9 Films to hold you over until the release of John Wick Chapter 4

John Wick Chapter 4 keeps getting delayed and quite frankly… I’m okay with it. I’d rather a finished film that many people get to watch, than a rushed product that ends up falling flat. However, the world of modern Kung-Fu films is far from empty without Reeves and his beautiful buttery smooth voice and sweet beard. Here are nine FANTASTIC Kung-Fu films to hold us over until we finally get to the 24th of March.

Old Boy:

Let’s start with one of John Wick’s biggest inspirations and the movie that really set the foundation for modern action/Kung-Fu movies. Old Boy was released in 2003 and directed by Korean visionary Park-Chan Wook. An absolutely brutal depiction of violence in the real world, the cherry atop this bloody knife flavoured cake is the, now famous, green corridor scene. A masterpiece in two shot filmmaking it’s worth a watch for EVERY action movie/kung fu fan.

The Raid 1:

Let’s talk excellence. Now an Indonesian language film, set in one building directed by a Welshman sounds like it shouldn’t work but it really really does. Now with it’s own cult following, Gareth Evan’s The Raid took the action/indie film scene by storm in 2011 by just doing action right. Very little cuts and a cast of actual martial arts experts, it differentiated itself by being the antithesis of everything Hollywood action had become. No big explosions, no random stunt doubles to have half arsed fight scenes. This film wanted to show the brutal action clear as day and it succeeds in every facet.

The Raid 2:

Well would you look at that, a sequel to a beloved film that doesn’t disappoint. The Raid 2 is simply The Raid with the budget it deserves. Released only 3 years after the first, this film helps to expand the world of The Raid without sullying the name of the original. It also highlights one of my favourite actresses in Julie Estelle who plays a blind martial artists who’s in love with her hammers. The final fight of this film is worth the buildup for, arguably, the greatest fight scene in the history of cinema.

The Night Comes for Us:

Another Iko Uwais flick, this Netflix exclusive film doesn’t have the best of all stories, but seeing Uwais play a villain is a welcome change. An underground mafia of martial arts experts is a premise that sells itself. Furthermore, every major western studio needs to watch this to see how to present a female only fight scene without it feeling shoehorned in *cough cough* marvel *cough cough*.

The Villainess:

A relatively unknown film with a cult following, this film opens with a RIDICULOUS first person one shot that recreates the green hallway scene from Old Boy in first person! One of my personal favourite one shots in cinema, the film does become a love story half way through which is an interesting decision to say the least but the action is stunning and the story is interesting enough to carry the film. (Also the poster goes HARD)

Headshot

Not the best story but the action is beautiful. A simple ‘boss fight’ style story, this film is just an excuse to have good action on your screens. Debuting to mostly positive reviews at the Toronto Film Festival, this will absolutely fill that John Wick shaped hole in all our hearts.

Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings:

A high budget Kung-Fu film that showcases a future Asian Avenger? YES PLEASE. Now on Disney+, Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is a really great action film that’s family safe and we don’t get enough of those. I think action films for kids are generally horrendous but this stands out. Proof that you don’t always need gratuitous violence to have a great action film.

Kill Bill:

It’s Kill Bill.

Extraction:

Now I don’t know WHY Chris Hemsworth decided to do a Bangladeshi action movie but seeing a high profile film set in my motherland? Hell yes. The story is neither here nor there but the action is fantastic. It makes me so happy to see Hemworth try his little aussie heart out to speak Bengali and that one shot… oof that one shot.