I hated John Wick 3 so does that mean I'm out of luck for action movies now?

I saw John Wick 3 yesterday and hated it. I don't watch much action movies lately because I think most action movies are like John Wick: mindless fight scenes every 5 minutes, zero drama or tension and no story.

So am I SOL for modern action movies now? Are they all like this?

JW3 got a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes which means that I officially cannot look to Rotten Tomatoes for guidance on what action movies are for me.

Does anyone have any recommendations for recent-ish action selections? I don't care if it's foreign or indie (is there such a thing as an indie action film??) just something well done that feels like a film with characters, a story, excitement and not just a mindless roller coaster ride for thrills...

 

Haven't seen it so no spoilers please. The first one was great/enjoyable - second one - less great - still enjoyed- I'm looking forward to JW 3 not expecting too much. As Keanu would say - It is John Wick baby!

Did you watch the first 2?

 

Dog-hater? The pups kicked a**...

 

Try these recent ones if you want to avoid the Marvel/DC world.

Sicario (2015)
Baby Driver
American Made
Hell or High Water
The Accountant
Deepwater Horizon

 

Death Wish (Bruce Willis edition)

 

Not for me, I hated that one.

 

I was indifferent about JW3.

At first the action was intense. Like squirming in my seat intense. Then fight scene after fight scene, I became numb to it. They weren’t that spectacular, and seemed more and more rehearsed than raw.

The scene where he’s wandering the desert became my favorite. It was a much needed break.

 

John Wick earned my indifference about 30 minutes into the second one.

And my flatulence perhaps 30 minutes later.

I just don't buy-into humanity's obsession with organized crime, I guess. Nothing to respect here, let alone aspire to.

 

Different strokes.

 

Yet so many do...sadly.

 

I think it's just a phase we're in, where somebody will have to re-school us in the benefits of adding humor to incongruous action, once more. Marvel Comics taught me in the '60s, Bruce Willis did it for me in the '80s. In in-between, we've been spoon-fed the underlying messaging in films glorifying the subjugation of the weak over the goals of entertainment. Taught, grimacing sinewy hitmen and impossible-to-defeat predators just put you into a state of willing victimhood. Then when the "hero" rises, it's too often just another "one of them", than it is somebody we can see the best in ourselves in. Culturally, that's got to hit home sometime that we're being set up to accept this as "just the way things are", and if the despair hurts, we'll just have to consume our popcorn harder, faster...and furious-er.

Wile E. Coyote didn't exactly have the best catchphrases, but, damn, he sure had the timing-!

 

I do agree with you on John Wick 3. I thought it was the worst of the bunch, and I don't plan to check out another in the series.

 

Saw three of those at the theater, Baby Driver, American Made & Hell Or High Water, & have all three on DVD or Blu. We also have The Accountant, but haven't watched it yet.

I have to agree on those first three I mentioned, & recommend them very highly, albeit all for different reasons. Of the three, Hell Or High Water would be the favorite of both me & my wife. In fact we watched it yesterday for like the fourth time since getting the DVD, & not counting the theater viewing. It's about as perfect a movie as I've seen in a long time, & never fails to delight.

We did love JW3, (as well as the first two), & are already looking forward to JW4. I'm lucky in that my wife loves action movies & thrillers as much as I do, & both of us avoid the Marvel/DC films like the plague now. Other than the Nolan Batman trilogy & the first two films of Raimi's Spiderman trio, none of those have been of any real interest to us. We saw Spidey 3 in the theater & weren't impressed. Iron Man was ok, Iron Man 2 was kind meh, & the fact that you had to have watched whatever movie in the Marvel Universe that was between Iron Man 2 & 3 to understand all of 3 killed that for us. And no, I really don't care which movie that was. I'm completely beyond bored with the whole superhero genre.

 

No. Watch "The Raid" and "The Raid 2". Masterpieces.

This John Wick stuff is amateur hour in comparison, though I like some of the concepts.

 

I had not seen the first or second one, but I really hate this movie. from beginning to end. For exactly the reasons you list.

On top of that, a RT score of 93% leaves me speechless.

 

umm, after seeing the first 2 wouldn't one expect more violence in 3? It's frigging maniac killing machine John Wick...a story of a man and his dog...LOL.

 

both are great and totally different...Amateur? I disagree...quite entertaining even more than Raid...IMO.

 

ppl love brutally violent revenge movies...obviously.

 

No it just means you won't be going to see John Wick 4

 

Make sure you get the unrated "The Raid". Fantastic movies with martial arts stuff you have not seen before.

Also recommend "13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" and Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto" if you are not into martial arts.

 

Indeed...

 

Raid, yes. Follow up no imo.

 

Haven't seen 'Deepwater Horizon,' but I'd highly recommend all of the others, (maybe not 'Baby Driver', I enjoyed it, but might be a bit OTT for the OP).

Loved 'Hell or High Water,' seems not enough people know about it.

 

The Raid guys were in the last John Wick film.

 

There are lots of people who don't care for John Wick because it's just gratuitous, senseless violence. The plot is really weak. I used to defend that movie out of respect for Keanu but I can't anymore. Taken is a more interesting series. It's still violent, but not as violent as John Wick. Liam's storyline is better and his family dynamic is kind of endearing. Famke Janssen is in that one too, if you're a fan of hers from X-Men.