There’s no denying that the John Wick franchise has been instrumental in reinvigorating the action film with its ambitious cinematography, thrilling action choreography, and compelling protagonist. With that said, the tale of someone embarking on a quest for vengeance and redemption in the wake of a personal tragedy is certainly nothing new and can be traced back as far as William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus. However, beyond the basic revenge plot, John Wick is also strikingly reminiscent of the 2008 thriller, Red.
Based on Jack Ketchum’s novel of the same name and featuring a cast that includes Brian Cox, Tom Sizemore, Robert Englund, and Ashley Laurence, Red is a tale of revenge set in the heartland of America. Like many of Jack Ketchum’s writings, the picturesque and tranquil world of Middle America becomes a hostile environment littered with blood and includes a deconstruction of Americana. Red examines small-town politics, the compulsion for retribution, and how far one will go to see justice done.
- Release Date
-
August 8, 2008
- Runtime
-
93 minutes
- Director
-
Lucky McKee
- Writers
-
Stephen Susco
- Producers
-
Randy Ostrow, Bill Straus, Lawrence Mattis
Horror in the Heartland and Deconstructing Americana
If one could properly describe Jack Ketchum’s literary contributions to the annals of horror, the phrase “napalm to Norman Rockwell” would be more than appropriate. Novels such as The Girl Next Door, based on a true story, decimate the white picket fences and carefree innocence of suburbia while impaling these falsehoods upon them. In Off Season and The Woman, the typical family dynamic is deconstructed, providing the basis for unrestrained carnage. Red carries on this tradition, taking place in a small town in the Pacific Northwest where the symbols of tranquil life are depicted and thoroughly deconstructed in a cycle of violence and revenge.
Avery Ludlow (Brian Cox) is a fixture of the town where he lives. A widower and owner of the neighborhood’s general store, Ludlow enjoys a quiet afternoon of fishing with his closest companion, his dog, Red. After being accosted by three youths, Red is gunned down mercilessly in cold blood for no other reason than to provide the youths with some kicks, as they find the event amusing. The gunning down of the defenseless animal is the precursor to a cycle of revenge and retribution — sound familiar? Ludlow soon finds himself going up against the most powerful family in town, headed up by patriarch Michael McCormack (Tom Sizemore).
Related
Fans Think This ‘John Wick’ Theory Could Give Him the Perfect Ending, but We’re Not So Sure
Could there possibly be an even better ending to ‘John Wick’ than the one Chapter 4 gave us?
The cycle of revenge that follows in Red is certainly the crux of the narrative, but it’s also transposed to a location that differs from similar stories. This quest for vengeance, reminiscent of Western movies, the John Wick franchise, and Titus Andronicus, is set in small-town America, with the McCormack family taking the place of an organized crime syndicate. Ludlow’s quest for revenge is hindered at almost every turn, as McCormack’s wide reach protects his sons from assuming responsibility for their actions.
A Quest for Justice and Revenge
Audiences have always been thrilled by movies that place a considerable emphasis on vengeance. There’s a reason why so many still enjoy Charles Bronson’s portrayal of Paul Kersey in Death Wish. Audiences can empathize with an individual who’s been pushed to the limits and victimized by a personal tragedy. Revenge is at the core of Red, but it’s far from the violent shoot-em-up vigilante movies that many flock to see. In fact, what makes Red such an engaging film is the unlikely character of Ludlow and the insurmountable odds he faces that are closely tied to small-town politics. Ludlow, the everyday citizen going up against the most powerful man in town, uses the means he has at his disposal to combat his transgressors.
Related
Keanu Reeves won’t be pulling punches in his new movie with Cameron Diaz, but he won’t be throwing them either.
Viewers can see the dynamics of power and social class at work as McCormack’s reach and malice seem limitless. Ludlow has to rely on unconventional methods, such as the media and doing things on his own, to exact retribution for the murdered dog. The cycle of violence that occurs in Red is one that provides its viewers with a lesson that not letting go of past grudges causes more harm than good, and that the taste of revenge is more bitter than it is sweet. The powerful performances from Cox and Sizemore bolster the dynamic of two opposites locked in a bitter struggle with one another, all the while taking place in a setting commonly associated with tranquility.
Retribution in a New Environment
The similarities that exist between John Wick and Red are certainly easy to see. The quest for retribution, when one has been pushed too far, has long been a staple of many stories and films over the years. Red should be looked at as an exceptional adaptation of Jack Ketchum’s work and a reminder that the desire for revenge, no matter how justified it may be, often does more harm than good.