The 15 Best Heist Movies Ever Made, Ranked

Robberies and movies are the ideal combination. Both require a great team, a ton of personality, and clock accuracy in an atmosphere where everything is ready to go bad. Few things surpass the [ ] ] despite the training to realize that the ideal crime is as uncommon as the treasures that movie thieves smuggle.

The article The 15 Best Attack Movies Ever Made, Ranked appeared initially on Den of Geek.

Movies and robberies make the ideal combination. Both require a great team, a ton of personality, and clock accuracy in an atmosphere where everything is ready to go bad. Few things can compare to the satisfaction of watching it all come together and fall off, even though we’ve been trained to realize that the best offense is as unique as the treasures that film thieves attempt to steal. The best attack shows draw us in time and time again to the idea of it all. &nbsp,

And while we’re here to enjoy the best attack movies, please observe that identifying a attack film can be as large of a task as pulling off the best plan. I frequently tried to draw a line between heist movies, con artist movies, basic robberies, and crime movies itself. It’s a narrow range, but the best attack movies usually focus on the job, the team, the strategy, and, more often than not, the fallout. &nbsp,

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15. Dead Presidents ( 1995 )

” It&#8217, s not your fault you &#8217, ve been brainwashed by America”. Revolutionist Delilah Benson sums up the spirit behind this attack movie from executives Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes in a poignant way by offering cold comfort to Vietnam vet Anthony Curtis who is currently a veteran of the Vietnam War.

Many like they did with Menace II Society, the Hughes boys use this tale of people forced to turn to a life of violence to glow a light on the problems that plague some Black people who’ve been forced to the outskirts of society. However, in Dead Presidents, they expand their scope of investigation into how many soldiers who had been forced into lives back home after a war, especially the Vietnam War, never imagined they would have to endure. It’s heavy material but the Hughes Brothers keep it infinitely watchable thanks to their incredible visual style, some killer performances, and one of the best soundtracks of the ‘ 90s. &nbsp,

14. Three Kings ( 1999 )

Director David O. Russell was reportedly drawn to the concept for Three Kings as soon as he saw the words “heist set in the Gulf War”. From there, Russell shepherded that brilliant elevator pitch through a terrifying filming process, pleading with pretty much everyone ( including story creator John Ridley and star George Clooney ). And while the director ultimately delivered a heist movie set in the Gulf War, somewhere along the way, Three Kings became something much greater.

In the final days of the Gulf War, three soldiers trying to find a fortune in gold bullion, as it turns out, account for a large portion of the drama in Three Kings. That part proves to be surprisingly simple. When those same soldiers attempt to solve the moral quandary of what they are about to get away with, things get much more complicated. Three Kings features the kind of nuanced observations about America’s involvement in the Middle East that we wouldn’t see again for a long time after 9/11. They are also tucked into an incredible heist adventure that addresses the morality of thievery. &nbsp,

13. The Thomas Crown Affair ( 1999 )

Being an art thief is a particularly slick thing, at the risk of needlessly glorifying crime. Anyone can recognize at least the monetary value of stealing cash or jewels, but art thieves inherently exhibit a taste for the finer things in life. That extreme crime is a large part of the reason why 1999’s The Thomas Crown Affair stands out from the crowd. &nbsp,

What else would you anticipate from legendary action director John McTiernan, despite the improved pacing in this 1999 remake of the 1968 original film? ), the heart of the film is still its two leads. Based on their desires, interests, and growing respect for each other’s abilities, Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo have a genuinely sexy ( and refreshingly age-appropriate ) love affair. It all builds toward a genius final heist that nourishes the soul and mind. &nbsp,

12. ( 2016 ) Hell or High Water

Hell or High Water dances around that thin line which separates the heist genre from other crime films, but it’s ultimately too difficult to ignore the ways this movie views the economic and class factors that contribute to the decision to” steal”.

The two brothers who begin bank robbers in order to save the family farm are the subjects of Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone novel Hell or High Water. Essentially a Western heist film, Hell or High Water is packed with people trying to carve something for themselves out of a corner of the world that time seems to have forgotten. This film brilliantly explores the desperation of criminality, suggesting that “getting even” is another way to say you are merely trying to free yourself of unfathomable debts. &nbsp, &nbsp,

11. A Fish Called Wanda ( 1988 )

It’s surprising that there aren’t more ( or better ) comedy heist movies given that many movie heists ultimately end in spectacular ways. Even if there were, it would be hard for them to beat the offbeat brilliance of A Fish Called Wanda. &nbsp,

What would otherwise be a relatively straightforward heist story about a jewelry robbery soon becomes complicated by both criminal circumstances and the truly unhinged personalities of the job’s willing ( and unwilling ) main players. Yes, Kevin Kline steals the show in a performance that is more Oscar-worthy than it is typically remembered as, but the real joy is in being able to see the ensemble constantly try to win over each other, even when they are technically cooperating. &nbsp,

10. Inception ( 2010 )

Calling Inception a heist film seems odd. It most certainly is, but Christopher Nolan‘s story of a group of operatives who perform corporate espionage by diving into people’s dreams goes to such … places that it’s sometimes easy to forget that there’s a heist at the heart of it all.

Yet it’s that heist that allows Nolan to explore the bizarre conceptual and visual locations he so frequently explores in Inception. The best heist stories are fundamentally twisty tales that find ways to keep us engaged through every turn. Nolan simply reaches entirely new heights by bending reality to fit the story of this crew’s desperate quest to get the goods and leave before everything comes to a head. By regularly returning to that simple genre conceit, Nolan delivers some of the most mind-bending concepts we’ve ever seen in a major release without losing too much of the enraptured audience. &nbsp,

9. The League of Gentlemen ( 1960 )

There is a quaintness to The League of Gentlemen that speaks to both its pure, essential” Britishness” and the fact that it was made well before the typical heist movie formula was finalized. Some people may find the story of specialists robbing a bank a little sluggish and familiar. &nbsp,

However, The League of Gentlemen deserves a lot of love because it is one of the first instances of this kind of “getting the gang together” style of heist movie. It’s also one of the most lovable, clever, and strangely wholesome versions of that concept. This fundamental heist film is not taken for granted, and the cast and crew’s enthusiasm for the genius of the entire thing makes it even more enjoyable to navigate those genre tropes that have always been enjoyable ( previously known as tropes ). This also remains one of the best examples of a movie that wants us to love its thieves while still delivering the” crime doesn’t pay” finale that this era of film demanded. &nbsp,

8. Inside Man ( 2005 )

I will eternally envy those who get to watch Inside Man for the first time. What starts off as a seemingly standard tale of a police officer attempting to stop a bank robbery quickly turns into one of the most clever logistical heist movies ever produced.

Though many heist movies revolve around” the plan”, few movies celebrate the art of slowly watching that plan unfold as well as Inside Man does. Every scene adds another layer to the growing cast of characters who are ensnared in this incredible event. By the time you get to the final reveal, you’ll be reaching for a cigarette regardless of whether you ever smoked. &nbsp,

7. Sexy Beast ( 2000 )

Though strangely conventional by director Jonathan Glazer’s standards, Sexy Beast is rather unconventional by those of the heist movie. The heist itself occurs at the very end of the movie, and it is a remarkably low-tech incident that emphasizes the brutality of its perpetrators rather than trying to impress you with their criminal cleverness. The bulk of the movie instead focuses on Gal: a former safecracker who receives an unwelcome visit from an old accomplice named Don Logan, who is determined to get him to pull off one last job. &nbsp,

As Don Logan, Sir Ben Kingsley delivers one of the greatest and most terrifying performances in the history of crime cinema. In the end, “in the history of crime cinema” is a pointless qualifier that limits what he can accomplish in an 89-minute thriller that is taut. If you can look past Kingsley’s magnetic madness, you’ll find a quieter, slightly surreal film that gives the pull of the underworld a physical form and grapples with the horror of the idea that you’ve already made the decision that will define your life. &nbsp,

6. Jackie Brown ( 2000 )

Jackie Brown is an airline stewardess who has just been caught smuggling cash for her gun-running employer. Her employer wants her dead, and the DEA wants her to cooperate. However, Jackie forms a bold plan to escape prosecution, steal her employer’s money, and cash out on the bad hand that life has dealt her. &nbsp,

Time is almost always a factor in heist movies. Before the cops show up, they are forced to race against the clock, and the game is over. And while there is a time-sensitive plan to steal$ 500, 000 in Jackie Brown, most of our characters are racing against time itself. The only thing scarier than getting caught is realizing that you missed your shot, which is a key component of this brilliant thriller, which is anchored by career-best performances from Robert Forster and Pam Grier. Due respect to Inglourious Basterds, but this character-driven heist thriller adapted from an Elmore Leonard novel may be Quentin Tarantino‘s real masterpiece.

5. Le Cercle Rouge ( 1970 )

Three men at the end of their ropes enter each other’s lives just in time to pull off a stunning jewelry heist in this Jean-Pierre Melville classic. The setup may seem familiar to fans of the genre, but Melville is less interested in subverting the genre than he is in gathering and sharing every ounce of cinematic majesty that can be mined from that concept. &nbsp,

And unlike the film’s protagonists, we’re all left richer at the end of the experience. One of Melville’s greatest stylistic achievements is Le Cercle Rouge, which is perhaps his most visually stunning heist film ever produced. The minimalist dialog allows us to lose ourselves in this tour of wonderfully imagined noir locales guided by some of the most cinematically cool, but morally empty, criminals you’ll spend time with on either side of the screen. &nbsp,

4. 1950’s The Asphalt Jungle

After directing some of the greatest noir and adventure films ever made, John Huston decided to combine both styles in a crime movie that proved to be one of the foundational pieces of the entire heist genre. The Asphalt Jungle offers so much more than just the star power, despite the possibility that any film that combines the incomparable Sterling Hayden, a young Marilyn Monroe, and John Huston in his prime is bound to be at least at least entertaining. &nbsp,

This is a tale of criminals attempting to reclaim their piece of the perfect plan, which only the best noirs of this time can do. Desperate crooks gather in smoky backrooms to discuss the upcoming job with a kind of blue-collar professionalism that exhibits their casualness without underselling the scope of what they are about to do. Although it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that things don’t go as planned ( it was 1950, after all ), Houston’s portrayal of these criminals set the stage for the heist genre’s and far beyond.

3. Heat ( 1995 ) )

Does any line summarize the heist genre as well as “don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner”? While Michael Mann’s excellent debut feature film, Thief, brilliantly demonstrated his crime story credentials, there are many good reasons to think Heat is the director’s definitive crime film. &nbsp,

An all-star cast performs their best work in almost perfect harmony in Heat, just like the best heist crews. While this movie is rightfully remembered for its breathtaking bank robbery shootout ( perhaps the best shootout ever put on film ), the many, many rewatches of this movie we’ve all enjoyed often reveal something equally incredible during those quieter moments. The gruff hyper-masculine coolness in the best David Mamet works may help, but Heat ultimately is a tale of professionals struggling to control what they can leave behind. &nbsp,

2. Rififi ( 1955 )

Rififi, a film that blacklisted director Jules Dassin made while he was in exile in France, demonstrates the seemingly impossible chemistry of rage and craft that Dassin himself appeared to possess at that special time in his life. It may not be the first heist movie, but nearly every heist film that follows owes a debt to the way it balanced” the job” with what happens next. &nbsp,

Rififi‘s stunning heist sequence ( which is shot in real time and presented without dialogue ) is conceptually brilliant and actually seems to go off without much of a hitch. When the heist crew tries to collaborate as they did on the job, the issues come later. Rififi explores the curse of sudden fortune by showing how money can not alter the paths that led to these men doing something so desperate in the first place. &nbsp,

1. Ocean’s Eleven ( 2001 )

Many of the best heist movies ultimately deal with the futility and tragedy of crime. That’s understandable and morally righteous. However, we are also often attracted to heist movies because they are so damn cool. No heist movie is cooler than Ocean’s Eleven, despite the numerous cool criminals and crews in the wide world of heist movies. &nbsp,

Steven Soderbergh’s story of a man named Danny Ocean, who is assembling the perfect heist crew after being paroled, is one of the most relentlessly entertaining movies ever made. Perfectly paced, gorgeously shot, and loaded with incredible performances, it’s even somehow cooler than the 1960 original that starred the Rat Pack. It rightfully remains the go-to option for millions who simply want to enjoy the art of the heist.

The article The 15 Best Attack Movies Ever Made, Ranked appeared initially on Den of Geek.