10 of the best modern crime films from the 2000s to now

If you like modern crime films, you are really spoiled for choice nowadays. From the early 2000s onwards there have been a slew of excellent films showing criminal lives. These films range from mafia and gangland feuds to white-collar crimes such as insider trading. Read on to discover the best crime films in the modern era.

City of God (2002)

Based loosely on real events, City of God explores the lives of several young people growing up in the emerging favela slums of Rio de Janeiro. The film features shocking scenes of violence from a very young cast. Shot from the perspective of different characters, City of God drew a cult following who loved the frenetic nature of the production and the lively plot, with frequent twists. The film explored the dog-eat-dog world of gangsters with each character's success in crime being short-lived as a more ruthless criminal asserts control.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Originally written as a screenplay and then a novel, Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men was converted into an instant cult classic by the celebrated Coen Brothers. The story sees hitman Anton Chigurh, played by Javier Bardem, hunting Llewelyn Moss who has a bag of money from a drug deal gone wrong. There is barely any background music which creates a lot of tension for the viewer as the game of cat and mouse unfolds.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight explores the Batman universe after the events of Batman Begins. The film starts with a shocking scene of betrayal and cynicism from The Joker and there is never a dull moment. The pace of the film never eases up, as the conflict and tension between Batman and the Joker ratchets up and up. The stunning cast includes Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Originally published as a novel in 2005 by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo tells the tale of a computer hacker teaming up with an investigative journalist to investigate the murder of an industrialist's niece. The story explores themes such as misogyny, corporate greed, and how systems enable injustice. The film stars Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

When we think of crime we usually think of violence, drugs and poverty. The Wolf of Wall Street instead explores white-collar crime. Loosely based on trader Jordan Belfort, The Wolf of Wall Street examines the decadence and immorality of 90s financial traders. When Belfort realises he can make a fortune selling unregulated 'penny' stocks to ordinary members of the public, he leaps at the chance. What follows is a drug-fueled story of greed, exploitation and immorality as Jordan Belfort and his company seek to evade the efforts of the F.B.I. to prosecute them.

Prisoners (2013)

Prisoners tells the tale of two children who are kidnapped in a fictional city in Pennsylvania. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman, the film has an exciting plot which leaves the audience supporting the children's father as he takes the law into his own hands.

Sicario (2015)

Sicario, starring Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro, depicts the drug war happening around the US and Mexico border. The film is a tense watch, especially the scene where the characters cross into the Mexican border city of Juarez. Like many modern crime movies, Sicario does not have characters who are purely good or bad. Everyone is morally ambiguous which makes for a thrilling watch.

Joker (2019)

Joker follows the life of Arthur Fleck, an unsuccessful young man who feels trampled by society. Determined to exact his revenge on a world that doesn't seem to care for him, Arthur morphs into the Joker, an anarchist murderer who attracts a cult following of Gotham residents who feel left behind. Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for his performance in the film.

The Irishman (2019)

Martin Scorsese's comeback film was controversially released very briefly in cinemas before appearing on Netflix. The Irishman has an incredible cast of actors who have previously worked with Scorsese, such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.

The action focuses on Robert De Niro's character Frank Sheeran, a hitman who claims to have murdered a union boss. At 3 hours and 29 minutes it is a long watch by modern standards and the director drew attention by saying he didn't mind if viewers took breaks while watching it on Netflix.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Another Scorsese film, Killers of the Flower Moon tells the story of the Osage Native Americans who got rich from oil discovered under their land and were then killed by white settlers who wanted the resource for themselves.

The lead character is Ernest Burkhart, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is married to an Osage woman. As greed overcomes him, he goes along with a scheme to steal the oil wealth from his wife's people. Martin Scorsese was successful in uncovering a piece of American history most people had forgotten.

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