Life is soft, fun, and games until it’s not — Hollywood action thrillers often depict this perfectly. While there are often elements of fiction involved in cinema, there are also hidden moral lessons in those films that can be extremely valuable. For instance, only a man grieving the loss of his wife can relate to the origin story of John Wick. Only a girl like Katniss Everdeen, shaped by the harsh realities of life under a fascist regime, deeply understands the necessity of independence, resourcefulness, and protectiveness for her loved ones.
The action-thrillers only feel like fiction until you haven’t experienced similar situations. But there are people in this world living very similar lives and some of them didn’t have the liberty to make a choice. While we hope that nobody ever has to go through the brutal tragedies often seen in films, it’s better to extract some wisdom salad out of them and fortify our minds. This guide lists six very life lessons we’ve learned from some of the most critically acclaimed action thriller movies over the years.
1. Everybody Must Know How to Fight to Protect Their Self-Respect — John Wick
John Wick (played by Keanu Reeves) appears to be a simple man grieving the loss of his wife. He does not want to sell his car and he just wants to grieve in peace. But what do you do when the problem itself comes knocking at your door? A spoiled son of an underworld gangster wants to get back at John for not selling his car and on top of it, he kills his dog that was gifted to him by his wife, as her final memory. A proud man with self-respect will never take it well.
This narrative underscores a crucial lesson: the importance of being prepared to fight and defend oneself. In the real world, trouble doesn’t always announce itself and you’re usually not an assassin like John Wick. It’s a stark reminder, especially for those with families, of the necessity of knowing how to protect oneself and loved ones. John’s story is not just about vengeance; it’s a testament to the need for preparedness in facing unexpected threats. It emphasizes that sometimes before legal help can arrive, it falls upon the individual to stand their ground and defend what is dear to them.
2. If You’re Capable, You Must Take Care of Others Around You — The Equalizer
Knowing how to fight and being stoic is necessary. But that’s just one side of the coin. Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), who knows how to fight just as well as John Wick, teaches us the importance of utilizing your influence and power to do good in the world in The Equalizer. If you spot someone whose family is being wronged, you get up to help them if you can. If you’re part of a community that is being wronged and you have the power to put the wrongdoers back in their place, you now have a responsibility to make it happen. Why? Because it’s only when you help others in this world that life truly begins to feel like peace.
3. Hard Work Almost Always Gets You Back in the Game — Extraction
The first installment of Netflix’s Extraction concluded with its protagonist Tyler Rake being severely injured. The sequel then shows us that it took him months to recover until he was finally able to walk. Tyler, who is also knocked down with grief of his child, and is a trained fighter, uses his pain as fuel to keep going. However, when he goes to a cabin in the woods to recover, he actually finds himself in a lot of pain and unable to move forward. This cabin is in a snowy area, which makes it a tough place to train. But eventually, Tyler uses this to his advantage. He starts working out hard, doing exercises to build his strength back up. He’s in a lot of pain, but he keeps pushing himself.
This part of the movie shows us that even when life knocks you down, working hard can help you get back in the game. While most of the action sequences in the movie are fiction and not even close to real life, the key lesson here is Tyler’s determination to overcome his injuries and get stronger — and trust us, hard work and hard training are vital for a strong mind and a good life.
4. Adaptability Is the Key to Survival — London Has Fallen
In London Has Fallen, the protagonist, Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), demonstrates that adaptability is crucial for survival. Faced with a city in chaos and relentless threats, Banning quickly adjusts his strategies to protect the President. His ability to think on his feet and adapt to rapidly changing, dangerous situations is key to their survival. This movie teaches us that in life, being flexible and ready to change plans in the face of unexpected challenges is often what keeps us going, especially in critical situations when you’re unable to rely on anyone. That easily makes it one of the most important life lessons you can learn from an action thriller movie.
5. One Person’s Courage Can Ignite the Flame of Hope and Change Against Tyranny and Make All the Difference — The Hunger Games
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in The Hunger Games, grows from an 11-year-old girl who loses her father with no one to look after her family to becoming a beacon of hope against tyranny. Her courage in the face of oppressive forces inspires others to stand up and fight for change. Her story teaches us that one person’s fearless stand can spark a movement, challenging oppressive systems. Katniss’s actions show that individual bravery can indeed ignite a widespread desire for freedom and justice. History has many real-life examples from regions all over the world backing this up.
6. The Power of Determination and Ingenuity in Crisis Situations — Argo
In Argo, the crisis in Tehran tests the mettle of those who were caught up in a situation in Tehran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. It’s a tale where determination comes through as lives hang in the balance. The film focuses more on the suspenseful and dramatic aspects of the real-life hostage rescue operation — emphasizing the strategical and diplomatic efforts involved in the CIA’s mission to extract American diplomats from Tehran in 1979. However, the key life lesson to be learned from this action thriller is Tony Mendez’s (played by Ben Affleck) unwavering spirit and determination.
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