12 Movies Like Burn Notice You Need to Watch
Find 12 smart picks with espionage, crime, and thriller energy, from Burn Notice and The Bourne Ultimatum to Sleeper Cell and more.
If you’re hunting for movies like Burn Notice, this list leans into the same mix of espionage, sharp banter, and high-stakes trouble. Burn Notice (2007) set the tone with a burned spy, improvised fixes, and constant danger, and the picks here echo that energy in different ways. Start with The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) for relentless momentum, then try Code Name: The Cleaner (2007) or The Kill Point (2007) for crime-driven tension with a tactical edge. Durham County (2007), Sleeper Cell (2005), and The Hunting Party (2007) bring darker mystery and thriller elements, while M.I.High (2007) and The Cleaner round out the list with smarter, lighter twists on undercover work and action.
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01
Durham County
action · crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Detective Mike Sweeney has just moved with his wife and daughters from Toronto to his hometown of Durham County after the death of his partner. Hoping to escape the violent world of big city police work, Mike falls into a suburban world besieged by crime, abuse and murder.
Directed by Adrienne Mitchell, Holly Dale, Charles Binamé, Alain Desrochers, Rachel TalalayCast Hugh Dillon, Helene Joy, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt, Cicely AustinAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
02
M.I.High
action · comedy · crime · family · thriller
A team of undercover teenage spies working for the fictional British secret intelligence agency MI9 who have to balance their school life with their jobs as secret agents.
Directed by Simon Hook, Mat King, Richard Elson, Toby Haynes, Richard SeniorCast Chris Stanton, Jonny Freeman, Rachel Petladwala, Channelle Owen, Charlene OsuagwuFreevee -
03
The Hunting Party
adventure · comedy · drama · thriller · war
A young journalist, an experienced cameraman and a discredited reporter find their bold plan to capture Bosnia's top war criminal quickly spiraling out of control when a UN representative mistakes them for a CIA hit squad.
Directed by Richard ShepardCast Terrence Howard, Richard Gere, Gordana Vukres, James Brolin, Sanela SeferagicFreevee -
04
Code Name: The Cleaner
action · comedy · crime
Cedric the Entertainer plays Jake, a seemingly regular guy who has no idea who he is after being hit over the head by mysterious assailants. When he finds himself entangled in a government conspiracy, Jake and his pursuers become convinced that he is an undercover agent.
Directed by Les MayfieldCast Cedric The Entertainer, Lucy Liu, Nicollette Sheridan, Mark Dacascos, Callum Keith RennieStarz -
05
The Kill Point
action · crime · drama · thriller
A small group of military veterans sets out to rob a major bank in Pittsburgh. When things go awry, they're forced to take more than a dozen hostages from all walks of life, including a wealthy and powerful businessman's daughter.
Directed by Steve Shill, Josh TrankCast Steve Cirbus, Donnie Wahlberg, Michael Hyatt, John Leguizamo, Adam CantorAmazon Prime Video -
06
The Bourne Ultimatum
action · mystery · thriller
Bourne is brought out of hiding once again by reporter Simon Ross who is trying to unveil Operation Blackbriar, an upgrade to Project Treadstone, in a series of newspaper columns. Information from the reporter stirs a new set of memories, and Bourne must finally uncover his dark past while dodging The Company's best efforts to eradicate him.
Directed by Paul GreengrassCast Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy ConsidineStarz -
07
Sleeper Cell
crime · drama · thriller
A chilling and unflinching look at all sides of a complicated issue, focusing on an African-American Muslim who joins an Islamic sleeper terrorist cell in the United States while working undercover for the FBI.
Directed by Nick Gomez, Guy Ferland, Charles S. Dutton, Clark Johnson, Leslie LibmanCast Michael Ealy, Oded Fehr, Henri Lubatti, Melissa Sagemiller, Jake SolderaParamount Plus -
08
Five Days
crime · drama · mystery · thriller
Thriller series which tracks five 24-hour periods in a police investigation.
Directed by Otto Bathurst, Toby Haynes, Simon Curtis, Peter HoarCast Suranne Jones, Lee Massey, David Oyelowo, Michelle Bonnard, Luke HudsonMax -
09
Miami Vice
action · crime · drama · thriller
A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
Directed by Michael MannCast Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciarán HindsAmazon Prime Video -
10
Shooter
action · drama · thriller
A top Marine sniper, Bob Lee Swagger, leaves the military after a mission goes horribly awry and disappears, living in seclusion. He is coaxed back into service after a high-profile government official convinces him to help thwart a plot to kill the President of the United States. Ultimately double-crossed and framed for the attempt, Swagger becomes the target of a nationwide manhunt. He goes on the run to track the real killer and find out who exactly set him up, and why, eventually seeking revenge against some of the most powerful and corrupt leaders in the free world.
Directed by Antoine FuquaCast Mark Wahlberg, Michael Peña, Danny Glover, Kate Mara, Elias KoteasParamount Plus -
11
Leverage
crime · mystery · thriller
A five-person team comprised of a thief, a grifter, a hacker, and a retrieval specialist, led by former insurance investigator Nathan Ford, use their skills to fight corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on ordinary citizens.
Directed by Marc Roskin, Dean Devlin, Jonathan Frakes, John Harrison, Arvin BrownCast Timothy Hutton, Gina Bellman, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf, Aldis HodgeAmazon Prime Video -
12
The Kingdom
action · drama · thriller
A team of U.S. government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.
Directed by Peter BergCast Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Ashraf BarhomStarz
Wrapping Up
This collection gives you a fast path to more espionage stories, crime thrillers, and undercover drama that scratch the same itch as Burn Notice. Whether you want gritty suspense, slick action, or a clever lead who can improvise under pressure, there’s plenty here to explore. Bookmark this page and come back when you want another dose of spy-adjacent entertainment. It’s updated regularly, so the recommendations stay fresh as new favorites join the mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Burn Notice?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.
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Last updated: September 10, 2026