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Movies like People's Hero (1987)

The best movies like People's Hero (1987) are The Crew (2008), Tiger Cage (1988) and The Rookie (1990). If People's Hero hooked you with its action and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.

Quick picks

  1. The Crew (2008)

    Hoping to raise enough capital to finance a legitimate business and leave behind his life of crime, Liverpool underworld boss Ged Brennan sends his brother Ratter and a crew to pull a daring final heist. But when Ratter kills a drug kingpin during the job, Brennan must turn to rival crook Franner to avert an all-out gangland war.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action

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  2. Tiger Cage (1988)

    Something fishy is going on in the anti-Drug Trafficking Unit of the HK Police, and only a few honest cops know that the corruption goes all the way to the top. However, they must prove their case quickly, and by unconventional means, after they are framed for murder and drug-trafficking themselves. Dodging bullets from cops and criminals alike, the race is on to clear their names, protect their loved ones, and bring their corrupt colleagues to justice.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  3. The Rookie (1990)

    Veteran cop Nick Pulovski is used to playing musical partners; many of the partners he's had in the past have died on the job, and often as a result of Nick's risky tactics. But the rookie who's been assigned to help Nick bust a carjacking ring is almost as hotheaded as he is … and when Nick gets kidnapped, his newbie partner is his only hope.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

  4. Running on Karma (2003)

    A monk turned body-builder, with the gift to see into people's lives, befriends a female cop, and uses his gift to change the force of Karma and her destiny.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  5. SPL: Kill Zone (2005)

    Chan, an articulate senior detective nearing the end of his career, is taking care of the daughter of a witness killed by ruthless crime lord Po. Martial arts expert Ma is set to take over as head of the crime unit, replacing Chan who wants an early retirement.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  6. In Too Deep (1999)

    Drug lord Dwayne Gittens rules Cincinnati with an iron fist. No wonder he's known as "God" on the streets. Determined to break Gittens' stranglehold on the city is undercover cop Jeffrey Cole. But as Cole takes on an assumed identity to penetrate Gittens' criminal empire, he makes a disturbing discovery -- he kind of likes being a gangster.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action

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  7. Paradox (2017)

    When a Hong Kong police negotiator is informed about the sudden disappearance of his 16-year-old daughter in Thailand, he travels there to search for her whereabouts.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  8. The Corruptor (1999)

    Danny is a young cop partnered with Nick, a seasoned but ethically tainted veteran. As the two try to stop a gang war in Chinatown, Danny relies on Nick but grows increasingly uncomfortable with the way Nick gets things done.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  9. Staten Island (2009)

    Sully is desperate to give his unborn son the chance he never had. Jasper wants to escape the mobsters that have infiltrated his life and business. Parmie, a local mob boss, dreams of crushing the competition. All three men live in Staten Island, and once their lives intersect, nothing will ever be the same.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action

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  10. Run (1991)

    When a law student accidentally kills the son of a mob boss in a fight, he finds himself relentlessly pursued by the mob and the police.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & thriller

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  11. Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)

    Heavyweight Champ George "Iceman" Chambers is sent to a Russian jail on trumped-up drug charges. In order to win his freedom he must fight against the jailhouse fighting champ Uri Boyka in a battle to the death. This time he is not fighting for a title, he is fighting for his life!

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  12. Crime Story (1993)

    A special agent is assigned to protect a wealthy business magnate. However, when the businessman is kidnapped in a daring ambush, he teams up with a seasoned detective to crack the case. But soon he discovers the case isn't that simple.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  13. Brooklyn Rules (2007)

    Brooklyn, 1985. With the mob world as a backdrop, three life-long friends struggle with questions of love, loss and loyalty.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & action

  14. Shock Wave (2017)

    When a terrorist who specializes in explosives takes hold of an underground tunnel, he threatens to kill hostages if his demands are not met.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  15. City on Fire (1987)

    Ko Chow is an undercover cop who is under pressure from all sides. His boss, Inspector Lau, wants him to infiltrate a gang of ruthless jewel thieves; his girlfriend wants him to commit to marriage or she will leave Hong Kong with another lover; and he is being pursued by other cops who are unaware that he is a colleague. Chow would rather quit the force, feeling guilty about betraying gang members who have become his friends.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  16. Absolution (2024)

    An aging ex-boxer gangster working as muscle for a Boston crime boss receives an upsetting diagnosis. Despite a faltering memory, he attempts to rectify the sins of his past and reconnect with his estranged children. He is determined to leave a positive legacy for his grandson, but the criminal underworld isn’t done with him and won’t loosen their grip willingly.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

  17. Raging Fire (2021)

    Cheung Sung-bong is a highly respected cop with a long history of success in dangerous cases. However, his past soon comes back to haunt him when a former protégé resurfaces, seeking revenge.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  18. Line Walker 2: Invisible Spy (2019)

    A car crash sparks a war between local police and an international terrorist organization.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  19. Three (2016)

    Realising that he will be defeated in no time during a police showdown, a thug shoots himself to force the cops to cease fire and take him to the hospital. In the hospital, he claims human rights to refuse immediate treatment in order to buy time for his underlings to rescue him. The detective in charge sees through his scheme but decides to play along so as to capture his whole gang once and for all.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

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  20. The Protector (1985)

    Billy Wong is a New York City cop whose partner is gunned down during a robbery. Billy and his new partner, Danny Garoni, are working security at a fashion show when a wealthy man's daughter, Laura Shapiro, is kidnapped. The Federal authorities suspect that Laura's father is involved with Mr. Ko, a Hong Kong drug kingpin, so the NYC police commissioner sends the two cops to Hong Kong to investigate.

    Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both action & crime

  21. Sniper (1993)

    Tough guy Thomas Beckett is a US Marine working in the Panamanian jungle. His job is to seek out rebels and remove them using his sniper skills. Beckett is notorious for losing his partners on such missions. This time he's accompanied by crack marksman Richard Miller.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama

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  22. Le Deuxième Souffle (1966)

    A gangster escapes jail and quickly makes plans to continue his criminal ways elsewhere, but a determined inspector is closing in.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & drama

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  23. Justified Force (2019)

    A retired cop and his new partner must put their differences aside while investigating a drug ring.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & action

  24. Big Bad Mama (1974)

    Circumstances force a mother and her two daughters to get into bootlegging and bank robbing, and travel across the country pursued by the law.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & crime

  25. The Crooked Way (1949)

    A war veteran suffering from amnesia, returns to Los Angeles from a San Francisco veterans hospital hoping to learn who he is and discovers his criminal past.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & drama

  26. Touchez Pas au Grisbi (1954)

    Gentleman gangster Max and his partner, Riton, pull off their last, most successful heist and find themselves comfortable enough to retire in the style they enjoy. However, Max confides the details of the theft to his younger mistress, Josey -- who has secretly taken up with ambitious young rival gangster Angelo. Angelo then has Riton kidnapped and demands the stash of gold as ransom, which threatens Max's dreams of the perfect retirement.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & thriller

    Worth the HypeMovies like this
  27. The Big Racket (1976)

    Nico Palmieri is a police inspector who battles a criminal gang terrorizing a sleepy Italian town, extorting cash from the local merchants. With the threat of violence, no one dares to act, except for a restaurant owner who is forced by Palmieri to tell the truth.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & action

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  28. My Gun Is Quick (1957)

    Detective Mike Hammer's investigation of a murder puts him in the middle between warring jewel thieves.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & thriller

  29. Faster, Faster (1981)

    Angela is a young waitress who turns her back on society when she meets and falls in love with Pablo, a reckless criminal delinquent. Along with Pablo’s gang of car thieves, the pair embark on a drug and disco-fueled robbery spree as they hurtle toward oblivion.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both crime & drama

    Popcorn FlickMovies like this
  30. Gamer (2009)

    Mind-control technology has taken society by a storm, a multiplayer on-line game called "Slayers" allows players to control human prisoners in mass-scale. Simon controls Kable, the online champion of the game. Kable's ultimate challenge becomes regaining his identity and independence by defeating the game's mastermind.

    Why it matches: Similar story and style · both action & thriller

Like People's Hero and something else?

Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best movies like People's Hero?

The closest matches to People's Hero are The Crew (2008), Tiger Cage (1988) and The Rookie (1990). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.

What should I watch after People's Hero?

Start with The Crew (2008), the closest match to People's Hero.

What is the highest-rated movie like People's Hero?

Le Deuxième Souffle (1966), rated 7.7/10 by 212 TMDB users.

What is the newest movie like People's Hero?

Absolution (2024) is the most recent release on this list.

How are movies similar to People's Hero chosen?

First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside People's Hero, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.

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