5 Best Gangster Movies of the 21st Century That Redefined Crime Cinema, Ranked by RT
These films redefined the genre by setting new standards for realism and tension.
The 21st century has rewritten the rules of the crime genre – the slick suits and grandiose shootouts of last century's gangster sagas have given way to stark realism, psychological depth, and a new aesthetic of violence.
Modern mafia films are not fairy tales about easy money, rather, they are grim explorations of the human soul where the line between cop and criminal is irrevocably blurred.
5. 'Snatch', 2000
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
Snatch is a rollicking, brutal comedy and one of Guy Ritchie's signature films. The theft of a massive diamond sets off a series of unfortunate events for an eclectic group of characters, ranging from Jewish gangsters to Irish travelers, across multiple locations.
Fixed boxing matches, unforgettable aphorisms and accents, and bone-crunching action have since become trademarks of Ritchie's movies.
Over the next twenty-five years, he attempted to replicate these elements in subsequent projects with varying degrees of success, though he never came close to matching the brilliance of Snatch.
4. 'Bronson', 2008
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 75%
Before directing Drive and immersing himself in the world of neon, Nicolas Winding Refn directed Pusher starring Mads Mikkelsen and experimented with biopics.
Bronson tells the story of Charles Bronson, one of Britain's most notorious prisoners, who spent nearly forty years behind bars.
Refn eschews standard genre clichés, transforming Bronson into a caravan of violence, psychopathy, and lethal humor.
3. 'Eastern Promises', 2007
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
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Eastern Promises, in which Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen plays Nikolai, a Russian hitman, continues a trend established in David Cronenberg's previous works of immersing bystanders in the epicenter of everyday violence.
The plot centers on Anna, a midwife whose arms a young woman dies in. All clues point to the Russian mafia, a discovery that places Anna's life in jeopardy.
Cronenberg dissects insular criminal ecosystems that operate according to their own distinct laws, as well as the individuals who dare to defy their ingrained codes.
2. 'Gomorrah', 2008
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Matteo Garrone's Gomorrah stands as one of the most striking examples of Italian cinema from the 2000s. The film won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and shocked audiences, leaving an indelible impression thanks to its fragmented narrative and uncompromising nature.
It consists of five interwoven stories linked to the Neapolitan mafia and the region's largest criminal syndicate, the Camorra. Characters from different generations and social classes struggle to survive under the oppressive weight of a criminal underworld that dictates the destiny of a whole region.
Drawing upon the traditions of neorealism, Garrone avoids the typical mafia movie formula, crafting a movie that feels almost like a war picture.
1. 'City of God', 2002
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%
Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund's film unfolds in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, known as the Brazilian favelas, where drug trafficking, social inequality, and racial disparity are rampant.
Structured as a mosaic-like anthology, the movie spans a significant period of time. It is based on the novel by Paulo Lins, who grew up in the impoverished neighborhood of Cidade de Deus.
At the center of the narrative are Rocket, Lil' Dice, and Benny, characters who find themselves on opposing sides of a violent gang war. The film's realistic visual style draws inspiration from the French New Wave as well as the works of Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.
