Angel Manuel Soto’s latest buddy cop action comedy starring Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista streaming on Prime Video, shows why buddy cop movies still work and why people keep coming back to them. Movies like The Wrecking Crew explores two cops who clash, complain, and constantly get on each other’s nerves, yet somehow operate better together than with anyone else. Their relationship is built on sharp banter, mutual frustration, and an unspoken trust that only comes from shared danger. That push-and-pull dynamic gives the film its personality, grounding the action in character rather than spectacle alone.
Watching it feels familiar in the best way, echoing the energy of classic buddy cop films while keeping things modern. There’s something comforting about seeing detectives who don’t get along but can’t do the job without each other. Buddy cop movies were always around, but films like The Nice Guys, The Other Guys, and The Instigators have brought them back into focus. The unlikely partnerships and sarcastic banter show how clashing personalities can bring out both the best and worst in each other. These movies prove buddy cop stories are just as much about friendship and teamwork under pressure as they are about crime and action.
If you enjoyed watching The Wrecking Crew on Prime Video, this list looks at six movies that share a similar tone, structure, and spirit, blending the same mix of chaos, connection, and crime-solving fun.
1. Lethal Weapon (1987)
It’s impossible to talk about The Wrecking Crew without going back to Lethal Weapon, the film that helped define the buddy cop template. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) are opposites in every sense. Riggs is reckless, unstable, and emotionally damaged, while Murtaugh is cautious, tired, and counting the days to retirement. Their dynamic is chaotic and all over the place, but as the story progresses we see their partnership becoming the emotional core of the film. This is exactly the kind of relationship The Wrecking Crew taps into.
What Lethal Weapon does so well is balance danger with humor. The action is serious, the stakes are real, and yet the conversations between Riggs and Murtaugh keep the tone light enough to be fun. Their constant arguing, sarcastic remarks, and growing respect mirror the love-hate energy that drives The Wrecking Crew. You’re not just watching cops chase criminals. You’re watching two people slowly learn how to rely on each other. That emotional progression is what gives both films their staying power.
2. Bad Boys (1995)
When Bad Boys, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, came out in 1995, the film changed the game in terms of style, music, and action thrillers. Bad Boys brings a lot of flash to the buddy cop setup, yet it’s still about two partners who know each other inside out. Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett argue like old friends, push each other’s buttons, and never stop joking, even when things get ugly. Their back-and-forth feels lived-in, not polished, and that chemistry is what really carries the film. Just like The Wrecking Crew, the story works because you enjoy watching these two exist in the same space, not because of how complex the case is.
The Miami setting adds attitude, but it never overshadows the relationship. What sticks is how Mike and Marcus operate when pressure hits. They complain, panic, and second-guess everything, yet they never abandon each other. That’s where Bad Boys lines up with The Wrecking Crew. Both films explore buddy cop stories through characters who are messy, impulsive, yet wise, and who still choose each other when everything falls apart.
Also Check: The Bad Boys Movies (Including Bad Boys: Ride or Die) Ranked, according to Rotten Tomatoes
3. Rush Hour (1998)
Rush Hour is one of the purest examples of how banter can drive a buddy cop movie, making it a natural companion to The Wrecking Crew. Inspector Lee and Detective Carter barely tolerate each other at first. They don’t share the same methods, cultural background, or communication style, and that tension fuels nearly every scene. What starts as a never-ending headache and nightmare for the two slowly turns into respect and genuine friendship. Like The Wrecking Crew, the film relies heavily on dialogue to shape its characters.
While the action is entertaining, the real highlight is how Lee and Carter talk to each other. Their arguments, jokes, and constant misunderstandings are what have made the movie a cult favourite among buddy action fans. The movie also does a great job of keeping the partnership balanced. That’s where Rush Hour really connects with The Wrecking Crew. Both films show that strong chemistry doesn’t come from instant friendship. It comes from friction, patience, and the slow realization that things work better together than alone.
4. 2 Guns (2013)
Starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, 2 Guns moves away from standard cop territory and leans into crime-driven action, but the heart of the film lies in its uneasy partnership. The two leads play undercover agents who enter the story believing they’re in control, only to realize they’ve both been played. What follows is a relationship shaped by distrust, sharp one-liners, and constant second-guessing, where neither man is sure if the other is ally or liability. That friction makes 2 Guns feel closely connected to The Wrecking Crew.
Both of these films show that any kind of cooperation naturally comes with pushback, sarcasm, and plenty of frustration. The characters don’t bond easily, and they don’t pretend to like each other either. But when the situation spirals, walking away isn’t an option, and survival depends on sticking together. What helps 2 Guns stand apart is how casually it balances humor with real danger. The jokes land in the middle of gunfights, making the energy sharp and unpredictable. Similar to The Wrecking Crew, the movie understands that smart banter adds personality, making the chaos feel lived-in rather than staged.
5. The Nice Guys (2016)
The Nice Guys feels like a slightly offbeat cousin to The Wrecking Crew. It leans harder into comedy, but the foundation is the same. Two mismatched investigators, one more put-together than the other, are forced into a partnership neither of them wants. Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe spend most of the film arguing, insulting each other, and stumbling through the case. What connects it so closely to The Wrecking Crew is the emphasis on flawed characters. Obviously, they are not perfect detectives, each having their own tactics to manage chaos, where they make mistakes, panic under pressure, and constantly second-guess themselves. Yet somehow, they keep moving forward as their relationship keeps evolving through shared failure and survival.
The similarity in both of these films also shows that the dynamics of two different personalities need not be the same. Which is why watching two people argue their way toward mutual respect is more engaging than watching flawless teamwork. The Nice Guys shows how humor, chaos, and partnership can coexist without undermining the stakes, a balance The Wrecking Crew strikes in its own way.
6. The Instigators (2024)
The Instigators isn’t a typical cop movie, but the way it’s built around partnership makes it a great pick for fans of The Wrecking Crew. Matt Damon and Casey Affleck play two guys who end up in the middle of a crime they don’t fully understand. They argue, complain, and rely on each other just enough to stay afloat. Their bond is messy, sarcastic, and driven by panic more than confidence. Like The Wrecking Crew, the film leans heavily on character moments instead of nonstop action.
A lot of the story unfolds through conversations, small fights, and moments where they slowly start trusting each other. Their partnership feels loose and real, where they’re definitely not in control of the situation. What makes The Instigators belong on this list is how it updates the buddy formula, keeping the spirit of 90s pair-driven action movies while making it more grounded. That’s also where it connects with The Wrecking Crew, as both of these films focus less on looking cool and more on showing how people survive chaos together.
