Movies like They Shot the Sun (1982)
The best movies like They Shot the Sun (1982) are The Merciless (2017), I, the Executioner (2024) and Special Delivery (2022). If They Shot the Sun hooked you, these 20 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)7.9/10 from 1,622 votes
- NewestI, the Executioner (2024)Released 2024
- In KoreanThe Merciless (2017)Also in Korean
The Merciless (2017)
Jae-ho, who aims to become the number one in a crime organization, gets to build up trust with Hyun-su, an ambitious newbie in prison. When they try to take over the organization after their release, their ulterior motives start to emerge.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisI, the Executioner (2024)
The veteran detective Seo Do-cheol and his team at Major Crimes, relentless in their pursuit of criminals, join forces with rookie cop Park Sun-woo to track down a serial killer who has plunged the nation into turmoil.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSpecial Delivery (2022)
A black-market cabbie drives criminals at breakneck speeds until she is left in charge of a fugitive's son.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies 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
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Roundup: No Way Out (2023)
Detective Ma Seok-do changes his affiliation from the Geumcheon Police Station to the Metropolitan Investigation Team, in order to eradicate Japanese gangsters who enter Korea to commit heinous crimes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBlind (2011)
A blind witness and a runaway help the police find the suspect in a hit and run until the culprit realizes that they are close on his trail. The killer tracks her down and Soo-ah realizes that in order to save Gi-sub she would have to risk her life.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Killer (2022)
While his girlfriend is away on a trip, retired assassin Bang Ui-kang is tasked with looking after her friend's 17-year-old daughter. After a street attack, Bang Ui-kang becomes embroiled in a murder investigation and dangerous trafficking gang.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNight in Paradise (2020)
An assassin named Tae-goo is offered a chance to switch sides with his rival Bukseong gang, headed by Chairman Doh. Tae-goo rejects the offer that results in the murder of his sister and niece. In revenge, Tae-goo brutally kills Chairman Doh and his men and flees to Jeju Island where he meets Jae-yeon, a terminally ill woman. Though, the henchman of the Bukseong gang, Executive Ma is mercilessly hunting Tae-goo to take revenge.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRoboCop 2 (1990)
After a successful deployment of the RoboCop Law Enforcement unit, OCP sees its goal of urban pacification come closer and closer, but as this develops, a new narcotic known as "Nuke" invades the streets led by God-delirious leader Cane. As this menace grows, it may prove to be too much for Murphy to handle. OCP tries to replicate the success of the first unit, but ends up with failed prototypes with suicidal issues... until Dr. Faxx, a scientist straying away from OCP's path, uses Cane as the new subject for the RoboCop 2 project, a living God.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCold Pursuit (2019)
The quiet family life of Nels Coxman, a snowplow driver, is upended after his son's murder. Nels begins a vengeful hunt for Viking, the drug lord he holds responsible for the killing, eliminating Viking's associates one by one. As Nels draws closer to Viking, his actions bring even more unexpected and violent consequences, as he proves that revenge is all in the execution.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
SnoozefestMovies like thisUnstoppable (2018)
Dong-chul and Ji-soo are a happily married couple. One day, Dong-chul comes home to find his house in disarray and his wife missing.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNowhere to Hide (1999)
Detective Woo is on the trail of the mysterious gangster Sungmin, a master of disguise who always manages to elude his pursuers. Eventually, the cop tracks down and confronts the master-criminal in the suburbs of a coal-mining town.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
Charles Dreyfus, who has finally cracked over inspector Clouseau's antics, escapes from a mental institution and launches an elaborate plan to get rid of Clouseau once and for all.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShowdown (1993)
Ken has just moved from Kansas with his mother. He talks to a girl named Julie, not knowing that her boyfriend Tom is very possessive of her. Tom is learning karate from Lee, a sensei whose brother was killed by a rookie cop named Billy. Billy has since then become the janitor of the school that Ken, Julie and Tom go to. When Ken gets beaten up by Tom for talking to Julie again, Billy helps Ken by teaching him how to defend himself, which eventually leads to a battle between student vs. student, and sensei vs. sensei.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019)
After barely surviving a brutal attack by a sadistic serial killer, crime boss Jang Dong-su is left humiliated. Determined to catch the killer known as K, he forms an uneasy alliance with Jung Tae-seok, a relentless and incorruptible detective who often disrupts his illegal business. However, while Jang Dong-su wants K dead, Jung Tae-suk is determined to bring him to justice. With a deal in place—whoever finds K first will decide his fate—the hunt begins, blurring the lines between crime and law.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisHard Hit (2021)
On his way to work, a bank manager receives an anonymous call claiming there's a bomb under his car seat, and if anyone exits the car, it will explode unless he can pay a ransom.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJolt (2021)
A bouncer with an anger management problem goes on a furious and resentful rampage after the murder of a friend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBroken (2014)
Following the brutal rape and murder of his 16-year-old daughter, Sang-hyeon stumbles into an ever-widening conspiracy of rage, revenge, and murder.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTazza: The Hidden Card (2014)
Dae-gil has been skilled with his hands and has shown a strong desire for winning ever since he was a child. He will succeed his uncle and jump into the world of Tazza, risking his life in competition.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers
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
Worth the HypeMovies like this
Like They Shot the Sun and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like They Shot the Sun?
The closest matches to They Shot the Sun are The Merciless (2017), I, the Executioner (2024) and Special Delivery (2022). Below are 17 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after They Shot the Sun?
Start with The Merciless (2017), the closest match to They Shot the Sun.
What is the highest-rated movie like They Shot the Sun?
The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil (2019), rated 7.9/10 by 1,622 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like They Shot the Sun?
I, the Executioner (2024) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Korean movies like They Shot the Sun?
Yes: The Merciless (2017), I, the Executioner (2024) and Special Delivery (2022).
How are movies similar to They Shot the Sun chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside They Shot the Sun, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.