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392 voters

The Best Cop Movies of the 1980s

Updated February 17, 2021 2.4k votes 392 voters 27.1k views65 items

List RulesVote up your favorite police films that were released in the 1980s

The best ‘80s cop movies are a unique blend of kitsch, grit, and violence. Fans of the police genre might say that the 1980s was an off decade for cop movies. There are, however, numerous classic police stories from the ‘80s, including directing legend Brian de Palma’s The Untouchables. Starring Kevin Costner, this film details the endeavors of Elliott Ness and his band of federal agents to bring down mob kingpin Al Capone in 1930s Chicago.

Also on this list of top ‘80s cop movies, you’ll find plenty of lighter fare. The 1980s was the heyday of the buddy cop film, the prime example being Lethal Weapon. Starring Danny Glover and Mel Gibson, the Lethal Weapon franchise has become a cultural touchstone, having been referenced and parodied countless times since its release. Here, you’ll also find Clint Eastwood reprising his role as “Dirty” Harry Callahan in The Dead Pool and Sudden Impact.

Vote up the best cop films of the 1980s, and be sure to let us know what you think in the comment section!

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Lethal Weapon
Mel Gibson, Gary Busey
Lethal Weapon is a 1987 American buddy cop action film directed by Richard Donner, starring... more
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Beverly Hills Cop
Eddie Murphy, Damon Wayans
Beverly Hills Cop is a 1984 American action comedy film directed by Martin Brest and starring... more
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Lethal Weapon 2
Mel Gibson, Joe Pesci
Lethal Weapon 2 is a 1989 American buddy cop action film directed by Richard Donner, and... more
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48 Hrs.
Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
48 Hrs. is a 1982 American action comedy film directed by Walter Hill, starring Nick Nolte and... more
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The Untouchables
Robert De Niro, Sean Connery
The Untouchables is a 1987 American drama film directed by Brian De Palma and written by David... more
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Beverly Hills Cop II
Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock
Beverly Hills Cop II is a 1987 action comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Tony... more
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Police Academy
Kim Cattrall, Steve Guttenberg
Police Academy is a 1984 comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, and starring Steve Guttenberg,... more
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The Dead Pool
Clint Eastwood, Jim Carrey
This film is a 1988 American action flim directed by Buddy Van Horn, written by Steve Sharon,... more
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To Live and Die in L.A.
Willem Dafoe, John Turturro
This film is a 1985 American action thriller film directed by William Friedkin and based on... more
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Cobra
Sylvester Stallone, Ron Jeremy
Cobra is a 1986 American action film directed by George P. Cosmatos, and written by Sylvester... more
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Colors
Sean Penn, Robert Duvall
Colors is a 1988 American police procedural action film starring Sean Penn and Robert Duvall,... more
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The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
O. J. Simpson, "Weird Al" Yankovic
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! is a 1988 American comedy film. It is the first... more
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Turner & Hooch
Tom Hanks, Craig T. Nelson
Turner & Hooch is a 1989 American comedy-thriller film starring Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog... more
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Running Scared
Billy Crystal, Jimmy Smits
Running Scared is a 1986 action/comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Peter... more
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Sudden Impact
Clint Eastwood, Mara Corday
Sudden Impact is a 1983 American action film and the fourth film in the Dirty Harry series,... more
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Stakeout
Madeleine Stowe, Richard Dreyfuss
Stakeout is a 1987 comedy film directed by John Badham and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio... more
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Red Heat
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Laurence Fishburne
Red Heat is a 1988 American buddy cop action film directed by Walter Hill. The film stars... more
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K-9
Jim Belushi, Ed O'Neill
K-9 is a 1989 American action-comedy film starring James Belushi and Mel Harris. It was... more
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Tightrope
Clint Eastwood, Alison Eastwood
Tightrope is a 1984 American suspense thriller produced by and starring Clint Eastwood and... more
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Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment
Steve Guttenberg, Jason Hervey
Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment is a 1985 comedy film directed by Jerry Paris. It is... more
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Police Academy 3: Back in Training
Steve Guttenberg, Bubba Smith
Police Academy 3: Back in Training is a 1986 comedy film directed by Jerry Paris. It is the... more
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Dragnet
Tom Hanks, Dan Aykroyd
Dragnet is a 1987 American buddy cop comedy film written and directed by Tom Mankiewicz in his... more
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Action Jackson
Sharon Stone, Vanity
Action Jackson is a 1988 American action film directed by Craig R. Baxley in his feature film... more
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Code of Silence
Chuck Norris, John Mahoney
Code of Silence is a 1985 American action film directed by Andrew Davis, and starring Chuck... more
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Blue Thunder
Malcolm McDowell, Roy Scheider
Blue Thunder is a 1983 action thriller film that features a high-tech helicopter of the same... more
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Blue Thunder