Hitmen and assassins make up for some of the most violent and interesting protagonists. They are complex, calculating, and ruthless killers, usually portrayed as deadly villains more than flawed heroes.
These hitman movies can range from action movie blockbusters to contemplative dramas—or even dark comedies. These kinds of characters mainly focus on contract killings, closely associated with criminal organizations or working independently.
They lurk in every corner and can lunge in to take a shot when no one’s ready. Moreover, they are the ones who raise the stakes of the story by bringing a conundrum surrounding life and death to the hero of the movie. This list contains some of the best hitman movies that’ll keep you entertained no matter how many times you rewatch them.
9 Best Hitman Movies You Need To Watch Right Now
1. Road to Perdition (2002)
Based on DC Comics’ graphic novel series, Road to Perdition takes place during the Great Depression era. A mob hitman, Michael Sullivan (Tom Hanks), is on the run with his elder son, who witnesses a gangland killing ordered by his father’s boss and attracts an army of gangsters, while Michael vows revenge for the murder of his wife and younger son.
With just his second directorial movie, Sam Mendes dazzles in Road to Perdition with two outstanding performances from Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. It’s a tale of vengeance and redemption with a slower pace than the usual hitman movies. Mendes weaves in Shakespearean poetry with the hitman genre, depicting violence as an inheritance from father to son.
2. Collateral (2004)
An L.A. cab driver, Max (Jamie Foxx), drives a determined man, Vincent (Tom Cruise), from place to place until he realizes that his passenger is a hitman, killing off witnesses of a crime one-by-one. Max has to interrupt Vincent’s killing spree without becoming the target himself.
From the endlessly creative mind of Michael Mann, Collateral is a gripping, adrenaline-pumping crime thriller that shows Tom Cruise in a different light—a cold, calculating, and efficient killer. According to me, it’s one of Tom Cruise’s finest performances. Moreover, Collateral is studded with stunning nighttime visuals and editing. While Heat is Mann’s quintessential L.A. film, with Collateral, he explores the city’s darker side.
3. John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)
As the price on his head is ever-increasing, John Wick (Keanu Reeves) travels around the world to form unexpected alliances with the world’s most powerful leaders as he seeks freedom from the High Table by killing the Marquis (Bill Skarsgård).
Coming from the most legendary hitman universe of John Wick, the fourth chapter of the franchise is almost three hours of bone-crushing, and neatly choreographed violence—the recipe of great action movies. More than its predecessors, Chad Stahelski’s John Wick: Chapter 4 offers a huge canvas for breathtaking stunt work and action set pieces, smoothly anchored by the enigmatic Keanu Reeves. It truly reinvents modern action movies with innovative fight sequences and is one of the greatest action movies ever made.
4. The Killer (1989)
During a job, Jeffrey (Chow Yun Fat) accidentally blinds a nightclub singer, Jennie (Sally Yeh). He decides to do one final job to secure the singer’s treatment. But when he gets betrayed by his own employers, he reluctantly joins Inspector Li Ying (Danny Lee) for the showdown.
John Woo’s The Killer is one of the greatest and most underrated hitman movies from Hong Kong, which struggled to perform in its native land but found an audience internationally. A highlight of Hong Kong cinema, The Killer entertains you with a skillful balance of captivating character drama and thrilling action sequences. Not to mention that the movie’s melodramatic tone makes up for a good setup to deliver a solid, emotional punch to the gut.
5. In Bruges (2008)
In Bruges is a brilliantly written dark comedy thriller by Martin McDonagh, which follows two hitmen, Ken (Brendan Gleeson) and Ray (Colin Farrell), who are hiding in Bruges waiting for their boss to arrive after a job gone horribly wrong.
Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges subverts the hitman genre norms only to redefine them into something better. It is an oddball hitman movie and a powerful exploration of meaningful conversations, boredom, remorse, idleness, morality, and laugh-out-loud grotesque humor. Initially, the movie was marked to become a cult classic, but slowly, In Bruges is reclaiming its appreciation as Martin McDonagh has also become a prominent filmmaker, specifically in the area of absurd comedy thrillers.
6. Le Samouraï (1976)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville, Le Samourai follows a hitman who is arrested before he can deal with a witness to his nightclub killings. Having been released when the witness doesn’t come forward, he finds himself being chased by the police while he investigates who handed him a botched job.
From acting to principal photography to editing, everything works in perfect harmony in Le Samourai. Almost devoid of dialogue, most of the work owes to Alain Delon’s subtle acting as we get a deep peek into the reactions and inconsistencies of a hitman’s mind. Widely regarded as one of the coolest movies, Le Samourai is a timeless classic everyone should watch.
7. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Coming from the classic duo, the Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men features one of the most disturbing and terrifying hitmen ever put on screen. A pure psychopath, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), is sent to reclaim a satchel full of money, which pits him against Llewyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a hunter who stole the cash in the aftermath of a cartel shootout in the desert.
No Country for Old Men is arguably one of the Coen Brothers’ best movies of all time. Every confronting scene in the movie is filled with overbearing tension. Plus, Javier Bardem delivers one of the most feared hitman roles ever, which also earned him an Oscar. Moreover, the film won four Oscars, including Best Picture, from its seven nominations.
8. Léon: The Professional (1994)
After young Mathilda’s (Natalie Portman) family is murdered by the corrupt and volatile DEA agent played by Gary Oldman, she is taken in by Léon (Jean Reno), a plant-loving professional assassin. He teaches her the tricks of the trade to avenge her family.
French director Luc Besson’s first English-language hit, Leon: The Professional, is notable for its trifecta of iconic performances by Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, and Gary Oldman. But Gary Oldman really pushed the bar high for someone to play a maniac villain on screen. It is both stylish and disturbing, which makes it one of the best Hitman movies of all time.
9. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Pulp Fiction is a career-defining film of Quentin Tarantino, which follows a number of criminals through their interwoven tales in Los Angeles. However, the story begins and ends with Vincent (John Travolta), a hitman who must entertain his boss’s wife for a night, and Jules (Samuel L. Jackson), who reconsiders his profession after a spiritual near-death experience.
Hitmen in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction are philosophers with a gun in the pocket. It was a pivotal film in the context of modern cinema. With non-linear narrative structure, interesting dialogue, and moral ambiguity, Pulp Fiction basically implied that hitman movies can be both outrageously entertaining and intellectually stimulating at the same time.
Summing It Up
Which one do you think is the best hitman movie ever?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.