John Wick: Chapter 4 is doing better than any movie in the franchise before it. That may be partly down to Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski outclassing themselves in the stunt department, including a scene many viewers mistook for being inspired by Hotline Miami.
That’s because John Wick 4 features an action sequence filmed using a top-down view, much like the 2012 indie shooter, but with all the eye candy and flair these movies are known for. However, although Stahelski did not borrow this trick from Hotline Miami, he did want to capture the same feeling from another video game for part of John Wick's non-stop killing spree through the streets of Paris.
In an interview with Slash Film, Stahelski gave the game that inspired the segment a proper shoutout. "I think it was called 'Hong Kong Massacre' — they did this top shot and we had been doing so much with the big muzzle flashes and it just kind of clicked," Stahelski said, noting that he thought it would fit in very well with John Wick's style. In that sense, the director is aware “No one does top shots” because looking at the floor and the top of characters’ heads isn’t eye-catching. However, they made it work using lighting and the gun flashes to recreate the video game feel that Stahelski calls an "etch a sketch" effect.
For a movie that sees John use such a wide variety of weapons, including nunchucks, and includes some of the most impressive kills in the John Wick saga, the “Hong Kong Massacre” sure caught the eye of many gamers. The Hong Kong Massacre came out in 2019 and is currently available on PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch for $19.99. The gameplay pays homage to Hotline Miami, John Woo movies, and even Max Payne, thanks to slow-motion mechanics.
The game, published by Untold Tales, currently holds primarily positive reviews on Steam but a lower 68/100 on sites like Metacritic. Nevertheless, the game borrows slightly from Max Payne's bullet time, inspired by Matrix, so it's funny how the relationship between all these comes full circle for Reeves. The John Wick star and Stahelski have commented on the protagonist's destiny after Chapter 4's surprise ending, with the franchise now focused on its two spinoffs: The Continental and Ballerina.
Games being inspired by movies or vice versa is not a new fad. However, it's impressive for a man of Stahelski's experience to use this niche genre to add even more amazing action to John Wick's adventures.
John Wick: Chapter 4 is currently available in theaters.
Source: Slash Film