Best movies like Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
The story tells the story of a collusion between Hong Kong police and criminals in 1973, under the instigation of the British, they embezzled huge profits and poisoned the citizens. The Governor of Hong Kong established the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 267
Genere: Action, Crime, History, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags:
Best tv shows and movies like Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong (2021):
Similar in 79%
Motta Shiva Ketta Shiva (2017)
Plot Summary:
A corrupt cop who has a heartbreaking childhood realises his mistakes and turns into a sincere officer to take on a dreaded criminal and his son.
IMDB Rating: 3.5
IMDB Votes: 522
Genere: Action
Country: India
Duration: 151 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 83%
G Storm (2021)
Plot Summary:
Follows an investigator as he prevents a terrorist attack during a symposium held by Hong Kong's Independent Commission Against Corruption. He later finds it has links to human trafficking in Thailand.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 361
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: crime drama
Similar in 77%
Crazy n' the City (2005)
Plot Summary:
Tensions arise when Jack Chan, a spineless constable who regards his work as a job but not a career, is partnered with an energetic and conscientious policewoman, Man Liu. When a serial killer emerges in Hong Kong, Man Liu swears to catch him. Jack is impressed by her bravery and decides to secretly protect her.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 419
Genere: Comedy, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: humorous, realistic, semi serious
Similar in 76%
Hassel: There Is No Mercy! (2000)
Plot Summary:
Roland Hassel meets the dangerous Russian mafia.
IMDB Rating: 5.2
IMDB Votes: 457
Genere: Action, Thriller
Country: Sweden
Duration: 107 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 79%
Bad City (2022)
Plot Summary:
Kensuke Sonomura directs the legendary Hitoshi Ozawa in this ultimate V-Cinema actioner. Kaiko City is plagued with poverty and crime. When a corrupt businessman decides to run for mayor and starts eliminating opponents from the rival mafia, a former police captain serving time for murder is secretly released and put in charge of a special task force to arrest him.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 409
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 118 min
Plot tags:
Similar in 80%
Gypsy (1990)
Plot Summary:
An ex-soldier saves wild horses from being slaughtered and helps protect a desert "freedom school" for runaway.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 53
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: independent film
Similar in 85%
Line Walker (2016)
Plot Summary:
The details of undercover police officers are deleted from a police database and a senior officer is left struggling to know who are the undercover officers and who are the criminals.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, suspense, suspenseful, crime drama
Similar in 78%
The Suspect (1998)
Plot Summary:
Louis Koo plays an assassin who wants to go straight after getting out of prison, so he turns down a job from his former employer Simon Yam to kill a politician. Yam carries out the hit himself and manages to frame Koo for the crime, who then must run from both the cops and criminals as he tries to clear his name.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 279
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
Wild City (2015)
Plot Summary:
Former cop-turned-bar owner Kwok and his underachieving half-brother befriends a drunken woman, they soon find themselves targeted by both her former lover, a high-powered attorney, and the gangster he employs. A suitcase full of tainted cash enters the picture as Kwok finds himself torn between the gangsters and his former colleagues.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 897
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: suspense, exciting, suspenseful, contemplative, heroic, independent film
Similar in 84%
Overheard 2 (2011)
Plot Summary:
Manson Law, a celebrated stockbroker in Hong Kong, is injured in a car accident. The police, led by Inspector Jack Ho, discovers a military surveillance device in the car wreck. Meanwhile, the wiretapper Joe Szema is unveiling his extensive plan that targets the mysterious financial conglomerate, the Landlord Club. The fate of these three men soon intertwines in the cat-and-mouse game that may bring down the entire stock market.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 121 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing, noir
Similar in 89%
P Storm (2019)
Plot Summary:
Liu Yue Ping reports to the ICAC about a rich 2G Cao Yuen Yuen who bribed officers of the Hong Kong Correctional Services (HKCS) from inside the prison. William Luk decides to infiltrate the prison as an inmate to conduct his investigation, while his partner Ching Tak Ming and Chief Inspector Lau Po-keung back him up from the outside.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 778
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating
Similar in 87%
L Storm (2018)
Plot Summary:
ICAC Investigator William Luk and JFIU Chief Inspector Lau Po-keung both hit a dead end in their investigation of a bribery case and a money laundering case. In the meantime, William Luk was suspended when model Eva Ng went to Inspector Kenny Ching of ICAC’s Internal Investigation Group L, to file a report against him for accepting a $12M bribe. Lau discovered Luk was set up and whoever framed Luk was connected to his case. He began to suspect the bank manager Thomson Yau was assisting a gangster, Wong Hoi-wo in money laundering activities. When Director Hong Liang of China’s Anti-Corruption & Bribery Bureau (ACBB) provided Lau with important intelligence, it became clear the money laundering activities were connected to a corrupted Vice-Ministerial Level cadre. To clear his name, William Luk put everything on the line….
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 614
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 88%
Dog Watch (1997)
Plot Summary:
A San Francisco detective (Elliott) goes wild when he discovers his partner dead and the presumed culprit standing over him. After beating the man to death, he comes to his senses and realizes that he has to get rid of the body of the beaten man. Dumping the man in the river, he returns to his partner's body and calls in the death. He is then given a new partner (Morales) and is assigned to investigate the death of a man just pulled from the river causing all the expected problems. However, the investigation does lead to police corruption and his own partner's involvement in drug running.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 411
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: independent film, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
Cold War (2012)
Plot Summary:
They say Hong Kong is the safest city in Asia. But tonight, a police van has been hijacked along with the arms, equipment and the five officers aboard, one of the hostages being the only son of police deputy commissioner M.B. Lee! With the chief commissioner away on a conference overseas, the fiery Lee immediately takes command of the rescue operation – codenamed "Cold War" – but the mysterious kidnappers clearly know the police procedures and are therefore in an advantageous position. Objecting to Lee's aggressive but futile methods, the other deputy commissioner Sean Lau steps in at this time of crisis to lead the operation. But even Lau's careful plan to negotiate with the kidnappers ends up a failure, losing the $50 million cash ransom and the life of his lieutenant in the process. Meanwhile, the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption) begins to investigate Lau and Lee on suspicion of having hidden ties to the kidnappers.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, crime drama, noir, suspense, detective, action packed, realistic
Similar in 79%
Heroic Duo (2003)
Plot Summary:
Tough cop Ken Li (Cheng) is at the top of his game, but he's going to need some help to solve a grisly crime that the offender, a respected police officer, doesn't even remember committing. He seeks out Jack Lai (Lai), a former psychologist now in disgrace and behind bars, who has an uncanny ability to bend people to his will. Making an uneasy truce, this unconventional pair set out on a mission to find the man responsible, a master of hypnotism who will stop at nothing to get his revenge!.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 880
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, heroic
Similar in 89%
Bullets Over Summer (1999)
Plot Summary:
Plainclothes policemen Brian and Mike use an elderly woman's apartment for surveillance, hoping to catch a fugitive gangster. They develop a warm relationship with their hostess, whom they call "granny." Meanwhile, each man develops a romantic relationship: Brian with a strange wandering teenage girl, and Mike with a pregnant woman at the dry cleaning shop. When the gangster returns to his flat, Brian and Mike are forced into an explosive confrontation.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 806
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 78%
Turning Point (2009)
Plot Summary:
Laughing (MICHAEL TSE) is formally a police undercover. However due to a drug trafficking case, Inspector Pan (FELIX WONG) is hot on his trails. Before Laughing becomes a police undercover, he works under triad leader Yi (ANTHONY WONG). Yi treats Laughing as his own brother, however to protect his territory and illegal businesses, Yi instructed Laughing to join the police force and act as his undercover. Laughing is a high-flyer in the police academy. However he never got a chance to join the force because he is specially picked by Inspector Xian (YUEN BIAO) to be an undercover in the underworld syndicate. Hence Laughing becomes a “double-undercover”. Yi is happy that Laughing is allocated to the triad of his rival (FRANCIS NG). To make his situation worse, Laughing falls in love with the triad leader’s sister, Karen. Justice, brotherhood and love, what will Laughing decide on? His decision will be a turning point in his life.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 441
Genere: Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, exciting
Similar in 87%
Dhruva (2016)
Plot Summary:
A committed police officer is on a very dangerous mission to destroy the most corrupt person in the country, Siddharth Abhimanyu.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: India
Duration: 165 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating
Similar in 90%
Cold War II (2016)
Plot Summary:
Picking up some time after the events in the first movie, Sean Lau is now the Commissioner of Police after the successful rescue operation. However, things turn bad when his wife and daughter are kidnapped. Sean has to seek help from former rival and retired DCP, Waise Lee, to return to his job to help save Sean`s wife and child.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: political thriller, tense, captivating
Similar in 76%
Crossfire (2008)
Plot Summary:
A grizzled Parisian detective is sent to an outpost town in Southern France to dismantle a gang of killers which has freed a notorious criminal. The detective inherits a team of unmotivated and dishevelled detectives, and he makes connections nobody else ever saw because nobody else bothered to look. A mysterious, charismatic figure, he leads by example, and gradually his team begins to feel like cops again.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 727
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 77%
Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild Bunch (2019)
Plot Summary:
Based on real-life crimes that terrorized Hong Kong in the 1990s, Logan (Tony Leung Ka-Fai) is the head of leading a notorious human trafficking gang, abducting the children of Hong Kong's elite. Police forces decide to send in Sky (Louis Koo), a Hong Kong undercover agent whose mission is to infiltrate and save the hostages, all while bringing the gang and their leader to justice.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 746
Genere: Action, Biography, Crime, Thriller
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: captivating, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 78%
Full Alert (1997)
Plot Summary:
Police Inspector Pao is trying to catch Mak Kwan, a gang member who is first arrested, but then escapes from the prison. By chance, Pao realizes that the target of Kwan's gang is the H.K. Jockey Club.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: neo noir, heroic, crime drama, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 90%
Three (2016)
Plot Summary:
Realising that he will be defeated in no time during a police showdown, a thug shoots himself to force the cops to cease fire and take him to the hospital. In the hospital, he claims human rights to refuse immediate treatment in order to buy time for his underlings to rescue him. The detective in charge sees through his scheme but decides to play along so as to capture his whole gang once and for all.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: captivating, suspenseful, heroic, exciting
Similar in 88%
Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy (2019)
Plot Summary:
A car crash sparks a war between local police and an international terrorist organization.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 904
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China, Myanmar
Duration: 98 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense
Similar in 80%
Chasing the Dragon (2017)
Plot Summary:
An illegal immigrant from Mainland China sneaks into the corrupt British-colonized Hong Kong in 1963, transforming himself into a ruthless drug lord.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Action, Biography, Crime, History
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 128 min
Plot tags: tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful, disturbing, perverse, cult classic
Similar in 90%
The White Storm (2013)
Plot Summary:
An operation against the notorious druglord in Thailand changed the destiny of a HK narcotic team- the workaholic captain lost his men and bright career; the loyal officer was abandoned and went missing; the undercover cop who was salvaged chose to walk away from the past. Several years later, a drug dealing-related crime brought them together for a final face-off.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 140 min
Plot tags: crime drama, exciting, rough, brutal, suspense, suspenseful, tense, heroic, action adventure
Similar in 90%
Connected (2008)
Plot Summary:
A debt collector receives a call from a woman who is kidnapped by an unknown gang. He thinks it is a joke but soon, he realises that it is not a prank.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Adventure, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: China, Hong Kong
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: serious, suspenseful, exciting, realistic
Similar in 87%
Flash Point (2007)
Plot Summary:
Detective Sergeant Ma Jun, known for dispensing his own brand of justice during arrests, teams up with an undercover cop, Wilson, to try and bring down three merciless Vietnamese brothers running a smuggling ring in the months before mainland China's takeover of Hong Kong. Jun pursues the gang tirelessly, sometimes ignoring police protocols. A showdown is inevitable!.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong, China
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, cliffhanger, crime drama, cult classic, non stop action, aesthetic, rough
Similar in 81%
Eye in the Sky (2007)
Plot Summary:
The head of an elite Hong Kong surveillance unit (Simon Yam) keeps one eye on his rookie apprentice (Kate Tsui) and the other on a notorious criminal (Tony Leung Ka Fai) he suspects of masterminding a recent jewel heist in this tense thriller from filmmaking duo Johnnie To and Nai-Hoi Yau. Of course, the criminal knows all along he's being watched. But that doesn't stop him from trying to pull off the biggest score of his career.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: tense, exciting, serious, captivating, suspense, action thriller, rough, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 88%
Election (2005)
Plot Summary:
A drama-thriller centered on a democratic election within an organized crime society.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: suspense, rough, captivating, suspenseful, neo noir, bloody, crime drama, tense, serious, realistic