Action films where the storyline takes place is casino is always a winner. The high stakes games, clichéd mob connections, and glamour all pair perfectly with heists, shoot’em ups, and gangster films. It’s no wonder then that countless films have been set in the casinos of Las Vegas and numerous underground poker rooms around the world.
In reality, casinos aren’t usually subject to these big heists and they’re run by reputable companies rather than the mob. Many players also choose to join online casinos instead of heading to the big cities like Las Vegas or Atlantic City. With that said, it doesn’t stop these fictional movies from being fun.
Here are some of the best action films that are set in or feature casinos.
Casino Royale
As well as being Britain’s most famous spy, James Bond is the king of action movies with 26 different films featuring 007 released so far. Casino Royale, which hit cinema screens in 2006, was the first time Daniel Craig played Bond.
It featured a scene in which Bond played in a high-stakes poker game against an international terrorist. He was joined by Felix, Bond’s friend who works for the CIA, and Vesper, who had been sent by the British government to oversee the financing of the game.
As you’d expect from a Bond film, there’s plenty of action to get your adrenaline pumping, including a car chase and a huge fender bender.
Wild Card
Wild Card movie is directed by Simon West and starring Jason Statham. It is based on the novel Heat by William Goldman, and is a remake of the 1986 adaptation that starred Burt Reynolds.
Jason plays a recovering gambling addict who agrees to help a woman who was brutally raped and beaten by three unknown men. This step gets Nick Wild into a dangerous game of survival in Las Vegas.
Wild Card received negative reviews and made only $6.7 million worldwide against a $30 million budget.
Ocean’s Eleven
Ocean’s Eleven is the ultimate in casino heist films. Starring an ensemble cast that includes George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts, the film follows the story of Danny Ocean, a criminal who’s been released on parole.
He assembles his “eleven” to help him steal $150 million from three Las Vegas casinos. While the majority of the heist is done without the need for violence, the film still packs plenty of action, including explosions, an EMP, and some shooting.
While there have been several sequels in the two decades since this remains the best stand-alone movie.
Debt Collectors
Debt Collectors movies continues the story about French and Sue who cracking skulls and breaking bones chasing down the various lowlifes who owe money to their boss, Tommy.
This time two partners have to travel to Las Vegas to collect from a dirty casino owner, who happens to be a vicious ex-lover of Sue’s. Meanwhile, a notorious drug kingpin is on the warpath to kill French and Sue to avenge his brother’s death.
Debt Collectors is a guilty pleasure with two compelling actors playing two compelling characters under the direction of a veteran British stunt performer and director Jesse V. Johnson.
Sleepless
The 2017 film Sleepless is an action crime thriller that stars Jamie Foxx. He plays a corrupt police officer from Las Vegas who has a run-in with the local mob after stealing a shipment of contraband that was destined for them.
It’s jam-packed with shooting, car chases, kidnappings, and hand-to-hand combat, just as you’d expect from an action film. It’s not just your average movie though, as the lines between good and bad are often blurred.