Best movies like Cartel War
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Led by a detective hell-bent on revenge, a team of undercover cops in Los Angeles attempt to bring down a powerful drug mob from the inside. Operating outside the law, they put everything on the line to clean up the streets and exact payback on the king pin who devastated their families. Based on the true story of Mexico's most powerful drug lord, Cartel War is an action-packed journey into an all-too-real violent underworld.
IMDB Rating: 4.1
IMDB Votes: 238
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, captivating, crime drama, independent film
Best tv shows and movies like Cartel War (2010):
Similar in 90%
Jackals (1986)
Plot Summary:
Cops in a small town near the Mexican border find themselves caught up in a scheme that smuggles illegal aliens into the country.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 213
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: independent film, rough, clever, serious, realistic, suspenseful, talky
Similar in 79%
Catch the Heat (1987)
Plot Summary:
Gorgeous Checkers Goldberg, a police detective, goes undercover as a stripper in order to stop a ruthless kingpin who has been using unsuspecting starlets in order to smuggle drugs into the United States. With her hot looks, street smarts and martial arts prowess, Goldberg seems to have everything she needs to catch this violent criminal -- and will stop at nothing to get the job done.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 297
Genere: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama
Country: Argentina, USA
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 85%
The Colombian Connection (2014)
Plot Summary:
The year is 1976 and it is a dangerous year in the Straits of Yucatan. The man is Jack Hooks, a former cop set up by his corrupt partner and sent to jail for a drug crime he didn't commit. After being yanked out of prison with an early release deal offered by the DEA, he is sent on a do or die mission; bring down the drug trade of his former partner, Frank Rossi and his contacts. Hooks has no choice but to plunge into the underworld of marijuana smuggling by making one big run through the narrow channel that flows between Cuba and Mexico, also known as "The Eye", and into the heart of a violent Colombian drug ring.
IMDB Rating: 3.7
IMDB Votes: 297
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: exciting, suspenseful, tense, captivating, suspense, crime drama, rough, bleak, serious, realistic
Similar in 77%
The Big Score (1983)
Plot Summary:
A narcotics detective, played by Fred Williamson, lets nothing stand in the way of his bringing down a major drug dealer. After a bust gone awry, he's accused of stealing a lost briefcase filled with money and both the mob and the police are looking for him. A ruthless hit man, played by Bruce Glover, will stop at nothing to get what his boss wants; the money!.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 258
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, detective
Similar in 80%
Men with Guns (1997)
Plot Summary:
Three losers, Eddie, Lucas and Mamet, are sent to collect some debt at a remote farm. But the thugs there are too hard for them, and they are humiliated. They return for revenge, it gets out of hand, ends with a bloodbath and they are left with a big amount of cocaine. The drugs belong to local mob boss Horace Burke, who sends his son to find them. Cops are also after them.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 280
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: independent film, bleak, exciting, tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, neo noir, atmospheric
Similar in 83%
Extraordinary Mission (2017)
Plot Summary:
An undercover police officer attempts to take down a drug trafficking syndicate from the inside.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 880
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: China
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, heroic
Similar in 80%
Out in Fifty (1999)
Plot Summary:
A reformed ex-convict enters a love triangle and gets manipulated into being a scapegoat in a murder scheme for revenge.
IMDB Rating: 3.8
IMDB Votes: 520
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, rough, serious, independent film
Similar in 83%
The Underground (1997)
Plot Summary:
A cop must stop the killings of rap stars. But, he gets in too deep after his partner is killed.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 214
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: crime drama, exciting, tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, detective
Similar in 85%
Bullets, Blood & a Fistful of Ca$h (2006)
Plot Summary:
A hard boiled tale of bloody revenge that interweaves the stories of nine criminals. The story takes place in one day, on the eve of an all out syndicate war. Through a twisted series of events, the interweaving narratives are put on an ultra-violent collision course that will determine, once and for all, who owns the streets.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 740
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 115 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, serious, suspenseful, bloody, action packed
Similar in 75%
The Last of the Finest (1990)
Plot Summary:
An elite group of vice cops are fired from the L.A.P.D. for being over-zealous in their war against drugs. It is immediately apparent that some of their superiors are involved in the drug ring. Banded together, four of the banned cops (which quickly becomes three when one is killed early) band together to fight the drug ring undercover. They gain capital for weapons by ripping off minor drug dealers. Then well-armed they go after the kingpin (Boyd).
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 106 min
Plot tags: independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, suspense
Similar in 89%
Stiletto Dance (2001)
Plot Summary:
Two undercover police officers must try to prevent a multi-million dollar nuclear arms deal among several mob factions.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 438
Genere: Drama, Action, Crime
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, stylized, realistic, fast, neo noir, detective
Similar in 77%
New York Cop (1993)
Plot Summary:
Allegedly based on a true story, this film follows the life of Toshi, a Japanese man living in America and working with the New York City police. After being recommended for undercover work, Toshi decides to go after a gang lead by Hawk. Hawk and Toshi soon become friends, although Hawk's second-in-command, Tito, is suspicious of the newcomer. Will Toshi be able to bring the gang down, or will his cover be blown before he can finish the assignment?.
IMDB Rating: 4.2
IMDB Votes: 249
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: crime drama, independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 82%
Narx (2011)
Plot Summary:
Based on a shocking true story. An undercover cop puts his life on the line to fight corruption in his department, while trying to take down the biggest Drug Kingpin of New York City. No one can be trusted as the body count rises.
IMDB Rating: 4.0
IMDB Votes: 77
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, suspense, suspenseful, crime drama, independent film
Similar in 87%
Ambushed (2013)
Plot Summary:
In the frenetic underbelly of Los Angeles, Agent Maxwell closes in on an international cocaine smuggling operation run by criminal mastermind Vincent Camastra. When Agent Beverly Royce goes undercover with the drug dealers and finds herself deeper then she can handle - the case becomes personal for Maxwell who has to combat ruthless killers and dirty cops in an all-out action filled finale to bring the criminals to justice.
IMDB Rating: 3.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, suspenseful, serious, tense
Similar in 89%
Saints and Sinners (1994)
Plot Summary:
After many years Pooch returns to his neighbourhood. To Big Boy, his best friend, Pooch is valuable asset in his plans of becoming local crime lord. To Pooch, this reunion is painful because he is, actually, undercover cop sent to bring Big Boy down.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 201
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: independent film, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, cult film
Similar in 86%
Two Coyotes (2001)
Plot Summary:
A drug runner takes over a lucrative drug business only to find his new found empire crumble when a deal goes bad.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 64
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, crime drama, surprise ending, independent film
Similar in 78%
Crazy Six (1997)
Plot Summary:
In a crumbling Europe, powerful mafia families have emerged from the anarchy to vie for control of the lucrative arms trade.
IMDB Rating: 2.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Slovakia, USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, exciting, realistic, independent film, futuristic
Similar in 90%
Chicago Overcoat (2009)
Plot Summary:
The fates of an aging hitman and a washed up detective become entwined when one last job leads to one last chance to settle an old score.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, realistic, independent film, detective
Similar in 78%
Mission Park (2013)
Plot Summary:
Four friends from the rough side of town grow apart when two are consumed by a life of crime, and the other two become FBI agents sent deep undercover - to bring down those childhood friends.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 931
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, tense, captivating, exciting, crime drama, serious, independent film
Similar in 79%
UC: Undercover (2001)
Plot Summary:
UC: Undercover is an action-thriller television series that focuses on the secret lives and private demons of an elite Justice Department crime-fighting unit that confronts the country’s deadliest, most untouchable lawbreakers by going undercover to bust them. The series was broadcast from 2001 to 2002. The stories were written by Shane Salerno. James Bond composer David Arnold wrote the main title theme and scored the pilot episode. Salerno said the show would be a "very music driven series." UC: Undercover was a production of NBC Studios in association with Jersey Films, Chasing Time Pictures, Regency Television, and 20th Century Fox Television. Its short but popular run ended when it was canceled by the network. The show developed a passionate following overseas and continues to run on FX International.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 308
Genere: Drama, Action
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, detective, realistic, fast, suspense
Similar in 82%
The Loner (1987)
Plot Summary:
A cop is looking for the killer of his friend.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: rough, exciting, serious, realistic, suspenseful, neo noir
Similar in 83%
The City Is Mine (2008)
Plot Summary:
A young man coming home after serving time in the penitentiary finds his city in control by local thugs, stops at nothing to gain sole control of a city he feels is rightfully his.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 109
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: captivating, exciting, tense, suspense, independent film, rough, bleak, serious, realistic
Similar in 84%
The Raid (2014)
Plot Summary:
Five undercover cops at Complexo do Alemão, one of Rio de Janeiro's most dangerous areas, have their covers blown by drug dealers. Arrested, they wait execution or to be rescued by police forces that would risk expose a larger operation.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Drama
Country: Brazil
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: exciting, serious, captivating, suspense, tense, rough, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Decisions (2011)
Plot Summary:
When a group of friends decide to pull a bank heist to get out from underneath their money troubles. They quickly discover that things can unravel in a hurry! A compromised LAPD Detective (Corey Haim) on the take with a crime syndicate figure want the money back and will go to any lengths to get it! Things go wrong quickly as bullets start to fly and the group finds that one thing affects another and discover that the voice of reason is not always what it appears to be.
IMDB Rating: 3.3
IMDB Votes: 273
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, suspenseful, captivating, exciting, independent film, rough, realistic
Similar in 88%
Probable Cause (1994)
Plot Summary:
A series of cop murders plagues the city. The remaining officers on the force are increasingly worried as the deaths increase with no leads. As the department's finest must solve the case before the killer strikes again.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 260
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Canada
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: independent film, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, surprise ending
Similar in 81%
If You Knew Me (2015)
Plot Summary:
Sathyadev, who is on a career break, is forced to put on his cop shoes ones again to save Thenmozhi, a young woman who is the target of a criminal organ harvesting group, led by a ghost from his past.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: India
Duration: 168 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, thrilling, serious, realistic, suspenseful, cult film
Similar in 80%
El padrino (2004)
Plot Summary:
In the streets of East Los Angeles, Manny is a formidable drug dealer. Impressed by his extravagant lifestyle and prowess, his young son, Kilo, yearns to follow in his footsteps. Kilo resolves to learn how to prosper in the drug world, and his new life as a dealer begins. In a world where a man wants everything, he may end up with nothing.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 762
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, exciting
Similar in 84%
Consignment (2007)
Plot Summary:
Consignment is the authentic and brutal story of an East Coast drug dealer forced to flee to California only to realize state lines don't erase past sins.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 99
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, independent film
Similar in 81%
Go Fast (2008)
Plot Summary:
Marek, a crime squad officer, sets out to avenge the death of his partner and best friend, who was killed by drug traffickers. He asks for a posting to a new undercover unit created to infiltrate a drug gang that imports hashish from Morocco using the "Go Fast" method. A fleet of high-powered speedboats and cars races across the Mediterranean to Spain and then France, loaded with drugs.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, tense, realistic, crime drama, fast
Similar in 78%
Snitch'd (2003)
Plot Summary:
When the South Side Gang and the Cut Throat Mafia start a drug war at a local high school in Santa Ana, CA, detective McClure goes undercover to investigate the brutal murder of a young Latina student. The gang members are the key suspects but nobody is talking. And as McClure continues to dig for answers, it becomes clear that the two gangs are fighting for territory - and nobody is getting in their way.
IMDB Rating: 2.1
IMDB Votes: 205
Genere: Action, Adventure, Thriller, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, independent film, bleak