Movies like The Guardian (2026)
The best movies like The Guardian (2026) are Another Public Enemy (2005), Going by the Book (2007) and Open City (2008). If The Guardian hooked you with its action and crime, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedMidnight Runners (2017)7.5/10 from 263 votes
- NewestOscar Shaw (2026)Released 2026
- In KoreanAnother Public Enemy (2005)Also in Korean
Another Public Enemy (2005)
A criminal psychopath from a wealthy family is confronted with Chul-jung Kang, a former classmate who no longer likes his activities.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGoing by the Book (2007)
The chief of Sampo City Police Office, Seung-u, organizes a simulation of a bank robbery, but a by-the-book cop gets too caught up in the role playing in which the simulation doesn't go the way he had anticipated.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOpen City (2008)
Jo Dae-yeong is a police officer investigating a pickpocket ring with ties to the Yakuza. One day he rescues Baek Jang-mi from danger, only to discover that she is the boss of the gang he has been tracking.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Con Artists (2014)
A wily safecracker is forced to help a mob boss pull off a $150 million heist, but smells a double-cross in the works.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHow to Rob a Bank (2007)
Caught in the middle of a bank robbery, a slacker and a bank employee become the ones who arbitrate the intense situation.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
SnoozefestMovies like thisOscar Shaw (2026)
After retiring from the police force, a relentless detective haunted by the tragic loss of his closest friend sets out on a perilous quest for vengeance, seeking redemption and fighting to restore justice to the streets he once swore to protect.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisMidnight Runners (2017)
Two apathetic police academy recruits who become best buddies through the tough training together witness a woman being abducted right before their very eyes. As they were taught in the academy, they quickly report the incident to the police, but the police are in no hurry to jump on the case. So the duo decide to take the matter into their own hands and rescue the woman.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCold Eyes (2013)
Ha Yoon-ju becomes the newest member of a unit within the Korean Police Forces Special Crime Department that specializes in surveillance activities on high-profile criminals. She teams up with Hwang Sang-jun, the veteran leader of the unit, and tries to track down James who is the cold-hearted leader of an armed criminal organization.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDetective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow (2011)
In 1782, King Jeong-jo of Joseon asks detective K to investigate a series of murders related to a case of corruption within the government.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThick as Thieves (2009)
A master thief recruits a notorious thief to help him steal two famous Faberge eggs from an impenetrable vault in an effort to pull off one final job and repay his debt to the Russian mob.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSunflower (2006)
Tae-sik gets out of a prison after spending 10 years for killing a man and wishes nothing but an ordinary life. A local lady welcomes him into her household like a son and he gets a second chance in life. His former gang tries to destroy his new home in order to build a night club but he won’t let them destroy his new family.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHero at Large (1980)
An idealistic but struggling actor finds his life unexpectedly complicated when he stops a robbery while wearing the costume of Captain Avenger, a superhero character of a film he is hired to promote. He decides to dabble at being a superhero only to find that it is more difficult and dangerous than he ever imagined.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
SnoozefestMovies like thisStart-Up (2019)
Two boys are becoming real adults during a turbulent time as they experience a world that doesn't go their way.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShadow of the Thin Man (1941)
While attending a major horse race with their young son, Nick Jr., Nick and Nora Charles witnesse a shocking murder from the crowded grandstand. What first appears to be an isolated killing soon leads to a maze of corruption, blackmail, gambling scandals, and criminal intrigue. As Nick investigates, he encounters suspicious bookmakers, dishonest officials, rival gangsters, and a mysterious killer determined to stay ahead of the law. Nora, as always, is never far from the action, bringing her quick wit and fearless curiosity to the case.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime
Worth the HypeMovies like thisGotcha! (1985)
A student on a trip to France is tricked into smuggling secrets across the Iron Curtain by a sexy spy.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Paper Tigers (2020)
Three middle aged men polish their martial arts skills to avenge their fallen master.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOverdrive (2017)
Master car thieves square off against French gangsters in the South of France with money, women and lives all on the line.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCruel Winter Blues (2006)
A gangster's quest for revenge is sidetracked by an encounter with his target's mother in this deeply-felt hybrid of a crime thriller and a family drama.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both crime
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe 355 (2022)
A group of top female agents from American, British, Chinese, Colombian, and German government agencies are drawn together to try and stop an organization from acquiring a deadly weapon to send the world into chaos.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisKiller Bean Forever (2008)
When things go bad in Beantown, top assassin Killer Bean is called to clean-up the mess. Detective Cromwell finds himself in the middle between Killer Bean and mob boss Cappuccino.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDouble Barrel (2017)
A young couple who are so poor that they have to work as hired killers.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & crime
AWOL (2017)
An expert Army sniper armed with his tactical knowledge and deadly skills, goes on a quest to protect his family from the man who masterminded the attempt on his life and his loved ones.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
Respect (2017)
Hendrix dreams of hip-hop greatness, but he’s spiraling down a rabbit-hole of crime and poverty until he meets Doc, an old poet still haunted by his martial law past. Can they turn each other’s lives around before they’re swallowed by their circumstance?
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime
Air Force (1943)
The crew of an Air Force bomber arrives in Pearl Harbor in the aftermath of the Japanese attack and is sent on to Manila to help with the defense of the Philippines.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisPlane (2023)
After a heroic job of successfully landing his storm-damaged aircraft in a war zone, a fearless pilot finds himself between the agendas of multiple militias planning to take the plane and its passengers hostage.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisAlyas Sakay (1961)
The story of a barber from Tondo who led a pocket rebellion in Laguna against the American colonizers. To the ordinary people, the long-haired Sakay was some kind of folk hero, but to the American authorities he was a bandit, a murderer, a thief out to be captured and killed.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
Tiltil (2008)
The plot of the movie unfolds through the testimonials of three young sisters: Uring, Luray, and Elya, who recount the grisly sexual molestation they experienced from their adoptive father Timo. The title was taken from the sisters' work as stone tillers in a quarry where most residents earn their living. Apart from being an alcoholic and gambler, Timo is a sex pervert.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime
Hen. Gregorio Del Pilar (1949)
A biopic about general Gregorio Del Pilar.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
Diego Silang (1951)
This movie captures the core and colorful saga of the famous Ilocano hero Diego Silang.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
This Is a Filipino (1966)
This is a Monumental Epic in the History of Filipino Movies.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The Guardian?
The closest matches to The Guardian are Another Public Enemy (2005), Going by the Book (2007) and Open City (2008). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The Guardian?
Start with Another Public Enemy (2005), the closest match to The Guardian.
What is the highest-rated movie like The Guardian?
Midnight Runners (2017), rated 7.5/10 by 263 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The Guardian?
Oscar Shaw (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Korean movies like The Guardian?
Yes: Another Public Enemy (2005), Going by the Book (2007) and Open City (2008).
How are movies similar to The Guardian chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The Guardian, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.