20 Best Action Thriller Movies like Sicario

Sicario, a 2015 award-winning and viral action-thriller film directed by Dennis Villanueva, centers on the United States and Mexico’s ever-increasing vicious drug war. It examines it mainly from the right side of the law, a government task force, and demonstrates how their tactics for accomplishing their goals are not dissimilar to the violent and corrupt techniques of the drug cartels who watch similar movies like Sicario read further.

The film features idealistic F.B.I. agent Kate Macer, who joins a government task group to catch drug cartel lieutenant Manuel Daz to atone for the loss of many lives, both former victims of cruel violence and fellow cops, at one of his safe homes that she and her team stormed.

A strange government officer, Matt Graver, convinces her to join the task group directed by the more mysterious and merciless Alejandro, a former Mexican prosecutor.

However, things quickly escalated from worry to a full-fledged escalation of the drug war between the United States and Mexico.

Emily Blunt plays Kate Macer, Josh Brolin plays Matt Graver, and Benicio del Toro plays Alejandro.

Only the finest action-thriller films can be regarded as akin to Sicario, with its stunning photography and alarming subject matter. However, several fan-favorite films from director Denis Villeneuve and other great filmmakers may hit the same notes. A few are also available for subscribers on major streaming platforms or for free.

So, whether they appreciate the explosive action, the thought-provoking political intrigue, or the award-winning acting prowess, every Sicario fan can discover another movie they’ll enjoy.

20. The Mule

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writer: Nick Schenk
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Patrick L. Reyes, Cesar De León
IMDB ratings: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 70%

Clint Eastwood directed, and Nick Schenk wrote the 2018 action-thriller movie The Mule. Earl Stone, a man in his nineties, becomes a drug deal mule for a Mexican gang after closing his horticultural company for financial reasons, the Mexican drug cartel. Earl quickly succeeds as a mule, attracting the notice of Colin Bates, a D.E.A.D.E.A. agent, and their Mexican cartel boss.

Clint Eastwood plays Earl Stone, while Bradley Cooper plays Colin Bates in the film. The Mule grossed a total of $174,804,407 worldwide. The Mule, like Sicario, tackles the illegal drug trafficking problems in the United States from the perspective of a drug mule rather than an F.B.I.F.B.I. agent.

19. Alien

Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Ronald Shusett
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
IMDB ratings: 8.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 98%

Ridley Scott directed and wrote the 1979 science-fiction horror film Alien which has alien monsters. The story centers around Ripley, a young girl, a warrant officer aboard the Nostromo, a space tug, who must survive the invasion of a mysterious extraterrestrial alongside her crew after hearing a suspicious distress call.

Sigourney Weaver plays Ripley in the film. Alien earned $106,285,522 globally. The film was named one of Empire’s “100 Greatest Movies.” Like Sicario, the movies offer a strong female protagonist who maintains her strength in the face of horrible peril and horror.

18. Syriana

Director: Stephen Gaghan
Writer: Robert Baer
Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Amanda Peet
IMDB ratings: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 73%

Ridley Scott directed and wrote the 1979 science-fiction horror film, Alien. The film follows Ripley, a warrant officer aboard the Nostromo, a space tug, who must survive the invasion of a mysterious extraterrestrial alongside her crew after hearing a suspicious distress call; it’s a cat-and-mouse hunt. There are many slower scenes with futuristic mystery and bloodily violent action sequences.

Sigourney Weaver plays Ripley in the film. Alien earned $106,285,522 globally. The film was named one of Empire’s “100 Greatest Movies.” The film, like Sicario, offers a strong female protagonist who maintains her strength in the face of horrible peril and horror with an elite D.E.A.D.E.A. task force.

17. Wind River

Director: Taylor Sheridan
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Graham Greene
IMDB ratings: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 87%

Wind River is a 2017 criminal murder mystery written and directed by Taylor Sheridan, who previously created Sicario. The film follows Corey Lambert, a U.S.U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent, and Jane Banner, an F.B.I.F.B.I. agent, A mysterious hitman with multiple leads.

They join forces to uncover the culprit responsible for the assault and murder of a young Native American girl on a Native American reservation in Wyoming.

Wind River stars Jeremy Renner as Corey Lambert and Elizabeth Olsen as James Banner. The film made $43,980,821 worldwide. It was also named one of the top ten independent films of 2017 by the National Board of Review. This film, like Sicario, has similar character-building scenes and features his trademark nail-biting intensity and focus on real-life crime, previously the war on drugs tense scenes.

This film focuses on the tragic human rights situation impacting many Native American women who are abused and murdered on and off Native American reservations daily.

16. Cartel Land

Director: Matthew Heineman
Writer: Matthew Heineman
Cast: Tim Nailer Foley, José Manuel ‘El Doctor’ Mireles, Paco Valencia
IMDB ratings: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 90%

Matthew Heineman directed the 2015 documentary film Cartel Land. The film examines the drug crisis along the US-Mexico border through the viewpoint of two vigilante organizations, Autodefensas and Arizona Border Recon. They perform drug cartel operations and give suspenseful action-adventure. The cat and mouse thriller makes it one of the many fan-favorite films.

Cartel Land grossed $1,145,923 globally. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary. Cartel Land will appeal to anyone looking for a real-life representation of the drug battle on the US-Mexico border, similar to the fictitious thriller Sicario.

15. Bridge of Spies

Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Matt Charman
Cast: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda
IMDB ratings: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 91%

Steven Spielberg directed the 2015 historical drama-thriller Bridge of Spies. The film takes place during the Cold War. The film follows James Donavan, a New York lawyer the C.I.A.C.I.A. hires to arrange the release of a kidnapped U.S.U.S. pilot, Francis Gary Powers, by trading him for the arrested Soviet spy, Rudolf Abel.

Tom Hanks plays James Donavan, and Mark Rylance plays Rudolf Abel in Bridge of Spies. The picture grossed a total of $165,478,348 worldwide. Mark Rylance received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rudolf Abel. This, like Sicario, deals with U.S.U.S. politics and offers compelling key characters with good character development.

14. The Hurt Locker

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Writer: Mark Boal
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty
IMDB ratings: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 97%

The Hurt Locker is a 2008 war-thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, containing elements of drama and action. During the Iraq War, members of the bomb-disposal team endured more challenging jobs that may end their lives during their final weeks of employment, which had a psychological impact on all of them.

Jeremy Renner plays William James, a unit member with unconventional work practices compared to the rest of his team. The worldwide revenue for The Hurt Locker was $49,259,766. It also received the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Movies like Sicario have tight nail-biting situations and a strange and unusual character, William, similar to Alejandro’s slow-burning thriller and murder investigation.

13. Sicario: Day of The Soldado

Director: Stefano Sollima
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Merced
IMDB ratings: 7.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 62%

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a 2018 action-thriller directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan as a sequel to the original Sicario. The plot revolves around Alejandro, a mysterious former Mexican prosecutor turned rogue hitman, Matt Graver, corrupt cops, and an odd government officer.

Both measures were made to prevent Mexican drug cartels from transporting terrorists across the border; Mexican Cartel moves, and drug distribution starts with the desperate smuggling of terrorists.

Benicio del Toro reprises his role as Alejandro, while Josh Brolin reprises as Matt Graver in Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Worldwide, the picture grossed $75,837,743. Although it is not as fantastic as the original Sicario, this sequel is nevertheless a must-see for fans of the original’s suspenseful action and the characters of Alejandro and Matt Graver.

12. Man On Fire

Director: Tony Scott
Writer: Brian Helgeland
Cast: Denzel Washington, Christopher Walken, Dakota Fanning
IMDB ratings: 7.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 39%

Man on Fire is a 2004 action-crime-thriller film directed by Tony Scott and written by Brian Helgeland, based on A.J. Quinnell’s novel of the same name. The film stars Denzel Washington, who has dramatic acting muscles.

The film follows John Creasy, a former C.I.A.C.I.A. agent who accepts a position as the bodyguard for a wealthy family’s little daughter, Pita, in Mexico City. They form an immediate friendship. Unfortunately, Pita is shortly abducted, prompting Creasy to embark on a violent search for Pita.

Denzel Washington plays John Creasy in the film. The picture grossed a total of $130,834,852 worldwide. Man on Fire, like Sicario, has a crime-ridden backdrop and brutal action.

11. A Quiet Place

Director: John Krasinski
Writer: Scott Beck
Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Millicent Simmonds
IMDB ratings: 7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 96%

A Quiet Place is a 2018 post-apocalyptic psychological horror film directed by John Krasinski, containing elements of drama and action. Set in post-apocalyptic America, the film depicts the life of a family who must live in silence due to creatures attracted to any disturbance.

The film stars Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbot, a mother and wife, and John Krasinski as Lee Abbot, Evelyn’s husband and the family’s father. The film grossed $340,952,971 globally. A Quiet Place was named one of the Top Ten Films 2018 by the National Board of Review.

The picture, like Sicario, stars Emily Blunt as the courageous, well-developed Evelyn Abbot. It’s also a slow-paced movie with a big action payoff at the end.

10. Drive

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Writer: James Sallis
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
IMDB ratings: 7.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 93%

Drive is a 2011 crime-drama film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and written by Hossein Amini, based on James Sallis’ novel of the same name. The film follows an anonymous silent, enigmatic driver who works as a stunt driver during the day and as a getaway driver at night. His life is complicated when he participates in a botched heist that threatens Irene, a lady he has gotten close to, and her kid.

He decides to guard them on his own. Ryan Gosling plays the anonymous driver in Drive. The picture grossed a total of $77,187,281 worldwide. The film was nominated for a BAFTA for Best Film. Drive, like Sicario, offers a calm center figure who is more than meets the eye and nail-biting action situations.

9. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie

Director: Vince Gilligan
Writer: Vince Gilligan
Cast: Aaron Paul, Jonathan Banks, Matt Jones
IMDB ratings: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 92%

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie is a 2019 criminal thriller written and directed by Vince Gilligan as a sequel to the successful television series Breaking Bad.

The film is set after the stated series. It follows Jesse Pinkman, a former meth cook, as he battles with the psychological ramifications of being a former forced meth cook to a skinhead group while looking for a method to avoid prosecution for his crimes. Aaron Paul portrays Jesse Pinkman in the film.

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie received a Critics Choice Award for Best Movie Made for Television. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, like Sicario, deals with the psychological anguish of a drug-dealing protagonist, but this time from the perspective of a former meth cook rather than an F.B.I.F.B.I. agent.

8. Sin City

Director: Frank Miller
Writer: Frank Miller
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis
IMDB ratings: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 77%

Sin City is a 2005 neo-noir criminal thriller directed by Frank Miller and based on Frank Miller’s graphic novel of the same name. In the fictitious crime-ridden Basin City, four individuals are followed in this film, and Sin City is about a salesperson who tells a terrible story to a mystery woman. It follows Marv, a vigilante, searching for his long-lost love.

The film follows Hartigan, an elderly officer, hunting for a child killer. In the movie, Shellie, an ex-prostitute, escapes the clutches of her old pimp with the assistance of Dwight, her lover. Bruce Willis plays Hartigan, Micky Rourke plays Marv, Brittany Murphy plays Shellie, and Clive Owen plays Dwight in the movie.

The picture grossed a total of $158,733,820 worldwide. The Saturn Award for Best Action or Adventure Film went to Sin City. Like Sicario, the film’s environment is corrupt and crime-ridden, with characters seeking to do good.

7. Hell or High Water

Director: David Mackenzie
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges
IMDB ratings: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 97%

Hell or High Water is a 2016 crime drama directed by David Mackenzie and written by Taylor Sheridan, who also created Sicario.

The film, set in Texas, follows Toby, a divorced father, and his brother Tanner, a former con, as they heist a succession of banks to prevent their family ranch from drowning in debt. Simultaneously, Marcus Hamilton, a veteran Texas ranger about to retire, examines their thefts and reasons.

The film stars Jeff Bridges as Marcus Hamilton, Chriss Pine as Toby, and Ben Foster as Tanner. Hell or High Water grossed $37,879,877 globally. It garnered multiple honors, including an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Hell or High Water, like Sicario, contains nail-biting action and a dramatic finale that leads to an exceptional finish that will stick with you long after you’ve seen the film.

6. Prisoners

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Aaron Guzikowski
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis
IMDB ratings: 8.1/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 81%

Prisoners is a 2013 Mystery Crime-Thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve, who also directed Sicario and written by Aaron Guzikowski. The film follows Keller, a desperate father who sets out to recover his daughter and her missing companion. At the same time, it follows rogue Detective Loki as he looks for the daughter, friend, and killer by following different leads that reveal more about himself and the case than he bargained for.

Hugh Jackman plays Keller, while Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki. Prisoners grossed $122,126,687 globally. It was also nominated for an Oscar for its cinematography. It, like Sicario, employs superb cinematography by Roger Deakins to convey the horrific reality of child kidnapping and the impact on those involved.

At the same time, both its characters and plot have a Dennis Villeneuve characteristic style of fascinating mystery.

5. American Sniper

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writer: Jason Hall
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner
IMDB ratings: 7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 72%

American Sniper is a biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. The film covers Navy SEAL Chriss Kyle’s ascent to fame and bravery as one of the world’s deadliest snipers who saved numerous other troops. This achievement, in turn, takes a psychological toll on him, affecting both him and his family. Bradley Cooper plays Chriss Kyle in the film American Sniper.

The film made $547,426,372 worldwide. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Motion Picture. American Sniper focuses on the psychological ramifications of combat on troops, as Sicario did with its protagonist Kate, who also suffered psychological consequences from her participation in the battle against the illegal drug trade.

4. Zero Dark Thirty

Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Writer: Mark Boal
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt
IMDB ratings: 7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 91%

Kathryn Bigelow directed the 2012 thriller Zero Dark Thirty. The film dramatizes the Navy SEALs’ decade-long quest for and assassination of Osama bin Laden’s compound, the terrorist commander responsible for 9/11. Jessica Chastain plays a fake C.I.A.C.I.A. officer who assisted in the film’s hunt for Osama bin Laden.

The worldwide gross for Zero Dark Thirty was $132,820,716. Jessica Chastain was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Motion Picture. This film depicts a realistic representation of a terrorist war without shying away from actual bloodshed, as Sicario did with the drug war.

3. Traffic

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Simon Moore
Cast: Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones
IMDB ratings: 7.6/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 92%

Steven Soderbergh directed, and Simon Moore wrote the 2000 criminal drama Traffic. The film recounts three storylines linked to the United States’ war on the drug trade. The first narrative concerns Robert Wakefield, a conservative judge who becomes a drug czar – the leader of the agencies in charge of combating drug trafficking – only to discover that his daughter is hooked to crack.

The second plot revolves around Javier Rodriguez and Manolo Sanchez and two Mexican police officers tasked with protecting a drug trafficking informant. Finally, the third narrative concerns Helena Ayala, who tries to carry on her imprisoned husband’s drug enterprise.

Michael Douglas plays Robert, Benicio Del Toro plays Javier, and Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Helena in the film Traffic. The picture earned a total of $207,515,725 worldwide. At the Golden Globes, Traffic won Best Screenplay. Traffic, like Sicario, focuses on the issues and corruption of drug trafficking from both sides of the law in Mexico and the United States.

2. Blade Runner 2049

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Michael Green
Cast: Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas
IMDB ratings: 8.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 88%

It is a science-fiction mystery-thriller film directed by Dennis Villanueva, the same director as Sicario, and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green. Blade Runner 2049 follows Officer K, a teenage blade runner who assassinates renegade human replicants.

While working on another job, he discovers a profound truth about the nature of replicants and himself, which leads him to Rick Deckard, the protagonist of the original Blade Runner and an ex-blade runner who has been missing for thirty years.

Ryan Gosling plays Officer K in Blade Runner 2049. The picture grossed $259,334,548 worldwide and is a fellow Oscar winner. It also won an Academy Award for cinematography alongside Oscar-winning form. This film, like Sicario, features Dennis Villanueva’s unique traits as a protagonist and a story wrapped in an intriguing mystery, both gorgeously filmed by his long-standing Roger Deakins photography.

1. No Country for Old Men

Director: Ethan Coen
Writer: Joel Coen
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin
IMDB ratings: 8.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes ratings: 93%

No Country for Old Men is a 2007 criminal thriller written and directed by the Coen Brothers, based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel.

The film follows Llewelyn Moss, a hunter who discovers two million dollars in cash from a failed heroin criminal deal.

In turn, an ancient lawman named Sheriff Bell seeks Bell, trying to shield him from the impending conflict. Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Bell, Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn Moss, and Javier Bardem plays Anton Chigurh. The global gross for No Country for Old Men was $171,627,166. It also received the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture.

This film, like Sicario, is about the ramifications of drug trafficking, which has suspenseful moments with actual violence that is brilliantly captured by Roger Deakins’ photography.

These were the best 20 action-thriller movies like Sicario; why don’t you comment down your favorite one?