Just as the Liam Neeson movie Taken inspired a slew of movies (The Equalizer, Edge of Darkness and John Wick being notable examples), now it is the turn of John Wick to return the favor.
John Wick was the world's # 1 assassin-for-hire before he retired. Trouble follows when his dog is killed and John is out for revenge. By the end of the (inevitable) sequel, John had a price on his head and it was open season.
As the saying goes: “Success begets success”.
The IMDB description for Polar reads: “The world's top assassin, Duncan Vizla, is settling into retirement when
his former employer marks him as a liability to the firm. Against his
will, he finds himself back in the game going head to head with an army
of younger killers.”
John Wick's dog has been replaced with Duncan's cute neighbor, Camille (Vanessa Hudgens).
In addition to the obvious similarities to the John Wick movies, astute readers will notice how the description could also apply to the Jason Bourne movies, in which the titular character faced off against younger and faster opponents.
I have enjoyed Mads' performances in Casino Royale and Doctor Strange. In both these movies, Mikkelsen displayed a blend of dry wit and bad guy antics. This movie seems to be a particularly good match for Mads' track record.
The action sequences look decent and the humor is ok. But there is a “been there done that” feeling that is unavoidable, given how well received the John Wick movies were.
I still prefer John Wick to this one. Keanu Reeves' world weariness and his acting style made him a natural casting choice for the a world weary assassin.
Let us see if Mads can do one better.
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Image Sources: Netflix, Constantin Film, Dark Horse Entertainment
