10 Best Intense Action Movies Like John Wick

The neon-drenched, hyper-stylized world of assassins introduced in John Wick (2014) didn’t just kick off a beloved action franchise; it fundamentally reshaped the modern action movie landscape. Director Chad Stahelski and writer Derek Kolstad delivered a masterclass in kinetic choreography, world-building, and high-stakes revenge. This film, starring Keanu Reeves as the titular, retired hitman pulled back into the underworld by the loss of his final connection to a normal life, resonated deeply with audiences who craved brutal, balletic, and relentlessly paced action.

The success of John Wick (2014) lies in its unique blend of gritty practicality and high-concept fantasy. Fans love the crisp, long-take “gun-fu” fighting, the shadowy, rules-bound criminal society, and the simple, visceral motivation that drives the protagonist’s relentless pursuit of vengeance. If you found yourself captivated by the immaculate tailoring, the high body count, and the sheer technical brilliance of the action in this first installment, you’re likely looking for more films that scratch that exact cinematic itch.

We’ve meticulously curated a list of ten exceptional movies like John Wick, focusing on films that share its DNA: stories of elite operatives, spectacular and grounded fight choreography, stylish neo-noir aesthetics, and the powerful theme of bloody, inescapable revenge. These selections offer a similar mood, atmosphere, and unrelenting commitment to action excellence, ensuring your next movie night is just as exhilarating as your first viewing of the Baba Yaga’s return.

1. The Raid: Redemption (2011)

• 1h 41m
• Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller
• Director: Gareth Evans
• Writer: Gareth Evans
• Stars: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Ray Sahetapy
• Country: Indonesia
• Summary: A S.W.A.T. team becomes trapped in a tenement run by a ruthless mobster and his army of killers and thugs.

If the “gun-fu” of the target movie appealed to your sense of choreographed violence, prepare for the “silat” of The Raid: Redemption. This Indonesian action masterpiece delivers arguably the most intense and sustained action sequence in modern cinema, trapping a rookie police officer, Rama, and his team inside a 30-story building controlled by a powerful drug lord and a legion of ruthless killers. The film is a pure, breathless adrenaline shot, prioritizing bone-crunching, hyper-detailed martial arts combat where every single punch and kick feels utterly real and devastatingly effective.

Director Gareth Evans uses the confined, vertical setting to maximum effect, creating an inescapable pressure cooker atmosphere where every door, every corridor, and every landing is a new, deadly gauntlet. Like the 2014 action hit, this film excels because it trusts its lead actor, Iko Uwais, to perform staggeringly complex, full-contact martial arts, resulting in fight scenes that are long, fluid, and brilliantly edited. This is a must-watch for anyone who prioritizes martial arts mastery and relentless pacing over sprawling plot details.

2. Nobody (2021)

• 1h 32m
• Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller
• Director: Ilya Naishuller
• Writer: Derek Kolstad
• Stars: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen
• Country: United States
• Summary: A docile family man Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) has a past that comes to haunt him when he’s forced to protect his family.

The connection here is immediate and undeniable: Nobody was written by Derek Kolstad, the same visionary who created the John Wick universe, and it shares that distinct flavor of a retired, unassuming assassin dragged back into a life of ultraviolent precision. Bob Odenkirk’s Hutch Mansell is the ultimate cinematic ‘sleeper cell’—a suburban dad whose meticulously contained rage and lethal skills are reawakened by a seemingly minor home invasion. This film captures the exhilarating moment when a quiet protagonist finally decides to let their lethal, carefully buried past resurface.

The action sequences are brutal, creative, and darkly comedic, establishing Hutch as a whirlwind of efficient, desperation-fueled violence that feels both believable and cathartic. The film wisely uses the character’s mundane life as a perfect counterpoint to the stylish chaos he unleashes, giving the audience a clear emotional investment in his return to form. Fans looking for a film with the same specific blueprint—a secret society, a protagonist with a unique skillset, and an over-the-top, satisfying rampage—will find Nobody to be the closest spiritual successor to the 2014 film.

3. Atomic Blonde (2017)

• 1h 55m
• Genres: Action, Thriller
• Director: David Leitch
• Writer: Kurt Johnstad
• Stars: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman
• Country: United States
• Summary: An undercover MI6 agent is sent to Berlin during the Cold War to investigate the murder of a fellow agent and recover a missing list of double agents.

Directed by David Leitch, the uncredited co-director of John Wick (2014), Atomic Blonde is a clear stylistic cousin, featuring the same commitment to gorgeous, visceral, and expertly choreographed action. Set in the tense, divided city of Berlin just before the wall falls, the film stars Charlize Theron as the formidable MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton, who navigates a maze of espionage, double-crosses, and lethal encounters while sporting an effortlessly cool style. This film replaces the elegant hotel setting with a neo-noir, punk-rock aesthetic fueled by a fantastic 80s soundtrack.

The most celebrated similarity is the action. Charlize Theron performs one of the most iconic action sequences of the decade—a protracted, brutal, and seemingly single-take stairwell fight that rivals the intensity and technical sophistication of anything in the Wick franchise. It’s an immersion in gritty, sustained close-quarters combat that leaves the audience breathless and the protagonist visibly battered. If you appreciate the aesthetic polish, hyper-competent operatives, and the sheer physical toll of the violence in the target movie, this spy thriller delivers on every front.

4. Taken (2008)

• 1h 30m
• Genres: Action, Thriller
• Director: Pierre Morel
• Writer: Luc Besson, Robert Mark Kamen
• Stars: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen
• Country: France
• Summary: A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills to save his estranged daughter, who has been kidnapped while on a trip to Paris.

Taken is the quintessential modern example of the “retired operative returns for revenge” subgenre that John Wick (2014) perfected. Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills, a former government agent with a very “particular set of skills,” is drawn back into his violent world by the kidnapping of his daughter. The motivation is simple, emotional, and intensely personal, providing a clear, powerful drive for the ensuing violence, much like the loss that motivates Keanu Reeves’ character.

The film distinguishes itself with fast, sharp, and highly efficient action that emphasizes technical proficiency and tactical brilliance over spectacle, making Mills a surgical force of nature. Every confrontation is a step in a calculated, clockwork sequence of events, giving the film an unrelenting pace. If you appreciate the efficiency and cold determination of an elite killer on a personal mission against a faceless, powerful criminal enterprise, Taken delivers a tight, lean, and immensely satisfying revenge fantasy.

5. The Man From Nowhere (2010)

• 1h 59m
• Genres: Action, Thriller
• Director: Lee Jeong-beom
• Writer: Lee Jeong-beom
• Stars: Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon
• Country: South Korea
• Summary: A quiet pawnshop keeper with a violent past, Cha Tae-sik, is the only hope for a young girl who is kidnapped by a ruthless drug and organ trafficking ring.

This South Korean neo-noir action thriller is frequently cited as one of the best examples of the genre and a clear predecessor to the tone and themes of movies like John Wick. Won Bin stars as Cha Tae-sik, an enigmatic man running a pawnshop whose only connection to the world is a little girl named So-mi. When she and her mother are caught up with a brutal drug and organ harvesting ring, Tae-sik is forced to step out of the shadows and unleash the deadly, highly trained operative he used to be.

The film masterfully balances a tragic, deeply emotional core—the bond between the man and the girl—with some of the most stunningly brutal and realistic action choreography ever put to film. Tae-sik’s combat style is a beautiful, efficient blend of various martial arts, including a final, signature knife fight that stands as an all-time great sequence. It shares the same DNA of a singular, highly-skilled protagonist fighting alone against a sprawling, powerful criminal underworld, all fueled by a desire to protect the innocent.

6. Payback (1999)

• 1h 40m
• Genres: Action, Crime, Drama
• Director: Brian Helgeland
• Writers: Brian Helgeland, Terry Southern
• Stars: Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello
• Country: United States
• Summary: Porter (Mel Gibson) is shot by his wife and best friend and is left to die. When he survives he plots revenge.

Mel Gibson’s Payback is a stylish, cynical neo-noir that captures the ‘just business’ attitude that permeates the criminal underworld of the Wick franchise. Porter, a professional thief, is betrayed and double-crossed for a measly $70,000—his half of a score. His ensuing rampage is not about saving the world or even justice, but simply about getting his money back, making his motivation a refreshingly cold and transactional piece of vengeance.

The film has a hard-boiled, dark, and almost comic-book tone that feels like a precursor to the exaggerated, shadowy criminal institutions seen in later films. Porter systematically works his way up the corporate ladder of a powerful crime syndicate known only as “The Outfit,” dispatching anyone who gets in his way with a blend of brute force and clever strategy. Fans who appreciate the high-concept criminal hierarchy and the single-minded focus of the main character will enjoy this earlier, grittier take on stylish revenge.

7. A Company Man (2012)

• 1h 36m
• Genres: Action, Thriller
• Director: Lim Sang-yun
• Writer: Lim Sang-yun
• Stars: So Ji-seob, Lee Mi-yeon, Kwak Do-won
• Country: South Korea
• Summary: A contract killing organization is managed like a normal company. Hyeong-do, who regards killing as nothing more than repetitious routine, is working for this company. A man loyal to his company and accepted as the firm’s best killer, Hyeong-do one day starts feeling doubts about his job and decides to quit it for a woman he is in love with. Instantly, he is under threat of being hunted down by his former collea¹gues.

This South Korean film offers an intriguing premise that directly mirrors the high-concept professional life of Keanu Reeves’ character, but with a unique corporate spin. In A Company Man, assassins work for a contract killing firm disguised as a metal trading company—they clock in, they have sales quotas, and they even get retirement plans. So Ji-seob plays Ji Hyeong-do, a top agent whose detached life is upended when a moment of human emotion causes him to hesitate on a job.

The film perfectly captures the atmosphere of a cold, highly organized criminal society that views human life as a simple commodity to be traded or eliminated, much like the High Table and the Continental. When Hyeong-do decides he wants to quit the firm, he instantly becomes a liability and the target of his former colleagues, leading to a series of sharp, tactical, and well-staged action sequences. It is a brilliant companion piece for those fascinated by the structure and rules of the hitman’s world.

8. The Killer (1989)

• 1h 50m
• Genres: Action, Crime, Thriller
• Director: John Woo
• Writer: John Woo
• Stars: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh
• Country: Hong Kong
• Summary: A disillusioned assassin accepts one last hit in hopes of using his earnings to restore the eyesight of a singer he accidentally blinded, but a cop is on his trail.

No discussion of stylish, bullet-riddled action and honor among killers is complete without Hong Kong action cinema’s foundational masterpiece, John Woo’s The Killer. Starring Chow Yun-Fat as assassin Ah Jong, the film established the tropes of the highly professional hitman, the ‘bullet ballet’ style of action, and the deep, complex relationship between the hunter and the hunted. John Wick owes a clear debt to Woo’s blend of operatic violence and romanticized codes of honor.

The Killer is an emotional powerhouse, focusing on Ah Jong’s attempt to use one final score to help the innocent singer he accidentally blinded. This simple, noble motivation drives a breathtaking series of gunfights that utilize dual pistols and doves—the director’s signature—to stunning, almost mythical effect. If you love the hyper-stylized action, the deep sense of melancholy, and the unwritten codes of conduct that define Keanu Reeves’ character, you will find the blueprint for it here.

9. Wrath of Man (2021)

• 1h 59m
• Genres: Action, Thriller
• Director: Guy Ritchie
• Writers: Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, Marn Davies
• Stars: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Josh Hartnett
• Country: United States, United Kingdom
• Summary: The plot follows H, a cold and mysterious character working at a cash truck company responsible for moving hundreds of millions of dollars around Los Angeles.

Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man is a cold, grim, and intensely focused tale of vengeance, making it an excellent companion to John Wick. Jason Statham plays H, a mysterious man who takes a job as a cash truck security guard. When his truck is attacked, his highly professional and terrifyingly precise combat skills are unleashed, immediately raising suspicion among his new colleagues and the criminals he just massacred. The film then slowly and meticulously reveals the personal tragedy that motivates his presence and his violence.

The film is structured as a complex puzzle, unraveling the events that led H to his new, dangerous job. The action is less balletic and more clinical than some other films on this list, prioritizing grim efficiency and overwhelming firepower to achieve its ends. For fans who appreciate a protagonist with a simple, brutal goal—revenge—and an almost supernatural level of skill against overwhelming odds, Wrath of Man is a dark, satisfying study in unstoppable retribution.

10. The Villainess (2017)

• 2h 3m
• Genres: Action, Thriller
• Director: Jung Byung-gil
• Writer: Jung Byung-gil, Jung Byeong-sik
• Stars: Kim Ok-vin, Shin Ha-kyun, Sung Joon
• Country: South Korea
• Summary: A woman who was trained to be a deadly assassin since she was a little girl travels to Seoul to start a new life.

Another stunning entry from South Korea, The Villainess is a kinetic, feverish rush of action that pushes the boundaries of choreography and camera work. The film opens with a jaw-dropping, first-person shooter-style rampage, immediately establishing the unbelievable skill and raw ferocity of its protagonist, Sook-hee. She is a woman honed from childhood to be an elite, emotionless assassin who is later given a second chance at a normal life by a secret intelligence agency—a second chance that, inevitably, does not last.

The sheer originality and technical audacity of the action sequences are its primary draw for fans of films like John Wick. The film features an incredible motorcycle sword fight that is utterly unique and showcases a commitment to ‘maximum action’ spectacle. Like the Keanu Reeves film, it explores the idea that once you are a part of this world, you can never truly escape, and that the past will always return with a devastating price. The action is stylish, brutal, and constantly innovative.

Shared Codes, Shared Revenge: What Connects These Action Masterpieces:

The enduring appeal of John Wick (2014) and the films on this list goes far beyond just well-choreographed fight scenes; it lies in their shared cinematic philosophy. These films collectively represent the peak of the neo-noir action thriller, where a single, highly skilled protagonist confronts a vast, shadowy, and morally ambiguous underworld. They all share an intense focus on personal stakes and singular purpose. Whether it’s avenging a puppy, rescuing a daughter, or simply getting what is owed, the motivation is deeply visceral, making the resulting violence feel earned and profoundly cathartic for the viewer.

A key unifying element is the concept of the Elite Operative’s Return. Every lead character here—from Cha Tae-sik and Bryan Mills to Hyeong-do and Lorraine Broughton—is a retired or dormant master of their craft, forced back into action by a violation of their personal code or sphere of peace. This trope establishes an instant, almost mythical status for the hero, and the film becomes an exhilarating journey of witnessing their legendary skills come roaring back to life. Furthermore, they all share an affinity for stylized violence and world-building, whether it is the gold coins and Continental in John Wick, the corporate assassins of A Company Man, or the Cold War fashion of Atomic Blonde. The action is not just combat; it’s an art form, a “bullet ballet” performed against meticulously designed backdrops.

Ultimately, these similar movies to John Wick resonate because they are about the inescapability of the past. The criminal underworld is a hydra, and once you are in, you are never truly out. They offer audiences a powerful fantasy of competence, where a character’s specialized skills, no matter how brutal, allow them to overcome impossible odds to settle a score. These ten films prove that when the stakes are personal, the action is professional, and the style is flawless, the genre achieves its highest, most satisfying form.

Now that you have your next slate of high-octane action ready, which one will you start with? Let us know your favorite movie from this list, or share any other films you think deserve a spot among the best action thrillers!