Best movies like Desperate Hours
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
A criminal holds a wealthy family hostage.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: neo noir, suspenseful, psychological, tense, suspense, exciting, melancholic, enigmatic, intense, scary
Best tv shows and movies like Desperate Hours (1990):
Similar in 78%
The Contract (2006)
Plot Summary:
Attempting to recover from a recent family trauma by escaping into the woods for a peaceful hiking trip, an ex-lawman and his young son stumble across a dangerous contract killer.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, suspense, exciting, serious, realistic, cliffhanger, clever, action thriller, road movie, unusual plot structure
Similar in 78%
Johnny Handsome (1989)
Plot Summary:
A career criminal who has been deformed since birth is given a new face by a kindly doctor and paroled from prison. It appears that he has gone straight, but he is really planning his revenge on the man who killed his mentor and sent him to prison.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: intense, suspense, harsh, neo noir, serious, tense, rough, realistic, suspenseful, erotic
Similar in 85%
Oxygen (1999)
Plot Summary:
A masochistic cop, who hides her predilection from her cop husband, gets involved in pursuing a kidnapper nicknamed Harry for Harry Houdini.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: tense, suspenseful, scary, psychological, surprise ending, rough, detective, dark, twisted, serious
Similar in 87%
Cohen and Tate (1988)
Plot Summary:
A boy kidnapped by two mismatched hitmen puts them at each other's throats while being driven to their employers, possibly to be killed. Cohen, an older professional becomes increasingly irritated with his partner Tate, a brutish killer, when their prisoner uses unnatural guile and resourcefulness to play them off against each other.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: neo noir, entertaining, perverse, cult classic, independent film, surprise ending, road movie, psychological, serious, realistic
Similar in 80%
Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)
Plot Summary:
In Queens, Mike Keegan is celebrating with his wife Ellie, his son Tommy and friends his recent promotion to detective in a precinct in Manhattan. Meanwhile, in a fancy club, the socialite Claire Gregory witnesses the murder of the owner of the place by the powerful mobster Joey Venza. Mike is assigned to protect her in the night shift in her apartment in Manhattan. When Venza threatens Claire, the contact of Mike with Claire gets closer and conflicts him, dividing between the love for his family and the heat passion for Claire and the fascination for her world.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: detective, neo noir, visually stunning, suspenseful, stylized, suspense, retro, cult classic, serious, realistic
Similar in 88%
Trapped (2002)
Plot Summary:
When their daughter is kidnapped by experienced nappers (Bacon and Love), the Jennings' (Theron and Townsend) turn the tables on this seemingly foolproof plan.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 25000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, suspense, sexy, scary, clever, serious, realistic, neo noir, suspense thriller, tear jerker
Similar in 76%
Killshot (2008)
Plot Summary:
Beautiful Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne are placed in the Federal Witness Protection program after witnessing an "incident". Thinking they are at last safe, they are targeted by an experienced hit man and a psychopathic young upstart killer.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 22000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, rough, realistic, talky, intense, neo noir, action drama, scary, exciting
Similar in 90%
Unlawful Entry (1992)
Plot Summary:
After a break-in at their house, a couple gets help from one of the cops that answered their call. He helps them install the security system, and begins dropping by on short notice and unofficial patrol, and spends a lot of time discussing the couple's problems with the wife. The husband begins wondering if they're getting too much help.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 19000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspenseful, suspense, tense, neo noir, disturbing, psychological thriller, dark, exciting, noir
Similar in 79%
White Sands (1992)
Plot Summary:
A small southwestern town sheriff finds a body in the desert with a suitcase and $500,000. He impersonates the man and stumbles into an FBI investigation.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: neo noir, suspense, harsh, stylized, rough, serious, suspenseful, exciting, realistic, road movie
Similar in 88%
Judgment Night (1993)
Plot Summary:
While racing to a boxing match, Frank, Mike, John and Rey get more than they bargained for. A wrong turn lands them directly in the path of Fallon, a vicious, wise-cracking drug lord. After accidentally witnessing Fallon murder a disloyal henchman, the four become his unwilling prey in a savage game of cat & mouse as they are mercilessly stalked through the urban jungle in this taut suspense drama.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 18000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: suspense, suspenseful, exciting, harsh, intense, serious, rough, realistic, hood, twisted
Similar in 80%
Mercury Rising (1998)
Plot Summary:
Renegade FBI agent Art Jeffries protects a nine-year-old autistic boy who has cracked the government's new "unbreakable" code.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 77000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: suspense, suspenseful, intense, rough, neo noir, exciting, anamorphic, clever, political, political thriller
Similar in 83%
The Hunted (2003)
Plot Summary:
In the wilderness of British Columbia, two hunters are tracked and viciously murdered by Aaron Hallum. Former Special Operations instructor, L.T. Bonham is approached and asked to apprehend Hallum, his former student, who has 'gone rogue' after suffering severe battle stress from his time in Kosovo.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 51000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: suspense, intense, brutal, slasher, psychological, tense, serious, suspenseful, rough, bleak
Similar in 76%
Hostage (2005)
Plot Summary:
When a mafia accountant is taken hostage on his beat, a police officer – wracked by guilt from a prior stint as a negotiator – must negotiate the standoff, even as his own family is held captive by the mob.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 113000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, suspense, tense, intense, realistic, rough, serious, entertaining, action thriller, neo noir
Similar in 76%
The Package (1989)
Plot Summary:
Experienced Green Beret sergeant Johnny Gallagher is escorting a prisoner, Airborne Ranger Thomas Boyette, back to the US, but Boyette escapes and Gallagher must risk life and limb to catch him.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min
Plot tags: tense, exciting, suspenseful, suspense, intense, serious, realistic, political, detective, crime drama
Similar in 87%
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
Plot Summary:
A fearless Secret Service agent will stop at nothing to bring down the counterfeiter who killed his partner.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 38000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 116 min
Plot tags: neo noir, suspense, tense, suspenseful, cult classic, disturbing, stylized, intense, rough, serious
Similar in 75%
Shattered (2007)
Plot Summary:
A sociopathic kidnapper methodically pushes a desperate pair of parents to their absolute breaking point.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 33000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, Canada, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: surprise ending, twist ending, suspense, psychological, tense, suspenseful, disturbing, mindfuck, psychological thriller, entertaining
Similar in 82%
A Prayer for the Dying (1987)
Plot Summary:
Jack Higgins' straightforward thriller about a guilt-ridden IRA bomber forced into "one last job".
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags: rough, suspenseful, exciting, serious, realistic, neo noir, political, political thriller, crime drama, surprise ending
Similar in 78%
Blue Steel (1990)
Plot Summary:
A female rookie in the police force engages in a cat and mouse game with a pistol wielding psychopath who becomes obsessed with her.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: neo noir, exciting, tense, suspenseful, detective, rough, disturbing, erotic, cult classic, stylized
Similar in 90%
Point Blank (1998)
Plot Summary:
Convicted corporate criminal Howard engineers a prison break as he and a number of fellow inmates are being transferred to a new facility. The escapees storm a shopping mall and take a group of shoppers hostage (after killing many more of them) before making their demands. Only Rudy, a former mercenary and brother of one of the fugitives, can take out the criminals before more of the hostages die.
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: serious, rough, realistic, tense, suspense, exciting, independent film, suspenseful, fast, surprise ending
Similar in 82%
Boiling Point (1993)
Plot Summary:
Red is an aging scam-artist who's just been released from prison together with Ronnie, a young and not-so-bright hoodlum who is easily manipulated. Their new business is to organize fake-money sales and then kill the buyer to take his money; but when Ronnie kills an undercover secret service agent, his partner Jimmy Mercer vows revenge and is given one week to catch the killers before being transferred. Written by Giancarlo Cairella.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: suspense, exciting, neo noir, suspenseful, tense, intense, rough, serious, realistic, action thriller
Similar in 87%
Year of the Dragon (1985)
Plot Summary:
In New York, racist Capt. Stanley White becomes obsessed with destroying a Chinese-American drug ring run by Joey Tai, an up-and-coming young gangster as ambitious as he is ruthless. While pursuing an unauthorized investigation, White grows increasingly willing to violate police protocol, resorting to progressively violent measures -- even as his concerned wife, Connie, and his superiors beg him to consider the consequences of his actions.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 17000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 134 min
Plot tags: neo noir, controversial, brutal, suspense, intense, serious, realistic, suspenseful, exciting, detective
Similar in 85%
Shoot to Kill (1988)
Plot Summary:
When a cunning murderer vanishes into the rugged mountains of the Pacific Northwest, pursuing FBI agent Warren Stantin must exchange familiar city streets for unknown wilderness trails. Completely out of his element, Stantin is forced to enlist the aid of expert tracker Jonathan Knox. It's a turbulent yet vital relationship they must maintain in order to survive... and one that becomes increasingly desperate when Knox's girlfriend Sarah becomes the killer's latest hostage!.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: suspenseful, exciting, intense, serious, realistic, neo noir, suspense, breathtaking, cult classic, visually stunning
Similar in 78%
Trespass (2011)
Plot Summary:
Kyle (Nicolas Cage) and Sarah Miller (Nicole Kidman) have it all: a huge gated house on the water, fancy cars, and the potential for romance in their relationship. He's just back from a business trip (he brokers diamonds) and their teen daughter Avery (Liana Liberato) is sneaking out to a party, when four thugs in security uniforms and ski masks stage a home invasion. They want what's in the safe: cash and diamonds. As Kyle stalls them, trying to negotiate for Sarah's freedom, the fault lines in Kyle and Sarah's marriage and the pasts of the four robbers come into play. Is there room here for heroism?.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 45000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Bulgaria
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: rough, suspenseful, suspense, intense, psychological thriller, neo noir, surprise ending, serious, realistic, exciting
Similar in 89%
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (2009)
Plot Summary:
Armed men hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom, and turning an ordinary day's work for dispatcher Walter Garber into a face-off with the mastermind behind the crime.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 206000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: tense, suspense, exciting, suspenseful, stylized, intense, rough, realistic, serious, action thriller
Similar in 79%
Fracture (2007)
Plot Summary:
A husband is on trial for the attempted murder of his wife, in what is seemingly an open/shut case for the ambitious district attorney trying to put him away. However, there are surprises for both around every corner, and, as a suspenseful game of cat-and-mouse is played out, each must manipulate and outwit the other.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 215000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 113 min
Plot tags: suspense, psychological, intellectual, twist ending, psychological thriller, clever, serious, enigmatic, suspenseful, surprise ending
Similar in 76%
Red Dragon (2002)
Plot Summary:
Former FBI Agent Will Graham, who was once almost killed by the savage Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter, now has no choice but to face him again, as it seems Lecter is the only one who can help Graham track down a new serial killer.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 287000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: suspense, suspenseful, neo noir, psychological, tense, psychological thriller, dark, scary, intense, rough
Similar in 82%
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Plot Summary:
A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family's killers free. He targets not only the killer but also the district attorney and others involved in the deal.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 314000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: twist ending, suspense, psychological, surprise ending, clever, tense, serious, exciting, brutal, rough
Similar in 82%
A History of Violence (2005)
Plot Summary:
An average family is thrust into the spotlight after the father commits a seemingly self-defense murder at his diner.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 250000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, UK, Germany
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: neo noir, harsh, disturbing, tense, psychological, realistic, serious, suspense, sexy, intense
Similar in 84%
Hannibal (2001)
Plot Summary:
After having successfully eluded the authorities for years, Hannibal peacefully lives in Italy in disguise as an art scholar. Trouble strikes again when he's discovered leaving a deserving few dead in the process. He returns to America to make contact with now disgraced Agent Clarice Starling, who is suffering the wrath of a malicious FBI rival as well as the media.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 289000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspenseful, disturbing, atmospheric, stylized, clever, rough, psychological thriller, serious, intense
Similar in 88%
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Plot Summary:
FBI trainee, Clarice Starling ventures into a maximum-security asylum to pick the diseased brain of Hannibal Lecter, a psychiatrist turned homicidal cannibal. Starling needs clues to help her capture a serial killer. But her Faustian relationship with Lecter soon leads to his escape, and now two deranged killers are on the loose.
IMDB Rating: 8.6
IMDB Votes: 15000000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags: psychological, suspenseful, suspense, scary, psychological thriller, tense, dark, neo noir, serious, thrilling