‘John Wick Cracked Out on Meth’ Toronto Midnight Madness Film ‘Kick On’ Director Nick Kozakis Says Real Stunts Sell the Brutality
Australian director Nick Kozakis's action-horror film "Kick On" is set to have its world premiere in the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival. Kozakis has described his aim for the film as capturing the feel of "John Wick" on methamphetamine, prioritising practical stunts and prosthetics over digital effects to make the violence feel authentic, while also keeping close focus on his young cast's emotional reactions rather than letting style overwhelm character.
The film follows four friends whose night of partying turns into a fight for survival after they become trapped in the home of a dangerous mobster's son, encountering escalating violence, paranoia and betrayal. It stars Markella Kavenagh ("The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power") as Eden and Nikolai Nikolaeff as Ray, with prosthetics work from designer Larry Van Duynhoven, whose credits include "Furiosa" and "Mortal Kombat". Kozakis said the story's emotional core lies in themes of chance and inherited trauma, particularly through Eden's grief over her younger sister and Ray's troubled relationship with an overbearing father, and that he wanted the characters to feel human rather than mere "lambs to the slaughter".
- "Kick On" premieres at Toronto's Midnight Madness section
- Director Nick Kozakis favoured real stunts over digital effects
- Film explores chance and inherited trauma beneath the violence
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Kick On is an Australian action-horror film directed by Nick Kozakis, about to have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in the Midnight Madness section, a strand of the festival known for genre films with strong horror, action or cult appeal. The story centres on four friends whose night out turns into a violent ordeal after they end up trapped in the house of a dangerous mobster's son.
Kozakis has said he wanted the film to feel like a heightened, chaotic version of the "John Wick" franchise, and has leaned on real stunt work and prosthetic effects rather than computer-generated imagery to make the violence feel more visceral. The prosthetics were created by designer Larry Van Duynhoven, who has worked on films including "Furiosa" and "Mortal Kombat". The cast includes Markella Kavenagh, known for "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power", and Nikolai Nikolaeff.
Beyond the action, Kozakis has framed the film's themes around chance and inherited trauma, with the two lead characters each carrying personal baggage, grief in one case and a difficult family relationship in the other. He has said he wanted them to come across as fully realised people rather than simply victims of the violence around them.