Remaking a movie is always going to be a tricky endeavor. The potential of a remake is always enticing; the framework of classic movies can be bolstered by technological innovations and shifting cultural perspectives. Remakes also have the potential to introduce newer generations to material that they otherwise could have no interest in.
When it comes to movie remakes, it really comes down to two big factors: respecting the legacy of the original and providing the viewers with a movie that justifies its existence. After all, very few of the greatest remakes are simple retreads of what came before. While Hollywood sometimes relies on remakes/reboots for a quick buck, the 21st century has seen its fair share of great remakes. This is the 10 best movie remakes of the last 25 years, ranked.
10
'Dredd' (2012)
Directed by Pete Travis
Image via Lionsgate
Grossly overpopulated and teeming with violence, Mega-City One is an East Coast population center and criminal playground where savagery is a common occurrence. Left to clean up the mess are elite law enforcement officers known as Judges. When veteran Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) aims his sights on the notoriously ruthless drug kingpin Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), she traps both Dredd and his recruit Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) in a 200-floor highrise overrun with armed offenders.
BeforeDredd, the last audiences saw the titular crime-fighting officer was in 1995, with Sylvester Stallone donning the iconic helmet. While 1995's Judge Dredd is far from the worst action movie of the '90s, there was always the potential for Dredd to be truly great. Enter Dredd: an uncompromised blending of cyberpunk esthetics and fierce violence that skimps on the fat and serves grit in bulk. It's truly a shame that Dredd's considerable legacy lives in the shadow of its financial failure, but for action buffs, it is one of last decade's must-watch efforts
Dredd
Release Date
September 21, 2012
CastKarl Urban
, Rachel Wood
, Andile Mngadi
, Porteus Xandau Steenkamp
, Jason Cope
, Emma Breschi
Runtime
95 minutes
9
'The Invisible Man' (2020)
Directed by Leigh Whannell
Image via Universal Pictures
A modern telling of the classic H.G. Wells science fiction novel, this iteration of The Invisible Man follows Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss). After her abusive tech developer ex-boyfriend commits suicide and leaves her a fortune, Cecilia begins to build a better life for herself. Soon enough, strange occurrences lead Cecilia to believe that her ex's death may have found another means of terrorizing her.
Being watched is one of the most common fears, and The Invisible Man capitalizes on that anxiety. The prospect of being unknowingly stalked by someone only a few feet away is terrifying, much more so when their existence can't be proven. A reimagining of Universal's classic monster movie, The Invisible Man (1933), directorLeigh Whannell infuses this timeless story with a kick of science fiction, but it doesn't distract from the narrative's potent simplicity; on the contrary, it enhances its themes of the cycle of abuse, empowerment, and independence.
A young boy named Mowgli (Neel Sethi) has been raised by a wolf-pack, becoming one with the jungle and its varied ecosystem of animal inhabitants. His existence is threatened by the arrival of a villainous tiger named Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba). Urged to leave his wolf family behind, Mowgli embarks on a journey guided by his panther mentor, Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley, and newfound bear companion Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray).
While the original 1967 TheJungle Book is a well-remembered effort from Disney's classical era of animation, The Jungle Book (2016) is widely recognized as an example of a remake that's better than the original. Being one of the earlier efforts in a now long-running line of "live-action" remakes of Disney animated classics, The Jungle Book (2016) saw such success as a result of quality filmmaking that captured the heartfelt nature of the original while presenting it in the style of revolutionary animation technology.
On a summer morning like any other, nurse Ana (Sarah Polley) returns home to her family. Chaos ensues after the neighbours attack Ana and her family. She manages to escape, but unfortunately for humanity, this is not an isolated incident; the dead are rising, harboring an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Ana joins a small group of survivors holed up in the town's shopping mall, awaiting rescue as the tensions escalate between them.
Sharing the same title as genre pioneer George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead (1978), this 21st-century remake had big shoes to fill. Thankfully, Dawn of the Dead (2004) is not only a worthy remake, but it's simply a great horror movie that satisfies just as often as it scares. Lean, mean and utterly unafraid of making use of its R-rating. Director Zack Snyder has made his fair share of misses, but a good majority of horror fans can come together to agree that Dawn of the Dead (2004) is not one of them.
Recently paroled from prison, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) has hatched an elaborate scheme to get filthy rich in just one night. His plan: the robbery of three different Las Vegas casinos simultaneously. Accompanied by his trusted partner, Rusty (Brad Pitt), Ocean assembles a crew of specialists with unique talents. For a heist this elaborate, even the smallest slip-up could spell disaster.
This modern iteration of Ocean's Eleven (1960) is slick entertainment utterly unconcerned with being anything more than escapist fun. Ocean's Eleven (2001) is an improvement over the original in just about every way, in no small part thanks to an especially star-studded cast who all understood the assignment. Steven Soderbergh directs with a youthful enthusiasm and an infectious energy—this is a caper so amusingly clever that it's nearly impossible not to get swept up in the theatricality of it all.
Ocean's Eleven
Release Date
December 7, 2001
Director
Steven Soderbergh
Runtime
116 minutes
5
'Suspiria' (2018)
Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Image via Amazon Studios
Set in 1970s Berlin, this retelling of the Italian horror classic Suspiria (1977) follows an American ballerina named Susie (Dakota Johnson). She travels to Berlin to dance for the renowned Markos Dance Company and is quick to make a name for herself as one of the most promising talents. When a recently expelled student is found murdered, a storm of mistrust brews in the school, and horrifying secrets begin rising to the surface.
Suspiria (2018) is a gorgeously realized masterpiece of moody horror that embraces elements of the original while still carving out its own distinct identity. Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino directs with precision and sustains a uniquely unsettling visual style that keeps viewers on edge until its explosive climax. Some may write off this spectacular horror epic as an inferior retread of a revered classic. However, if given the chance, Suspiria will terrify, shock and surprise.
Suspiria
Release Date
October 11, 2018
Director
Luca Guadagnino
CastDakota Johnson
, Tilda Swinton
, Mia Goth
, Angela Winkler
, Ingrid Caven
, Chloe Grace Moretz
, Elena Fokina
, Sylvie Testud
, Renée Soutendijk
, Christine Leboutte
, Małgorzata Bela
, Fabrizia Sacchi
, Jessica Harper
, Jessica Batut
, Alek Wek
, Vincenza Modica
, Vanda Capriolo
, Brigitte Cuvelier
, Gala Moody
, Anne-Lise Brevers
, Sara Sguotti
, Halla Thordardottir
, Olivia Ancona
, Marjolaine Uscotti
, Sharon Campbell
Runtime
152 minutes
4
'3:10 to Yuma' (2007)
Directed by James Mangold
Image Via Lionsgate
Impoverished Civil War veteran and rancher Daniel Evans (Christian Bale) agrees to escort the captured outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to a train that will take Wade to prison. Evans' reward for doing so would come as a great benefit to both his land and his family. Wade, obviously not keen on being hanged, looks to manipulate Evans into setting him free. What ensues is a battle of wits between two men just trying to survive in the harsh West.
3:10 to Yuma (2007)is a sturdy, no-frills remake that respects the 1957 original while presenting its classical narrative with sleek modernity. Bale and Crowe are at the top of their games here; it really is a treat to witness two of Hollywood's greatest talents duke it out, both mentally and physically. The action is exciting, the drama is compelling and the tension is wound taut. Westerns are often considered products of a bygone era of filmmaking—3:10 to Yuma (2007) proves that they can be made just as effectively today.
Release Date
September 6, 2007
Runtime
122 minutes
3
'Casino Royale' (2006)
Directed by Martin Campbell
Image via Eon Productions
James Bond (Daniel Craig), fresh off earning his license to kill, is tasked with his first mission as a 00 agent. Bond is to infiltrate a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro that will see terrorist-funding banker Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) in attendance. Desperate to recuperate losses that place his life at risk, Le Chiffre is willing to play dirty. The chips can fall in either's favor, and Bond will soon learn that what's at stake is far greater than he could've imagined.
The James Bond series is one of cinema's most expansive and long-running franchises, and what makes this entry unique (besides the fact that it's arguably the best), is that it's actually a remake. While technically an unofficial Bond film, Casino Royale (1967) is a glorious trainwreck of a movie. Casino Royale (2006), on the other hand, is a bonafide masterwork. This entry sees Bond at his most vulnerable, allowing for a thoroughly engaging, exciting and arresting action/adventure movie that doesn't disappoint in the slightest.
Release Date
November 14, 2006
Runtime
144 minutes
2
'True Grit' (2010)
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen
Image via Paramount Pictures
Eager for revenge following the murder of her father by the hands of outlaw Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin), 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld) enlists the help of weathered U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) in tracking down and capturing the killer. Accompanied by a Texas Ranger (Matt Damon) with his own motivations, the trio set out into a rugged wilderness that will enforce an unlikely bond.
The Coen Brothers are a creative duo whose names are often synonymous with quality moviemaking, and True Grit (2010) is among their finest works. This modern rework of the 1969 John Wayne classic of the same name is a brilliantly entertaining, surprisingly funny and endearing classic in its own right. True Grit (2010) embraces the framework of a vintage Western, yet contains just the right amount of Coen Brothers zest to make it all feel totally fresh.
True Grit
Release Date
December 22, 2010
Director
Ethan Coen
, Joel Coen
Runtime
110 minutes
1
'The Departed' (2006)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Image via Warner Bros.
The Boston police force is engaged in a war against Irish-American organized crime. Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young undercover cop assigned to infiltrate the ranks of kingpin Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Police investigator Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) opts to bat for the other team, acting as an informant for Costello, ensuring that the crime syndicate stays one step ahead of law enforcement at all times. As the war on crime escalates, both Costigan and Sullivan must maintain their false identities in their attempts to expose one another.
A bonafide gangster movie classic from the man who could be described as the genre's pioneer, The Departedis gritty entertainment executed with a level of finesse that only a master filmmaker could muster. Director Martin Scorseseis no stranger to masterpieces, yet The Departed is a distinctly excellent effort. A remake of the also great Hong Kong cop drama Infernal Affairs, The Departed edges out the original, standing as not only one of the greatest crime dramas of the century, but one of the greatest of all time.
Image via Lionsgate
Image via Lionsgate
Image via Universal Pictures
Image via Disney
Image via Universal Pictures
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Image via Amazon Studios
Image Via Lionsgate
Image via Eon Productions
Image via Paramount Pictures
Image via Warner Bros.
English (US) ·