Watchworthy

9.0k voters

The Best Police Movies

Updated May 7, 2021 49.5k votes 9.0k voters 1.3m views177 items

List RulesVote up your favorite movies about cops, detectives, SWAT teams, and investigators.

Here is a list of the best cop movies, but which one is the best police movie of all time? The police films listed below may be sorted by year of release, director, or actors. Check out more great movie lists that you can also watch on Netflix such as scary movies on Netflix, funny movies on Netflix and best action movies on Netflix.

This list of the best and most popular cop movies of all time includes recent action police dramas like End of Watch and cult comedy movies like Super Troopers. Whether they are old classics or new favorites, all the famous law enforcement movies can be found on this list. Many top police films, such as Training Day and the Lethal Weapon series, usually center on two cops throughout the movie.

All the police films can be reranked to make your own list of good cop/bad cop movies, list of police procedural films, sad cop movies, or list of buddy cop movies. What are the best cop films? These movies may give you a new perspective the next time you watch serial killer films.

These may not be all the cop movies out there, but they are the best.

Photo:

...more

Try the free app

1
2,311
428
End of Watch
Anna Kendrick, Jake Gyllenhaal
Released: 2012
Directed by: David Ayer
More End of Watch
#35 of 158 The Best Movies About Tragedies#11 of 63 The Best Movies About Gangs
2
1,025
337
Lethal Weapon
Mel Gibson, Gary Busey
Released: 1987
Directed by: Richard Donner
More Lethal Weapon
Surprising Facts Most People Don't Know About 'Lethal Weapon'#15 of 512 The Greatest Movies Of The 1980s, Ranked
3
1,393
466
Die Hard
Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman
Released: 1988
Directed by: John McTiernan
More Die Hard
Behind The Scenes Of Alan Rickman's Defining Role: Hans Gruber#10 of 127 The Best Christmas Movies of All Time
4
1,274
465
Training Day
Eva Mendes, Snoop Dogg
Released: 2001
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
More Training Day
#26 of 668 The Best Black Movies Ever Made, Ranked#260 of 549 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made
5
1,411
537
The Departed
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson
Released: 2006
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
More The Departed
All The Evidence Matt Damon's Character In The Departed Is Secretly Gay#17 of 93 The Very Best Oscar-Winning Movies For Best Picture
6
777
266
The Untouchables
Robert De Niro, Sean Connery
Released: 1987
Directed by: Brian De Palma
More The Untouchables
#7 of 117 The Best Movies Based on TV Shows#197 of 277 The Top Tearjerker Movies That Make Men Cry
7
680
201
The Fugitive
Julianne Moore, Harrison Ford
Released: 1993
Directed by: Andrew Davis
More The Fugitive
#17 of 50 The 50 Highest Grossing '90s Movies, Ranked#764 of 1,141 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time
8
862
305
Heat
Natalie Portman, Al Pacino
Released: 1995
Directed by: Michael Mann
More Heat
#70 of 92 The Most Rewatchable Action Movies#47 of 102 The Best 1990s Action Movies
9
845
371
Dirty Harry
Clint Eastwood, Don Siegel
Released: 1971
Directed by: Don Siegel
More Dirty Harry
#43 of 45 The Most Controversial Movies of All Time#63 of 152 Movies That Should Never Be Remade
10
456
173
Colors
Sean Penn, Robert Duvall
Released: 1988
Directed by: Dennis Hopper
More Colors
#32 of 85 The Best Movies About Corrupt Cops#23 of 132 The Best Films Directed by Famous Actors

11
672
275
L.A. Confidential
Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe
Released: 1997
Directed by: Curtis Hanson
More L.A. Confidential
#32 of 50 The Best Oscar-Nominated Movies of the '90s#8 of 248 The Best Whodunit Movies
12
489
153
Point Break
Keanu Reeves, Gary Busey
Released: 1991
Directed by: Kathryn Bigelow
More Point Break
Things About Point Break That Are Too Weird Not To Address#5 of 14 14 Movies That Sounded Like Terrible Ideas But Somehow Turned Out Great
13
697
307
Bad Boys
Will Smith, Téa Leoni
Released: 1995
Directed by: Michael Bay
More Bad Boys
#8 of 11 11 Actors That Totally Stole Movies From Their Co-Stars#22 of 34 Romantic Movies You Can Trick Your BF Into Watching
14
347
113
Lethal Weapon 2
Mel Gibson, Joe Pesci
Released: 1989
Directed by: Richard Donner
More Lethal Weapon 2
#13 of 175 The Best Movie Sequels Ever Made#6 of 74 The Best Action Movie Sequels
15
888
259
Seven
Brad Pitt, Gwyneth Paltrow
Released: 1995
Directed by: David Fincher
More Seven
Behind The Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Se7en'#2 of 232 The Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time
16
642
273
Beverly Hills Cop
Eddie Murphy, Damon Wayans
Released: 1984
Directed by: Martin Brest
More Beverly Hills Cop
#6 of 305 The Funniest '80s Movies#13 of 147 The Funniest Black Movies Ever Made
17
393
161
Bullitt
Robert Duvall, Steve McQueen
Released: 1968
Directed by: Peter Yates
More Bullitt
#151 of 386 The Best Movies Based On Books#26 of 175 The Best Movies Of The '60s
18
501
247
Serpico
Al Pacino, Judd Hirsch
Released: 1973
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
More Serpico
#194 of 302 The Best Movies Based On True Stories#44 of 552 The Best '70s Movies
19
485
223
Speed
Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves
Released: 1994
Directed by: Jan de Bont
More Speed
Behind-The-Scenes Stories From The Making Of 'Speed'#237 of 1,195 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever
20
427
166
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson
Released: 1995
Directed by: John McTiernan
More Die Hard with a Vengeance
#9 of 135 The Best Third Films In A Movie Series#7 of 16 Mind-Boggling Riddles From Movies

21
567
283
Rush Hour
Jackie Chan, Roselyn Sánchez
Released: 1998
Directed by: Brett Ratner
More Rush Hour
#29 of 252 The Funniest '90s Movies#40 of 45 The Greatest Action Film Franchises, Ranked
22
423
219
Cop Land
Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro
Released: 1997
Directed by: James Mangold
More Cop Land
#33 of 123 The Best Mafia Films Of All Time#72 of 149 The Best Bromance Movies
23
500
262
American Gangster
Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe
Released: 2007
Directed by: Ridley Scott
More American Gangster
#9 of 85 The Greatest African American Biopics#32 of 35 Best Drama Movies Streaming on Hulu
24
438
226
Fargo
Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy
Released: 1996
Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
More Fargo
Theories About Why The Coen Bros. Had Marge Gunderson Go On A Date In Fargo#264 of 924 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films
25
407
165
Die Hard 2
Bruce Willis, John Leguizamo
Released: 1990
Directed by: Renny Harlin
More Die Hard 2
#7 of 16 16 Examples Of Shoddy Police Work In Films That Are Downright Laughable#33 of 103 The Best Kidnapping & Hostage Movies Of All Time, Ranked