directed by: Luc Besson
Cast: Anne Parillaud, Marc Duret, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tchéky Karyo, Jean Reno
IMDb rating: 7.3
Synopsis: Nikita (Parillaud), a convicted felon, is taken in by a shadowy government agency known as ‘Centre’ and trained as an assassin. Now a top spy, Nikita dives headlong into a life of unbridled violence. But an unexpected relationship with Marco (Anglade) complicates things.
More about the film: La Femme Nikita is the first action film by Luc Besson and he created a template which would be followed by others. Fans of action blockbusters believe that the upcoming John Wick spin-off Ballerina could share some similarities with this tale of tragic redemption. Actor Jean Reno played a small role in this film, a ruthless assassin named Victor, who later became the inspiration for Léon: The Professional.
Directed by: David Cronenberg
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, Ed Harris, William Hurt
IMDb rating: 7.4
Synopsis: When he defends his business from robbers, Tom Stall, a polite diner owner, discovers that the violent past he left behind years ago is back to haunt him, his family and his community.
More about the film: A History Of Violence is based on the graphic novel of the same name by John Wagner and Vince Locke. It is widely hailed for the subdued but emotionally driven performance of Viggo Mortensen. It was part of the line-up in the main competition for the 2005 Palme d’Or.
The film is packed with action as well as deftly narrated, dialogue-based dramatic moments between its characters. The protagonist in this story practically shares a lot in common with John Wick — both living away from their dark past till a personal tragedy forces their tormented selves to return.
Directed by: Ilya Naishuller
Cast: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, Aleksey Serebryakov, RZA, Christopher Lloyd
IMDb rating: 7.4
Synopsis: Hutch Mansell, an ordinary office worker, and his family become the target of a Russian crime syndicate following an incident. What the syndicate doesn’t know is that Hutch is a former government assassin with a deadly killing record.
More about the film: Being a David Leitch directorial, Nobody has been most closely compared to both John Wick and A History of Violence. There are ample reasons for this. For instance, the protagonist has a dark past but hides it from his family and society until things blow off. The action is gritty and more realistic, quite like those in John Wick films.
But what makes Nobody particularly noteworthy is the performance of Bob Odenkirk, who, according to several reviewers, isn’t someone anyone visualised as an action star until the release of this film.
Directed by: Gareth Evans
Cast: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian, Ray Sahetapy
IMDb rating: 7.6
Synopsis: Rama (Uwais), a young member of the Indonesian National Police tactical squad, joins his squad to raid an apartment block to arrest crime lord Tama Riyadi (Sahetapy). His squad is ambushed and Rama must fight his way through floors teeming with gangsters to get to Tama.
More about the film: Not only did Indonesian cinema get a major international boost with The Raid: Redemption, but it was also this film which turned Iko Uwais into a global martial arts superstar. Loaded with perfectly executed punches and kicks from the very beginning to the climax scene, The Raid is considered one of the finest examples of action film choreography. The martial arts displayed is primarily the traditional Indonesian martial art pencak silat. The choreography was led by Uwais and Ruhian.
Directed by: Tony Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin, Mickey Rourke.
IMDb rating: 7.7
Synopsis: Alcoholic former CIA operative John Creasy (Washington) becomes the bodyguard of nine-year-old Lupita “Pita” Ramos (Fanning). The little girl changes his outlook on life. Thus, when she is kidnapped in Mexico City, John hunts down her captors with a vengeance.
More about the film: There are some parallels between this movie and Washington’s The Equalizer, at least in the basic plot. However, the protagonists are quite different in their overall approach to life and the manner in which they handle their enemies.
The film is based on the 1980 novel of the same name by A. J. Quinnell. Fanning and Washington would reunite for The Equalizer 3 in 2023.
Directed by: Lee Jeong-beom
Cast: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Hee-won
IMDb rating: 7.7
Synopsis: Cha Tae-sik (Won), a quiet pawnshop owner with a mysterious past, is drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving a drug and organ trafficking ring when a little girl named So-mi (Kim Sae-ron), whom he had befriended, comes under threat.
More about the film: Widely hailed as one of the greatest action films to emerge from South Korea, The Man From Nowhere is a spectacle of violence told like poetry in a neo-noir style. Perhaps, what makes it even more precious to fans is the fact that Won Bin hasn’t appeared in any film or TV show since headlining The Man From Nowhere.
The plot may be similar to several other action films, but it is the execution of the fight scenes which made it a cult classic. Its climax scene featuring a hand-to-hand combat sequence between Won Bin and Thanayong Wongtrakunl is impressive beyond words. Due to its gripping style and tight storytelling, the film has the distinction of being one of the few action thrillers with a perfect 100 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
It was the highest-grossing Korean film in 2010 and had an Indian remake titled Rocky Handsome in 2016.
Directed by: John Woo
Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: On the verge of his retirement, Ah Jong (Chow), a hitman, accidentally causes a singer, Jennie (Yeh), to lose her vision. Ah Jong watches over her for the next few months, ultimately deciding to take up one last job to earn enough money to restore her vision. But standing in his way are scores of other hitmen sent to kill him as well as the upright Detective Li Ying (Lee).
More about the film: Guns, guns and more guns — that’s what has made The Killer one of the greatest action films of all time. Interestingly, it wasn’t a major box office success at the time of its release but is now a cult classic. Quite like John Wick, Chow Yun-fat’s guilt-ridden hitman also uses guns freely and fearlessly. And to top it all, The Killer is also praised for the elegant suits that Chow’s character wore even when his enemies were turning on the heat.
Directed by: Pierre Morel
Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Katie Cassidy, Famke Janssen, Leland Orser, Arben Bajraktaraj
IMDb rating: 7.8
Synopsis: When his teenage daughter Kim (Grace) and her best friend Amanda (Cassidy) are kidnapped by Albanian human traffickers in France, ex-CIA officer Bryan Mills (Neeson) sets out to track them down.
More about the film: The phenomenal success of Taken completely reinvented the then 56-year-old Liam Neeson’s career and established him as a bankable action star. He has since starred in two more Taken instalments besides action films such as Clash of the Titans (2010), The A-Team (2010), Non-Stop (2014), A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014), The Commuter (2018), Men in Black: International (2019), The Marksman (2021) and Retribution (2023).
Directed by: Gareth Evans
Cast: Iko Uwais, Arifin Putra, Oka Antara, Tio Pakusadewo, Alex Abbad, Julie Estelle, Ryuhei Matsuda
IMDb rating: 7.9
Synopsis: Rama (Uwais) goes undercover to nab a large underworld gang in Jakarta and expose the corruption in the police force that emerged in the previous raid on the apartment. In doing so, Rama has to face not only a force of deadly assassins of the Indonesian mob but also killers of a powerful Japanese Yakuza family.
More about the film: Berandal is the direct sequel to The Raid: Retribution and is widely praised for taking the action barometer much higher, quite unlike follow-ups of most action films.
The setting is no longer the apartment building from the first film, but much of Jakarta city. As such, the action choreography takes into account the wider canvas – from streets to prisons and from warehouses to train carriages – for an action so fast-paced and intense that has not been replicated in any industry since. The sequences involving the assassins, Hammer Girl and Baseball Bat Man, are the highlight of this martial arts extravaganza.
Directed by: Luc Besson
Cast: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman
IMDb rating: 8.5
Synopsis: Léon (Reno), a professional hitman reluctantly starts training 12-year-old Mathilda Lando (Portman) after her family is murdered by corrupt DEA agents led by the vicious Norman Stansfield (Oldman). When Mathilda’s life is threatened, Léon takes matters into his own hands.
More about the film: Léon: The Professional stands tall as an epitome of action cinema, with its special focus on the lone assassin theme excellently played by Reno. It shares several similarities with the John Wick saga, such as a deep personal motivation for vengeance and loads of gunfights.
The English-language French film also marks the debut of Natalie Portman.
(Hero and Featured images: © 2014 – Lionsgate’s/IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Which is the best action movie like John Wick?
There are several action movies as good as John Wick. These include The Raid, Taken and The Man from Nowhere.
– Which is the best movie like John Wick available to watch on Netflix?
The Equalizer is the best movie like John Wick that is available on Netflix.
