6 Best Hitman Character Studies

By Vlad Zakh · February 14, 2026

Beyond the shootouts, the best hitman films are quiet portraits of isolation and ritual. The Killer has a methodical assassin’s life unravelling after a mission goes wrong, You Were Never Really Here has a traumatised enforcer on a rescue mission, and Nobody has a mild family man’s violent past resurfacing. Bullet Train is the noisy one, with Le Samourai and The American at the cool, minimalist end.

Bullet Train (2022)

TMDB ★ 7.3

Rival assassins aboard a high-speed Japanese train discover that their missions are mysteriously connected.

Directed by David Leitch · 2h 06m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Nobody (2021)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A mild-mannered family man's dormant, violent past resurfaces after a home invasion.

Directed by Ilya Naishuller · 1h 31m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, YouTube TV, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Killer (2023)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A methodical assassin's carefully ordered life unravels after a mission goes wrong.

Directed by David Fincher · 1h 58m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A traumatised hitman hired to rescue a senator's daughter uncovers a conspiracy reaching the highest levels.

Directed by Lynne Ramsay · 1h 29m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The American (2010)

TMDB ★ 6.3

An ageing assassin hiding out in rural Italy grows more conflicted about one last job.

Directed by Anton Corbijn · 1h 44m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Le Samouraï (1967)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 92% Metacritic 90

A hitman's rigid, near-silent code of conduct starts to crack after one witness sees his face.

Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville · 1h 45m · Rated PG

1 nomination

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Hitman Character Studies

Bullet Train (2022)

Nobody (2021)

The Killer (2023)

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

The American (2010)

Le Samouraï (1967)

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