If you loved the edge-of-your-seat action and the intense storyline in Sicario, then there's a whole world of movies out there that will grip you just as tightly with their dark and gritty stories.
These films are all about crime, conflict, and the darker side of human nature, showing just how thrilling and chilling a movie can be when it's not censoring itself for the sake of being "non-problematic".
1. "Hell or High Water" (2016) Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Toby and Tanner Howard, two brothers, embark on a series of calculated bank robberies across West Texas to save their family ranch from foreclosure, drawing the attention of a nearly-retired Texas Ranger in a cat-and-mouse game that examines the desperation of the American West's economic decline.
2. "Blue Ruin" (2013) Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
A mysterious vagrant, Dwight, returns to his hometown to enact revenge for the murders of his parents, but his clumsy quest for justice spirals into a violent cycle of retribution, uncovering long-buried family secrets.
After his mother's death, teenager J navigates his survival amidst his extended criminal family, led by his cold and calculating grandmother, Smurf, as detectives try to dismantle their underworld empire, pushing J into a corner where loyalty and survival clash.
Lou Bloom, a driven young man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism; he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story, escalating the stakes with each assignment.
5. "Cabin in the Woods" (2012) Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Five friends head to a remote cabin for a weekend break, but they find themselves manipulated by mysterious technicians in an underground facility, becoming pawns in a ritualistic horror scenario that plays on classic genre tropes for a darker purpose.
6. "The Town" (2010) Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
Doug MacRay, a professional thief from Charlestown, plans his biggest heist yet while navigating a complex relationship with Claire, a bank manager they had previously taken hostage, leading to a dangerous crossroads between his criminal life and the desire for a fresh start, all under the watchful eye of an FBI agent determined to take him down.
7. "Uncut Gems" (2019) Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
Howard Ratner, a charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score, makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime; entangled in debts and dodging adversaries, he must retrieve a precious opal to pay off his balances, while his life spirals out of control.
8. "Good Time" (2017) Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
After a botched bank robbery lands his younger brother in prison, Connie Nikas embarks on a twisted odyssey through the city's underworld in an increasingly desperate and dangerous attempt to get his brother out, leading to a night full of adrenaline, peril, and soul-searching.
Former boxer Bradley Thomas turns to drug running after losing his job, but when a deal goes horribly wrong, he ends up in a high-security prison where he must fight his way through impossible odds to protect his family from a drug lord's retribution.
10. "The Drop" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%
Bob Saginowski finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deep into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living – no matter the cost.
Cory Lambert, a wildlife officer, discovers the body of a local girl on an American Indian reservation in Wyoming; with the help of rookie FBI agent Jane Banner, he delves into the community 's deep wounds and unsolved crimes, leading to a harrowing quest for justice.
12. "Upgrade" (2018) Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
After a brutal mugging leaves him paralyzed and his wife dead, Grey Trace is implanted with an experimental computer chip called STEM that enhances his physical abilities, propelling him on a revenge-fueled quest that questions the limits of technology and human control.
13. "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 86%
Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist and enigmatic hacker Lisbeth Salander team up to solve the decades-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger, uncovering family secrets and corruption within the Vanger dynasty, leading them into danger and a complex web of intrigue.
14. "End of Watch" (2012) Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
LAPD officers Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala patrol the city's most dangerous streets, where filming their daily activities for a project turns deadly after a routine traffic stop gets them entangled with a drug cartel, marking them for death and testing their brotherhood and bravery.
15. "The Snowtown Murders" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
Based on true events, this chilling tale follows Jamie, a teenager in a poor suburb, who falls under the influence of Australia's most notorious serial killer, John Bunting, leading to a harrowing descent into violence and manipulation as part of Bunting's crusade against perceived threats to his community.
16. "Cold in July" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%
When Richard Dane accidentally kills a burglar, the dead man's father seeks vengeance; as the plot unfolds, Richard discovers a deep police conspiracy, leading him, along with a private investigator and the would-be avenger, into a dark underworld of corruption and violence.
17. "Small Town Crimes" (2017) Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%
Ex-cop Mike Kendall discovers the body of a young woman and becomes obsessed with solving her murder, putting him on a collision course with dangerous criminals, leading to a quest for redemption that uncovers dark secrets in his small town.
18. "Dragged Across Concrete" (2018) Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
Two disgraced cops, Brett Ridgeman and Anthony Lurasetti, descend into the criminal underworld to secure a better life for themselves, but their decision sets off a chain of events filled with brutality and betrayal, forcing them to face the consequences of their actions.
19. "The Empty Man" (2020) Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
After a group of teens from a small Midwestern town begin to mysteriously disappear, the locals believe it is the work of an urban legend known as The Empty Man; ex-cop James Lasombra is drawn into the investigation, uncovering a secret group attempting to summon a horrific entity.
Based on true events, four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level Taliban operative face an ethical decision that leads to them being ambushed in the mountains of Afghanistan, focusing on their struggle for survival and the bonds of brotherhood.
21. "Killing Them Softly" (2012) Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%
Jackie Cogan, an enforcer, is hired to restore order after three dumb guys rob a Mob-protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse; through a series of hits, Jackie navigates the seedy underworld, delivering his own brand of justice to ensure the mob's operations get back on track.
Susan Morrow, an art gallery owner, is haunted by her ex-husband Edward's novel, a violent and tragic story that she interprets as a veiled threat and a symbolic revenge tale, leading her to confront her past decisions and their devastating consequences.
23. "Wrath of Man" (2021) Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%
Seeking revenge for his son's murder during a robbery, mysterious and cold Patrick Hill infiltrates a cash truck company to find those responsible, uncovering a web of conspiracy and betrayal within the company as he methodically executes his plan.
24. "In The Land Of Blood And Honey" (2011) Rotten Tomatoes score: 58%
Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War, the film explores the complicated relationship between Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs, and Ajla, a Bosniak captive in the camp he oversees, as they struggle with love, loyalty, and the brutal realities of war.
25. "The Hollow Point" (2016) Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%
In a small border town, a new sheriff takes on a dangerous drug cartel after his predecessor is brutally murdered, uncovering a web of corruption and secrets that involve the town's most powerful figures.
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