I liked the first John Wick movie quite a bit. As you say, stylized violence, done well. The sequels are pretty garbage, though.
You can argue that they're doing exactly the same thing as the first movie but I would disagree. The first movie had to establish characters (2D as they may be) and so the action was not entirely relentless. But, speaking of the action itself, movie 2 and 3 are unbearable in how repetitive the fight scenes are. How many times are goons going to advance (without cover) against John Wick's position only to have their gun blocked/immobilized and be gunned down without the ability to retaliate?
This is why, with modern guns especially, cover is essential and no one charges a defended position without at least constant covering fire (and ideally more in the form of body armor/shields/2 men team(s), more angles etc etc).
Is this a nitpick? I dunno. I am hardly a retired SAS so all of the above may be (is likely to be) gross over simplification. Yet goons/soldiers don't charge blindly into corners to get gunned down at point blank range. So yeah but no to John Wick 2 and 3. Ronin or Heat might be better options if you feel your kids can handle the more mature/realistic tone.
The Pip and I watched RONIN a while back, but it's a little too moody for him. I'm not sure about HEAT, mostly because it's looooong.
I thought the second and third Wick movies did enough to vary the action scenes up that it didn't bother me, and the whole parallel universe of assassins and underworld figures and the High Table and all the rest was enjoyably loopy. I could see how it might not work for others, though.
I liked the first John Wick movie quite a bit. As you say, stylized violence, done well. The sequels are pretty garbage, though.
You can argue that they're doing exactly the same thing as the first movie but I would disagree. The first movie had to establish characters (2D as they may be) and so the action was not entirely relentless. But, speaking of the action itself, movie 2 and 3 are unbearable in how repetitive the fight scenes are. How many times are goons going to advance (without cover) against John Wick's position only to have their gun blocked/immobilized and be gunned down without the ability to retaliate?
This is why, with modern guns especially, cover is essential and no one charges a defended position without at least constant covering fire (and ideally more in the form of body armor/shields/2 men team(s), more angles etc etc).
Is this a nitpick? I dunno. I am hardly a retired SAS so all of the above may be (is likely to be) gross over simplification. Yet goons/soldiers don't charge blindly into corners to get gunned down at point blank range. So yeah but no to John Wick 2 and 3. Ronin or Heat might be better options if you feel your kids can handle the more mature/realistic tone.
The Pip and I watched RONIN a while back, but it's a little too moody for him. I'm not sure about HEAT, mostly because it's looooong.
I thought the second and third Wick movies did enough to vary the action scenes up that it didn't bother me, and the whole parallel universe of assassins and underworld figures and the High Table and all the rest was enjoyably loopy. I could see how it might not work for others, though.
Fair enough, Heat is a bit long... :)
Collateral would be my next suggestion but that's again pretty dark, tone-wise. Equilibrium is often overlooked but it's not bad at all.