Movies Like Sleeping Dogs (1977)

Sleeping Dogs is a 1977 action, drama, thriller film from Roger Donaldson with a MovieMagicScore of 5.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Illang: The Wolf Brigade and Civil War.

Action Drama Thriller

Illang: The Wolf Brigade

2018

In 2029, an elite police squad combats an anti-reunification terrorist group while another enemy lurks nearby.

6.3

MagicScore

Civil War

2024

In the near future, a group of war journalists attempt to survive while reporting the truth as the United States stands on the brink of civil war.

6.8

MagicScore

Battletruck

1982

It's the 21st century, the Oil Wars have made a mess of the planet and the land outside major cities is lawless. After Hunter comes to the aid of Corlie, who has run away from the villainous Straker, he takes her to the peaceful community of Clearwater. Unfortunately for the citizens of Clearwater, Straker fully intends to get Corlie back.

4.5

MagicScore

War for the Planet of the Apes

2017

Caesar and his apes are forced into a deadly conflict with an army of humans led by a ruthless Colonel. After the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind. As the journey finally brings them face to face, Caesar and the Colonel are pitted against each other in an epic battle that will determine the fate of both their species and the future of the planet.

7.2

MagicScore

Barb Wire

1996

A sexy nightclub owner, Barb Wire moonlights as a mercenary in Steel Harbor, one of the last free zones in the now fascist United States. When scientist Cora Devonshire wanders into Barb's establishment, she gets roped into a top-secret government plot involving biological weapons. Soon Barb is reunited with her old flame Axel Hood, who is now Cora's husband and a guerrilla fighter, resulting in plenty of tense action.

4.1

MagicScore

Perfect

2013

The perfect killing machine is reprogrammed to think and feel.

3.8

MagicScore

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

2016

Ricky is a defiant young city kid who finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. A national manhunt ensues, and the two are forced to put aside their differences and work together to survive.

7.7

MagicScore

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?

1999

Five years have passed and Jake has turned his back on his family. He's still up to his usual tricks in McClutchy's Bar, unaware, as he downs his latest opponent, that his eldest son, Nig, has died in a gang fight. The uncomfortable family reunion at Nig's funeral sparks a confrontation with second son, Sonny, and sets Jake and Sonny on a downward spiral.

6.6

MagicScore

Black Crab

2022

To end an apocalyptic war and save her daughter, a reluctant soldier embarks on a desperate mission to cross a frozen sea carrying a top-secret cargo.

6.2

MagicScore

#10

Sahara

2005

Seasoned adventurer and treasure hunter Dirk Pitt, a former Navy SEAL, sets out for the African desert with his wisecracking buddy Al in search of a confederate ironclad battleship rumored to have vanished long ago, the main draw being the treasure supposedly hidden within the lost vessel. When the daring duo come across Dr. Eva Rojas, a beautiful scientist who is juggling an escape from a warlord and a mission to stop the spread of a powerful plague, their desert expedition begins to heat up.

5.9

MagicScore

#11

Gone with the Wind

1939

The spoiled daughter of a Georgia plantation owner conducts a tumultuous romance with a cynical profiteer during the American Civil War and Reconstruction Era.

7.9

MagicScore

#12

Beasts of No Nation

2015

Based on the experiences of Agu, a child fighting in the civil war of an unnamed, fictional West African country. Follows Agu's journey as he's forced to join a group of soldiers. While he fears his commander and many of the men around him, his fledgling childhood has been brutally shattered by the war raging through his country, and he is at first torn between conflicting revulsion and fascination.

7.6

MagicScore

#13

The Killing Fields

1984

New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.

7.5

MagicScore

#14

Twice Born

2012

Full-throttle melodrama about an ill-starred romance set against the backdrop of the siege of Sarajevo. A mother brings her teenage son to Sarajevo, where his father died in the Bosnian conflict years ago.

7.3

MagicScore

#15

Friendly Persuasion

1956

The story of a family of Quakers in Indiana in 1862. Their religious sect is strongly opposed to violence and war. It's not easy for them to meet the rules of their religion in everyday life but when Southern troops pass the area they are in real trouble. Should they fight, despite their peaceful attitude?

6.7

MagicScore

#16

The Taking of Tiger Mountain

2014

Yang Zirong disguises himself as a bandit to infiltrate and destroy a bandit group. He joins hands with a hostage, and together, they fight against the warlord, Hawk.

6.6

MagicScore

#17

Beautiful Creatures

2013

Ethan Wate just wants to get to know Lena Duchannes better, but unbeknownst to him, Lena has strange powers. As Lena's 16th birthday approaches she might decide her fate, to be good or evil. A choice which will impact her relationship forever.

6.0

MagicScore

#18

The Lonely Voice of Man

1987

Set in the early 1920s after the end of the Russian Civil War, Red Army soldier Nikita returns to his hometown to see his partner Lyuba, both of whom are scarred by the trauma of the Russian Empire of yesteryear.

5.5

MagicScore

#19

Children of Men

2006

In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.

7.6

MagicScore

#20

Battle Royale

2000

In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act.

7.3

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Sleeping Dogs?

The top films similar to Sleeping Dogs by MovieMagicScore are Illang: The Wolf Brigade (6.3), Civil War (6.8), Battletruck (4.5). Each shares action/drama/thriller themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Sleeping Dogs worth watching?

Sleeping Dogs holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.6/10 from 45 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Sleeping Dogs?

Sleeping Dogs (1977) is a action, drama, thriller film directed by Roger Donaldson, starring Sam Neill, Warren Oates, Ian Mune.

Where can I find more recommendations like Sleeping Dogs?

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 Illang: The Wolf Brigade Movies like Civil War Movies like Battletruck Movies like War for the Planet of the Apes Movies like Barb Wire Movies like Perfect

About movies like Sleeping Dogs

This ranked list pairs Sleeping Dogs (1977), a action and drama and thriller film from Roger Donaldson, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Sam Neill 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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