23 Best Sniper Movies You Can’t Miss

Jack Reacher (2012)

Released in cinemas in 2012, “Jack Reacher” is a blockbuster Tom Cruise-led sniper movie that is based on a series of books by author Lee Childs. Nomadic in nature, the titular character is a former military criminal investigator who frequently travels across states.

This Cruise movie sets off when an ex-US Army sniper is primarily accused of going ballistic and killing five people for no apparent reason. The police immediately caught their suspect who comes by the name of Barr.

Enter the protagonist as Barr asks to get Jack Reacher. However, it isn’t something easy to do, given how Cruise’s character is slippery as an eel, and hard to find while staying off the radar in Florida. As the defense attorney exerts effort to get hold of him, he shows up on his own terms in Pittsburgh.

Because of Barr’s history, while serving the military in Iraq, Jack first believed that Barr committed the heinous crime. Things take an exorbitant turn when he finds out who the real culprits are in this killing spree.

As it progresses, “Jack Reacher” unfolds a backstory between Jack and Barr and reveals why Barr asks for him.

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie, “Jack Reacher” hit the big screen in 2012 and earned more than $200 million at the box office. Along with Cruise, this best sniper movie stars Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, and Robert Duvall.

Running Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

The American (2010)

Joining the ranks of our best sniper movies of all time is the 2010 crime thriller, “The American.” Aside from the fact that it stars George Clooney in the lead role, this gripping is directed by Dutch music video director and filmmaker, Antoin Corbijn.

This American suspense film follows the life of an assassin and craftsman named Jack, a character who’s a stark definition of a samurai, aptly portrayed by Clooney. The story begins when he signs a contract and embarks on the task of design a powerful, customized high-end sniper rifle for an assassination. The plot intensifies and gets a lot more interesting to see that while he creates the weapon, a secret Swiss assassin is monitoring his actions.

He unexpectedly falls in love and befriends a priest, thereby breaking the rules of secrecy of his contract. Jack escapes to a small Italian town and contacts his associate, Pavel (portrayed by Johan Leysen) to run for his life from the deadly Swiss assassins.

What is perfectly entertaining about “The American” is it takes its viewers to the Italian countryside and historical Rome” in the province of L’Aquila and other locations. Here’s another fun trivia: Clooney’s character Jack has a tattoo on his right shoulder that reads “Ex Gladio Equitas”, or Justice from the Sword, which suits as a motto for a samurai.

Alongside Clooney, “The American” also stars Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, and Paolo Bonacelli.

Running Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Wanted (2008)

“Wanted” is not the usual military hero-inspired sniper movie. However, it has one good reason why you will love to watch it: feisty Angelina Jolie is on it!

Based on the mini-series of the same name, “Wanted” revolves around the main character, Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy). McAvoy is desperately tied to his boring office job, not to mention his cheating girlfriend and frequent panic attacks.

But that is about to change and everything he knows about himself. An unexpected visit from the mysterious Fox (Jolie) one night who tells him that his father was an assassin and was killed by someone who is now after him.

While hardly convinced that it’s true, the huge amount of money in his bank account talks. He quits his office job and gets into training with an army of assassins where he meets Sloan. As he learns to become a highly-skilled killer/sniper, he barely scratched the surface of what he got himself into and discover an ugly secret he can no longer turn away from.

Despite that this comic-action thriller shows unrealistic stunts of swinging bullets and systematic sniper shots seen in a pure science fiction movie, it certainly deserves its spot on our best sniper movie list as it is packed with spectacular action full of vicious assassins.

“Wanted” has a stellar cast that includes the likes of Morgan Freeman, Chis Pratt, Common, Terence Stamp, and Kristen Hager.

Running Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

American Sniper (2014)

“American Sniper” is undeniably what every top fan of sniper movies should watch – not just for the first time. It is pretty much worth watching again as it only gets better and better every time.

Released in 2014, this Bradley Cooper-led war drama film is inspired by the true-to-life story of Chris Kyle told in his memoir entitled “American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History.” It accounts for SEALS sniper Kyle’s four tours during the Iraq War, with a total of 255 kills between his travels to the war-torn country in the Middle East. In his first tour to Iraq in the wake of the 9/11 bombing has earned him a moniker of the “Legend”.

Acclaimed as one of the most powerful modern-day war drama ever produced in Hollywood, “American Sniper” poignantly reflects the lives of American soldiers after serving the military and returning to their families, only to realize that the horrors of war follow them home to haunt them.

Kyle, for one, now has to fight his personal battles every time he comes home as his traumatic experiences draw distance between him and his wife and newborn son. As the life story of a great marksman is unveiled in this movie, Cooper’s character gets the help he needs to go back to normal life as a civilian. Further, it also reveals what happened on Feb. 2, 2013.

“The American Sniper” got an Academy Awards nomination for Best Picture and won Cooper an Oscar trophy for Best Actor.

Running Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

Jarhead (2005)

“Jarhead” is another old but good sniper movie to watch. Just like “American Sniper”, it chronicles the life of US soldier and young Marine sniper Anthony Swofford who is fondly called Swoff by his friends. It is based on his memoir published in 2003. Versatile actor Jake Gyllenhaal takes on the role of Swoff in this biographical war drama film that hit theatrical release back in 2005.

Interestingly, the title of this sniper movie, “Jarhead”, is a slang term used to refer to a Marine. Furthermore, the whole film presents the psychological profile of a soldier who joins the Marine to fight in the Gulf War.

Here, viewers will witness how he struggles personally while having his basic combat training and sniper course at a boot camp. After such hardship, Swoff and his team were deployed to Saudi Arabia only to endure 175 days of scorching heat, misery, and boredom. After being stripped of his one chance to gun down an Iraqi commander, he comes home to heartbreak when his girlfriend leaves him for another man.

Directed by “James Bond” filmmaker Sam Mendes, the cast of “Jarhead” also includes Peter Sarsgaard, Lucas Black, Jamie Foxx, John Krasinski, and Brian Geraghty. This sniper movie spawned two more sequels, namely “Jarhead 2: Field of Fire” and “Jarhead 3: The Siege” that debuted in theaters in 2014 and 2016 respectively.

Running Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Set during the Normandy invasion of World War II, “Saving Private Ryan” probably ranks second to none among war/sniper genre movies on our list.

Starring the multi-awarded actor Tom Hanks, this 1998 war action offering tells a tale of saving the last son of a mother whose three sons have already died in the war. Consequently, a special squad is tasked to retrieve Ryan – where each member gets killed on the battlefield as they strive to accomplish their mission.

While the story of “Saving Private Ryan” is entirely fictional, it is said to draw inspiration from a real US soldier named Fritz Niland and an actual US war department directive known as a sole survivor directive.

This Steven Spielberg film makes it to our list of best sniper movies in that it memorably underscores some sniper sequences that feature an enthralling short sniper duel. Spielberg nailed his Oscars for Best Director for this epic WWII cinematic masterpiece.

Aside from Hanks, the main cast of “Saving Private Ryan” includes Matt Damon, Edward Burns, and Tom Sizemore.

Run Time: 2 hours 49 minutes

Three Kings (1999)

Fictional war action “Three Kings” boasts of a huge George Clooney-Mark Wahlberg tandem with David O. Russell at the director’s helm. Blending elements of action, comedy, and drama, it surely makes a neat choice for a fun sniper movie to watch.

Set just after the end of the Gulf War in 1990, “Three Kings” follows the story of four American soldiers team up to steal Saddam Hussein’s huge cache of Kuwaiti gold hidden near their base. However, they run out of luck as their plan backfires.

While three of them are saved by the Iraqi rebels, Sergeant Troy Barlow, played by Wahlberg, falls at the hands of the Iraqi Intelligence. With this turn of events, the three agreed to fight with the rebels and get their help in return to rescue Troy.

“Three Kings” received positive reviews with a 94 percent Critics Consensus when it debuted in cinemas in 1999 and was hailed as Best War Satire made in the past two decades.

Other notable cast members of “Three Kings” include Ice Cube, Spike Jonze, Judy Greer, Cliff Curtis, and Jamie Kennedy.

Running Time: 1 hour 54 minutes

The Deer Hunter (1978)

1978 classic “The Deer Hunter” is a superb sniper movie you shouldn’t miss featuring Hollywood iconic and celebrated stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, and Meryl Streep.

This Michael Cimino film follows the story of three friends working blue-collar jobs in Pennsylvania and share a common liking for hunting deer in the mountains, hence the title of the film. The lives of these three young men drastically changed forever upon enlisting in the US army to fight the country’s war with Vietnam.

The first part of this critically acclaimed film show snippets of the characters’ origin, their friendship, and foolish behavior. The other parts highlight the horrors they have to face amid a war with fierce enemies in a rather strange and unfamiliar territory as well as their struggle to get back to their lives after surviving a tragic turn of events while in a foreign land.

Movie critics lauded “The Deer Hunter”, receiving numerous accolades including Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director among others.

Running Time: 3 hours 3 minutes

Casualties of War (1989)

“Casualties of War” is another American war drama film based on a true story, snipers included, starring renowned actors Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn. Directed by Brian De Palma, this cinematic offering is an adaptation of an article written by Daniel Lang and later published as a book that accounts for the actual events of the 1966 incident on Hill 192 during the US-Vietnam War.

The film’s story is shown in a flashback of the incident that happened at the time as recalled by Vietnam veteran Max Eriksson. Even though Eriksson strongly refused, others in their squad of American soldiers followed an order of their leader Meserve (Penn) to kidnap a young Vietnamese girl from a village, then raped and killed her.

Things take a drastic turn as Eriksson testifies against the others and bring them to a military court-martial and prison sentence.

“Casualties of War” casts Thuy Thu Lee, John C. Reilly, John Leguizamo, Don Harvey, and Ving Rhames.

Running Time: 1 hour 53 minutes

Black Hawk Down (2001)

“Black Hawk Down” is incredibly packed with gritty action sequences, snipers and all, at the helm of Hollywood’s legendary director-producer, Ridley Scott. This chaotic war cinematic masterpiece captures into a film the actual events that transpired in the Battle of Mogadishu (also known as the “Black Hawk Down” incident) in 1993.

This sniper movie is based on Mark Bowden’s 1999 non-fiction book of the same title. The film story revolves around US Special Forces deployed into Somalia to bring food to the starving population. Two Black Hawk helicopters were unexpectedly taken down and US soldiers were ambushed by Somali forces. Amid heavy gunfire, 18 Army soldiers were killed in the 1993 assault.

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.

Running Time: 2 hours 24 minutes

Shooter (2007)

The sniper movie titled “Shooter” by acclaimed filmmaker Antoine Fuqua features Mark Wahlberg in a leading role as Bob Lee Swagger, one of the highly trained and deadliest snipers in the US Marine Corps to ever live.

The story begins when Swagger vanished without a trace when a mission went sideways but it didn’t take long for him to coax back into service. Some high-ranking government officials convinced him to help thwart an assassination plot against the President of the United States.

Soon enough, he realizes that the entire operation is a devious setup, as he now becomes a target of a nationwide manhunt for a plot to murder the president. Instead of going on the run, Bob uses his exceptional skills to exact his revenge against powerful people who betrayed and framed him and to clear his name.

“Shooter” is a witty, impressive political action-thriller film you can’t miss out on. Wahlberg delivers a spectacular performance alongside other cast members such as Kate Mara, Michael Pena, Danny Glover, and Rhona Mitra.

Running Time: 2 hours 6 minutes

12 Strong (2018)

“12 Strong” is one of the more recent Hollywood sniper movies which hit theaters worldwide in 2018. This action drama film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer cast the popular Chris Hemsworth as the lead protagonist, Captain Mitch Nelson.

This film is based on the non-fiction book entitled “Horse Soldiers” authored by Doug Stanton. It tells the story of U.S. Army Special Forces deployed to Afghanistan on the heels of the 9/11 attacks. Nelson voluntarily leads a strike team of Green Berets that shall serve as the first foot soldiers commissioned to quash the Taliban. The 12 of them have to ally with local warlords and their mixed forces to take a Taliban stronghold and go into an unrelenting battle – on horseback.

This gritty movie also reflects the dilemma of choosing between the love of family and duty and service for the country, even to the point of risking their lives and likely to return home in a casket.

Directed by Nicolai Fuglsig, Hemsworth starred in “12 Strong” alongside Michael Shannon, Michael Peña, Navid Negahban, Trevante Rhodes, Geoff Stults, Thad Luckinbill, William Fichtner, and Rob Riggle.

Running Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

“Enemy at the Gates” is based on a nonfiction book of the same name and premiered in cinemas in 2001. This sniper movie by the purest definition reflects the true events of Hitler’s invasion of Stalingrad during World War II from 1942 to 1943.

However, this war movie is loosely based in terms of its main character Vassili Zaitsev, a highly skilled marksman in the Red Army played by Jude Law. From being an ordinary soldier, Zaitsev rose to a higher rank for his impeccable sniper skills and his key role in winning the war against the German forces.

“Enemy at the Gates” is one of the greater sniper movies ever produced. It is a true masterpiece that earned commercial success and critical acclaim amid the negative image it projects toward the Red Army (Russian soldiers) in WWII and the love story between Vassili and Tania born of imagination. Nonetheless, the epic tale of a love triangle in a time of war between two excellent snipers from either camp and Tania is hailed as the best sniper movie to hit the silver screen.

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, the “Enemy at the Gates” ensemble cast includes Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weiz, Ed Harris, and Bob Hoskins.

Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes

Sniper (1993)

The list of best sniper movies is only complete with the inclusion of “Sniper”. Released in 1993, this action/adventure film focuses on a US Marine sniper and a SWAT member duo who are sent on a mission to assassinate rebel leaders in the jungles of Panama.

The story gets interesting when the main character Master Sergeant Gunnery Beckett (Tom Berenger) who is known for the deaths of his squad is paired up with Miller (played by Billy Zane), a sharpshooter but falls short of the necessary combat skills. Both of them struggle with lack of experience and the other’s trust issues but end up saving each other’s lives.

“Sniper” spawned seven direct-to-video sequels such as “Sniper 2”, “Sniper 3”, “Sniper: Reloaded”, “Sniper: Legacy”, “Sniper: Ghost Shooter”, “Sniper: Ultimate Kill”, and “Sniper: Assassin’s End”.

Peruvian film director Luis Llosa is at the director’s helm for this first installment of the “Sniper” series featuring Berenger, Zane, J.T. Walsh, and Aden Young.

Running Time: 2 hours 12 minutes

The Hurt Locker (2008)

“The Hurt Locker” is one of the multi-awarded war/thriller movies in the history of Academy Awards. It has a slew of brilliant sniper sequences that it has to be included as one of the best sniper movies of all time.

Written by Mark Boal, this phenomenal cinematic masterpiece set in the second year of the Iraq War is inspired by the journalist’s personal experiences while he was embedded with a bomb squad in Iraq.

The film paints a harsh, cruel portrait of a war fought by young US soldiers in the Middle East. It revolves around Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) who commands an explosive ordinance unit. Despite being reckless, James shows surgical precision skill in defusing bombs.

At the director’s helm for this film, Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to win an Oscar for Best Director. Bigelow made a difference when she opted for a lesser-known ensemble cast to portray the main characters in the film.

“The Hurt Locker” promises an exhilarating, suspenseful action in a war zone and a demo of complex warfare than most war movies. Definitely, it’s one you can’t miss!

Running Time: 2 hours 11 minutes

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

“Full Metal Jacket” released in 1987 is Director Stanley Kubrick’s take on the Vietnam War. This fan-favorite sniper movie based on the screenplay and novel titled “Short Timers” by Gustav Hasford attempts to earn its place in the vast list of Vietnam War movies produced in Hollywood.

Kubrick tries to make a different approach in making his war film by shifting focus on US soldiers’ individual experiences. It begins with their first day at the US Marine Corps boot camp down to becoming a Marine veteran.

The film’s story revolves around smarty-pants Private Davis played by Matthew Modine, chubby Private Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio), and the rest of the recruits who must prevail in the rigorous basic military training. Davis is sent to Vietnam after his graduation as a journalist undercover and ultimately engages in the gory Battle of Hué.

Bottom line, “Full Metal Jacket” is a classic war drama worth your while. Its main cast also includes R. Lee Ermey, Adam Baldwin, Arliss Howard, John Terry, and Kevin Major Howard.

Running Time: 1 hour 56 minutes

Thank You for Your Service (2017)

Another more recent great addition to sniper movies to watch is “Thank You for Your Service.” This 2017 American biographical war drama film is written and directed by Jason Hall in his directorial debut. Hall is the same director who is behind the Academy award-winning sniper movie, “American Sniper”.

“Thank You for Your Service” is based on the 2013 non-fiction book of the same name by David Finkel, a Washington Post reporter, who chronicles the lives of war veterans of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment who returned to Fort Riley, Kansas after fighting in Iraq War for 15 months in 2007.

The story follows four U.S. soldiers who returned home marred by physical trauma and succumb to severe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) while adjusting to living again as civilians.

The film received positive reviews as it poignantly reflects how the US government neglects soldiers after serving their country in the war and that they deserve much more than a veteran’s meager paycheck.

The main cast which includes Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Beulah Koale, Amy Schumer, and Scott Haze get praised for their performances. However, “Thank You for Your Service” didn’t fare well at the box office, making a gross of $9 million way below its $20 million budget.

Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes

The Jackal (1997)

“The Jackal” is also one of the sniper movies made more intoxicating to action flick junkies by casting Hollywood bigwigs, Richard Gere and Bruce Willis, as arch enemies on screen. Based on a novel by author Frederick Forsyth, this 1997 classic is a fine, delightful masterpiece to hit the big screen.

The story revolves around two major characters: a badass assassin and master of disguises only known as The Jackal (Willis) who is connected to the Russian mafia and an IRA sniper Mulqueen (Gere) serving his time in jail.

As The Jackal goes on a killing spree, Mulqueen gets a conditional release for having a loose connection with him and is commissioned to snare The Jackal who is onto his next ploy to kill a politician. The plot thickens with unexpected twists and turns, and audiences soon unfold Mulqueen’s hidden personal motive to get back at The Jackal.

Directed by Michael Caton-Jones, “The Jackal” also stars Jack Black, Mathilda May, J.K. Simmons, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora, and more.

Running Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Phone Booth (2002)

“Phone Booth” is a neo-noir film released in the early 2000s was a huge box office hit with its witty, gripping, and unique narrative – an evil versus evil in the phone booth.

This is one of the best sniper movies that tells a unique story of a young fiendish publicist named Stu (Colin Farrell) whose life hangs in a balance, After answering a call in a phone booth, he is held hostage by a vicious extreme moralist sniper using his high-powered rifle. The latter watches his prey’s every move through the scope of his big gun. He talks with the former who is now stuck inside the phone booth, boasting how he kills other sinful people like his next victim.

It appears the sniper is knowledgeable of Stu’s life and uses such information in some kind of mind games with him. Trapped in a life-and-death situation, Stu must get himself out of this web he got himself entangled in, both from the sniper and the police who are led to believe that he is the ruthless killer.

“Phone Booth” saw commercial success and received raving reviews from movie critics and fans alike. It’s a box office hit, making $97 million gross from its worldwide release against a production budget of $13 million.

Directed by Joel Schumacher, “Phone Booth” is produced by David Zucker and Gil Netter and written by Larry Cohen. Aside from Farrell, the ensemble cast includes Forest Whitaker, Katie Holmes, Radha Mitchell, and Kiefer Sutherland who were lauded for their impeccable performances.

Running Time: 1 hour 21 minutes

The Wall (2017)

“The Wall” which hit theaters in 2017 is a war drama film that also makes one of the best sniper movies you can’t miss. This sniper movie is shorter than others, it is nothing short of amazing. It is just as gritty and intense to watch. With great performances from lead stars Aaron Taylor Johnson and John Cena, you will watch it until the end.

The film’s story revolves around two US soldiers, Staff Sergeant Matthews (John Cena) and Sergeant Isaac. During the Iraq War, Matthews is a sniper deployed to Iraq to investigate a pipeline construction site. He travels to the war-inflicted country with Isaac as his spotter.

Things get all messed up when an Iraqi sniper fatally shot Matthews on-site and Isaac wounded. Find out what happens next by watching this gripping war thriller.

Touted as one of the great sniper movies made for the big screen, “The Wall” is a Doug Liman offering that also stars Laith Nakli and Spencer Thomas.

Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Elephant White (2011)

“Elephant White” is a 2011 American action-thriller film that takes you to Bangkok, Thailand with Djimon Hounsou and Kevin Bacon. Just like any other sniper movie on this list, this one is full of intense action and snipers.

Set in Bangkok, the film follows the assassin Curtie Church (Hounsou) hired by a businessman to assassinate six men. After finishing the job, he signs another contract with the employer. His mission is to kill the lord of sex traffickers who is responsible for the kidnapping and murder of the businessman’s daughter.

This mission, however, sparks a gang war. Curtie then joins forces with an arms dealer known as Englishman Jimmy to rent him heavy weapons. He also crossed paths with Mae (Jirantanin Pitakporntrakul), a young prostitute who helps him release the others. This movie is also rife with deception where Curtie discovers a dark secret about his employer and the truth about Mae.

Directed by Prachya Pinkaew, the “Elephant White” cast also includes Markus Waldow, Creighton Mark Johnson, Apichart Choosakul, and more.

Running Time: 1 hour 37 minutes

The Bourne Identity (2002)

“The Bourne Identity” is the first installment of the “Bourne” series created for the film that debuted in theaters in 2002. This action thriller film series is an adaptation of the novel of the same name written by prestigious author Robert Ludlum published in 1980.

This Doug Liman film has mixed elements of a sniper movie, why it is included here. Its titular character Jason Bourne gets handy with a sniper’s rifle among his extraordinary abilities. He has superb combat and self-defense skills and can communicate in several languages.

The first part of the film depicts how he suffers from psychogenic amnesia that he doesn’t even know his name. Soon enough, he begins to search for his true identity and discovers his dangerous past intertwines with the CIA.

Apart from Damon, “The Bourne Identity” stars Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Julia Stiles, Brian Cox, Walton Goggins, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje.

The first installment in the “Bourne” film series spawned four more sequels, namely “The Bourne Supremacy” (2004), “The Bourne Ultimatum” (2007), “The Bourne Legacy” (2012), and “Jason Bourne” (2016).

Running Time: 1 hour 59 minutes

Heat (1995)

“Heat” is the last but not the least on our list of best sniper movies in the crime/drama genre. It is written, produced, and directed by Michael Mann. This action flick features two of the finest Hollywood actors and Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Robert De Niro (now, that’s hard to pass).

The film’s plot is about hunters and the hunted. The film follows the conflict between LAPD detective Lt. Vincent Hanna played by Pacino and professional thief Neil McCauley played by De Niro.

Neil, together with a gang of bank robbers, orchestrate a major heist targeting banks, vaults, armored cars to score big one last time before retiring. However, in an unexpected turn, their latest heist didn’t go as planned and ends up in homicide. Detective Hanna and his team of cops now stop at nothing to catch Neil and his crew in a deadly cat-and-mouse game.

“Heat” is by far hailed as the greatest heist movie ever made for the silver screen and features the best bank robbery scene captured in a film. It hit theaters worldwide in 1995. Pacino and De Niro star along with Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, and Val Kilmer in supporting roles.

Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes