Guns. The thing we love to see in movies, TV shows and video games, and the thing we hate to see in real life. Action movies have been relying on guns since the dawn of film, and only in the last 40 years has Hollywood really married different genres together with action in interesting ways — sci-fi action, horror action, comedy action, superhero action, etc.
So following the emergence of the current king of action flicks, Keanu Reeves as John Wick, here are some similar movies to watch if you want to see guys shoot each other dead and have a few laughs along the way. Some of these you might have heard of, some you might have seen, but either way, there's bound to be something on this list that will tickle your fancy.
'The Raid' (2011)
"The Raid" is in the running for the single greatest action film ever made. It's up there with "Terminator 2" for the sheer perfection of how its action is shot, and the two "Raid" movies mix in guns with hand-to-hand combat in some of the most unique and interesting ways to ever grace the silver screen. See this movie if you haven't.
For fans of: "The Raid 2" and "The Matrix"
'Smokin' Aces' (2006)
Director Joe Carnahan only makes good movies. Some are better than others, but he just doesn't make bad movies. They're all watchable, funny and have extremely good action. This is probably his most star-studded affair, and has a slew of assassins trying to get to the top of a hotel to kill a magician.
For fans of: "Copshop" and "Assault on Precinct 13"
'Free Fire' (2016)
This might be the funniest film on our list, and has a bunch of Oscar nominees all engaged in one giant arms deal gone bad. The whole movie is just a shootout filled with jokes and beautiful people in retro outfits, has a wonderful premise and is executed brilliantly.
For fans of: "Bad Times at the El Royale" and "Hot Fuzz"
'Shoot 'Em Up' (2007)
Imagine "Looney Tunes" in live action, but it's R-rated, and instead of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd it's Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti. This is another wacky, violent comedy satire action film in which babies and grunge songs and carrots are all used as props in the middle of firefights. A gory good time will be had by all, so this is a strong recommend. It's a hidden gem for sure.
For fans of: "Kung Fu Hustle" and "Snatch"
'Hardcore Henry' (2015)
Video games like "Doom" and "Call of Duty" are in first person. Our perspectives as humans is in first person 24/7. So why haven't movies been in first person before? Because it's nauseating to do that for 90+ minutes, and that's more or less what "Hardcore Henry" is trying to be. It's a symphony of destruction and mayhem and stunts and explosions and parkour. All done from a first person point-of-view!
For fans of: "Why Don't You Just Die!" and "Blood Diamond"
'Bullet Train' (2022)
A lot of people reading this might have seen Brad Pitt's "Bullet Train" last summer, as it was a high profile action comedy from the people behind "Deadpool 2." But if you still haven't checked this out, it's pretty good. A fun train ride in Japan, lots of cameos and fight scenes in tight corridors.
For fans of: "Lucky Number Slevin" and "Deadpool"
'Nobody' (2021)
One of our greatest comedians is Bob Odenkirk, and apparently he wanted to make his very own "John Wick" movie. So he did, and it's great! Bob and Christopher Lloyd kill plenty of bad guys and make wisecracks the entire time, and it's exactly what it promises to be — nothing more, nothing less.
For fans of: "Hard Boiled" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"
'Layer Cake' (2004)
This Matthew Vaughn romp is the reason Daniel Craig got the James Bond job. He landed the role by basically being a James Bond-esque character in "Layer Cake," gun in hand, and looked the part so magnificently that we ended up getting our first blonde 007 very soon after.
For fans of: "Casino Royale" and "Skyfall"
'Ronin' (1998)
Why does no one talk about this Robert de Niro-led European adventure? It has car chases, beautiful locations, mercenaries using rocket launchers, lots of back stabbings and a ton of Robert de Niro shooting guns. It seems like more people should be aware that this movie exists and rules, because not enough people know it or acknowledge it.
For fans of: "The Magnificent Seven" and "Bullit"
If you enjoyed this list, we have more, like a pick of elevated horror films, or animated movies for adults you haven't seen.
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