Crime backdrop

Crime movies

A deep dive into the underworld of gangsters, detectives, and heists where the line between right and wrong blurs.

Subgenres include: Organized Crime, Heist, Con Artist Crime.

El Infierno

771. El Infierno

Action Crime Western Comedy Drama
7.6

20102h 28min

Mexico

Director: Luis Estrada

After being deported back to Mexico, a man has no choice but to join the vicious drug cartel that has corrupted his hometown in order to survive.

Themes

Loyalty under duress, Deception within criminal networks, Cycles of violence, Family obligation under crime, Corruption and power, Survival in a border town

Available on

Amazon Video
fuboTV
YouTube
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Bedevilled

772. Bedevilled

Thriller Crime Drama Horror Survival Thriller
7.2

20101h 57min

South Korea

Director: Jang Cheol-soo

On a remote island where abuse is tradition and silence is law, a hardened Seoul bank worker arrives for a quiet escape. As her childhood friend’s torment explodes into bloodshed, she becomes the only outsider in a village that protects its monsters and punishes anyone who speaks.

Themes

Revenge and consequences, Friendship under strain, Abuse and survival, Island isolation and oppression, Social problems and exploitation

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
fuboTV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Man from Nowhere

773. The Man from Nowhere

Action Thriller Crime One-Person Army Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller
7.7

20101h 59min

South Korea

Director: Lee Jeong-beom

A former, tight-lipped special agent sets out to find a little girl from the neighborhood who has been abducted by a gang involved in trafficking organs and drugs. He won’t stop at anything as he tries to save his only friend.

Themes

Loyalty under threat, Protecting the innocent, Organized crime violence, Covert past conflicts, Justice through action, Human trafficking brutality, Child protection under threat

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Batman: Under the Red Hood

774. Batman: Under the Red Hood

Mystery Crime Animation Action Drama
8.1

20101h 15min

United States

Director: Brandon Vietti

One part vigilante, one part criminal kingpin, Red Hood begins cleaning up Gotham with the efficiency of Batman, but without following the same ethical code.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Loyalty and betrayal, Vigilante ethics and crime, Power struggles in crime networks, Identity and masks, Revenge and restraint

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Carlos

775. Carlos

Crime Drama Thriller History Historical Event
7.6

20105h 39min

Germany, France

Director: Olivier Assayas

The story of Venezuelan revolutionary, Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, who founded a worldwide terrorist organization and raided the OPEC headquarters in 1975 before being caught by the French police.

Themes

Ideological extremism, Shifting alliances, Backer dependence, Arms trafficking, Mercenary politics, State security dynamics

Available on

AMC+ Amazon Channel
Criterion Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

I Spit on Your Grave

776. I Spit on Your Grave

Thriller Crime Horror Gore Horror Revenge Thriller
6.2

20101h 48min

United States

Director: Steven R. Monroe

A beautiful woman from the city, Jennifer Hills, rents an isolated cabin in the country to write her latest novel. Soon, a group of local lowlifes subject her to a nightmare of degradation, rape, and violence.

Themes

Isolation and vulnerability, Revenge as motive, Gendered violence, Survival under threat, Power dynamics and control, Retaliation through violence

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Outrage

777. Outrage

Action Crime Thriller Drama Epic Action
6.8

20101h 49min

France, Japan

Director: Takeshi Kitano

When a tough yakuza gangster is betrayed by his bosses, it means all out war. Bodies pile up as he takes out everyone in his way to the top in a brutal quest for revenge.

Themes

Criminal underworld loyalty under pressure, Gang member manipulation, Power politics in crime networks, Restaurant underworld leverage, Power struggle within syndicate, Hand grenade risk

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The A-Team

778. The A-Team

Action Comedy Crime Military Action Parody
6.7

20101h 57min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Joe Carnahan

A man who loves when a plan comes together, Col. Hannibal Smith leads a close-knit team of elite operatives and Iraq War veterans. Framed for a crime they didn't commit, Smith and his men, Capt. H.M. ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock , Sgt. Bosco ‘B.A.’ Baracus, and Lt. Templeton ‘Faceman’ Peck, break out and go rogue, using their special talents to clear their names and find the perpetrator. Hot on their trail is Capt. Charissa Sosa, who was once involved with a member of Smith's team and has sworn to capture them, no matter what it takes.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Loyalty under pressure, Authority vs autonomy, Framed by authorities, Teamwork under duress, Private power interests

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Animal Kingdom

779. Animal Kingdom

Crime Drama Organized Crime Family Drama
7.2

20101h 53min

Australia

Director: David Michôd

Joshua “J” is taken in by his extended family after his mother dies of an overdose. The clan, ruled by J’s scheming grandmother, is heavily involved in criminal activities, and J is soon indoctrinated into their way of life. But J is given a chance to take another path when a cop seeks to help him.

Themes

Family loyalty under pressure, Violence as leverage, Criminal indoctrination and control, Law enforcement corruption and complicity, Trust and betrayal within kin, Youth exposure to crime

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Four Lions

780. Four Lions

Comedy Crime Drama Satire
7.3

20101h 37min

France, United Kingdom

Director: Chris Morris

Four Lions tells the story of a group of British jihadists who push their abstract dreams of glory to the breaking point. As the wheels fly off, and their competing ideologies clash, what emerges is an emotionally engaging (and entirely plausible) farce.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Violence as spectacle, Collective radicalisation pressures, Peer influence and authority, Ethics under duress, Moral ambiguity of intention

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.