Heist Movies on Amazon Prime Video

Charismatic criminals who we may simp for, intricate plots that unravel at a pace that allows us to “solve” the crime along with the cops, and a morally ambiguous storyline; these are the signs of a great heist movie on Amazon Prime Video and other streaming platforms.

From an 11-member crew that wants to pull off the heist for reasons other than money or a lone powerhouse robber who is wondering if he should take on a partner-in-crime to a bank owner who, if the heist goes as planned, will get into trouble; the scope of narratives in heist films has evolved over the years.

And we love films where we feel someone has outsmarted the system for the right reasons, don’t we? Add a dash of romance and humour, and it’s an all-rounder watch.

Here are the best heist movies to watch on Amazon Prime Video:

Ocean's 11 (2001)

With an iconic cast comprising George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Andy Garcia, this chaotic heist movie on Amazon Prime Video is a light-hearted fun watch that will keep you engrossed not just because of the heist itself but also the delicate romantic undertones at play. The goal of the heist is to rob the Bellagio Hotel, which houses the vaults of multiple casinos in Las Vegas.

The plan is carefully put together, capitalising on the specialised skills of eleven people, with Danny Ocean (Clooney) at the helm. The film deftly goes into everyone’s motivations behind being a part of the plan, and the camaraderie among each of them unfolds organically.

The majority of the film’s run-time is dedicated to the planning of the heist, so by the time they get around to executing the plan, you are so invested that you may even be rooting for them.

Aankhen (2002)

Aankhen is a heist movie on Amazon Prime Video that has stood the test of time. You see a sassy but dedicated bank employee, Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan), finally tipping over the edge and resorting to robbing the place that disrespected him. With Arjun (Arjun Rampal), Ilyas (Paresh Rawal), and Vishwas (Akshay Kumar) in his team, he rigorously undergoes training by Neha (Sushmita Sen).

The clincher? The ones carrying out the heist are visually impaired.

The storyline, the soundtrack, and the concoction of action and comedy makes this one of those heist films you can enjoy no matter how many times you watch.

Remember that this film is from the era when random dance sequences would wedge themselves between otherwise fast-paced scenes, so if you skip through those, you will not feel like you lost the pace.

Inside Man (2006)

A cleverly written bank heist movie on Amazon Prime Video, Inside Man is more about the people being affected by the heist than the heist itself. There’s Detective Frazier (Denzel Washington), who is in the spotlight at his precinct for all the wrong reasons and stopping this heist is his path to a promotion.

Then there’s Arthur Case (Christopher Plummer), who needs his safe deposit box not to be a part of this heist charade, so he needs to protect it from the police’s eyes. Madeline (Jodie Foster) jumps on this opportunity to outsmart Detective Frazier for some quick (and we mean a lot of) money.

Dalton Russell (Clive Owen) is at the centre of it all, with his perfectly planned crime well on its way to being executed without a glitch.

The highlight of the film is not the intricacies of the heist, although there are many. It’s the juxtaposition of Frazier’s impatient and cocky resolve with Russell’s calculated and calm demeanour which stuns you. The non-linear storytelling narrative also adds an exciting layer and prevents this film from being just another heist movie. The director, Spike Lee, gave other filmmakers a playbook for heist films with this movie.

Dhoom 2 (2006)

Dhoom (2004) is a snazzy Bollywood casino heist movie with its cool bike entry scenes, yes, but Dhoom 2 delivers as one of the most engaging and well-made Hindi heist movies on Amazon Prime Video.

With the tried-and-tested buddy-cop dynamic of Jai (Abhishek Bachchan) and Ali (Uday Chopra), this film introduced us to the suave side of Hrithik Roshan as the tech genius robber Aryan.

The slick “cool” quotient, whether it was stemming from his fluid dance steps in the grungy, dirty garage-type area in the opening song or the golden of his curls shining in the glow of his well-executed heists, is undebatable. His chemistry with Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai), his partner-turned-betrayer-turned-girlfriend, is as scintillating as the exotic locations in which the heists take place.

The Heist of the Century (2020)

The Heist of the Century is also the best heist movie of the pandemic year on Amazon Prime Video. If the fact that it’s based on a true story doesn’t make it intriguing enough to watch, the blend of action and suspense with witty dialogue and the perfect crime bro chemistry among the actors will keep you engaged until the end.

The story is based on the 2006 robbery of a bank in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When hostage negotiator Miguel (Luis Luque) arrives at the scene, it becomes a journey of mental aerobics between the determined robbers and Miguel’s wit.

The film reinvents the Eighties vibe of bank robbery movies. It is not trying to be Ocean’s 11 (2001), so don’t worry. Instead, this heist movie on Amazon Prime Video will give you insight into how the actual robbery was carried out.

The witty dialogue cuts through the intensity of some of the scenes, and in some moments, you will wonder if you are empathising with the robbers too much.

Also Read: 7 Greatest Heist Movies