A Netflix series that combines the best of both John Wick and the James Bond franchise is such a great spy action thriller that it was renewed for a second season before it even premiered. Some of the best shows on Netflix are spy thrillers like Bodyguard, The Night Agent, and more. Still, almost nothing Netflix has produced can compare to the biggest spy franchise in history, James Bond, or the action franchise that defined the 2010s and early 2020s, John Wick.
Netflix does, however, have one original series that combines some great elements of both John Wick and James Bond: Black Doves, starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw. Black Doves follows Helen, a spy working for a private information broker who has infiltrated the highest seat of British government by marrying Wallace Webb. After the man she was having an affair with is murdered, however, Helen calls upon her old friend Sam to help her investigate his death.
Black Doves, all on its own, is a great series to watch. It earned a wildly impressive 91% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was so good that Netflix renewed Black Doves season 2 even before the first season premiered in 2024. It’s got action, intrigue, politics, subterfuge, plenty of emotion, and a plot that’s so tense it will keep you on the edge of your seat for all six episodes. It’s perhaps best, however, for fans of John Wick and James Bond.
Black Doves Has A Lot In Common With John Wick & James Bond
The similarities between Black Doves and the James Bond franchise are the most immediately apparent. Both stories center around British spies who uncover massive conspiracies that can make or break the geopolitical status quo for England as a whole. Black Doves takes a more grounded approach, while 007 is more of a globe-trotting super-spy who regularly saves the world, but both stories have a strong emphasis on clandestine operations and investigations.
In many ways, Black Doves feels like a longer and particularly great 007 movie. It has a great and charming main character in Keira Knightley’s Helen, it has action, mystery, and more. It’s also very closely aligned with the more realistic and psychological portrayal of James Bond in recent years by Daniel Craig. It may not have the same pedigree as James Bond, but Black Doves is still an excellent spy thriller.
Black Doves‘ similarities to John Wick aren’t as overt, but there are still plenty of them. Most notably, both stories take place in a world that is almost ridiculously rife with assassins and hitmen. The cast of Black Doves is mostly made up of hired killers and spies, and the show goes to great lengths to explain how widespread their work is. One of the most beloved parts of John Wick is the huge network of assassins that come after Keanu Reeves’ character and the constant action they provoke.
The worlds of Black Doves and John Wick are also tapping into largely the same genre. Both are shrouded in mystery and controlled by shadowy organizations, unwritten rules, and seemingly endless bigger fish. Additionally, while the action of Black Doves can’t compare to John Wick, there are still plenty of high-stakes shootouts, intense martial arts fights, and more that should feel very reminiscent to John Wick fans.
Black Doves Actually Improves Upon John Wick & James Bond In A Number Of Ways
Black Doves isn’t just similar to James Bond and John Wick, it also surpasses them in a few key ways. As previously mentioned, Black Doves can’t compare to John Wick‘s action, but it far surpasses it in terms of immersion. John Wick has a tendency to lean towards the preposterous with its medieval rules governing the world of assassins and the sheer number of hitmen and people that John kills. Black Doves provides a much more grounded and gritty take on a similar type of world.
Sam in Black Doves also does something John Wick simply isn’t equipped to: give assassins real emotional consequences to their actions. John Wick doesn’t spend much time reminiscing about the people John kills, instead opting for more wall-to-wall action at every turn. Black Doves, on the other hand, dives headfirst into the psychological consequences of killing for money and the extreme guilt Sam has after years of being an assassin. It’s a far more intimate and profound story about killers than John Wick is.
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Black Doves also has an edge over the vast majority of James Bond. While newer movies have given 007 consequences for his actions, the franchise is still larger than life in many ways. James saves the world, does death-defying stunts at every turn, and rarely struggles with any of the negative aspects of a life lived in secret. Black Doves takes the opposite approach and closely examines Helen’s struggles with balancing her lies with the life she’s built with her husband and other aspects of espionage.
Black Doves is a more personal and smaller take on the spy thriller genre than James Bond ever has been or ever will be, but that lets it break some new ground. Helen’s balancing act gives the show a lot of great tension without a single bullet being fired, her double life is fertile ground for drama and conflict, and every bit of espionage she does in the show feels weighty and important. Black Doves is similar to both James Bond and John Wick, but it’s also very much so its own fresh story.
- Release Date
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December 5, 2024
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Lisa Gunning