As one of the best action film directors currently working, David Leitch is responsible for many action-packed movies. David Leitch has had a background in stunt work as a performer as well as a stunt coordinator. Working on movies like fighting club, the Thick headed movies, and Ninja Assassin. Leitch has been credited with being a double for huge stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, for whom he doubled twice, but more importantly with being the double for Brad Pitt five times. His stunt experience led him to be nominated for numerous awards, winning Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture at the 2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards for The Bourne ultimatum. In 1997, Leitch opened an action design production company called 87Eleven, alongside fellow stuntman Chad Stahelski.
However, that all changed when Leitch tried his hand at film and has since delivered some of the best action movies in recent memory. Tastes of John Wick, atomic blonde and more recently High-speed train. So with that, here’s how we rank David Leitch’s impressive filmography as a director.
5 Atomic Blonde (2017)
Charlize Theron shows off her impressive physique and action star prowess, which has since led the actress to many more action-packed projects. Whereas Atomic Blonde the story and narrative can fall a little flat, the action sequences slick, and the amazing performances delivered Atomic Blonde a hit action movie.
The action is crafted to perfection, producing some of the best and most jaw-dropping action scenes in recent memory. The film is best known for its impressive seven-minute one-shot fight scene in a stairwell. This scene is stunning; the action is brutal, Charlize Theron is at her best, and the cinematography is stunning. David Leitch is a phenomenal action director and knows how to shoot spectacular scenes. In an interview with GQ David Leitch explains how all the phenomenal action in Atomic Blonde was shot.
Set during the Cold War, Atomic Blonde centers around Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron), an undercover MI6 agent who is sent to Berlin to investigate the murder of another agent and recover a missing list of double agents.
4 Hobbs and Shaw (2019)
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This Fast and Furious spin-off is a fantastic addition to the now over-the-top franchise and easily cements itself as one of the best films in the franchise. Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham hurl so many hilarious insults at each other, the majority of them off the cuff, making for a must-watch action-comedy whether you’re a fan of the franchise or not. Similarly, the rest of the cast is phenomenal; Idris Elba gave a daunting yet fun performance as the film’s main antagonist. Vanessa Kirby hilariously bounced off Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson as Hattie, Deckard Shaw’s sister. This movie has a surprising amount of jaw-dropping and jaw-dropping cameos, which only makes the movie even more entertaining and hilarious.
The action fits right in with the over-the-top nature of the rest of the franchise, as David Leitch again directs more exciting scenes. Yes, it’s another one Fast and Furious movie, so there’s still a lot of car chases, but this movie excels in its melee action scenes, as David Leitch allows “The Rock” and Statham to get on bad guys and the one over the other. This film is filled with Leitch’s style, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the impressive side-by-side morning routines of Hobbs and Shaw.
Hobbs and Shawcenters around Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) as they must put aside their differences and work together to take down Brixton Lorr, a cybernetically enhanced soldier trying to get his hands on a deadly pathogen that could wipe out half the world’s population .
3 Deadpool 2 (2018)
Deadpool 2 offers more hilarity and goofy action than the first, and with David Leitch’s styling, the film definitely lives up to its predecessor. While the action in the first dead Pool was memorable and thrilling, Leitch doubles down to produce some of the franchise’s best action, with Deadpool’s killer tour around the world on Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”” to be a standout scene.
The comedy is jaw-dropping, with Ryan Reynolds being reborn to play the mercenary with a mouth, as well as the film’s supporting cast, with Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz and Julian Dennison giving memorable and hilarious performances. But the film’s standout scene features Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgard, Lewis Tan and Rob Delaney, as we finally see the highly anticipated live-action version of X-Force. We witness an X-Force parachute out of a plane before they are all taken away, one by one in truly gruesome ways; all this before they even land on the ground. But the best scene gag is a snap cameo and you’ll miss it from a Brad Pitt as Vanisher.
Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) takes on a fatherly role by protecting a young mutant named Russell (Julian Dennison) from the authorities and a time-traveling superhero known as Cable (Josh Brolin). However, we soon learn that the mutant Deadpool is protecting is responsible for a future apocalyptic event that will wipe out all mutants, including the Cables family.
2 Bullet Train (2022)
With a fantastic ensemble cast, jaw-dropping comedy, jaw-dropping action and an impressive soundtrack, High-speed train is one of the best action movies of 2022. This action-comedy is full of David Leitch’s style, mixing styles similar to Guy Ritchie and Edgar Wright. High-speed train feels quite similar to that of Smokin’ Aceand fans of this movie will have a great time with this action comedy.
The cast of this film is impeccable, with Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada and Sandra Bullock, to name a few, not to mention the incredible cameos scattered throughout the film. film. Likewise, the characters in the film are incredibly enjoyable, sporting interesting backstories and impressive title cards as each new character is introduced, which only adds to the frenetic and fun nature of the film. David Leitch once again delivers spectacular action scenes; while they all mostly take place on a train, Leitch manages to make each fight scene unique, especially with his amazing music choices.
High-speed train follows Ladybug (Brad Pitt), who after a simple take-out mission becomes horribly complicated, ends up stranded on a high-speed train full of deadly assassins, whose last stop is to meet the leader of a deadly criminal gang , known only as the white death.
1 John Wick (2014)
As Leitch’s first director, alongside co-director Chad Stahelski, John Wick was groundbreaking and paved the way for a new generation of action movies. This stylized action extravaganza quickly became one of the finest modern action films and established itself as one of the best in the genre. Although Leitch’s name doesn’t appear anywhere on the film except as a producer, Leitch certainly had a hand in bringing this action epic to fruition.
The action in this film is truly phenomenal, due to the brutal choreography, explosive and thrilling gun-fu, and beautiful cinematography. However, the action wouldn’t be as believable or as entertaining without the legendary Keanu Reeves in the lead role, performing 75% of his own stunts and selling out every fight scene. John Wick is a film and franchise that has to be seen to be believed, due to its engaging world-building and of course, jaw-dropping action.
After the death of his wife, retired assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) receives a dog as a gift from his wife before she dies. But when three criminals decide to break into his house, take his car and kill his dog, John returns to the life he left before and seeks revenge as “The Baba Yaga”.
