All of which are quite old now... and two of them are Arnold.
Commando is generic fascistic violence, and full of latent racism. I love it, but you should watch what you eat. There is no real fight choreography, the gun battles are a joke, it is a big bawdy comic book, or rather a cinematic version of an 80's coin op game. He's invincible, and just kills his way to the boss. Like most of his action movies, it has more in common with pulpy superhero narratives.
Predator was a lot more tense, the hidden element of the predator (particularly when released) and the Silvestri music made it a great film. The action drags a little, there isn't really a story, but as for 'mindless': did you realise that Predator is a metaphor for the American GI's experience of Vietnam..? Predator is essentially a remake of Walter Hill's Southern Comfort.
Been a long time since I watched Police Story. Sure big stunts etc etc. I'd compare police story with something like Ong Bak (which is all about stunts), not John Wick at all.
I find the films you choose to compare John Wick with, says more about your being fairly un-discerning about action, and it all being one big catch all.
If you want to pick older pieces of genre to embarrass John Wick, talk about films like Point Blank, perhaps Steven Seagal's films, or more recently Taken.
John Wick does what it does VERY well, within a specific genre, that genre is part of what you call 'action', and it doesn't aspire in any way to be more than that. Which is refreshing. It has some fights, some shootouts, a car chase... done. It isn't a particularly smart film, a particularly knowing film, it just delivers a simple pleasure that is often missing in today's cinema.
reply
share