I have to
admit, when it comes to action films, I used to be a bit of a sucker. Anytime a
movie came out, if it had a high body count, multiple massive explosions, and a
plethora of bullets, I was definitely down; I mean, I was a fan of Transformers
for crying out loud. As time went on, however, I began to see that these movies
had no substance, and as someone who loved films and dreamed of writing them, I
believed that I had to grow past my inclination to turn my brain off and enjoy
these completely meaningless action flicks. Thus began my indie phase, where I
strived to watch only meaningful movies, mostly ones that the average movie
audience would never have heard of, possibly something by Jim Jarmusch or maybe
Terrence Malick. The action movie was dead to me, and as Hollywood had
seemingly become intent on churning and re-churning out crap such as G.I. Joe,
I saw no reason to return to them.
Now, every
now and then (especially with friends) I would cave and watch something purely
about action, and of course I would act like I hated it, because it has no
substance right? Fast Five is a ridiculous movie, do you really expect me to
believe that two cars can drag a giant safe through a city like that? And
please don’t even get me started on anything from Michael Bay. Of course, some
action movies are just plain bad (the Bay-produced TMNT anyone?) but others
(like the Fast and Furious franchise) were starting to get real acclaim, and I felt
like that went against everything I had held dear as cinephile, a real, quality
cinephile, or so I thought.
Then came a
movie called the Raid. It remains one of the best action movies I’ve ever seen.
What happens in it? One guy kicks entire building’s worth of ass. Not exactly
full of substance; they attempt to add a whole he has a wife and kids thing,
but it’s pretty forgettable. So why does this movie work? Why does the Fast and
Furious franchise work? (I’ll admit, I’m pretty obsessed with Fast and Furious,
always have been even when I tried to resist the urge, now I embrace it).
Let’s move
on to John Wick. Keanu Reeve’s latest flick is another action movie that sets
itself apart from the Michael Bay extravaganza that are most major Hollywood action
films today and along with films like Fast Five, the Raid, Snowpiercer and
others it has taught me to love action again. John Wick’s storyline isn’t
complicated; a mobster’s dumb, spoiled brat of a son steals Wick’s car and
brutally kills his puppy (his puppy damn him, and it was a last gift from his
dead wife) so of course, John Wick (being an ex-hit man, the best one ever, by
the way) decides to kill all of them. What this movie lacks for in substance,
it more than makes up for in style. To focus on the script, plot and dialogue
in a movie like this would be a mistake, that’s not what it’s made for. John
Wick revels in the action and the choreography of that action. Wick looks
extremely impressive when taking out baddies, and that’s mostly what this
briskly-paced film is, John Wick taking out baddies, and you know what, that’s
ok.
Unlike other
Hollywood action films, which weigh the film down with infuriatingly irrelevant
subplots, annoying sidekicks, and underwhelming final showdowns, John Wick and
other movies like it have avoided these stereotypes and just dedicated the
entire runtime to kicking ass. Of course it isn’t realistic (I’m pretty sure
Wick should have been dead at least three separate times) but if it’s done just
right, it’s awfully fun, like the equivalent of a thrill ride at an amusement
park.
That’s what
movies like the Fast and the Furious have done for the action movie genre, they’ve
made it fun again. This franchise know it isn’t realistic in the slightest and
it pushes the bar of realism with glee, just look at the latest trailer where
Dom and the gang drop out of a plane in cars with parachutes, I’m sorry that’s
just plain awesome, it is and there’s nothing wrong with admitting that. Honestly,
some of the stunts they come up with in John Wick are just as creative as a great
line in an indie film (and secretly more entertaining, don’t tell anyone I said
that though).
In the end,
that’s the ultimate conclusion I’ve had, and why I’ve fallen for action films
all over again. Because there’s nothing wrong with simply enjoying a movie for
the ride, and with films like John Wick, it’s all about the ride; so just sit
back and enjoy a movie for two hours, I promise it won’t kill too many brain
cells.
-Ryan Maples
Rating: 8
