Movies Like Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind (1980)

Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind is a 1980 crime, drama, thriller film from Tsui Hark with a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years and Stronger.

Crime Drama Thriller

The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years

1988

An exploration of the heavy metal scene in Los Angeles, with particular emphasis on glam metal. It features concert footage and interviews of legendary heavy metal and hard rock bands and artists such as Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Megadeth, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne and W.A.S.P..

6.8

MagicScore

Stronger

2017

A victim of the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 helps the police track down the killers while struggling to recover from devastating trauma.

7.0

MagicScore

Red White & Blue

2010

A woman attracts the attention of a psychotic former Army interrogator and an emotionally fragile young man caring for his ailing mother.

6.3

MagicScore

Ghost Town

2008

Bertram Pincus, a cranky, people-hating Manhattan dentist, develops the unwelcome ability to see dead people. Really annoying dead people. Even worse, they all want something from him, particularly Frank Herlihy, a smooth-talking ghost, who pesters him into a romantic scheme involving his widow Gwen. They are soon entangled in a hilarious predicament between the now and the hereafter!

6.5

MagicScore

Hellbender

2021

A teen and her mother live simply in a home in the woods, spending their time making rock music. A chance encounter with a fellow teen causes her to uncover a connection between her family and witchcraft, which causes a rift with her mother.

5.5

MagicScore

13 Bombs

2023

An organization races against time to uncover the mastermind behind the placement of 13 bombs in Jakarta before the city falls into chaos.

7.1

MagicScore

Operation Ogre

1979

Spain, 1973. Dictator Francisco Franco has ruled the country since 1939 with an iron fist; but he is now a very old and sick man. The future of the weakened regime is in danger. Admiral Carrero Blanco is his natural successor. The Basque terrorist gang ETA decides that he must die to prevent the dictatorship from continuing.

6.9

MagicScore

In the Fade

2017

Katja's life collapses after the deaths of her husband and son in a bomb attack. After a time of mourning and injustice, Katja seeks revenge.

6.9

MagicScore

Hijack 1971

2024

Pilots Tae-in and Gyu-sik are set to fly to Gimpo. Under the guidance of flight attendant Ok-soon, passengers are busy boarding. However, shortly after takeoff, a homemade bomb explodes, turning the cabin into chaos.

6.6

MagicScore

#10

The Racket

1951

The big national crime syndicate has moved into town, partnering up with local crime boss Nick Scanlon. McQuigg, the only honest police captain on the force, and his loyal patrolman, Johnson, take on the violent Nick.

6.3

MagicScore

#11

Destruction Babies

2016

Taira is a disaffected youth from a seaside town reveling in violence. Enamored by his strength, Yuya joins his crusade in attacking strangers. Meanwhile, Taira's brother looks for him.

6.8

MagicScore

#12

The Nada Gang

1974

Nada, named after a gang of Spanish anarchists, is a small, confused band of French terrorists. They kidnap the American ambassador after one of his regular visits to an exclusive brothel. The gang starts to quarrel amongst themselves as to the diplomat's fate, while the police purge suspects in their attempts to destroy the Nada faction. As the violence escalates on both sides, the States and the terrorists are forced to use one another's methods in an increasingly desperate and relentless conflict.

6.0

MagicScore

#13

The Long Good Friday

1980

In the late 1970s, Cockney crime boss Harold Shand, a gangster trying to become a legitimate property mogul, has big plans to get the American Mafia to bankroll his transformation of a derelict area of London into the possible venue for a future Olympic Games. However, a series of bombings targets his empire on the very weekend the Americans are in town. Shand is convinced there is a traitor in his organization, and sets out to eliminate the rat in typically ruthless fashion.

7.1

MagicScore

#14

In the Name of the Father

1993

A small-time Belfast thief, Gerry Conlon, is wrongly convicted of an IRA bombing in London, along with his father and friends, and spends 15 years in prison fighting to prove his innocence.

7.9

MagicScore

#15

The Iceman

2012

The true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man.

6.6

MagicScore

#16

They Call Me Jeeg

2016

Exposed to radioactive waste, small-time crook Enzo gains super-strength. A misanthropic, introverted brute, he uses his powers for personal gain until he meets Alessia, a mentally ill girl who believes Enzo is the hero from her favorite anime, Steel Jeeg.

7.4

MagicScore

#17

Closed Circuit

2013

A high-profile terrorism case unexpectedly binds together two ex-lovers on the defense team - testing the limits of their loyalties and placing their lives in jeopardy.

5.9

MagicScore

#18

The Young and the Damned

1950

A group of juvenile delinquents live a violent life in the infamous slums of Mexico City; among them Pedro, whose morality is gradually corrupted and destroyed by the others.

8.0

MagicScore

#19

Terrifier 3

2024

Five years after surviving Art the Clown's Halloween massacre, Sienna and Jonathan are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they're safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.

6.8

MagicScore

#20

Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror

2025

This gripping documentary revisits the shocking 1995 bombing of an Oklahoma City federal building, the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in US history.

6.8

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind?

The top films similar to Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind by MovieMagicScore are The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (6.8), Stronger (7.0), Red White & Blue (6.3). Each shares crime/drama/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind worth watching?

Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.1/10 from 41 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind?

Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind (1980) is a crime, drama, thriller film directed by Tsui Hark, starring Lo Lieh, Lin Chen-Chi, Paul Che Biu-Law.

Where can I find more recommendations like Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more crime recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years Movies like Stronger Movies like Red White & Blue Movies like Ghost Town Movies like Hellbender Movies like 13 Bombs

About movies like Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind

This ranked list pairs Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind (1980), a crime and drama and thriller film from Tsui Hark, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Lo Lieh take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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