10 Best Movies About Snipers That You Should Watching Update 03/2024

Movies About Snipers

Boys will be boys, and sniper movies are at the top of their list of favorite movies. Men prefer gritty, brutal dramas and romances, which are often watched by women. Films about action and warfare are often filled with stories of treachery, revenge, brutality, and other forms of criminality. After that, there’s the heroic gunman.

Brave warriors’ harrowing accounts of war’s darkest moments show a horrific reality. Almost all of these films are based on historical events or people that have had a significant impact on our world now and will continue to have an impact on future generations.

Sniper movies are a favorite pastime of most men. Why? Thousands of innocent people have lost their lives as a result of the ruthless bombings carried out by terrorists intent on destroying everything in their path.

Thrilling, heart-pumping action on the big screen has been a staple of cinema since the beginning of motion pictures. Snipers, whether depicted as heroes or villains, are known for their espionage and cunning. They’re trained to shoot and kill the main opponent in order to win the war. And maybe they’ll tip the justice scales in their favor with their long-range rifles? In reality, the person hiding behind the mask is a real person who goes to bed scared every night because of his or her own inner demons.

If any of that appeals to you, it’s time to get your day going in a big way! You can enjoy a surround 4K cinematic experience directly in your living room by curling up on your couch. We’ve compiled a list of the top 23 sniper films, ranging from the most recent to the most venerable. All of these sniper films are guaranteed to please. There is a lot of action in these movies, so prepare to be glued to the screen. Get out the popcorn and the chilled drink, for the show is about to begin!

1. Jack Reacher (2012)

Jack Reacher (2012)

“Jack Reacher,” starring Tom Cruise as a sniper, was released in 2012 and is based on a series of books by Lee Childs. An ex-military criminal investigator, the main character constantly moves from one state to another.

When an ex-US Army sharpshooter is primarily accused of going berserk and killing five people for no discernible cause, this Cruise film takes off. Barr, the culprit, was apprehended very quickly by the police.

The protagonist enters as Barr requests that Jack Reacher be brought to him. However, given Cruise’s character’s eel-like slipperiness and inability to be easily located while blending into the Florida landscape, it’s not an easy task. He turns up in Pittsburgh on his own terms as the defense attorney tries to track him down.

While serving in Iraq, Jack was convinced that Barr was the perpetrator of the horrible act because of Barr’s past. When he discovers the real perpetrators of this death spree, things take an extravagant turn.

A backstory between Barr and Jack is revealed in “Jack Reacher” as the story goes on.

Christopher McQuarrie’s 2012 action thriller “Jack Reacher” grossed over $200 million at the box office under his direction. Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, and Robert Duvall all star in this greatest sniper movie.

2. The American (2010)

Our greatest sniper movies of all time include “The American,” a crime thriller released in 2010. Antoin Corbijn, a Dutch music video director and filmmaker, is the director of this gripping, starring George Clooney.

Jack, an assassin and craftsman, is the protagonist of a suspenseful American thriller starring George Clooney, who portrays him as a stark samurai. When he accepts a contract to design a high-end sniper rifle for an assassination, the story begins. A secret Swiss assassin is keeping tabs on him as he works on the weapon, making the story even more intriguing.

Because of this, he breaks the contract’s rules of secrecy by falling in love and becoming friends with a priest. Assassins from Switzerland kidnap Jack and take him to a small Italian hamlet, where he contacts his associate Pavel (portrayed by Johan Leysen).

In “The American,” viewers are taken to the Italian countryside and historical Rome” in the region of L’Aquila and other sites. Another interesting tidbit: Actor George Clooney plays an ex-samurai named Jack, who has the slogan “Ex Gladio Equitas” tattooed over his right shoulder in the film.

3. Wanted (2008)

Wanted (2008)

“Wanted” isn’t your typical sniper film with a military theme. However, there is one solid reason why you should watch it: Angelina Jolie is on the cast!

The story of “Wanted,” which is based on the miniseries of the same name, centers on Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy). McAvoy’s relationship woes, including his cheating girlfriend and panic episodes, keep him tethered to his mundane office job.

That is about to change, as well as everything he has ever known. His father was an assassin who was assassinated by someone who is now out to get him, according to the mysterious Fox (Jolie), whom he meets by chance one night.

Despite his skepticism, the enormous sum of money in his bank account speaks for itself. He quits his desk job and joins an army of assassins, where he meets Sloan and learns the ropes of the trade. His training as a highly trained killer/sniper has only just begun for him, and his discovery of an unspeakable secret he can no longer run from has only just begun.

In spite of the ridiculous acrobatics and sniper shots seen in a pure science fiction film, this comic-action thriller merits its place on our greatest sniper movie list since it is packed with stunning action and merciless assassins.

Morgan Freeman, Chis Pratt, Common, Terence Stamp, and Kristen Hager all star in “Wanted.”

4. American Sniper (2014)

Every serious fan of sniper films should see “American Sniper,” and it’s not just for the first time. It’s well worth watching a second or third time because it only gets better.

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History, starring Bradley Cooper, was released in 2014 and is based on Chris Kyle’s true story. It includes Kyle’s four tours of duty in Iraq, which resulted in a total of 255 kills between his trips to the war-torn Middle Eastern country. The “Legend” moniker has been bestowed upon him after his first trip to Iraq following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In “American Sniper,” which has been hailed as one of Hollywood’s most powerful modern-day war dramas, the lives of American soldiers after serving in the military and returning home to their families are poignantly reflected.

It has become increasingly difficult for Kyle, for example, to reunite with his wife and newborn son because of his traumatic experiences. Cooper’s character receives the support he needs to return to civilian life as the life story of a great marksman is revealed in this film. It also reveals what occurred on February 2nd, 2013, according to the report.

Cooper received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance in “The American Sniper.”

5. Jarhead (2005)

Jarhead (2005)

“Jarhead” is a classic sniper film that’s worth a look. Like “American Sniper,” it tells the story of Anthony Swofford, a young Marine sniper who is nicknamed “Swoff” by his friends and colleagues. It’s based on his 2003 autobiography. In this biographical war drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal, the versatile actor takes on the role of Swoff.

“Jarhead,” the name of this sniper film, is a slang term for a Marine. A soldier’s journey to becoming a Marine and serving in the Gulf War is chronicled throughout the film.

Viewers will get a firsthand look at how he copes with the challenges of basic combat training and sniper training at a boot camp.. Only 175 days of oppressive heat, misery, and boredom awaited Swoff and his team in Saudi Arabia after all that suffering. In the aftermath of being robbed of the opportunity to take out an Iraqi commander with a single shot, he returns home to find out that his lover has moved on with another man.

Peter Sarsgaard, Lucas Black, Jamie Foxx, John Krasinski, and Brian Geraghty round out the cast of Sam Mendes’ “James Bond” flick Jarhead. Jarhead 2: Field of Fire and Jarhead 3: The Siege, the two subsequent sniper films, were released in 2014 and 2016, respectively.

6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan, a film about a sniper during WWII’s Normandy invasion, is one of our favorite war/sniper movies.

Tom Hanks plays a woman whose three boys have already died in the war, and this 1998 war action film chronicles her story. Thus, a special team is formed to find Ryan, where each member dies on the battlefield while attempting to complete their job.

An genuine US soldier called Fritz Niland and an actual US war department directive known as the solitary survivor directive are alleged to have inspired the fictional plot of “Saving Private Ryan.”

Our selection of the top sniper movies includes Steven Spielberg’s The Sniper, which features an exciting short sniper duel. With this epic World War II film, Spielberg won his first Academy Award for Best Director.

Matt Damon, Edward Burns, and Tom Sizemore round out the ensemble cast of “Saving Private Ryan,” which also stars Hanks.

7. Three Kings (1999)

Three Kings (1999)

The battle drama “Three Kings,” directed by David O. Russell, stars George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg in a star-studded cast. Sniper: Retaliation is a well-rounded sniper film that has aspects of action, comedy, and drama.

When Saddam Hussein’s Kuwaiti gold cache is concealed near their camp, four American troops band together to steal it. The story takes place just a few years after the end of the Gulf War in 1990. They’re out of luck, though, when their scheme goes awry.

Three of them are saved by Iraqi rebels, but Wahlberg’s Sergeant Troy Barlow is captured by Iraqi intelligence and executed. The three agreed to join forces with the rebels in exchange for their assistance in rescuing Troy as a result of this turn of events.

At its 1999 release, “Three Kings” garnered a resounding 94 percent Critics Consensus and was acclaimed as the best war satire done in the previous two decades.

Cast members Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Judy Greer Cliff Curtis, and Jamie Kennedy round out the impressive list of “Three Kings” luminaries.

8. The Deer Hunter (1978)

The Deer Hunter, a terrific sniper film from 1978 starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, and Meryl Streep, is one not to be missed.

A deer hunt in the mountains is what gives this Michael Cimino picture its title, while the plot revolves around three buddies who all work in the same blue-collar jobs in Pennsylvania. Three young men’s lives were irrevocably altered when they joined the US military to participate in the country’s conflict with Vietnam.

To begin, we see tidbits of the characters’ backstories, their relationships, and some of their more bumbling antics. Additionally, the story focuses on the hardships of war in a strange and unfamiliar nation, as well as the fight to rebuild their lives when a tragic turn of events occurred while they were away.

“The Deer Hunter” received a slew of awards, including the Best Picture and Best Director Oscars, from film critics.

9. Casualties of War (1989)

Casualties of War (1989)

Snipers feature prominently in the war thriller “Casualties of War,” which also stars Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn. An article authored by Daniel Lang and later released in book form as an account of the 1966 incident on Hill 192 during the US-Vietnam War was adapted for the film by Brian De Palma.

Max Eriksson, a Vietnam veteran, recalls an incident that occurred at the time in a flashback in the film’s narrative. Their leader Meserve (Penn) ordered his troops to kidnap a young Vietnamese girl from a village, then rape and kill her, even though Eriksson strenuously objected.

Eriksson’s testimony leads to a military court-martial and subsequent prison sentences for the other defendants.

There are many well-known faces in the cast of “Casualties of War,” including Thuy Thu Lee, Don Harvey, Ving Rhames, John C. Reilly and John Leguizamo.

10. Black Hawk Down (2001)

Ridley Scott, Hollywood’s iconic director-producer, is at the helm of “Black Hawk Down,” which is jam-packed with gritty action sequences, snipers and all. During the Battle of Mogadishu (also known as “Black Hawk Down”) in 1993, a group of U.S. soldiers were killed when their helicopter was shot down by a Somali terrorist group.

The film is based on Mark Bowden’s non-fiction book of the same name, which was published in 1999. Special forces from the United States are sent to Somalia to bring food aid and supplies to the country’s famine-stricken populace. Somali forces ambushed US troops and shot down two Black Hawk helicopters. The 1993 assault resulted in the deaths of 18 troops from the Army amid heavy gunfire.

With a large ensemble cast, namely Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Tom Sizemore, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hardy, and more, “Black Hawk Down” is lauded for its visceral projection of war and received positive reviews from movie critics.