Best movies like Shield of Straw
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Ninagawa is a powerful man in Japanese politics and with top economic connections.His granddaughter is then murdered. The suspect is Kunihide Kiyomaru (Tatsuya Fujiwara). Kunihide Kiyomaru has a prior conviction for assaulting and killing a girl 8 years ago. The police could never apprehend the suspect in the prior killing.
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan, Taiwan
Duration: 117 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, realistic, suspenseful, serious, crime drama, suspense, action thriller, stylized, detective
Best tv shows and movies like Shield of Straw (2013):
Similar in 84%
Running Wild (2006)
Plot Summary:
A grissled cop with tendencies towards excessive force teams up with an ambitious and righteous prosecutor to track down a dangerous crime boss whom they both want desperately to catch. But their quarry resorts to devious methods to stall their investigation and eventually turn them against each other. Now the stage is set for a dangerous triangle.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 855
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 124 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, crime drama, bleak, detective
Similar in 81%
A Company Man (2012)
Plot Summary:
A contract killing organization is managed like a normal company. Hyung-do who regards killing as nothing more than repetitious routine is working for this company. A man loyal to his company and accepted as the firm’s best killer, Hyung-do one day starts feeling doubts about his job and decides to quit his job for a woman he is in love with. Instantly, he is under the threat of being hunted down by his former colleagues.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 6000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, psychological, brutal, suspense, crime drama, realistic
Similar in 90%
The Memory of a Killer (2003)
Plot Summary:
Vincke and Verstuyft are one of the best detective teams of the Antwerp police force. When they are confronted with the disappearance of a top official and the murder of two prostitutes, the trail leads to the almost retired assassin Angelo Ledda. Since Ledda starts showing symptoms of Alzheimer's, it's getting more and more difficult to complete his contracts. When he has to murder a 12-year old call-girl, he refuses and becomes a target himself. While Vincke and Verstuyft are chasing him and counting the corpses, Ledda is taking care of his employers.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Belgium, Netherlands
Duration: 123 min
Plot tags: tense, suspenseful, detective, psychological, rough, neo noir, dramatic, psychological thriller, cult classic, atmospheric
Similar in 83%
Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (1972)
Plot Summary:
After being cruelly set up by a crooked detective named Sugimi (Isao Natsuyagi), whom she loved, Nami Matsushima (aka Matsu the Scorpion) (Meiko Kaji) is sentenced to do hard time in a women's prison, which is run by sadistic and horny male guards. There are 700 other prisoners, making Matsu number 701. Her crime was making a failed attempt to stab Sugimi on the steps of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Headquarters because he used her to win favor with the Yakuza. While in prison she meets inmates like Yuki Kida (Yayoi Watanabe) who was committed for fraud and theft, Otsuka (Akemi Negishi), jailed for burglary and extortion, and Katagiri (Rie Yokoyama) who has been impounded for arson and illegally disposing of a body.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, suspenseful, serious, grindhouse, erotic, slasher, manga, crime drama, cult classic
Similar in 75%
Colt 45 (2014)
Plot Summary:
The young police man Vincent is the best in his class, and denies to be recruited to the special forces. But when the corrupt Milo manages to get a grip on him, his life is turned into a living nightmare.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France, Belgium
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, rough, suspenseful, suspense, serious, realistic
Similar in 76%
The City of Lost Souls (2000)
Plot Summary:
Brazilian-Japanese gangster Mario rescues his Chinese girlfriend Kei as she's about to be deported from Japan. Desperate to escape, he hides in Tokyo's booming Japanese-Portuguese community and seeks passage from the country from a Russian mobster. To meet his price, they hold up a bigtime drug deal between the Chinese Mafia and the local Yakuza.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: disturbing, atmospheric, harsh, exciting, rough, suspenseful, realistic, stylized, crime drama, serious
Similar in 89%
Outrage (2010)
Plot Summary:
The story begins with Sekiuchi, boss of the Sannokai, a huge organized crime syndicate controlling the entire Kanto region, issuing a stern warning to his lieutenant Kato and right-hand man Ikemoto, head of the Ikemoto-gumi. Kato orders Ikemoto to bring the unassociated Murase-gumi gang in line, and he immediately passes the task on to his subordinate Otomo, who runs his own crew. The tricky jobs that no-one wants to do always end up in Otomo’s lap.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, cynical, rough, realistic, bloody, psychological, sincere, neo noir, disturbing
Similar in 75%
Yakuza: Like a Dragon (2007)
Plot Summary:
Former Yakuza underling Kiryu Kazuma, who has recently been released from prison after a lengthy incarceration, and is trying to piece his life together and distance himself from his Yakuza past. Unfortunately Kiryu's problems slowly escalate as he is pursued by a former associate, the baseball bat-wielding psycho Majima Goro who has a grudge to settle with Kiryu.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Japan, South Korea
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, heroic, crime drama, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 90%
Graveyard of Honor (2002)
Plot Summary:
A barkeeper saves a Yakuza boss' life and thus makes his way up in the organization. However, his fear of nothing soon causes problems.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, bleak, realistic, bloody, hood, crime drama, weird
Similar in 87%
Blood of Redemption (2013)
Plot Summary:
Quinn Forte had it all: power, money, a brother who idolized him, and a woman who loved him. He also had enemies. In the course of one night, he loses everything. Betrayed by someone in his inner circle, Quinn is set up and arrested. His father, the patriarch of the criminal empire is killed and his brother suspects that Quinn is behind it all. When he's released from jail he tries to escape the demons from his past, but that becomes an impossible task. Campbell, the ruthless new leader of "The Company" won't let him leave in peace. So instead of escaping them, Quinn fights back. He joins forces with his former henchman and friend, The Swede, and takes on his enemies head on.
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, serious, suspenseful, tense
Similar in 80%
Rain Fall (2009)
Plot Summary:
A hit man looks to protect the daughter of one of his victims against CIA assassins.
IMDB Rating: 4.6
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, surprise ending, neo noir, detective
Similar in 81%
Violent Cop (1989)
Plot Summary:
Detective Azuma is a Dirty-Harry style rogue cop who often uses violence and unethical methods to get results.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 13000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 103 min
Plot tags: neo noir, bloody, detective, bleak, crime drama, ironic, witty, controversial, hood, suspense thriller
Similar in 79%
The Unjust (2010)
Plot Summary:
A series of murders holds the nation in its sway and the longer the police fail to catch the murderer, the more the public begins to panic. Choi, a highly successful investigator whose methods have always held him back from promotion, senses that this case might be his last chance to make something of his career. He and his old mentor Jang agree to arrest the next best suspect as the serial killer – whatever it might cost. Just when it looks as if all the dirty tricks, dark deeds and treacherous secret deals are about to be exposed, all the stakeholders find themselves drawn deeper into the morass of questionable morals and open violation of the law. The search for the murderer begins to unite the four men, even though none are particularly interested in finding the culprit.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: South Korea
Duration: 119 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, suspenseful, exciting, realistic, psychological, detective, crime drama, twisted, bleak
Similar in 79%
The Deadly Tower (1975)
Plot Summary:
The real-life story of Charles Whitman's deadly shooting spree at the University of Texas is retold. In August 1966, after killing his wife and mother, Whitman climbed to the top of the school's tower and opened fire on passers-by, killing 13 and wounding many others.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, serious, disturbing, suspense, factual, psychological, tense, bleak, suspenseful
Similar in 77%
Black Dog (1998)
Plot Summary:
An ex-con takes a job driving a truck cross country. What he doesn't know is that the truck is filled with illegal weapons and now he must fight to survive and save his family.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, France, Germany, Japan
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: road movie, suspense, realistic, suspenseful, serious, colorful, fast, rough, exciting, humorous
Similar in 89%
Into the Sun (2005)
Plot Summary:
After the assassination of Tokyo's Governor by Yakuza members, the CIA bureau chief (William Atherton) for Tokyo puts out a call to an agent (Steven Seagal) that had been raised in Japan and trained by ex-Yakuza. Using his former ties, he quickly determines that a war is brewing between old-guard Yakuza members and a young, crazed leader (Takao Osawa) with ties to the Chinese Tong.
IMDB Rating: 4.3
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Action, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, spiritual, intense, crime drama, action packed, fast
Similar in 78%
Dossier K. (2009)
Plot Summary:
Vincke and Verstuyft are detectives of the Antwerp police department. This time they have to deal with the Albanian mob and some problems in their own police division.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Belgium, Netherlands
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: serious, psychological, tense, captivating, suspense, detective, rough, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 84%
Dead or Alive (1999)
Plot Summary:
Ryūichi and his small gang of Triad vie for control of the Japanese underworld in a crime-ridden Shinjuku quarter while Detective Jojima tries to bring it down. Jojima attempts to start a gang war between the Triad and yakuza. Ryūichi and Jojima meet.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 105 min
Plot tags: disturbing, serious, suspenseful, surreal, controversial, stylized, mind bending, psychedelic, heroic, hood
Similar in 90%
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%
Kaakha Kaakha (2003)
Plot Summary:
Kaakha Kaakha is a 2003 Tamil crime thriller film written and directed by Gautham Menon. The film released to highly positive reviews in August 2003 and went on to become the first Biggest Blockbuster in Suriya's career, and was considered a comeback film for producer Kalaipuli S. Dhanu. Owing to the success, the film has been remade in several languages.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: India
Duration: 153 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, rough, serious, tense, exciting, disturbing, cult film
Similar in 81%
Get Carter (2000)
Plot Summary:
Remake of the British classic. Jack Carter, a mob enforcer living in Las Vegas, travels back to his hometown of Seattle for his brother's funeral. During this visit, Carter realizes that the death of his brother was not accidental, but a murder. With this knowledge, Carter sets out to kill all those responsible.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 36000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: stylized, rough, realistic, serious, suspenseful, suspense, disturbing, action packed, disgusting, black comedy
Similar in 86%
Deadly Outlaw: Rekka (2002)
Plot Summary:
After Kunisada's Yakuza leader and father figure is brutally murdered, he and his best friend go on a two-man mission to avenge his death, killing other Yakuza leaders leading to a final confrontation by the old man's killers.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, stylized, crime drama, realistic, fast
Similar in 86%
The Yakuza (1974)
Plot Summary:
Harry Kilmer returns to Japan after several years in order to rescue his friend George's kidnapped daughter - and ends up on the wrong side of the Yakuza, the notorious Japanese mafia.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan, USA
Duration: 112 min
Plot tags: neo noir, tense, intense, harsh, serious, realistic, retro, spiritual, fast paced, crime drama
Similar in 86%
Colour of the Truth (2003)
Plot Summary:
A man becomes a cop in order to take down the police superintendent who may have killed his father, and that of a vengeful Triad boss.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 678
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: exciting, captivating, suspense, tense, crime drama, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 76%
Fulltime Killer (2001)
Plot Summary:
Professional assassin O has resided in an isolated world of killing and loneliness. But his life begins to change once he meets the innocent Chin; hired to clean O's apartment. However, soon the flamboyent and reckless Tok enters Chin's life with a mission--to unveil O's identity and usurp his place as the number one sharp-shooting assassin in the game.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 102 min
Plot tags: tense, atmospheric, harsh, exciting, suspenseful, bloody, cult classic, stylized, heroic, neo noir
Similar in 88%
New World (2013)
Plot Summary:
An undercover cop has his loyalties tested when the boss of the corporate gang he's spent years infiltrating dies.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 26000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: South Korea
Duration: 135 min
Plot tags: suspense, tense, neo noir, suspenseful, realistic, captivating, serious, intense, rough, psychological
Similar in 85%
Beyond Outrage (2012)
Plot Summary:
As the police launch a full-scale crackdown on organized crime, it ignites a national yakuza struggle between the Sanno of the East and Hanabishi of the West. What started as an internal strife in Outrage has now become a nationwide war in Outrage Beyond.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, realistic, psychological, noir, neo noir, bloody, hood, crime thriller
Similar in 77%
Black Rain (1989)
Plot Summary:
Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. In Japan, however, he manages to escape. As they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game the Japanese way.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 59000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 125 min
Plot tags: suspense, neo noir, detective, exciting, tense, serious, stylized, cult classic, hood, postmodern
Similar in 88%
U.S. Marshals (1998)
Plot Summary:
U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard is accompanying a plane load of convicts from Chicago to New York. The plane crashes spectacularly, and Mark Sheridan escapes. But when Diplomatic Security Agent John Royce is assigned to help Gerard recapture Sheridan, it becomes clear that Sheridan is more than just another murderer.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 112000
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 131 min
Plot tags: exciting, suspense, suspenseful, serious, entertaining, rough, realistic, psychological, tense, detective
Similar in 77%
The Escapist (2002)
Plot Summary:
Denis Hopkins, a pilot, lives with his pregnant wife Valerie and has a comfortable lifestyle. When a gang of criminals led by the sadistic Ricky Barnes breaks into his home, he offers whatever the criminals want to protect his wife and unborn child, but the evil Ricky kills Valerie anyway. Their baby is saved, and later Barnes is arrested and sentenced to life in the maximum security prison, Sullen Voe. Denis fakes his own suicide, then assaults a police car in order to get himself arrested and sent to prison with the intention of tracking down and killing Ricky Barnes. He does not reveal his true name and is called John "What" by the prisoners and guards. Denis escapes from successive prisons, forcing his eventual transfer to Sullen Voe. When he reaches his objective, Ricky Barnes schedules a confrontation, but things do not quite turn out the way Denis had expected.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: realistic, suspenseful, tense, serious, rough