Anmol Ahuja
Movies based on real life, fictional, organised and unorganized crime have almost an unexplainable traction when it comes to audience. There is a reason why true crime docu-dramas, or movies on serial killers, even mere confession tapes by a few of them, have so many takers in the audience, despite the crimes being deplorable acts of violence against hapless victims. Maybe it’s the details or the very basal human response to anything that is a forbidden fruit, or in this case, heinous and considered inappropriate: to be drawn towards it.
Movies on organised crime on the other hand have been some of the best ever made in the history of cinema, including ‘Goodfellas’, and of course, ‘The Godfather’. With respect to the sheer quantum of movies belonging to the genre out there, including the past, the present, and the ones yet to come, it is safe to say that, as is the very nature of crime and society, movies based on crimes too aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Alas, the utopian dream is still as far-fetched. For now, however, streaming services like Prime Video, that are busier than ever in expanding their libraries of content, host a bunch of films that you can check out if you have the taste for crime thrillers, organized crime dramas or true crime accounts. So, here’s the list of really good crime movies on Amazon Prime that are available to stream right now.
7. The Boondock Saints (1999)
‘The Boondock Saints’ has a plot that is fascinating to say the least, and is one of the better examples of action-comedy-crime films from the 90s, the decade responsible for popularizing the sub-genre in the first place. Among Willem Dafoe’s best works who stars as a detective hot on the heel of two catholic brothers who have turned killers, knocking off mafia thugs one by one, ‘The Boondock Saints’ is a stylistic victory more than anything, touching on themes of faith, brutality, altruism, and humour in unmistakable fashion, one that surely belongs to the Tarantino school of thought. Watch this if you are in the mood for some old-testament justice.
6. Marathon Man (1976)
If your next trip to the dentist didn’t give you jitters after a viewing of ‘Marathon Man’, did you even see the same film as I did? ‘Marathon Man’ is the quintessential 70s paranoia thriller, and a slow burning one at that, delivering well written thrills in effective fashion, one after the other. Probably one of the most fascinating plots of the 70s for me, involving a graduate history student seemingly caught up in the middle of an international conspiracy, ‘Marathon Man’ is essential viewing. It takes a little time to take off, but when it does, it’s truly nerve wracking.
Read More: Best Chick Flicks on Amazon Prime
5. Lansky (2021)
Directed and written by Eytan Rockaway, ‘Lansky’ is a biographical crime drama film. The Harvey Keitel and Sam Worthington-starrer revolve around the once feared but now aging underworld kingpin named Meyer Lansky. The Feds are convinced that the retired criminal has stacked away millions of dollars over the last few decades. However, when he is interviewed by writer David Stone, the underworld kingpin recounts a dizzying tale of crime and power that includes his reign as the leader of the Murder, Inc. and the National Crime Syndicate.,
4. The Informer (2019)
Based on Roslund & Hellström’s 2009 dark thriller novel, ‘The Informer’ is a crime thriller film that features talented actors like Joel Kinnaman, Rosamund Pike, Common, and Ana de Armas. The Andrea Di Stefano directorial follows Pete Koslow, an ex-con recruited by the FBI to take down New York’s most powerful crime boss, the General. However, when things go horribly wrong, he gets tossed up in the world of violence and eventually forced to go to prison. Realizing that the life of his loved ones is now at risk, Pete decides to fight back against the law of the land as well as the General, the dangerous crime boss.
3. Capone (2020)
Josh Trank’s ‘Capone’ is a biographical crime drama movie that recounts the story of the titular protagonist, a bootlegger, and ruthless businessman, who once used to be the most frightening gangster in America. However, his empire has crumbled down over the years, and the man who once ruled Chicago with an iron fist has just spent over ten years behind bars. With the most terrible symptoms of dementia slowly eating away his memory, he recalls the memory of his violent past in the hope of remembering where he hid millions of dollars all those years ago.
Read More: Best Adult Movies on Amazon Prime
2. The Silencing (2020)
Starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Annabelle Wallis, and Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, ‘The Silencing’ is an American-Canadian action-thriller film directed by Robin Pront. Rayburn Swanson is an alcoholic whose only daughter has been missing for several years. He has recently lived almost all of his time in a secluded wildlife sanctuary. However, when he ends up saving the life of a young girl from a serial killer. Unfortunately, his actions ultimately put him in a deadly cat and mouse race. But he soon learns that he is at least not alone in his struggle as the town’s sheriff also finds herself in the same conundrum.
Read More: Best Scary Movies on Amazon Prime
1. The Protégé (2021)
Featuring stand-out performances by Maggie Q, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson, and Patrick Malahide, ‘The Protégé’ is an action thriller film directed by Martin Campbell. The film recounts the story of vengeance and follows the world’s most skilled contract killer named Anna. Although she is feared now, when Anna was just a young girl, she was rescued by legendary assassin Moody, who eventually ended up teaching her all she knows now. So, when he is brutally murdered, Anna vows to make the killer pay with their blood no matter how much she may have to sacrifice in the process.
Read More: Best Holiday Movies on Amazon Prime
