Saagar Kote
Directed by Robert Lorenz, ‘The Marksman’ centers on Jim Hanson (Liam Neeson), an aging man with a military history. In order to take care of his financial needs, the protagonist works as an observer, reporting on illegal border crossings into the US. In this process, he also crosses paths with dangerous individuals. His life seems to be going at a laborious pace when he crosses paths with an unlikely individual. When he discovers a mafia plot targeting a young boy named Miguel (Jacob Perez), the main character must utilize his firearm expertise to ensure the boy’s safety in the action thriller drama film.
As Miguel and Jim build an unusual bond, they are challenged by unforeseen elements, hoping to wreak havoc. While navigating the difficult terrains of survival, they must also learn to trust each other in order to survive. These films, similar to ‘The Marksman,’ will be worthy additions to your watchlist and keep you thrilled with their intensity.
10. End of Watch (2012)
Helmed by David Ayer, ‘End of Watch’ is the intriguing story of LAPD officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña). The two close friends patrol the streets of the city, ensuring public safety. What seems like a monotonous routine for the duo turns deadly when they act against a drug cartel. Their lives are endangered when the cartel seeks to take revenge at any cost. With only each other to truly rely on, the cops must go beyond their limits to survive their ordeal in the action thriller film. Similar to ‘The Marksman,’ the movie highlights the dangers posed by drug cartels and the struggle between law enforcement and criminals. The saving of vulnerable individuals is an element that the stories have in common.
9. Peppermint (2018)
In ‘Peppermint,’ Riley North (Jennifer Garner), an ordinary Los Angeles bank teller, loses her husband Chris North (Jeff Hephner) and daughter Carly North (Cailey Fleming) in a shocking incident. The family members are killed by cartel members led by Diego Garcia (Juan Pablo Raba), after Chris attempts to fix their financial struggles. Five years later, Riley returns to the scene to avenge the deaths of her loved ones by striking against the ones responsible for her family’s death. Having developed certain fighting skills, the protagonist must risk it all in the brutal world she’s part of. Directed by Pierre Morel, the action thriller film resembles ‘The Marksman’ due to its depiction of the inner workings of cartels and the activities they are involved in. Both films feature skilled protagonists who must use their skills to target dangerous individuals.
8. The Equalizer (2014)
‘The Equalizer’ is the story of Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), the protagonist, who attempts to live an unassuming life while working at a large retail store, keeping his past as a highly trained killer a secret. However, when he encounters a young victim of sex trafficking at the hands of the Russian mob, he is compelled to return to action. This incident presents him with an opportunity to find purpose and rescue the victim. Directed by Antoine Fuqua and based on the eponymous TV series by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim, the action thriller film is a complex portrayal of survival and redemption. It shares thematic connections with ‘The Marksman,’ as both films feature a main character trying to escape a violent past and settle into an ordinary existence. However, external circumstances force the protagonists to resort to violence to safeguard those in need.
7. Sicario (2015)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, ‘Sicario’ is an intriguing tale of cross-border operations targeting drug gangs. Kate Mercer (Emily Blunt) of the FBI becomes part of a world more brutal than her imagination when she gets involved in a raid on a drug handler’s facility. When she is sent across the border to Mexico with Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro), she encounters the brutality of the trafficking world. With the Americans determined to cooperate with the Mexican authorities to target a dangerous cartel, violent secrets lurk in the darkness. The action crime thriller film, akin to ‘The Marksman,’ explores the violence involved in border infiltrations, the brutality of the cartels, and the lives of the innocents caught between players involved in a deadly game.
6. Man on Fire (2004)
‘Man on Fire’ is an action drama film that follows the story of John Creasy (Denzel Washington), a former CIA operative hired as a bodyguard for Pita Ramos (Dakota Fanning), a nine-year-old girl. When Pita is kidnapped, Creasy sets out on a violent mission to find those responsible and rescue her, seeking a brutal form of personal redemption. Based on the eponymous novel by A. J. Quinnell and directed by Tony Scott, the film navigates the skills of the operative while also dealing with his personal struggles. On the lines of ‘The Marksman,’ it involves missions to protect innocent children from the dangers posed by criminal elements. The protagonists in both stories must confront their capacity for violence in order to survive.
5. Savages (2012)
In ‘Savages,’ John “Chon” McAllister Jr. (Taylor Kitsch), a former Navy SEAL, and Ben Leonard (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), a botanist, run a highly profitable marijuana enterprise in California. The two of them are in an open relationship with Ophelia Sage (Blake Lively). Their comfortable existence faces a severe threat when the Mexican Baja Cartel, headed by Elena Sánchez (Salma Hayek), tries to force a partnership, which the two men refuse. In response, Elena organizes the shocking abduction of Ophelia.
The two men must collaborate with a compromised DEA named Agent Dennis to wage war against the cartel and save Ophelia before the clock runs out. Like ‘The Marksman,’ the main characters in the action thriller film directed by Oliver Stone go head-to-head against established cartel members, hoping to rescue someone they care about. Despite the differences in the plot, the settings and visual tones of the films share a spiritual connection.
4. Taken (2008)
‘Taken’ is the saga of a retired and aging CIA operative named Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson). He takes on private security work for celebrities as an easy source of income. However, his deadly expertise is reactivated when his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), is kidnapped by brutal criminals during a trip to Paris. He then uses his skills to track down and eliminate those responsible for her ordeal, racing against time to save her before she vanishes without a trace. Directed by Pierre Morel, the action-thriller film shares similarities with ‘The Marksman,’ as it looks at the journey of an aging man whose skills are still intact. The element of protecting a vulnerable individual against dangerous criminals forms a greater connection between the films and their characters.
3. Blood Father (2016)
Based on the eponymous novel by Peter Craig, ‘Blood Father’ chronicles the life of John Link (Mel Gibson), a tough former prisoner and recovering alcoholic who now works as a tattoo artist in Los Angeles. His seemingly idyllic life is suddenly challenged when his estranged teenage daughter, Lydia (Erin Moriarty), asks for his help as she is on the run from a violent Mexican drug cartel. The former prisoner and his daughter must go beyond their limits to survive their ordeal, while also dealing with the complexities of their own relationship. Helmed by Jean-François Richet, the English-language French action crime thriller film is a haunting tale of survival. Due to its exploration of isolated men, vulnerable individuals, criminal organizations, and complex protagonists, it is connected to the world of ‘The Marksman’ and its characters.
2. Cry Macho (2021)
Directed by Clint Eastwood, ‘Cry Macho’ is the intriguing story of Mike Milo (Clint Eastwood), a former rodeo star who is aging away, taking care of horses. His former boss and ranch owner, Howard Polk (Dwight Yoakam), tasks the protagonist with bringing his son Rafo (Eduardo Minett) home from Mexico. This leads the main character on an emotionally difficult journey, where he decides to bond with his boss’s son and teach him valuable life lessons. The two unlikely friends navigate the idea of being a “macho man,” traveling through regions in the border areas.
Based on N. Richard Nash’s novel of the same name, the neo-Western drama film, is a poignant commentary on friendship. It resembles ‘The Marksman,’ as it mainly portrays a complex friendship between a young boy and an old man, who must deal with each other’s differences. The visual aspects and the motivations of the characters in the stories establish a spiritual connection.
1. The Mule (2018)
‘The Mule’ is a crime drama film that follows the trials and tribulations of an almost ninety-year-old veteran and a horticulturist named Earl Stone (Clint Eastwood). In order to overcome his financial difficulties, he takes up a driving gig, which discreetly turns out to be a courier job for a drug cartel. The illegal activities are observed by DEA agent Colin Bates (Bradley Cooper), who wishes to uncover the identity of the enigmatic courier. Being investigated, the protagonist must enter a dirty game full of deceptions, even as he thinks about the choices that led him to this stage in his life.
Directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the New York Times article ‘The Sinaloa Cartel’s 90-Year-Old Drug Mule’ by Sam Dolnick, the story is a commentary on redemption and survival. Like ‘The Marksman,’ it features a poignant exploration of an aging protagonist’s guilt and insecurities, while also dealing with the dangers of drug cartels waging war against law enforcement.
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