Movies Like The California Kid

If you liked The California Kid (1974), a action and thriller movie directed by Richard T. Heffron, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
The Silencing (2020)
★ 6.5/10Also thriller and action
A reformed hunter becomes involved in a deadly game of cat and mouse when he and the local sheriff set out to track a vicious killer who may have kidnapped his daughter years ago.
2
Normal (2026)
★ 7.2/10Also action and thriller
An unassuming substitute sheriff with a troubled past responds to a bank robbery in a small, sleepy town and unknowingly uncovers something far more explosive.
3
Desert Dawn (2025)
★ 6.3/10Also action and thriller
A newly appointed small-town sheriff and his begrudging deputy get tangled up in a web of lies and corruption involving shady businessmen and the cartel while investigating the murder of a mysterious woman.
4
The Last Stand (2013)
★ 6.1/10Also action and thriller
Ray Owens is sheriff of the quiet US border town of Sommerton Junction after leaving the LAPD following a bungled operation. Following his escape from the FBI, a notorious drug baron, his gang, and a hostage are…
5
Walking Tall (1973)
★ 6.6/10Also action and thriller
Ex-wrestler and Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser walks tall and carries a big stick as he tussles with county-wide corruption and moonshining thugs.
6
The Last Days of American Crime (2020)
★ 6.4/10Also action and thriller
In the not-too-distant future, as a final response to crime and terrorism, the U.S. government plans to broadcast a signal that will make it impossible for anyone to knowingly break the law.
7
The Substitute 2: School's Out (1998)
★ 6.5/10Also action and thriller
When teacher Randall Thomasson is killed during a carjacking, an unexpected visitor shows up at his funeral - his estranged brother, Karl Thomasson. An ex-Green Beret turned mercenary, Karl signs on as a new substitute…
8
The Warrior's Way (2010)
★ 6.6/10Also action and thriller
A warrior-assassin is forced to hide in a small town in the American Badlands after refusing a mission.
9
The Quick and the Dead (1987)
★ 6.4/10Also action and tv movie
In 1876 Wyoming, the gun is the only law. And for Duncan and Suzanna McKaskel, newly arrived settlers beset by outlaws, rugged frontiersman Con Vallian is the only hope.
10
Marked for Death (1990)
★ 6.1/10Also action and thriller
Just retired from the Drug Enforcement Agency, John Hatcher returns to his hometown and quickly discovers that drugs have infiltrated his old neighborhood. Determined to drive the dealers out, Hatcher crosses paths…
11
Red Right Hand (2024)
★ 6.6/10Also action and thriller
Cash is trying to live a quiet, honest life in a small Appalachian town. When a vicious crime boss forces him back into her services, he soon learns he's capable of anything -- even killing -- to protect his family and…
12
The Mongoose (2026)
★ 5.8/10Also action and thriller
A falsely accused war hero with nothing to lose leads police on an epic televised cross-country car chase, helped by members of his former Special Forces Army battalion and closely monitored by a fascinated public…
13
Hierarchy (2025)
★ 6/10Also action and thriller
In an undisclosed area of Texas after two adoptive brothers become entangled in criminal activity, forced to evade law enforcement and the greedy Russian mafia.
14
Hard Rain (1998)
★ 5.9/10Also thriller and action
An armored car driver tries to elude a gang of thieves while a flood ravages the countryside.
15
12 Rounds (2009)
★ 5.9/10Also action and thriller
When New Orleans Police Detective Danny Fisher stops a brilliant thief from getting away with a multimillion-dollar heist, the thief's girlfriend is accidentally killed. After escaping from prison, the criminal…
16
Run All Night (2015)
★ 6.4/10Also action and thriller
Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon has seen better days. Longtime best friend of a mob boss, Jimmy is haunted by the sins of his past—as well as a dogged police detective who’s been one step behind…
17
Gunslingers (2025)
★ 6.1/10Also action and thriller
When the most wanted man in America surfaces in a small Kentucky town, his violent history -- and a blood-thirsty mob seeking vengeance and a king’s ransom -- soon follow. As brothers face off against one another and…
18
12 Rounds 3: Lockdown (2015)
★ 6/10Also action and thriller
Detective Shaw returns to active duty after the death of his partner. When he uncovers evidence linking his fellow officers to a murder, they frame him for a homicide he didn't commit. Trapped in his own precinct, Shaw…
19
Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005)
★ 6.4/10Also action and thriller
Walker investigates a murder connected with a missing government weapon. In addition, he tries to track down a teen on the run from a crime syndicate.
20
Nighthawks (1981)
★ 6.4/10Also action and thriller
When one of Europe's most lethal terrorists shows up in New York, an elite undercover cop is assigned to take him down by any means necessary.