The action genre is always going to be popular, and with the latest action-comedy, Bullet Train, released, David Leitch is again showing his unique flair for high-paced action and almost anime-like world-building.
For new fans of the bold, sometimes colorful style that is a David Leitch film, a closer look into his roster of top movies will show his strongest work and a glimpse into anticipated upcoming projects. Leitch's noted work includes John Wick (uncredited), Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2, and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, but the mix of action, comedy, and banter in Bullet Train will leave audiences feeling like they just saw a combination of the four films.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (6.5)
Written by Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce, Hobbs & Shaw is a spin-off film of the Fast & Furious franchise led by Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. The two stars must form an unlikely alliance when an enhanced villain (Idris Elba) threatens the future of humanity.
Directing any Fast & Furious film would be an "I made it" moment for most directors. With a budget of $200 million, there are few directors who wouldn't jump at the chance to direct an ensemble star-studded summer blockbuster. Leitch shows that he has the vision to make an ensemble film work. His talent for action sequences in Hobbs & Shaw delivered in the fighting, explosions, and car chases, while giving each character a voice.
Atomic Blonde (6.7)
Written by Kurt Johnstad, Atomic Blonde's stylish world of espionage and action was magnified by a brilliant performance by Charlize Theron. Theron went through a brutal training regiment for the role where she plays an undercover MI6 agent. The agent is investigating the murder of a colleague until her identity and allegiance become compromised.
Spy movies have a way of giving audiences a glimpse into another world. Secret codes, lairs, and innovative weapons are all on display as David Leitch ups the action in Atomic Blonde. However, the film's star, Charlize Theron, is who steals the show. Theron played the role of a seductively cunning agent to perfection. The action scenes featuring Theron were among the best of the decade and showed her dedication to the part, while also showcasing Leitch's vision for the film.
Apple Snowbrawl (7.0)
Far from the hundred million dollar budget, action-packed summer blockbuster, Leitch chose to direct a commercial for the latest iPhone at the time. Starring Camilo Carvajal, and Makena Cook, the Apple short covers a snowball fight from Leitch's point of view.
If any company can acquire a director of Leitch's caliber to direct a one-minute short, it is Apple. While the length of the short leaves much to the imagination, it is brilliant marketing. Anyone can film a snowball fight, but with the quality of the iPhone's new camera, there is no better way to use it than to have one of the great action directors of the decade show their perspective.
John Wick (7.4)
Starring Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, and Alfie Allen, John Wick tells the tale of an ex-hit-man who chooses to come out of retirement to track down a group of gangsters that killed his dog. While Chad Stahelski received the billing, David Leitch was an uncredited director.
The massive success of John Wick led to multiple sequels and, most recently, left audiences wondering what's next after a shocking Parabellum finale. In addition, the films made John Wick an overnight pop-culture icon. While it is unclear which exact shots Leitch directed, his style is evident throughout the film. As with most of his films, the actors go through a regimen of physical and combat training to prepare for the role. Fortunately, Keanu Reeves' training for the role enabled him to brilliantly showcase John Wick's whole set of combat skills. This combat proficiency led to some of the best fight choreography ever seen in cinema.
Bullet Train (7.5)
Based on the book by Kotaro Isaka, Bullet Train is Leitch's latest film to hit theaters. Bullet Train is full of seasoned actors, led by Brad Pitt, Joey King, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The film centers around a group of assassins that board a fast-moving train, all with different motives.
Brad Pitt plays Ladybug, a comically unlucky assassin and as Pitt has shown, he can act with a charming mix of aggression and comedic wit: which Leitch only amplifies. The chemistry the cast has is one of the highlights of the film, and audiences will be rewarded with an unexpected cameo (or two) during the fast ride. This is the second David Leitch credit that Pitt has under his belt -- his first was a cameo in Deadpool 2, where he reportedly took payment in the form of a coffee.
Deadpool 2 (7.7)
Leitch came on board to direct the sequel to Deadpool, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, and Morena Baccarin. The foul-mouthed mutant, Wade Wilson, assembles a team of fellow mutants in a quest to protect a young boy from Josh Brolin's character, a time-traveling cyborg named Cable.
Much like the first Deadpool, the second received an R rating, much to the approval of fans, and continued the raunchy, violent, action that Deadpool is known for. With 52 award nominations and six wins, this action-comedy proved to be a commercial success. This was also a change in tone from Leitch's usual work, while the majority of his directorial credits are on action-thrillers, Deadpool is famous for his comedic and witty bits. Leitch nailed the comedy while injecting a steady amount of action throughout the film.
Deadpool: No Good Deed (8)
In the teaser to Deadpool 2, Leitch gave audiences a quick taste of what was to come. The clip, less than four minutes long, features Deadpool attempting to come to the aid of a man being mugged. As seen often, Deadpool becomes distracted and wastes an extreme amount of time.
A moment of peak cinema, the ending features a relaxed Deadpool enjoying a nice pint of ice cream. While short, the clip gave a Stan Lee cameo and introduced Deadpool fans to David Leitch. Leitch wasted no time in establishing its meta-satirical tone with Ryan Reynolds's witty quotes. There was not much material to work with, but the comedic bits and pop culture references were there. The superman wardrobe change followed by Deadpool realizing that phone booths aren't even around anymore was a bit that could have been taken right from the comics.