A lethal hitman who is close to giving up the gig has what life he has left shattered when intruders break into his home and kill those closest to him. So far, so Baba Yaga, right? Well, John Wick fans might find themselves in familiar territory with Demon City, a brand new film that has arrived on Netflix this week.
Directed by Seiji Tanaka and adapted from a manga series of the same name, the movie follows a family man and gun-for-hire, Shûhei Sakata (Tôma Ikuta), who, after seeing his family murdered, wakes from a coma 15 years later to learn he’s been framed for the crime. Naturally, he’s pretty miffed about all this and sets off on a mission to get revenge on those who wronged him, only to discover some shocking truths about what really happened while he was out of action.
For those who love seeing a solo war waged against criminals in blades, bullets, and blood, you’re absolutely going to get your fill here. The only issue is that it might reach eye-rolling proportions as the story progresses. Shûhei and the villains he’s after take severe lickings and somehow keep on ticking during absurdly violent encounters, making you wonder how anyone is still standing. Of course, we can’t really judge it on that and compare it to a franchise that has seen Keanu Reeves fall off a rooftop and live to fight for a whole other film.
There’s also the issue that the film isn’t as focused on its lead as the Wick films are. While Sakata is setting his sights on those who have wronged him, the villains are also occupied with fighting for supremacy, which slows the film down a bit. Nevertheless, if you want to add action to your watch list, Demon City will certainly fit the bill. It might also quench your thirst for ballistic bullet-riddled action before John Wick’s spin-off Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, dances her way into theaters on June 7, 2025. Should your quota on heroes walking away from explosions still be too low, check out our list of the best action movies on Netflix here.
