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Movies and TV Shows That Actually Get Firearms Right
If you’re big into guns, you’ve likely noticed your fair share of movies where the gunplay looks like absolute trash. Whether it’s non-existent recoil, unlimited ammo, or simply that everything literally looks fake, it can ruin how you perceive the movie.
The Accountant is one of those movies that you would watch over and over again. Source
However, there are also plenty of television shows and movies where the gunplay is actually done correctly, and for that, they deserve some recognition. You won’t find any of the nonsense where bullets curve around corners and recoil happens three seconds later.
Let’s become IMDB.
The Accountant
Gavin O’Connor hit it out of the park in The Accountant on all levels. Ben Affleck and John Bernthal packed the action and picked their firearms well. Affleck dons a custom 1911 fitted with an Osprey suppressor, which he uses to dispatch every bad guy on screen.
Efficiently. He’s the good guy. He’s The Accountant.
They actually reload! Source
John Bernthal runs an HK45T with a Knights Armament suppressor. He’s a good guy as well, but that doesn’t become apparent until the end of the movie. Throughout the film, you see multiple Heckler and Koch firearms, as well as the SCAR-L, Barrett M107, Benelli M4, and so on and so forth.
All of the gunplay is realistic, with sniper rounds hitting targets before sound is heard, great reloads, and all-around fantastic action. You can tell they trained.
Extraction
In the classic “one man army” kind of film, Chris Hemsworth plays the typical muscle-bound super soldier who is an ace with his hands and with a firearm. Throughout the film, he combs his way through various cities in India using his BCM KMR with an 11-inch barrel and a DD M4A1.
As a proud owner of a BCM rifle, I approve. Source
This is an edge-of-your-seat kind of film with a ton of different firearms from SAWs and PKMs to H&Ks and SCAR rifles. The sounds are realistic, as is the recoil, and ragdoll physics of being shot in the head are accurate. No one is tanking 20 rounds of 9mm to the chest without showing signs of being shot.
The only thing that gets me about Extraction is our main character getting shot in the neck by an HK SL8 and falling into the Shitalakysha River, which is filled with sewage, and living through all of the diseases he would get. From a gunplay perspective, though, the movie is spot on!
Heat
What other movie do you know has gunplay so well written and performed that the U.S. Military uses it to demonstrate the perfect reload? Well, actually, I was in the Marines and never saw the clip of Val Kilmer performing the reload either, but it is perfect.
A masterpiece. Source
Director Michael Mann is, in my opinion, the best in the industry when it comes to gun mechanics, realism, and perfecting scenes to make us gun enthusiasts go crazy. The gunshots even echo correctly, thanks to Mann placing microphones throughout the streets to capture the sounds.
This movie is a 1980s/1990s firearm enthusiast’s dream, featuring the Galil, Colt M4 predecessors, and M16s, as well as Berettas and HKs. This movie is heavy on gunfights, and the cast is stacked with talent.
Sicario
If you’ve seen Sicario, then you understand how quickly things can go from zero to 100. Just take a look at the border scene where everything seems to be going well, then boom, five minutes later, there are four dead lying on the hot TexMex tarmac.
There was a ton of different firearms in this movie, ranging from H&Ks and FNs to your AR-15s and AK-style rifles. The gunplay is intense, especially when you get to Alejandro and his H&K Mark 23 and superior gun skills. Alejandro crawled so John Wick could walk.
Hopefully, this type of scene is not a real thing soon. Source
Anyway, the gunplay is excellent. The cast moves as if they’ve done this before, and you get a bit of teamwork from Matt’s operatives and solo work from Alejandro. The sounds are realistic, and the gunfights are just long enough to remind you that these are trained professionals going against thugs.
They aren’t drawn out, nor are they too short. When it comes to the shootouts, it’s just right.
Terminal List
If you’re familiar with Jack Carr’s works, then chances are you’ve heard of The Terminal List. An amazing story, great cast, and the gunplay is performed and choreographed by Navy SEALs, and is arguably the best in modern television.
Everything, from sound to physics, is on par with how guns perform in the real world. Boozer is a real-life Navy SEAL, and Chris Pratt worked extensively to perfect his form with a firearm.
Checking his ammo. Source
Taking a look at Pratt, you would never guess that he was the same guy who played Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy. This is as real as it gets unless you jump inside the TV and do it yourself.
The show includes real-world tactics, making you feel like you’re learning something as you watch it. All in all, it’s about vengeance. And Jack Carr makes it so interesting that you can’t take your eyes off of it.
Conclusion
I know, there are a lot of different movies and shows that I probably missed. Before you say it, no, I did not miss John Wick. John Wick is The Matrix without the powers and theories.
The rest of these movies, on the other hand, are far more realistic. And I’m sure you’ll love them. I promise.
Be good and take care.
