This is less a revenge movie and more of a horror film, with a lot of gory kills and pretty effectively horrifying moments.
Basic plot is, ex-spec ops soldier goes on a revenge mission after his parents are brutally murdered.
The film uses that as a launching point to explore the seedy (unbelievably so) underbelly of corruption, drugs, and murder that is modern day London.
Personally, the film's message is a bit muddled. It doesn't seem to be on anyone's side, not even Dyer's, as he's presented doing some fairly brutal stuff.
His superiors try to justify his actions, but he doesn't. He knows what he is. He's a killer. And he's being what he is.
It doesn't take a stance on anything really. Because I think it is a bit afraid to take too hard a line on what it wants to. Which is that the ends justify the means, apparently. I think?
But what is clear is that this is more horror noir than action. John Wick is revenge thriller action. This is more 70s brutality where no one is a good guy. Not even the guy we're supposed to root for.
It does have some distasteful elements. Like taking all crime as the same, requiring the death penalty, and not considering the reasons for it. Or why it happens and how to fix it.
But the gang members in this film are so vile and evil that they go beyond what real people would be.
The film also suggests that the "men who protect the country" are also all nasty killers, which is probably true.
I like that Dyer himself is presented as a killer. Nothing more. Nothing less. He's good at one thing, and the army made him that way cause they needed him to be that way. He wants a normal life, but can never have it. And Dyer also does well, playing the merciless tough guy.
I kind of liked this one. But you gotta take it as it is, and not read too much into the very troubling aspects of the messages behind it (messages I'm not even sure it has or believes cause I think they just wanted to make a violent revenge horror in the Death Wish vein, without any of the nuance).
Take it as an action film and you'll be disappointed. Take it as a horror movie where most people are vile, and you'll probably enjoy (don't know if that's the right word) it.
Also, it is quite violent, but not to the extent of Hostel. The directors leaves more up to the imagination than anything. Which is better, cause it is more horrifying than the over-the-top stuff.
Basic plot is, ex-spec ops soldier goes on a revenge mission after his parents are brutally murdered.
The film uses that as a launching point to explore the seedy (unbelievably so) underbelly of corruption, drugs, and murder that is modern day London.
Personally, the film's message is a bit muddled. It doesn't seem to be on anyone's side, not even Dyer's, as he's presented doing some fairly brutal stuff.
His superiors try to justify his actions, but he doesn't. He knows what he is. He's a killer. And he's being what he is.
It doesn't take a stance on anything really. Because I think it is a bit afraid to take too hard a line on what it wants to. Which is that the ends justify the means, apparently. I think?
But what is clear is that this is more horror noir than action. John Wick is revenge thriller action. This is more 70s brutality where no one is a good guy. Not even the guy we're supposed to root for.
It does have some distasteful elements. Like taking all crime as the same, requiring the death penalty, and not considering the reasons for it. Or why it happens and how to fix it.
But the gang members in this film are so vile and evil that they go beyond what real people would be.
The film also suggests that the "men who protect the country" are also all nasty killers, which is probably true.
I like that Dyer himself is presented as a killer. Nothing more. Nothing less. He's good at one thing, and the army made him that way cause they needed him to be that way. He wants a normal life, but can never have it. And Dyer also does well, playing the merciless tough guy.
I kind of liked this one. But you gotta take it as it is, and not read too much into the very troubling aspects of the messages behind it (messages I'm not even sure it has or believes cause I think they just wanted to make a violent revenge horror in the Death Wish vein, without any of the nuance).
Take it as an action film and you'll be disappointed. Take it as a horror movie where most people are vile, and you'll probably enjoy (don't know if that's the right word) it.
Also, it is quite violent, but not to the extent of Hostel. The directors leaves more up to the imagination than anything. Which is better, cause it is more horrifying than the over-the-top stuff.