John Wick vs. Atomic Blonde: Which Jason Statham Movie is Better?
If you love action movies, the two new Jason Statham films that were released in 2017 are definitely worth seeing. John Wick Chapter 2 and Atomic Blonde are both thrillers, but they’re very different from one another in terms of plot and character development. We’ll look at the similarities between these movies, but we’ll also highlight their differences so you know which one to choose if you want to see one of these films this weekend!
The Action Scenes
Both movies have fantastic action scenes, but John Wick has a slight edge with the number of set pieces and more well-developed choreography. It's also worth mentioning that Atomic Blonde feels slightly less violent and brutal than John Wick, while still delivering plenty of gunfights and explosions to keep you satisfied. Personally, I think Atomic Blonde offers a different perspective on an action movie by exploring a female protagonist's journey through her personal struggles with the violence she sees around her every day. With superb performances from Theron and McAvoy, it delivers some intense storytelling in a genre not often explored in Hollywood.
In contrast, John Wick is more of a straight up revenge tale with the audience cheering for its titular character as he slaughters his way across New York City to save his late wife's dog. As great as Theron was in this role, I just couldn't help feeling that Keanu Reeves stole the show with what was probably his best performance since The Matrix trilogy. Furthermore, there's no love story or other characters involved which gives Reeves an opportunity to really delve into what makes this ex-assassin tick and why he does what he does without any distractions or subplots getting in the way.
The Actors in The Film
In John Wick, John Wicks (Keanu Reeves) wife dies and he wants to find the man responsible for her death. He does this by killing people who are part of an underground society of assassins called The High Table. In Atomic Blonde, Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) needs to find the list of all undercover agents in Berlin before it falls into enemy hands. She finds herself dragged deeper into a world she never knew existed and must question everything she believes about loyalty and family.
Actors in Atomic Blonde do not have that much experience with action movies but they still put on a good show. They also have plenty of fight scenes throughout the film which help keep viewers on their toes. On the other hand, Keanu Reeves has been acting since 1986 and his charisma really shines through when he plays John Wick. Overall I think that these two actors can pull off both roles well but I would give the edge to Keanu because he has been doing it longer.
The Plot
John Wick is a retired hitman who comes out of retirement to track down a group of gangsters that killed his dog and stole his car. The film has many great action scenes and stunts with an amazing choreography, and it's also brilliantly plotted with moments of comedy mixed in to keep things lighthearted and fun. It even has a satisfying ending.
However, Atomic Blonde is more than just your average thriller or spy movie--it also features one of the best female characters ever put on screen. Charlize Theron plays Lorraine Broughton (a badass spy) as she investigates what happened during an undercover mission into Berlin that left her partner dead. Like John Wick, Atomic Blonde has some fantastic fight sequences and a satisfying ending.
But which is better? If you're going for pure entertainment value then we recommend John Wick because it doesn't have any dull moments, but if you're looking for depth and complexity then go with Atomic Blonde because Lorraine is such a well-rounded character. In terms of the good guy, both films have memorable protagonists. John Wick is always taking revenge on someone else and avenging those he cares about while Lorraine has to deal with her emotions from getting her lover killed all while being hunted by other spies who want information from her.
How Is This Film Different From Other Action Movies?
The action in John Wick seems to be more realistic and brutal than the action in Atomic Blonde, which appears to be more exaggerated and over-the-top. This could have something to do with the type of movie, as John Wick tends to be a thinking person's movie that requires a bit more understanding of the world and its rules, while Atomic Blonde can simply be enjoyed for its aesthetic beauty without fully understanding what's happening on the screen. There also seems to be less blood in John Wick; whereas all it takes is one good shot from Charlize Theron's character to produce an absurd amount of blood. But if you're looking for just mindless violence, then Atomic Blonde will be your choice, and there are plenty of moments when the camera follows people shooting their guns around corners or scenes where cars are blowing up or crashing into each other. As for the story in this film, it is different from most movies since it has a noir feel rather than being typical heroic protagonist vs evil villain storyline we usually see. It presents this antihero who happens to be very skilled at killing people and doesn't care about anything but avenging his dog until he meets someone who changes him. With elements of dark comedy, femme fatale, pulp fiction, old school Hollywood glamour mixed with new school brutality and pure entertainment value, John Wick's sequel proves to surpass Atomic Blonde by giving us a deeper look into his troubled past with a strong focus on the emotional toll of revenge killings.