Movies Like Defiance (1980)

Defiance is a 1980 action, crime, thriller film from John Flynn with a MovieMagicScore of 6.3/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Rumble in the Bronx and Vigilante.

Action Crime Thriller

Rumble in the Bronx

1995

Keong comes from Hong Kong to visit New York for his uncle's wedding. His uncle runs a market in the Bronx and Keong offers to help out while Uncle is on his honeymoon. During his stay in the Bronx, Keong befriends a neighbor kid and beats up some neighborhood thugs who cause problems at the market. One of those petty thugs in the local gang stumbles into a criminal situation way over his head.

6.8

MagicScore

Vigilante

1983

New York City factory worker Eddie Marino is a solid citizen and regular guy, until the day a sadistic street gang brutally assaults his wife and murders his child. When a corrupt judge sets the thugs free, he goes berserk and vows revenge.

6.2

MagicScore

Exterminator 2

1984

The flamethrower-wielding vigilante John Eastland returns to rid New York of a drug lord and his gang.

3.9

MagicScore

Class of 1984

1982

Andy is a new teacher at an inner city high school that is unlike any he has seen before. There are metal detectors at the front door and the place is basically run by a tough kid named Peter Stegman. Soon, Andy and Stegman become enemies and Stegman will stop at nothing to protect his turf and drug dealing business.

6.4

MagicScore

The Brotherhood of Justice

1986

High-school students start a vigilante group in their neighbourhood but, as their power increases, they become more abusive and dangerous.

5.9

MagicScore

Alley Cat

1984

After her grandparents are savagely attacked, Billie uses her knowledge of martial arts to begin dishing out her own brand of vigilante justice.

5.5

MagicScore

Double Dragon

1994

Two brothers have half of a powerful ancient Chinese talisman. An evil gang leader has the other half, and determines to get the brothers' half and have a complete medallion so he can gain absolute power.

4.5

MagicScore

Death Wish

1974

After his wife is murdered by street punks, a pacifistic New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad, prowling the streets for would-be muggers after dark.

6.9

MagicScore

Now You See Me 2

2016

One year after outwitting the FBI and winning the public’s adulation with their mind-bending spectacles, the Four Horsemen resurface only to find themselves face to face with a new enemy who enlists them to pull off their most dangerous heist yet.

6.8

MagicScore

#10

The Brave One

2007

A woman struggles to recover from a brutal attack by setting out on a mission for revenge.

6.6

MagicScore

#11

Death Wish V: The Face of Death

1994

Paul Kersey is back at working vigilante justice when his fiancée, Olivia, has her business threatened by mobsters.

5.5

MagicScore

#12

Out for a Kill

2003

An unsuspecting university professor is an unwitting accomplice in a foiled Chinese cocaine deal. Wrongly imprisoned, he escapes to take his revenge and prove his innocence.

4.0

MagicScore

#13

Taxi Driver

1976

Suffering from insomnia, disturbed loner Travis Bickle takes a job as a New York City cabbie, haunting the streets nightly, growing increasingly detached from reality as he dreams of cleaning up the filthy city.

8.1

MagicScore

#14

Spider-Man: No Way Home

2021

Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.

7.9

MagicScore

#15

The Amazing Spider-Man

2012

A teenage Peter Parker grapples with both high school and amazing super-human crises as his alter-ego Spider-Man.

6.8

MagicScore

#16

Deuces Wild

2002

In 1950s New York City, a bad and bloody gang war is about to erupt on the dysfunctional streets of Brooklyn between the Deuces and the vicious Vipers.

5.6

MagicScore

#17

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2014

When a kingpin threatens New York City, a group of mutated turtle warriors must emerge from the shadows to protect their home.

5.9

MagicScore

#18

The Exterminator

1980

When a man's best friend is killed on the streets of New York, he transforms into a violent killer, turning New York into a war zone.

5.5

MagicScore

#19

Rubble Kings

2015

Through archival footage Nicholson tells the story of the real Warriors that walked the streets of New York City in the 1970s and the harsh reality of gang life in a city that seemed to be falling apart.

6.9

MagicScore

#20

The Dark Knight

2008

Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.

8.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Defiance?

The top films similar to Defiance by MovieMagicScore are Rumble in the Bronx (6.8), Vigilante (6.2), Exterminator 2 (3.9). Each shares action/crime/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Defiance worth watching?

Defiance holds a MovieMagicScore of 6.3/10 from 29 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Defiance?

Defiance (1980) is a action, crime, thriller film directed by John Flynn, starring Jan-Michael Vincent, Theresa Saldana, Art Carney.

Where can I find more recommendations like Defiance?

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

Keep exploring

Movies like Rumble in the Bronx Movies like Vigilante Movies like Exterminator 2 Movies like Class of 1984 Movies like The Brotherhood of Justice Movies like Alley Cat

About movies like Defiance

This ranked list pairs Defiance (1980), a action and crime and thriller film from John Flynn, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Jan-Michael Vincent 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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