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For as long as film has played a part in larger contemporary culture, there has been an inherent fascination with bringing to life stories that depict things outside the scope of everyday people, with the life of crime being a deeply fascinating topic to explore. From tension-filled thrillers like The Silence of the Lambs and Uncut Gems to widely beloved dramas like The Shawshank Redemption, there is a wide variety and near-limitless possibilities for crime films.
Even in the latest year, 2024, the genre has proven to be not only highly prolific in its wide variety of different perspectives on crime films, but also more beloved and successful than ever before. Many different genres have tackled the thematic and elements of crime stories in their execution, ranging from terrifying horror films to scathing satirical comedies. The year has seen many memorable and exceptional crime films that will maintain powerful legacies as some of the best offerings possible in crime filmmaking.
10 'MaXXXine'
Directed by Ti West
Image via A24 The third film in Ti West's trilogy of period-piece horror films, MaXXXine sees adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) finally getting her big break in 1980s Hollywood. Considering the life-threatening difficulties that she went through X, she won't let anyone stand in the way of her path into the limelight and celebrity status. The film has a more distinct crime angle than previous entries in the trilogy, seeing Maxine's rise to fame threatened by a mysterious killer who has been laying waste to the young starlets of Hollywood.
MaXXXine employs a similar style of abrasive bloodshed and character study that made the previous films in the trilogy so effective, with its signature 80s crime angle only further amplifying these inherent strengths. Goth once again provides an exceptional leading performance that gives additional layers and depth to an already deeply intricate and nuanced character, showing clear growth and evolution since the character's initial introduction.
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MaXXXine
Release Date July 5, 2024
Director Ti West
Runtime 103 Minutes
9 'Monkey Man'
Directed by Dev Patel
Image via Universal The feature-length directorial debut of acclaimed actor Dev Patel, Monkey Man employs a John Wick-style action revenge thriller approach to the criminal underworld of India. The film sees Patel in the leading role as Kid, a mysterious young man who has been living on scraps earned from an underground fight club where he wears a gorilla mask and is frequently beaten by more popular fighters. His years of suppressed rage suddenly find themselves boiling to the surface as he enacts a plan to infiltrate the elite class of the city, where he can finally enact his revenge.
There is an undeniable passion and vigor that is ever present throughout Monkey Man that easily makes the film one of Patel's best cinematic outings. The film combines the tendencies and filmmaking strategies of both American and Indian action films alike to create a one-of-a-kind crime-thriller experience that revels in its glorious and refined execution. It paints a great picture of Patel's future as an action director as one of the year's biggest surprises.
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Monkey Man
Release Date April 5, 2024
Runtime 121 Minutes
8 'Woman of the Hour'
Directed by Anna Kendrick
Image via Netflix A striking and disturbing serial killer film that directly draws attention to the dangers and consequences of not believing women, Woman of the Hour is a deceptively powerful crime thriller that is powerful in its execution. The film follows aspiring actress Sheryl (Anna Kendrick) who, in an attempt to jumpstart her career, decides to act as a contestant on an episode of The Dating Game. However, her life finds itself intertwined with a notorious serial killer in the middle of their years-long murder spree when he ends up being one of the other contestants.
Woman of the Hour takes an ingenious, based-on-real-life premise and weaves together a striking and scathing story of persecution and distrust among victims and women in the 1970s. The film is brutal in its depictions of heinous killings, while at the same managing to be just as sickening in showing just how real and grounded the situations that lead into these murders can be. It's certainly a bleak and depressing experience at times, yet Kendrick has a distinct directorial vision that allows it to succeed with flying colors.
Release Date September 26, 2023
Runtime 94 Minutes
7 'Kill'
Directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Image via AA Films One of the most brutal and gory action films to come from India, Kill is a striking and electrifying evolution of Indian filmmaking styles that flourishes and excites with each passing minute. The film sees an Army commando sneaking aboard a New Dehli-bound train in a quest to reclaim his true love after hearing the news that she will be engaged against her will. However, the timing couldn't be worse, as the train ends up being the target of a gang of knife-wielding thieves looking to steal and terrorize the train's passengers.
Kill is one of the best of this year when it comes to slowly but surely building up the destructive and action-packed core of the film before paying off in glorious execution. The action choreography is some of the best to come from an Indian action film to date, with Lakshya Lalwani giving a committed and even sometimes emotional lead performance as even his action evolves and changes throughout the film.
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Kill
Release Date September 7, 2023
Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Cast Lakshya , Raghav Juyal , Tanya Maniktala , Abhishek Chauhan , Ashish Vidyarthi , Harsh Chhaya
Runtime 105 minutes
6 'Rebel Ridge'
Directed by Jeremy Saulnier
Image via Netflix The complex and difficult topic of police corruption has been increasingly prevalent in films, coinciding with recent events, with Rebel Ridge being one of the best modern explorations of this topic. The film sees former Marine Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) traveling into a small town to post bail for his cousin, yet a run-in with local law enforcement unjustly seizes the bag of cash he was planning to use. This ends up snowballing into a high-stakes confrontation between Terry and the local force, reaching a breaking point when he ends up uncovering a damning conspiracy theory.
Rebel Ridge uses exceptional filmmaking chops and a highly engaging motivation to create a nail-biting thriller that rarely lets up from the gas pedal. The film finds exceptionally creative avenues for action thanks to its intention to show the ability to effectively disarm and take down enemies in a non-lethal fashion, creating some of the most satisfying action sequences of the year. The core story of corruption and crime is also one that doesn't fail to impact viewers, from being enraged by the actions of the police to excitedly rooting for Terry's success.
Release Date September 6, 2024
Director Jeremy Saulnier
Runtime 131 Minutes
5 'The Bikeriders'
Directed by Jeff Nichols
Image via Focus Features An interpersonal look at the peak of the culture surrounding motorcycle gangs, The Bikeriders follows the misadventures and growth of a Midwestern motorcycle club known as The Vandals. Led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy), the club sees an explosion of growth from various troubled youths as they evolve and transform into a gathering place for outsiders. One specific member, Benny (Austin Butler), finds himself at the crossroads of a future leading the Vandals filled with danger and violence, and a simple home life with the woman he loves, Kathy (Jodie Comer).
More than anything else, The Bikeriders succeeds at bringing to life a specific era of American history, almost as if it was directly shot during the time period that it represents. The film features an array of exceptional performances, including one of Butler's best performances to date and a multi-layered performance from Hardy. It presents a sort of melancholy and peaceful look at the camaraderie and brotherhood that the motorcycle club provides, before slowly losing sight of what is most important and transforming into a destructive gang.
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The Bikeriders
Release Date June 21, 2024
Director Jeff Nichols
Runtime 116 Minutes
4 'Emilia Pérez'
Image via Cannes Film Festival One of the wildest combinations of genres in recent memory, Emilia Pérez is a musical crime comedy that tackles both the difficulties of Mexican cartels and transgender identity. The film follows acclaimed lawyer Rita (Zoe Saldaña), who is hired by a widely feared cartel leader to help them disappear from the public eye and undergo a sex-change operation to turn them into a woman, Emilia Pérez. While things initially go off without a hitch, Rita ends up being brought back into the chaos of it all when Emilia requests her help after years of silence.
Emilia Pérez sports a wildly enthralling visual flair to its proceedings to transform what would be a standard crime drama into a colorful story of high entertainment value. The more emotional and grounded aspects of its story manage to not lose their strength, however, due to the exceptional acting across the board, with the likes of Saldana, Selena Gomez, and especially Karla Sofía Gascón giving a great performance.
Release Date November 13, 2024
Director Jacques Audiard
Runtime 130 Minutes
3 'The Last Stop in Yuma County'
Directed by Francis Galluppi
Image via Well Go USA Taking inspiration from dark comedies and Quentin Tarantino films to craft together a simple yet brilliant single-location movie, The Last Stop in Yuma County is one of the year's most underrated thrillers. The film sees an array of different colorful characters each finding themselves stuck at a rest stop in the middle of the Arizona desert, all lacking fuel and waiting for a truck to refuel the station. The boredom slowly transforms into a high-stakes hostage situation when a duo of bank robbers arrives, as they won't hesitate to kill anyone and everyone they need to escape.
The Last Stop in Yuma County is brimming with palpable tension throughout its runtime, growing that much more suspenseful as more and more people enter the diner unaware of the hostage situation taking place. Even despite its high stakes, the film becomes deliriously entertaining thanks to being able to supplement its tension with unexpected comedy, whether it be from comical side characters to the absurdity of the situation itself. It all comes together in its exceptional final act, where Jim Cummings proves himself to be a true star of modern dark comedy.
Release Date May 10, 2024
Director Francis Galluppi
Runtime 90 Minutes
2 'Hit Man'
Directed by Richard Linklater
Image via Netflix From legendary filmmaker Richard Linklater, Hit Man takes a lighthearted romantic comedy approach to the concept of hit men, removing the falsities of the procession and finding comedy in the underwhelming truth. The film sees Glen Powell as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered professor who spends his off time working as a fake hitman in police stings, entrapping people who pay him for an assassination. However, Gary finds himself in hot water when he falls for a potential client, believing that they wouldn't be capable of murdering their husband.
Glen Powell has proven to be one of the most likable and charismatic rising stars of the 2020s, with Hit Man only further cementing his star status and electrifying presence on-screen. His performance is as equal parts entertaining as it is hilarious, swapping between different personas and being able to best fit the person he's attempting to convince. The final act is also wildly exciting when Gary himself has to break all sorts of laws to protect the woman that he cares about.
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Hit Man
Release Date September 5, 2023
Director Richard Linklater
Runtime 113 Minutes
1 'Anora'
Directed by Sean Baker
Image via NEON The latest and arguably greatest film from iconic director Sean Baker, Anorabalances an array of different genres to create its beautifully entertaining tale of love, crime, and everything in between. The film follows sex worker Anora (Mikey Madison) who is seemingly given her own Cinderella story when she meets and falls in love with the son of a Russian oligarch, Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn). However, once the news of their marriage reaches Russia, Ivan's parents send a group of workers to get their marriage annulled by any means possible.
More than simply the best crime film of the year, Anora stands out as easily one of 2024's greatest cinematic achievements, being a highly entertaining masterclass of drama, comedy, and love. Baker's distinct directorial vision is on full display throughout the film, from the glamorous and stained view of problematic love to some of the most memorable and iconic supporting characters of recent memory. It's a film that has assuredly left its mark as one of the defining crime films of the 2020s.
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Anora
Release Date October 18, 2024
Director Sean Baker
Cast Mikey Madison , Mark Eydelshteyn , Karren Karagulian , Yuriy Borisov , Vache Tovmasyan , Ivy Wolk , Luna Sofía Miranda , Ross Brodar , Lindsey Normington , Darya Ekamasova , Emily Weider , Alena Gurevich , Masha Zhak , Paul Weissman , Charlton Lamar , Aleksey Serebryakov , Ella Rubin , Vincent Radwinsky , Michael Sergio , Brittney Rodriguez , Sophia Carnabuci , Anton Bitter , Zoë Vnak
Runtime 139 Minutes
Main Genre Comedy
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