Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like The Gray Man:
The Amateur
The Amateur plays like a collage of better films. It’s not egregiously bad—just forgettable, over-familiar, and often flat. Despite flashes of life from its supporting cast and a premise that could’ve breathed new life into the spy genre, this is a film that fizzles rather than detonates. If you’re looking for the next Mission: Impossible or Bourne, this isn’t it. It’s not even a great slow-burn alternative. It’s just… there.
Black Bag
Black Bag is good—clean, confident, and technically sound—but it doesn’t quite rise to the level of Steven Soderbergh’s best recent work. What plays out in the film is less Mission: Impossible and more an anxious domestic drama cloaked in the sharp suits and icy exteriors of the spy genre. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett star as a couple with their relationship put to the ultimate stress test.
G20
G20 is not just a misfire, it’s a symptom of a larger streaming trend: high-concept projects stretched thin by weak scripts, formulaic direction, and over-reliance on big names to carry the weight. Viola Davis has led action movies far superior to G20.
Ghosted
On paper, the talent for Ghosted should be enough to carry a weak script. But the technical and creative elements are too far gone to salvage any form of a watchable movie. Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, and a host of cameos fall victim to a remarkably unremarkable film.
The Beekeeper
While David Ayer‘s The Beekeeper is a lot of fun and has some surprisingly effective and exhilarating action sequences that are decked out with every possible way you could break a bone or die, it’s still too odd and ill-conceived to be taken seriously. And for that reason, it’s a perfect Dumpuary movie. Jason Statham stars a rogue special forces agent.
Carry-On
Jaume Collet-Serra wouldn’t seem like the next director to add to that list, given his recent track record with disappointing Dwayne Johnson vehicles like Jungle Cruise and Black Adam. However, his holiday thriller Carry-On defies expectations, moving quickly and building enough tension to make it a surprisingly worthwhile entry in the Netflix action canon.
Fight or Flight
Fight or Flight feels like it’s trying to play in the big leagues of modern action but without the distinctive characters, choreography, or creative spark to back it up. It’s neither grounded enough to be gritty nor wild enough to be fun. While Josh Hartnett remains an intriguing actor in the right roles, this isn’t one of them. It’s a forgettable detour in a genre full of better, more fully realized flights.
Blackhat
Michael Mann’s Blackhat is a fascinating enigma, a film that has only grown more compelling in the years since its release despite being weighed down by some glaring imperfections. The movie, a cyber-thriller with a globetrotting scope, plays like a fever dream of Mann’s stylistic obsessions, blending high-octane action, meticulous visual craft, and an indulgence in the absurd. It’s a film that refuses to conform, and for that reason, it has become one of the most divisive works of the 2010s.
The Killer
The Killer is nothing short of a triumph for David Fincher and a treat for fans of his filmography. It may be the most Fincherian movie ever made, but far from devolving, it solidifies his mastery of the medium. A calm Michael Fassbender performance helps seal The Killer as on of the best movies of 2023.
Rebel Ridge
Jeremy Saulnier is continuing to show that there aren’t many filmmakers capable of making movies like he is. Rebel Ridge occasionally establishes him as an auteur capable of extreme visceral sequences and building up tension that will make you squirm in your seat, but I’m not as sold on his attempt to tie these themes to this story. A good movie made by a director capable of making great movies.
READ MORE: The Gray Man (2022)
