The Action Franchise Olivia Munn Calls a Modern Masterpiece
Actress Olivia Munn opens up about her deep admiration for a groundbreaking action series. She praises its star's incredible dedication and the old-school techniques that set it apart from today's CGI-heavy blockbusters. Find out which modern classic has her completely hooked.
What began as a production fraught with challenges unexpectedly became a word-of-mouth phenomenon that would help define 21st-century action cinema. John Wick delivered a potent cocktail of neo-noir atmosphere, rich mythology, and blistering gunplay inspired by East Asian action choreography. This unique formula captivated audiences and action genre veterans alike, including actress Olivia Munn.
Though she started her career in romantic comedies, Munn later carved out a niche in action-heavy roles in movies like X-Men: Apocalypse and The Predator. In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, she revealed that the one franchise she was truly “obsessed” with was John Wick.
A Return to Authentic Action
“I grew up doing martial arts, and I know that Keanu did all of his own fight scenes in it,” Munn explained. She pointed out a key difference from other modern action films. “Back in the day in kung fu movies, they filmed the fight scenes in wide angles so you get to see everybody doing it, but nowadays, everything’s like cut, cut, edit, edit, close-up of this, close-up of that. But we actually got to see Keanu in these wide shots because he’s doing his own stunts, and he’s kicking ass, and he’s amazing in it.”
From Budget Limits to a New Standard
The commitment to practical stuntwork in John Wick wasn't merely a stylistic preference but a direct result of budgetary constraints. The small production couldn't afford the expensive computer-generated effects or digital stunt doubles common in blockbusters. Fortunately, the film was helmed by two former stuntmen, Chad Stahelski and David Leitch, who leveraged their extensive experience to design visceral and authentic fight sequences. While they took cues from American classics like Die Hard, the hand-to-hand combat was heavily influenced by a style typically seen only in Asian cinema.
Munn was quick to praise this approach, noting how the intense training and rehearsal resulted in more fluid and thrilling action. “I feel like we don’t get enough of that in American cinema anymore, or actually ever,” she said. “You have to go back to, like, old kung fu movies and stuff. I just love watching that movie and the action of that.”
The Wick Effect and What Comes Next
While John Wick was a modest box office success at first, its influence was massive. It kicked off a new wave of grounded, gritty action movies, giving other stars a chance to lead their own brutal revenge thrillers. Stahelski went on to direct three sequels, while Leitch applied the same high-octane formula to projects with other A-listers, including Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde and Ryan Gosling in The Fall Guy.
The future of the universe remains uncertain. Stahelski and Reeves have hinted at a John Wick: Chapter 5, but it would be a challenge to continue after the seemingly final ending of Chapter 4. Furthermore, the spinoff From The World of John Wick: Ballerina was a box office disappointment, likely scuttling plans for its own series. Still, the franchise's DNA is now so widespread in Hollywood that it feels inevitable Munn will get her shot at a film that embraces the same practical approach to its fight scenes. Based on her passion for the craft, she seems more than ready for the task.