Movies Like The Oriental Illusionist

If you liked The Oriental Illusionist (2021), a drama and thriller movie directed by Sheng Lingzhi and Chen Wenyong, 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
SAS: Red Notice (2021)
★ 5.8/10Also drama and thriller
An off-duty SAS soldier, Tom Buckingham, must thwart a terror attack on a train running through the Channel Tunnel. As the action escalates on the train, events transpire in the corridors of power that may make the…
2
The Rescue (2020)
★ 7/10Also drama and thriller
A rescue unit within the Chinese Coast Guard are forced to overcome their personal differences to resolve a crisis.
3
Run (1991)
★ 6/10Also thriller and drama
When a law student accidentally kills the son of a mob boss in a fight, he finds himself relentlessly pursued by the mob and the police.
4
The Parts You Lose (2019)
★ 6.7/10Also drama and thriller
An unlikely friendship unfolds between a young deaf boy, Wesley, and a fugitive criminal who takes refuge in an abandoned barn on the family’s rural North Dakota farm.
5
Dragon (2011)
★ 6.9/10Also drama and thriller
A sinful martial arts expert wants to start a new tranquil life, only to be hunted by a determined detective and his former master.
6
The Sun Also Rises (2007)
★ 7.5/10Also fantasy and drama
A polyptych of interconnected stories in different time-zones, shifting between a Yunnan village, a campus, and the Gobi Desert.
7
The Good Doctor (2011)
★ 6.2/10Also drama and thriller
Dr. Martin Blake, who has spent his life looking for respect, meets an 18-year-old patient named Diane, suffering from a kidney infection, and gets a much-needed boost of self-esteem. However, when her health starts…
8
Remember (2015)
★ 7.3/10Also drama and thriller
With the aid of a fellow Auschwitz survivor and a hand-written letter, an elderly man with dementia goes in search of the person responsible for the death of his family.
9
Horns (2013)
★ 6.3/10Also drama and fantasy
In the aftermath of his girlfriend's mysterious death, a young man awakens to strange horns sprouting from his temples.
10
180 (2026)
★ 5.9/10Also thriller and drama
When an unexpected road rage incident puts his son in critical condition, an enraged father spirals down a dark path of emotional turmoil and vengeance.
11
The Caveman's Valentine (2001)
★ 5.9/10Also drama and thriller
Romulus, a misunderstood musician turned recluse hiding from personal demons in a New York City cave, finds the frozen body of a young drifter in a tree. The authorities, including his police officer daughter, claim…
12
Only the River Flows (2023)
★ 6.5/10Also thriller and drama
Dedicated police detective Ma Zhe is tasked with solving a series of brutal murders in a rural Chinese town. As pressure mounts from his superiors, a hasty arrest is made, but while his colleagues celebrate, several…
13
A Crooked Somebody (2018)
★ 6.3/10Also drama and thriller
An attention-seeking psychic is kidnapped and tries to use the situation to boost his popularity.
14
Light It Up (1999)
★ 6.6/10Also drama and thriller
On a winter day in a southside Queens high school, events collide and six students are suddenly in an armed standoff with the NYPD. At the school, classrooms freeze, teachers come and go, resources are scant.
15
Not Without Hope (2025)
★ 6.6/10Also thriller and drama
A group of friends' fishing boat capsizes off the coast of Mexico and they're left alone stranded at sea and struggling for survival.
16
Barron's Cove (2025)
★ 7.1/10Also thriller and drama
When his young son is viciously murdered by a classmate, a grieving father with a history of violence kidnaps the child responsible, igniting a frenzied manhunt fueled by a powerful politician -- the father of the…
17
A Writer's Odyssey (2021)
★ 7.1/10Also fantasy and drama
Lu Kongwen is the author of a fantasy novel series following a heroic teenager, also named Kongwen, on a quest to end the tyrannical rule of Lord Redmane, under the guidance of a Black Armor. But through a strange…
18
Black Site (2022)
★ 6/10Also thriller and drama
A group of officers based in a labyrinthine top-secret prison must fight for their lives against Hatchet, a brilliant and infamous high-value detainee. When he escapes, his mysterious and deadly agenda has far reaching…
19
6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain (2017)
★ 5.8/10Also thriller and drama
An adrenaline seeking snowboarder gets lost in a massive winter storm in the back country of the High Sierras where he is pushed to the limits of human endurance and forced to battle his own personal demons as he…
20
Inside Man (2023)
★ 6.2/10Also thriller and drama
Based on true events. A disgraced police detective seeking redemption goes undercover to expose a violent crime syndicate. But as he sinks deeper into the mob, the price for absolution may be higher than he can afford.