John Wick, Taken, The Equalizer. Too many to name. Saw a preview for The Amateur (2025) which is another one coming out soon. It seems like that’s the ONLY justification for killing they can come up with.

Like this is the logic here: “Okay we need an action movie with lots of henchmen to kill, what evil thing can that bad guy have done in the 1st act so our hero is justified in killing tons of henchmen?” So the bad guy does some overtly evil thing at the start of the movie (often unrealistically evil). Then killing people is the rest of the movie. Revenge happens. The end.

I enjoy action movies, but I keep seeing the same revenge-killing movies that feel like copies of each other.

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.mlEnglish
    702·
    3 days ago

    I get what you are complaining about, but hear me out. John Wick (1) has the best plot premise of any action film ever made. It is a premise that transcends all barriers. Man loses the love of his life. Crew defiles his home, kill his wifes parting gift, which happens to be the most adorable puppy ever, and steal his pride and joy that also happens to be his last remaining healthy way to channel his anger and aggression. By the time he wakes up from the beat down, everyone in the movie theatre, regardless of gender, political beliefs, and to some extent religious beliefs, is on board with John murdering everyone. If they don’t agree, they at least understand and withhold their protests.

    It is so perfect that it is likely the genesis of the explosion in popularity.

    EDIT: I am expecting a rise in The Punisher style movies, thanks to the positive reception to the UHC CEO murder.

    • madcaesar@lemmy.worldEnglish
      10·
      2 days ago

      Seeing this movie for the first time was awesome.

      I love dogs. Once they killed that dog I was on board for whatever was coming

      Also the bad guy was the dipshit from Game of Thrones so that made it even better!

      • Hugin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        4·
        2 days ago

        There is a writing trope called save the cat kill the dog. If you want the audience to like a character have them save a cat in the beginning of the movie. If you want them to hate a character have them kill a dog.

        It works amazingly well.

    • Zahille7@lemmy.worldEnglish
      21·
      3 days ago

      Plus the best exchange in the entire movie:

      “Sir, he killed John Wick’s dog and stole his car.”

      “… Oh. Okay.”

      Hangs up

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      2 days ago

      John Wick (1) has the best plot premise of any action film ever made.

      Move over Predator. A meth addict killed my dog.