There’s nothing quite like watching a good gun movie to make you feel like an expert shooter, right? Especially from the tactical fortress of your recliner… You know, the tactical genius sipping beer and yelling instructions at the TV screen. Don’t worry, there’s no shame in it, and if we are honest, most of us are guilty of this at some point in our lives. But that’s because we love guns, and watching good gun movies is just fun.
So, if you’re in the mood for a great gun movie, we have a short list for your consideration. Now, before anyone gets upset because I didn’t list the “correct” movies for this list I will say one thing. Calm down, it’s a movie!
Everyone has different opinions and likes when it comes to gun movies. These five are some that I like enough to place on my top five list. I have excluded war movies as I think those should be in a league of their own, and maybe we will cover that in another article.
So, without any more rambling, here is a list of five great gun movies to add to your list.
1. Lord of War (2005)
This one is at the top of my list of top gun movies because it’s such an awesome film with some great actors. Lord of War (2005), Lions Gate Home Entertainment, stars Nicolas Cage as Yuri Orlov, an international arms dealer who builds his empire during the chaos following the Cold War.
The film takes you deep into Yuri’s life as he supplies guns to dictators, rebels, and warlords alike. While living the life of a secret international arms dealer, he starts a family and skillfully dodges Interpol agent Jack Valentine, played by Ethan Hawke. Jared Leto also stars as Yuri’s troubled brother Vitaly, a troubled man who tags along with him during his endeavors.
Even though it’s not a true story, it was based loosely on multiple real arms dealers. Some of the details about international gun trade are probably somewhat true. I say somewhat, because it is still a movie after all, and Hollywood must add their magical touch.
When it comes to guns, you see everything from small arms to tanks and helicopters. The iconic opening scene alone is worth the watch. The point of view is a bullet’s journey from the manufacturing line to its final destination.
Throughout the movie, you’ll spot notable firearms like the UZI, which was one of his first gun sales. There are some M16s, grenades, bazookas, and, of course, lots of AK-47s.
This movie is full of action, sharp dialogue, and profound moral questions. Lord of War will make you consider the ethics of arms dealing while delivering high-caliber entertainment.
2. War Dogs (2016)
This one is both funny and a true story. War Dogs (2016), BZ Entertainment, stars Jonah Hill and Miles Teller as real-life arms dealers Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz. It’s set during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and makes you think just about anyone could be an arms dealer.
These two childhood friends stumble upon a little-known government initiative that allows small businesses to bid on military contracts. When I first saw this, I thought there was no way this could be true. I looked it up and guess what? It was true, at least back in those days. Hopefully the government screens businesses a little better before they are allowed to bid on military contracts now.
Hill gives a great performance as Efraim, the slick, impulsive dealmaker whose charisma drags David deeper into a morally questionable enterprise. Teller, meanwhile, portrays the conflicted Packouz, whose personal life becomes increasingly chaotic as their deals grow more dangerous and lucrative. The duo lands a massive $300 million contract supplying ammunition to Afghan allies, setting off a chain reaction of criminal and comedic mishaps.
Guns in this film include popular military models like the Beretta M9 pistol, M4 carbines, AK-47 rifles, and vast quantities of ammunition crates stacked in unlikely warehouses across Eastern Europe.
Directed by Todd Phillips, best known for The Hangover films, War Dogs combines humor, real-world political critique, and surprising depth.
It’s odd, but I always felt like this movie is what you would get if you tried to remake Lord of War as a comedy. Except this movie is based on a true story.
3. Kalashnikov (2020)
Kalashnikov (2020), RB Productions, is one of the only movies I’ve found about Mikhail Kalashnikov, and it’s surprisingly good. It’s in Russian, but a dubbed version is available, which is what I watched. The movie covers a lot of Kalashnikov’s life, including his time in WWII and his journey to making firearms for Russia.
One scene shows a flashback of Mikhail as a small boy, making his own shotgun from scraps. I had trouble verifying if this part was true as it’s very close to the story of John Moses Browning when he was a boy. Maybe it’s common for gun inventors to start as children, who knows?
The Russian biographical film about Mikhail is played by Yuri Borisov, as he transitions from wounded tank mechanic to legendary firearm inventor.
Set in the 1940’s, and ending just before the start of the cold war, the movie chronicles Kalashnikov’s journey from humble beginnings to becoming the creator of the most iconic assault rifle in history. Kalashnikov faces constant adversity and skepticism from his superiors and was even thrown in jail while trying to show the military his first working prototype.
From what facts I do know about Mikhail Kalashnikov, the movie was very accurate with the timelines of his work as an inventor. The movie depicts several prototypes and stages of design leading up to the finalized AK-47 rifle.
It vividly illustrates the ingenuity required in weapon engineering and shows the trial-and-error process that is often overlooked with successful inventors.
If you are a military firearms enthusiast, you will appreciate the film’s accuracy in portraying Soviet weapons of the era, including the PPSH-41 submachine gun and Mosin-Nagant rifles.
As a self-taught person, the movie shows some of the struggles that Kalashnikov faced while trying to turn his ideas into a working piece of metal. We all know how it turned out in the end, but it’s pretty cool watching a movie about the AK-47.
4. Free Fire (2016)
If you’re looking for a relentless, bullet-riddled action/comedy, Free Fire (2016), Film4 Productions, is the perfect pick. Directed by Ben Wheatley, this film stars Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, and Sharlto Copley. It’s about a chaotic gun deal gone hilariously wrong.
Set in 1970s Boston, the plot revolves around two gangs meeting in an abandoned warehouse to make a weapons exchange. Murphy plays Chris, an IRA operative looking to buy weapons from Vernon, an eccentric and shady arms dealer portrayed brilliantly by Copley.
When a minor disagreement sparks an intense shootout, alliances shatter, bullets fly, and chaos reigns.
The film quickly transforms into a darkly comedic ballet of bullets and banter. Keep in mind I mentioned this is a dark comedy. These guys shoot each other like they’re playing with airsoft guns.
In the beginning, the deal starts to go bad because a shipment of AR-15 rifles turns out to be AR-70 rifles instead.
After that, a wide assortment of revolvers, semi-auto handguns, shotguns, and rifles are thrown into the mix. The cramped warehouse setting intensifies the action, creating a claustrophobic shootout that lasts nearly the entire runtime.
Filled with dry humor and nonstop gunfire, Free Fire is great if you like those odd movies. The way the movie was filmed reminds me just a little of Pineapple Express. It proves that sometimes simplicity and good characters armed with plenty of ammo are all you need for a fantastic movie night.
5. John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
No list of gun movies would be complete without mentioning the legendary John Wick series. Keanu Reeves returns as the unstoppable hitman John Wick in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), Summit Entertainment.
Picking up immediately after the original film, this sequel sees Wick pulled back into the violent underworld after being bound by a blood oath he cannot refuse.
He is told to assassinate a high-ranking figure within the secret assassin society, which sounds pretty dangerous, if you ask me.
Wick travels to Rome and battles through relentless waves of highly trained adversaries. Reeves does an awesome job of combining tactical precision with brutal choreography.
If you’re a fan of tactical shooting, it’s near impossible not to admire Wick’s gun-handling skills. In this movie, he uses a Glock 34 with customized TTI Combat Master modifications as his main sidearm in the movie. The actual TTI Combat Master package was displayed at SHOT Show 2017.
And of course, there are scenes with a Benelli M4 shotgun and Taran Tactical AR-15 rifles. I used to have a Benelli and sold it years ago. Watching Mr. Wick shoot and load made me wish I had it around for some range fun today.
One thing that stands out with this movie compared to other gun movies is the tactical reloading. If you think this is Hollywood magic, watch some of the videos of Reeves training for the movie. It’s impressive, to say the least.
Directed by Chad Stahelski, a former stuntman himself, the film has some exceptional gunplay sequences. These were made even better by Reeves’s extensive real-world firearms training.
Have you seen them all?
Whether you’re fascinated by arms dealers, inventors, chaotic gunfights, or tactical assassins, these gun movies will keep you entertained.
So, kick back, reload your popcorn bowl, and enjoy this epic gun movie binge session. After all, it’s tactical research, right?
