John Wick might have set the new gold standard for revenge thrillers in the modern day, but there are a ton of amazing classic films that beat the Keanu Reeves franchise. The thriller genre is a difficult one to pin down, and the films are usually unified by a few disparate elements that set them apart from action or horror.
The genre has also evolved over the decades, making identification even more challenging. Early thrillers were a bit more pedestrian than their modern counterparts, with less emphasis on action and more focus placed on intriguing stories. Master filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock helped to revolutionize the thriller genre, and he set a standard that many have tried to match.
The John Wick franchise has kept the action thriller genre pumping for a decade, and has spawned countless imitators. With explosive thrills and bloody revenge, John Wick combines all the best parts of its genre. However, there are older films that also highlight the strengths of the revenge thriller, and some even top John Wick in terms of quality.
Point Blank (1967)
Though they were made decades apart, John Wick shares quite a few similarities with the 1967 revenge classic, Point Blank. After being betrayed by his criminal buddies, a man infiltrates a powerful organization to bring down the person who double-crossed him. Though the plot is stock-standard, Point Blank shines because of its neo-noir style and taut visual storytelling.
Point Blank might not have the bombastic action of a John Wick film, but few can rival its well-executed tension. Violence is used sparingly, which gives each moment a lot more weight than any action spectacle. Nearly 60 years later, the Lee Marvin vehicle still manages to thrill, something that most of its contemporaries can’t say.
Man On Fire (2004)
Denzel Washington’s best movies take advantage of his overt star power, and it was on full display in Tony Scott’s Man on Fire. Washington stars as an ex-CIA agent who must track down the little girl he was hired to guard while in Mexico City. The film wasn’t well-received, but it has everything that an excellent revenge thriller should possess.
Washington shows off his action hero chops, and his skillful performance lends everything an emotional edge. The action is crisp without resorting to the same levels of absurdity as a John Wick film, and Man on Fire feels more grounded overall. Washington’s John Creasy is the sort of hero that could certainly give John Wick a run for his money.
Léon: The Professional (1994)
Léon: The Professional is a notable revenge thriller for many reasons, mainly for being the debut of Natalie Portman. The title character is a professional hitman who takes in his 12-year-old neighbor after her parents are killed by a corrupt DEA agent. Léon has a complicated legacy, but there’s no denying the aspects of the film that work.
Though the cult classic loses ground to John Wick in the action department, it makes up for it with stunning performances. Gary Oldman steals the show, and his unhinged turn beats anything seen in the entire John Wick canon. Léon: The Professional is also just a brilliantly made movie that doesn’t need spectacle to succeed.
Oldboy (2003)
Kicking off one of the greatest unofficial trilogies of all time, Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy puts the thrills in the revenge thriller genre. An average man is held captive for years, only to be given an opportunity to seek revenge when he is suddenly released. Unlike other films which copied John Wick, Chan-wook’s action sequences clearly inspired the Keanu Reeves franchise.
Oldboy is a gritty and unforgiving ride that never takes its foot off the gas. The violence is impactful and disturbing, and the revenge plot has a deeper meaning that gives it more oomph than John Wick. While the latter franchise embraces the path of violence, Oldboy actively deconstructs revenge as a concept, questioning the validity of forgiveness in general.
Straw Dogs (1971)
The 1970s was littered with revenge films that addressed rising violence in the United States, but Straw Dogs took things across the pond to the U.K. The Dustin Hoffman classic sees him play an American ex-pat who fights back against ruffians in his new town. Director Sam Peckinpah is perfect for such a personal revenge story, and the movie delivers.
Dour and psychological, Straw Dogs is a far cry from the neon-tinted environs of John Wick. However, it has something the latter doesn’t, and that’s suspense. Straw Dogs is all about the prelude to violence, so the payoff feels a lot more satisfying when things finally reach a boiling point. One tense scene beats hours of copious action sequences.
Unforgiven (1992)
Clint Eastwood’s pedigree as one of the greatest western stars of all time was already well established by 1992, but Unforgiven further cemented his status. When a reward is posted in a small Wyoming town, two groups come to collect the bounty. Unforgiven is every bit a stunning character drama, it just happens to be an unforgettable revenge story too.
The brilliance of the film is how it never gets lost in its genres, and the western framework doesn’t stop it from being a convincing revenge thriller. John Wick might have more action, but the compelling character work in Unforgiven is unmatched. A spotlight is turned on vigilantism and vengeance in general, and the movie questions the morality of revenge.
Death Wish (1974)
John Wick has spawned imitators, but no film impacted the revenge thriller genre like Death Wish. Tapping Charles Bronson to play the lead role, the film follows a father who spirals into a world of violent revenge after his wife is murdered. The movie is an unabashed critique of laissez-faire attitudes toward crime in American urban centers in the 1970s.
Even if its message is somewhat muddled by time and politics, Death Wish is a film that’s actually trying to say something. The action is tame compared to John Wick, but the intensity of the emotions makes things feel more real. They might be radically different, but there likely wouldn’t be a John Wick without Death Wish.
Commando (1985)
Arnold Schwarzenegger was on fire when he starred in Commando, and it remains one of his most bombastic films. He stars as a retired Special Forces officer who is dragged back into service when a dictator kidnaps his daughter. Explosive and gleefully silly, Commando is a revenge thriller action flick that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Comparing John Wick to Commando is like comparing their respective eras. The former embraces everything great about 2010s cinema, while the latter is an exaggerated version of 1980s machismo. However, the edge goes to Commando because of Schwarzenegger’s undeniable star power and the movie’s ability to push every detail to its absolute limit.
Payback (1999)
There isn’t much variety in the crime revenge thriller genre, and Payback is a pretty standard movie that manages to be entertaining anyway. Mel Gibson stars as a betrayed thief, who must infiltrate a shady organization to get revenge. Payback is neo-noir in its execution, but it also feels very much grounded in the cultural zeitgeist of 1999.
The box office smash got middling reviews, but has found a niche. Since it came at the end of the 1990s thriller boom, Payback is sometimes overlooked. John Wick and Payback share similarities, but the latter has a more compelling lead character. Even without a ton of action, the movie manages to remain exciting for the entire two-hour running time.
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 & 2 (2003-2004)
Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill was released in two separate volumes, but they can be taken together as one singular revenge thriller. An ex-assassin awakes from a coma and exacts revenge against the man who ruined her idyllic life. The movies are essentially a tribute to Tarantino’s grindhouse influences, and the entire project is hyperstylized.
Both John Wick and Kill Bill use cinematic language to convey exaggerated action onscreen, but the Tarantino film is just simply better. It has a timeliness that has lasted for more than two decades, and it remains one of the greatest achievements of the 21st century thus far. John Wick is amazing, but Kill Bill is even better.
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