Netflix's top action film director returns.

Indonesian action cinema is unmatched, and here’s proof.

Everyone must rethink what they want in a streaming platform, what they offer, and why they should stay on them in these times of skyrocketing and unannounced price increases, avalanches of advertising, and a significant drop in quality. The reason I occasionally check Netflix is Timo Tjahjanto’s films.

The Indonesian director is known for horror films like ‘Que el diablo te lleva’ and its sequel, as well as the platform’s best action film, ‘The Night Comes for Us’, which rivals ‘The Raid’ in its brutal choreographed massacre scenes. Tjahjanto’s latest film, an exclusive Netflix release called “Out of the Shadows,” is a step below that disoriented action epic but still one of the genre’s best this year.

Again, a schematic and linear story (a young member of a ruthless squad of assassins decides to protect a boy who lives with his mother by confronting whoever is necessary) is the excuse for insane choreography with tremendous executions that force the stunned viewer to step back to capture all the details of its glorious excesses. Although it lacks the viscerality and festive gore of ‘The Night Comes for Us’, it remains an essential date for genre fans.

Aurora Ribero, a newcomer to action film, stands out against the comic book villains and the unbridled sordidness of the settings and situations. Discover Tjahjanto’s unique find before it becomes fashionable thanks to his upcoming films: the reboot of ‘Train to Busan’ and the sequel to ‘Nobody’.

A long-held fan theory claims that ‘John Wick’ is a science fiction story. John Wick’s convoluted action sequences are unlikely to happen in real life, but other evidence suggests a parallel reality. Of course, the opponents’ metahuman resilience allows them to withstand shot after shot. However, we rarely see “normal” people, only assassins who live in their own world with their own buildings, customs, and currency. Our reality is parallel.

It’s a silly theory (it’s clear what fictional world John Wick is creating and why there aren’t any “normal” people in the movies), but it helps us understand how the franchise became so respected. That’s ignoring its action-packed qualities: Hollywood has nothing comparable. What has science fiction taught John Wick about world-building?

On one hand, the saga values consistency in lore. Any science fiction and fantasy author knows that defining what we see and what we don’t, the background that supports the world, is crucial. We know that every coin or marker exchanged in ‘John Wick’ has a meaning because the script is so well-tuned. So relevant is this lore construction that a series has been announced that will focus on the Continental’s origins, not ‘John Wick: Origins’.

This treatment of the setting, typical of fantasy creators who know they must explain so the viewer (or reader) can identify a three-dimensional world different from their own, affects more than just the environments. Characters are also affected. The running gag that just mentioning John Wick’s name is enough to make people know who we’re talking about and why it’s a bad idea to drive his car is funny and cool. It’s also a quick way to give fictional worlds a past and integrate it into this universe, even if we don’t know the details.

John Wick, open world
Fantasy and science fiction excel at repurposing their elements. Mixing without complexes. To create a coherent and realistic world in a divorce drama or a serious mafia film, keep your feet on the ground. Not to overdo narratives: people are people, not movie characters.

Fantasy and science fiction don’t have these restrictions, so ‘Star Wars’ can have a medieval fantasy and western setting. Lucas’ rules and lore ensure coherence, so everything works. ‘John Wick’ deliberately mixes elements that show we’re not watching a realistic hired killer film. Western elements are most obvious in the plot (the lone hero, the refuge everyone respects) and visuals (‘John Wick 4’ begins with a desert horse chase).

John Wick movies go further and insult martial arts. What if we mix judo, kung fu, muay-thai, sumo, and karate? The action is refreshing and novel because it mixes concepts from non-realistic genres without prejudice.

Netflix’s top action film director returns.

Indonesian action cinema is unmatched, and here’s proof.

By ki0nk

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