Best movies like Youth of the Beast
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
To infiltrate a criminal organization responsible for the death of one of his colleagues, the Detective Tajima adopts the behavior of of a brutal thug and plays opposing yakuza bosses against each other.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery
Country: Japan
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: neo noir, grindhouse, bloody, crime drama, atmospheric, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Best tv shows and movies like Youth of the Beast (1963):
Similar in 83%
Detective Bureau 2-3: Go to Hell Bastards (1963)
Plot Summary:
Tajima is a private detective in charge of his own company, Detective Bureau 2-3. When warring criminal gangs go overboard by robbing U.S. military munitions, Tajima steps in to stop what the cops can't.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 891
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, exciting, humorous, captivating, realistic, stylized, not serious, fast, neo noir, detective
Similar in 81%
Cruel Gun Story (1964)
Plot Summary:
Businessmen arrange the early release from prison of Togawa, serving time for taking revenge on the truck driver whose carelessness confined Togawa's sister, Rei, to a wheelchair. They want Togawa to hijack an armored truck loaded with 120 million yen; their leverage is to promise him money for surgery for Rei. Togawa consents and plans the heist with three others. The plan is solid, but it doesn't go smoothly. Togawa must improvise, there are traitors somewhere, and double-crosses mount. Can Togawa escape with enough money to help his sister and ensure a passage out of Japan?.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 87 min
Plot tags: neo noir
Similar in 75%
Pale Flower (1964)
Plot Summary:
Muraki, a hardboiled Yakuza gangster, has just been released from prison after serving a sentence for murder. Revisiting his old gambling haunts, he meets Saeko, a striking young upper-class woman who is out seeking thrills, and whose presence adds spice to the staid masculine underworld rituals. Muraki becomes her mentor while simultaneously coping with the shifts of power that have affected the gangs while he was interred. When he notices a rogue, drug-addicted young punk hanging around the gambling dens, he realizes that Saeko's insatiable lust for intense pleasures may be leading her to self-destruction.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: neo noir, noir, cynical, black and white, existential, crime drama, tense, atmospheric, offbeat, serious
Similar in 88%
A Colt Is My Passport (1967)
Plot Summary:
One of Japanese cinema’s supreme emulations of American noir, Takashi Nomura’s A Colt Is My Passport is a down-and-dirty but gorgeously photographed yakuza film starring Joe Shishido as a hard-boiled hit man caught between rival gangs.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: neo noir, grindhouse, exciting, tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, cult film
Similar in 76%
Behzat Ç.: I Buried You in My Heart (2011)
Plot Summary:
An aggressive police officer tries to solve the mystery behind consecutive murders. While doing so, he must fight against his inner demons.
IMDB Rating: 7.5
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery
Country: Turkey
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: rough, suspenseful, exciting, serious, realistic
Similar in 86%
Game of Death II (1980)
Plot Summary:
In this dark tale of revenge, Bruce Lee "returns" as Billy Lo, whose best friend Chin Ku dies of a sudden illness. But suspicion of foul play arises when a gang tries to steal Ku's coffin at the funeral using a helicopter. When Lo's younger brother Lo hears about the incident, he leaves his Buddhist master to investigate the truth. His trail soon leads him to the Castle of Death, the last place Chin Ku was seen alive. There, he meets and befriends an unlikely ally--a cruel and merciless martial arts expert who is also the tower's master. But when the master dies under mysterious circumstances, Lo ends up dueling with someone far more terrifying.
IMDB Rating: 5.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery
Country: Hong Kong, South Korea
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 78%
Return of the Street Fighter (1974)
Plot Summary:
Martial artist Takuma Tsurugi returns to take on a Yakuza family that may be embezzling money from charities to finance their own operations. Both the police and the Yakuza find themselves battling Tsurugi, but Tsurugi's fight ultimately is with the mob, and he concentrates on them.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: grindhouse, disturbing, crime drama, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast, psychotronic, independent film
Similar in 89%
Graveyard of Honor (1975)
Plot Summary:
A look at the life of renegade yakuza, Rikio Ishikawa, particularly the years from 1946 to 1950 when his violent antics get him in trouble with his own clan, Kawada, and then with the clan of his protector, Kozaburo Imai. In these years, he can rely on Chieko, a young Tokyo courtesan who gives him shelter. He's banished to Osaka, where he picks up a drug habit. Through it all, he keeps his friends and enemies off balance with unpredictable behavior - and he seems indestructible.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: crime drama, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, gloomy
Similar in 82%
The Five (1995)
Plot Summary:
Five men plot to steal a large sum of money from the local yakuza, but everything does not go as planned and the men find themselves hunted down by contract killers.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Drama, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 109 min
Plot tags: neo noir, crime drama, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized, tragic ending, gay cinema
Similar in 80%
Tokyo Drifter (1966)
Plot Summary:
After yakuza boss Kurata dissolves his own criminal empire, a rival kingpin offers a position to Kurata's top operative, Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo. When the fiercely loyal Tetsu declines, Otsuka taps unstoppable Tatsuzo the "Viper", a ruthless gun-for-hire, to assassinate him. As the Viper trails his target through the countryside, the agile Phoenix Tetsu grows concerned that one of his former associates has betrayed him.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: surreal, neo noir, absurd, avant garde, art house, hood, neo western, aesthetic, colorful, atmospheric
Similar in 83%
Street Mobster (1972)
Plot Summary:
The Japanese yakuza films certainly have a well-earned reputation of being violent and chaotic. Some are more frenetic than others and Street Mobster is unbelievable high on savagery and energy. It dawned the re-birth of the genre, telling the story of low-level punks who will do anything without compromise and little sense of honor.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 88 min
Plot tags: crime drama, bloody, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 88%
Family (2001)
Plot Summary:
When the mobster Iwaida Nishikawi is executed by the hit man Takeshi, his family chases the killer. Takeshi's brothers Takashi and Hideshi Miwa try to find Takeshi, who is hidden with the nurse Rie Ishibashi, to protect him and Hideshi discovers that Takeshi was secretly sent by their Yakuza boss to eliminate Iwaida. Meanwhile, the mobster Kenmoshi abducts Takashi's wife Mariko and rapes her, trying to force Takashi to deliver his brother to him.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 296
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Japan
Duration: 111 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, suspenseful, bloody, crime drama, realistic
Similar in 77%
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 76%
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 86%
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 88%
Cartel War (2010)
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
Similar in 78%
Tha Eastsidaz (2000)
Plot Summary:
Snap, Crackle, and Pop are top dogs in the Eastsidaz gang in Long Beach. Pop, also known as Killa, is the alpha dog. He has Crackle and Snap set up a big drug deal that's going to put him on easy street. But Crackle and Snap have their own agenda: they kill the suppliers, take a suitcase of money, and set up Killa to take the fall. Stuck in the state pen in Chino, Killa has his gang figure out what really happened while he hatches an escape plan. Meanwhile, Crackle has kidnaped Killa's sweetie, Booboo, and the government has confiscated his assets. Can Killa Pop escape Chino, rescue Booboo, exact revenge, find the loot, and elude the police? Written by.
IMDB Rating: 3.9
IMDB Votes: 386
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: USA
Duration: 81 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, hood, tense, independent film
Similar in 82%
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 80%
Armed Response (1986)
Plot Summary:
One of Tanaka's underlings has stolen a rare statuette that he had planned to use as a peace offering between the local Yakusa and Chinese Tong. He hires two private investigators to exchange ransom money to recover the statuette, but the trade goes down bad and Clay Roth is killed. This angers Roth's brothers and father, all combat veterans, and they go after the people responsible.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 759
Genere: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: crime drama, cult classic, independent film, exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, fast
Similar in 84%
American Yakuza (1993)
Plot Summary:
When Nick Davis leaves prison after one year in solitaire, he is hired to operate forklift in a warehouse in the harbor owned by the Japanese Yakuza patriarch Isshin Tendo. The place is assaulted by the Italian Mafia leaded by Dino Campanela and Nick rescues and saves the life of Shuji Sawamoto, who is the representative of Yakuza interests in America. Shuji hires Nick to work for Yakuza and becomes his godfather in the family after his oath to join Yakuza. However, Nick is a lonely FBI undercover agent assigned to penetrate in the criminal organization. When the FBI discovers that Campanela is organizing a massive attack to destroy the Yakuza, Nick's boss Littman calls off the operation to leave the dirty work to the Italian Mafia. But the connection of Nick with Shuji and his goddaughter Yuko forces him to help his Japanese family.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: crime drama, independent film, exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, cynical
Similar in 79%
American Dragons (1998)
Plot Summary:
Murders in Seoul, Korea and in America pair two cops from each of the countries together to solve the crimes. The investigation leads to a gang war between the Mafia and the Yakuza, but one that may not be of either of their making. A shadowy assassin is killing the leaders and an Italian assassin may have his own agenda.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 893
Genere: Action, Crime
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: crime drama, independent film, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, neo noir
Similar in 89%
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 76%
Branded to Kill (1967)
Plot Summary:
After botching his latest assignment, a third-ranked Japanese hit man becomes the target of another assassin.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 91 min
Plot tags: surreal, grindhouse, experimental, neo noir, cult classic, aesthetic, exciting, mind bending, psychedelic, bloody
Similar in 85%
Bad Country (2014)
Plot Summary:
When Baton Rouge police detective Bud Carter busts contract killer Jesse Weiland, he convinces Jesse to become an informant and rat out the South's most powerful crime ring.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 9000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, neo noir, detective
Similar in 85%
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 87%
Divergence (2005)
Plot Summary:
A cop, a lawyer, and an assassin cross paths after the murder of a federal witness and the kidnapping of a famous pop star.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 101 min
Plot tags: neo noir, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, heroic, fast
Similar in 84%
The Longest Nite (1998)
Plot Summary:
Two triad leaders vie for the right to manage a string of casinos in Macau which sparks an exhausting battle. A twist of fate brings the two gangster bosses together in collaboration, but rumors have it otherwise. A murderous plot unfolds.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 84 min
Plot tags: heroic, neo noir, crime drama, exciting, rough, bleak, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 89%
Beast Cops (1998)
Plot Summary:
Ruthlessly realistic, and vivid and unremitting in its uncompromising brutality and honesty, Beast Cops is a visceral and hard-hitting exploration of the dichotomous existence of two cops charged with upholding the law, while balancing on a moral knife-edge. Compelling and controversial, with a breakout performance of startling intensity from leading man Anthony Wong, this raw and enticing action-thriller has mesmerized audiences worldwide with its disturbing examination of the subjective and marginal morality, which inhabits the uncertain and ambiguous world of law enforcement.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 110 min
Plot tags: neo noir, heroic, crime drama, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 77%
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 90%
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