Every film fan loves a good crime movie. The genre can be broadly broken down into two categories: Crime movies that follow those on the wrong side of the law, and crime movies that follow those who restlessly chase these wrongdoers. Indeed, films about cops, when done right, can make for some of the most exhilarating thrillers and most thought-provoking dramas.
What’s particularly engaging is a film about an undercover cop. These kinds of movies instill a sense of paranoia and desperation in the viewer, particularly when there’s a ticking time bomb (literal or figurative) that the protagonist needs to defuse before time runs out. From foreign cult classics likeThe Raid 2to old Hollywood gems likeSerpico,films about undercover cops can make for some of the most engaging viewing one can find in the crime genre.
10’Deep Cover' (1992)
Directed by Bill Duke
One of the most underrated crime movies of the ’90s,Bill Duke’sDeep Coverfollows a police officer played impeccably by the greatLaurence Fishburne. He’s recruited by the DEA to infiltrate a drug-smuggling ring, which is planning to expand its operations. Fishburne’sco-star is Jeff Goldblum, who plays one of the story’s villains in what’s easily his most disturbing performance.
Deep Cover’s soundtrack is legendary, featuring the likes ofDr. DreandSnoop Dogg, but that’s far from the only element that the movie has going for it. At a time when Black cinema was typically associated with “hood” crime films,Duke delivered a powerful neo-noir about racial dynamics with the war on drugs as its backdrop. It’s a thematically unique film, as well as a particularly exciting thriller with an exceptional pair of lead performances.
Deep Cover
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9’Face/Off' (1997)
Directed by John Woo
John Woois well-known as the director of some ofthe most stylish action movies ever made. Some of them he shot in his native Hong Kong, others he made in Hollywood.Of the latter group, his best-known film is probablyFace/Off, one of the most intense thrillers of the ’90s. It’s about an FBI agent who has to assume the identity of the criminal who murdered his son through facial transplant surgery, to foil a terrorist plot. However, the crook wakes up prematurely and vows revenge.
Nicolas CageandJohn Travoltaare absolutely extraordinary here, the former delivering one of his most delightfully over-the-top performances and the latter stepping out of his comfort zone in lots of interesting ways. There isn’t much undercover work inFace/Off, but that’s precisely what allows Woo to go all out. Indeed, subtlety isn’t something viewers will ever find in any of his films, especially not in this one. Explosive, cartoonish, and irresistibly fun from beginning to end, it’s one of its decade’s most entertaining flicks.
8’Donnie Brasco' (1997)
Directed by Mike Newell
Bringing together two Hollywood icons,Al PacinoandJohnny Depp,Donnie Brascois one ofthe most rewatchable gangster movies of all time. It’s based on the true story of an FBI undercover agent who infiltrated the mob and found himself identifying more and more with the mafia life — at the expense of his regular one. Dark, layered, and with one of the best ’90s performances of each of its two stars, it’s an outstanding undercover cop film that doesn’t let up.
It’s a rather familiar story told in a way that’s been seen plenty of times before. However, directorMike Newelldives so deep into his characters' psyche that the movie ends up managing to feel quite unique.And, of course, the impressive fact that this is all a real event also helps in making things more engaging. Newell’s direction is tight and vibrant, the actors all do a phenomenal job, and the insights into the everyday lives of gangsters are nothing short of fascinating.
Donnie Brasco
7’Point Break' (1991)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
The ’90s saw the release of many outstanding action thrillers, as well as some great undercover cop movies. One of the most iconic isPoint Break, a heist movie where an FBI agent goes undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers. It’s an exhilarating film full of high-adrenaline thrills, but it’s built on a surprisingly nuanced foundation with themes of masculinity, identity, and the meaning of freedom.
One ofBigelow’s best movies,Point Breaksurprised 1991 audiences with its shocking subversions of typical macho action-hero films of the ’80s. It’s corny, it’s exaggerated, and it can often even be a little bit absurd, but that’s all a feature, not a bug. Those looking for a streamlined, consistent narrative probably won’t be big fans ofPoint Break. However, those who just want to see cool guys surfing and watch a fascinating dissection of toxic masculinity are guaranteed to love it.
Point Break
6’Infernal Affairs' (2002)
Directed by Andrew Lau and Alan Mak
Hong Kong sure does love to makemovies full of heroic bloodshed,and few are as exceptional as Andrew Lau and Alan Mak’sInfernal Affairs, the movie that inspiredMartin Scorsese’sThe Departed. It’s about a policeman who successfully infiltrates a gang while a tried member becomes a mole in the police force. Things change when they both are tasked with seeking each other out. What ensues is an engrossing, nail-biting thriller that will remind cinephiles of filmmakers likeMichael MannandWong Kar-wai.
The movie spawned a trilogy where every movie is great, but neither of the sequels could ever top the exceptional original. Intelligent, story-driven, and built on the foundation of some really interesting themes and characters,Infernal Affairsis easily one of Hong Kong’s best 21st-century films. With outstanding production qualities and a hell of an ending, it’s an energizing thriller with bursts of action that light up the screen and leave indelible marks on the narrative.
Infernal Affairs
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5’Hard Boiled' (1992)
Another legendary John Woo classic,Hard Boiledis a killer action extravaganza that fans of the genre are guaranteed to love. It sees a tough cop (played by common Woo collaboratorChow Yun-Fat) teaming up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster and his crew. With some of the most thrilling action sequences in all of ’90s cinema, as well as a surprisingly strong emotional core, it’s what some might call John Woo’s magnum opus.
One ofthe best gun fu movies(action films that mix energetic gunplay with hyper-stylized martial arts),Hard Boiledmixes its stylish action with its moving plot in a film that sees Woo at his most idiosyncratic, yet also at his most confident and measured. As humorous as it is suspenseful, as artistic as it is entertaining,Hard Boiledisn’t just a flawless action movie in its own right, but a celebration of the genre’s history and legacy as a whole.
Hard Boiled
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4’Serpico' (1973)
Directed by Sidney Lumet
Al Pacino tends to be considered one ofthe biggest gangster movie stars(and rightfully so), but whenever he plays a character on the right side of the law, the result is just as entertaining. That’s precisely the case inSidney Lumet’sSerpico, a biographic police procedural about an honest New York cop,Frank Serpico, who blew the whistle on rampant corruption in the force, only to have his colleagues turn against him.
There’s something undeniably entertaining about undercover cop films that see the main character seduced by the life of crime that he’s come dangerously close to, butSerpicois a different kind of story altogether.It’s thrilling in its own distinct way, but high-octane excitement isn’t the thing it’s going for. Instead, it’s a highly provocative character study, as well as a painful portrayal of police corruption — a portrayal that’s sadly aged all-too well. On top of that, it sees Al Pacino at his very best in what started one of the best one-two-three punches that any actor has ever had (Serpicoin ‘73,The Godfather Part IIin ‘74, andDog Day Afternoonin ‘75).
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3’The Departed’ (2006)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
It may have been based on the equally-amazingInfernal Affairs, butit’s easy to argue thatThe Departedwent even higher than the astronomically high bar that its predecessor had set. Like it, it’s about an undercover cop and a mole in the police (this time set in Boston), who attempt to identify each other while the former infiltrates the latter’s gang. It’s a film full of suspense and paranoia, two things which few directors do as well as Martin Scorsese.
Some ofthe best gangster movies ever are also thrillers, andThe Departedis a proud member of that group. Thanks to its star-studded cast, its non-stop pacing, its gritty and raw tone, and the ambiguous morality that characterizes Scorsese, it went on to become the only film by the director that’s ever won the Best Picture Oscar. Clocking in at a little over 150 minutes, it’s certainly a little long, but every single second of that runtime is well spent on building gripping characters, an engaging story, and a third act so intense that viewers might forget to breathe.
The Departed
2’The Raid 2’ (2014)
Directed by Gareth Evans
The originalThe Raid: Redemptionis one of the best,most extreme action movies of all time. As such, a lot was riding on its sequel — and somehow,Gareth Evansmanaged to make an even better, even more extreme masterpiece. This one is set only a short time after the original raid, Rama having gone undercover with the thugs of Jakarta. From there, he plans to bring down the syndicate and uncover the corruption within his police force.
Iko Uwaisis pure dynamite as Rama, and every single other cast member and stuntperson does just as stupendous a job. The result isone ofthe best-looking, best-choreographed, most energetic, most violent action films of the 21st century. Heck, of all time, some might argue. While its pacing and level of violence may not sit well with those who love more story-driven action films, those who just want an undercover cop movie with action that never feels like it’s slowing down are bound to have a field day with Gareth Evans’s masterwork.
The Raid 2
1’Reservoir Dogs’ (1992)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
There aren’t manyheist movies that are genuinely perfectfrom beginning to end. Leave it toQuentin Tarantino, one of the most beloved writer-directors working in Hollywood today, to make his feature debut one of the best installments in the genre, no less.Reservoir Dogsis about a simple jewelry heist gone horribly wrong. After that, the surviving criminals (played by one of the best cast ensembles in Tarantino’s filmography) begin to suspect that one of them is a police informant.
Reservoir Dogsis almost theatrical, barely ever leaving its one main location,refusing to show the heist itself and instead focusing on how it affects the psyche of all those involved. The dialogue is sharp, the characters are intriguing, and every twist adds something of tremendous value to the narrative — as well as feeling genuinely surprising even after multiple rewatches. Smart and full of style,Reservoir Dogsmakes it unsurprising that its director would go on to become one of the most acclaimed in the industry.
