Films like Prisoners
15 picks with a similar feel
What defines Prisoners, going by its Boxlist taste profile: Serious and morally murky: a rough-edged crime thriller, intricate rather than simple. Best if you like edge over warmth. Its strongest markers on Boxlist are themes of injustice and vengeance, deep rivalry and mysteries that are not what they seem, plus tags such as child abduction, candlelight vigil and beating.
Here are 15 films with a similar feel, ranked by how closely they match that profile. Treat them as picks to try, not a definitive list.
Based on Prisoners (2013).
- 1
The Bone Collector (1999)
Film6.8
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of deep rivalry and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: crime scene, detective, investigation.
- 2
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Film7.9Slower burn
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: neo-noir.
- 3
Zodiac (2007)
Film7.5Slower burn
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of deep rivalry and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: crime scene, neo-noir, investigation.
- 4
Dirty Harry (1971)
Film7.5Faster-paced
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of deep rivalry and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: beating, kidnapping, neo-noir.
- 5
Se7en (1995)
Film8.3
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: neo-noir, detective, investigation.
- 6
Mystic River (2003)
Film7.7
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry.
- 7
Blue Ruin (2013)
Film6.8
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and an all-consuming quest. Common ground: vigilante, neo-noir, revenge.
- 8
Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Film7.3
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: kidnapping, neo-noir, detective.
- 9
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Film7.8
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: neo-noir, detective.
- 10
A History of Violence (2005)
Film7.2
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: revenge.
- 11
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)
Film8.0
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of deep rivalry and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: kidnapping, investigation.
- 12
Mr. Brooks (2007)
Film6.9
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of deep rivalry and mysteries that are not what they seem. Common ground: investigation.
- 13
Chinatown (1974)
Film7.9
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: neo-noir.
- 14
Film7.3
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: investigation.
- 15
Drive (2011)
Film7.6Easier to follow
Why it's like Prisoners: Also weighty and dark, with themes of injustice and vengeance and deep rivalry. Common ground: brutality, neo-noir, revenge.
Boxlist compares Prisoners with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point. Ratings are TMDB audience scores out of 10.
Which of these suit you?
Take the taste test and every pick shows how well it matches you.
Take the taste testQuestions
- What should I watch if I like Prisoners?
- Picks with a similar feel include The Bone Collector, No Country for Old Men, Zodiac and Dirty Harry. Each shares part of Prisoners's taste profile, themes or tags; the full list has 15 films.
- How are these films like Prisoners chosen?
- Boxlist compares Prisoners with every film in its catalogue on ten taste scores (pace, tone, weight, realism and more), story themes, genres and TMDB keywords, and ranks the closest. Every pick has a TMDB rating of 6.7 or more from at least 1,000 votes, new releases wait until their ratings settle, and only one title per franchise makes the list. It is an approximation of feel, so treat it as a starting point.