Here are Cinephile Corner’s 10 recommendations for movies like The Killer:
Ballerina
Considering the rocky production history behind it, Ballerina emerges as a competent entry in the John Wick universe—though one that never quite matches the highs of the mainline films. At its center, Ana de Armas delivers a strong performance as Eve, bringing physicality and grit to a role that demands both, while the action—particularly in the second half—benefits greatly from the influence of Chad Stahelski, who stepped in alongside Keanu Reeves to help reshape much of the film after original director Len Wiseman’s version assumingly faltered.
Bullet Train
Despite Brad Pitt‘s best efforts, Bullet Train comes off as a movie with wonderful action and miserable storytelling. David Leitch tries to inject his usual tricks, but they don’t make up for heartless narratives and cheap jokes.
No Country for Old Men
Revisiting No Country for Old Men on its 4K Criterion Collection release reminded me why this film stands among the greats—not just of 2007, not just of the 21st century, but of all time. It’s Joel and Ethan Coen at their most precise and uncompromising, blending their dualistic approach to filmmaking: the sharp nihilism of their darker works with the understated, situational humor that defines their lighter outings. It’s a masterpiece of tension, craft, and existential dread, all wrapped in a narrative as sparse and unrelenting as the Texas landscape it inhabits.
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.
The Game
Fresh off the success of Se7en, David Fincher used the opportunity to make a move that is deeply idiosyncratic and cynical, matching his personal interests with a story that breaks down the infrastructure of masculinity in a world of wealthy businessmen. The Game is not only a David Fincher movie, it feels like the most David Fincher movie, and amalgamation of common themes regurgitated with each film that follows.
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.
John Wick: Chapter 4
In terms of contemporary action movies, John Wick: Chapter 4 (and the entire John Wick franchise, honestly) has separated itself from the pack. Each detail, idea, and set piece is perfectly crafted to build out a world that feels so fully realized. Somehow, Keanu Reeves and director Chad Stahelski continue to find new ways to keep the franchise fresh.
The Batman
The Batman is a complete reimagining of superhero genre tropes. A moody noir piece backed by a haunting score and Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader, Matt Reeves’ 2022 blockbuster rewrites what’s possible for these genre films.
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.
Panic Room
While Panic Room may seem like less ambitious in scale compared to some of Fincher’s other works, the movie stands as a testament to his versatility as a filmmaker. From the moment the Altman mother-daughter duo are thrust into the claustrophobic depths of their panic room, the film becomes a relentless, punishing exercise in suspense and dread.
READ MORE: The Killer (2023)
