Ranking The 10 Closest John Wick Imitators

Omar Yusuf

7 min read

Post on May 12, 2025

4.5

Share

Action Choreography: The Gun-Fu Factor

John Wick's distinctive gun-fu style, a seamless blend of gunplay and martial arts, sets it apart from other action films. It's not just about the number of bullets fired; it's about the precision, the choreography, and the creative use of the environment. Let's see how our top 10 imitators measure up:

• Film 1: Nobody (2021): Excellent gun-fu, showcasing innovative use of everyday objects as weapons. The fight choreography is brutal and realistic, mirroring John Wick's commitment to practical effects.
• Film 2: Atomic Blonde (2017): Good gun-fu, featuring stylish fight sequences, but it lacks the fluidity and balletic grace often seen in John Wick. The pacing is faster, prioritizing intensity over precision.
• Film 3: Bullet Train (2022): While visually impressive, Bullet Train relies too heavily on CGI-enhanced action, resulting in less impactful and believable fight sequences compared to John Wick's practical approach.
• Film 4: The Night Comes for Us (2018): Offers a relentless display of brutal Indonesian martial arts, but lacks the elegant gunplay that defines John Wick.
• Film 5: Kate (2021): This Netflix original delivers some impressive action sequences, particularly in its use of close-quarters combat, but the choreography feels less refined than John Wick's signature style.
• Film 6: Gunpowder Milkshake (2021): Features stylized action with a female-led cast, but the gunplay isn't as intricately choreographed or impactful as in John Wick.
• Film 7: Haywire (2011): A precursor to the modern gun-fu style, Haywire demonstrates impressive fight choreography, but it precedes the John Wick era and doesn't quite reach its level of sophistication.
• Film 8: The Raid: Redemption (2011): Known for its intense, close-quarters combat, The Raid offers visceral action but lacks the gun-fu element central to John Wick.
• Film 9: Extraction (2020): Features impressive long takes and a gritty aesthetic, but the action is more visceral and less stylized than John Wick's signature style.
• Film 10: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010): While not strictly a gun-fu film, its acrobatic fight sequences showcase a similar level of athleticism and precision.

World-Building and Atmosphere: Creating a Believable Underworld

John Wick's meticulously crafted underworld is integral to its success. The film establishes a complex network of assassins, rules, and consequences, creating a believable and immersive environment. Let's examine how the imitators fare:

• Film 1: Nobody: Strong world-building, establishing a believable, if somewhat smaller-scale, criminal underworld with clear rules and consequences.
• Film 2: Atomic Blonde: The Cold War setting provides a unique backdrop, but the underworld itself feels underdeveloped, lacking the intricate details and nuances of John Wick's world.
• Film 3: Bullet Train: Intriguing premise within a contained setting (a bullet train), but the world-building feels somewhat shallow, focusing more on the individual characters and their interactions.
• Film 4: The Night Comes for Us: Offers a richly detailed underworld of Indonesian gangs, but it's distinct from the Continental Hotel and assassin culture of John Wick.
• Film 5: Kate: The film's underworld setting is relatively straightforward and less expansive than the intricately detailed world of John Wick.
• Film 6: Gunpowder Milkshake: Presents a female-centric criminal underworld, but it lacks the depth and interconnectedness of John Wick's world.
• Film 7: Haywire: The world is less of a focus, concentrating more on the protagonist's personal journey.
• Film 8: The Raid: Redemption: The world is primarily defined by a single high-rise building and its inhabitants.
• Film 9: Extraction: The film's setting is primarily the streets of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and the underworld feels more grounded in reality than the stylized world of John Wick.
• Film 10: Prince of Persia: The fictional world is richly detailed, but it's fantasy-based and distinct from the realistic, modern setting of John Wick.

Character Depth and Motivation: Beyond the Gunplay

John Wick's success isn't solely due to its action; its well-developed characters and their relatable motivations are equally crucial.

• Film 1: Nobody: Features a compelling protagonist with relatable motivations, making him a believable and sympathetic character.
• Film 2: Atomic Blonde: The protagonist is strong and capable, but her motivations are less deeply explored than in John Wick.
• Film 3: Bullet Train: The multiple characters are interesting, but their individual backstories and motivations remain underdeveloped.
• Film 4: The Night Comes for Us: The characters are well-defined within the context of the film's plot, but lack the same depth as John Wick's characters.
• Film 5: Kate: Features a strong female protagonist with a clear objective, but her motivations are relatively straightforward.
• Film 6: Gunpowder Milkshake: The film's ensemble cast is engaging, but the individual characters aren't as deeply developed as John Wick's central protagonist.
• Film 7: Haywire: The protagonist is well-defined, but the film doesn't explore her motivations in the same depth as John Wick.
• Film 8: The Raid: Redemption: Characters are clearly defined by their roles within the gang, but lack the emotional depth of John Wick.
• Film 9: Extraction: The main character is morally gray and complex, but the film's focus on action limits the exploration of his internal conflicts.
• Film 10: Prince of Persia: Characters are typical of a fantasy adventure, not as complex as John Wick's more grounded characters.

Thematic Resonance: Exploring the Core Themes

John Wick explores themes of grief, revenge, loyalty, and the consequences of violence.

• Film 1: Nobody: Effectively explores themes of revenge and family, resonating with the audience on an emotional level.
• Film 2: Atomic Blonde: The themes of espionage and survival are present, but not explored with the same depth and nuance as in John Wick.
• Film 3: Bullet Train: The film's themes are less prominent, focusing more on the action and comedic elements.
• Film 4: The Night Comes for Us: Explores themes of loyalty and betrayal within the context of Indonesian gang warfare.
• Film 5: Kate: Explores themes of vengeance and redemption, but in a relatively straightforward way.
• Film 6: Gunpowder Milkshake: Themes of family and female empowerment are present, but not deeply explored.
• Film 7: Haywire: Explores betrayal and survival, focusing on the protagonist's personal journey.
• Film 8: The Raid: Redemption: The film's focus is primarily on the action sequences and the survival of the protagonist.
• Film 9: Extraction: The film explores themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the complexities of international politics, but not with the depth of John Wick.
• Film 10: Prince of Persia: The film's themes are classic fantasy tropes: good versus evil, destiny, etc.

The Final Ranking: The Top 10 John Wick Imitators

1. Nobody
2. Atomic Blonde
3. Bullet Train
4. The Night Comes for Us
5. Kate
6. Gunpowder Milkshake
7. Haywire
8. The Raid: Redemption
9. Extraction
10. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Finding Your Next John Wick Fix

This ranking considered action choreography, world-building, character depth, and thematic resonance. While no film perfectly replicates the unique blend of gun-fu, stylish action, and compelling narrative that defines John Wick, these 10 offer compelling alternatives for fans of John Wick-style action movies seeking their next fix. Which of these films do you think comes closest to capturing the essence of John Wick? Watch them and share your thoughts on the best John Wick imitations!