Movies like Syriana
If you like "Syriana" you are looking for political thriller, cerebral and political movies about / with terrorism, espionage, corruption, cia, capitalism, spy and oil themes of Drama and Thriller genre shot in United Arab Emirates or USA.
Find your next favorite and similar movies in two steps:
1. Identify all themes of interest from this film (block below).
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Syriana (2005)
138K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: United Arab Emirates, USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday is an American lawyer in charge of facilitating a dubious merger of oil companies, while Bryan Woodman, a Switzerland-based energy analyst, experiences both personal tragedy and opportunity during a visit with Arabian royalty. Meanwhile, veteran CIA agent Bob Barnes uncovers an assassination plot with unsettling origins.
Style:
political thriller, cerebral, political, intense, serious, disturbing, contemplative, cynical, clever, inspirational ...
Plot:
terrorism, espionage, corruption, cia, capitalism, spy, oil, globalization, conspiracy, middle east conflict, politics, terrorist, political conspiracy, islam, journalism, war on terror, undercover, danger, deal, political unrest, introspection, corporate world, spy thriller, secrets, international relations ...
Time:
2000s, 20th century, year 2005, 21st century, contemporary
Place:
middle east, iran, lebanon, usa, israel, iraq, texas ...
Movie in categories
Most similar movies to Syriana
The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out realistic, serious, political and suspenseful films with plots about betrayal, politics, corruption, secrets, espionage, conspiracy and intrigue mostly in Drama, Thriller and History genres. Some movies like Syriana: Body of Lies (2008), Green Zone (2010), Michael Clayton (2007), Rendition (2007), Argo (2012). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
249K
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
The CIA’s hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris is the agency’s man on the ground, moving from place to place, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky – a satellite link – ...
Style:
political thriller, political, tense, realistic, serious ...
Audience:
boys' night, chick flick
Plot:
terrorism, spy, cia, espionage, cia agent, intelligence agency, terrorist, undercover, secret service, government agency, roman empire, politics ...
Time:
year 2008, 21st century
Place:
middle east, jordan, iraq, syria, washington d.c. ...
Similarity:
100%
147K
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Country: UK, France, Spain, Japan, USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in the Iraqi desert. Rocketing from one booby-trapped ...
Style:
exciting, political thriller, tense, suspense, serious ...
Audience:
manly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
spy, iraq war, cia, war, soldier, military, politics, chase, pow, deception, special forces, gulf war ...
Time:
year 2010, year 2003, 2000s, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
iraq, middle east, baghdad iraq, kurdistan, israel
Similarity:
89%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 119 min.
Story:
A law firm brings in its 'fixer' to remedy the situation after a lawyer has a breakdown while representing a chemical company that he knows is guilty in a multi-billion dollar class action suit.
Style:
suspenseful, clever, suspense, political thriller, disturbing ...
Plot:
lawyer, legal, business, twists and turns, conspiracy, guilt, character study, divorce, nervous breakdown, law firm, courtroom, trial ...
Time:
year 2007, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
new york, wisconsin, usa, milwaukee wisconsin, manhattan new york city ...
Similarity:
100%
60K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
When an Egyptian terrorism suspect "disappears" on a flight from Africa to Washington DC, his American wife and a CIA analyst find themselves caught up in a struggle to secure his release from a secret detention facility somewhere outside ...
Style:
sexy, serious, tense, disturbing, suspenseful ...
Plot:
terrorism, politics, terrorist, conspiracy, islamic terrorism, war on terror, kidnapping, spy, espionage, islam, cia, intelligence ...
Time:
year 2007, 21st century
Place:
middle east, iraq, washington d.c., illinois, chicago ...
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
663K
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 120 min.
Story:
As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.
Style:
clever, tense, captivating, political thriller, suspenseful ...
Audience:
chick flick, date night, adult
Plot:
cia, secret agent, politics, rescue mission, revolution, u.s. embassy, secret mission, propaganda, danger, hostage, undercover, espionage ...
Time:
70s, 80s, year 1979, year 1980, 20th century ...
Place:
middle east, iran, tehran iran, los angeles, istanbul turkey ...
Similarity:
83%
252K
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: France, Canada, USA
Duration: 164 min.
Story:
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government recruits a group of Mossad agents to track down and ...
Style:
political, intense, brutal, political thriller, suspense ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
terrorism, espionage, assassination, mossad, vengeance, judaism, politics, terrorist, vigilante, revenge, spy, murder ...
Time:
70s, year 2005, 20th century, 2000s, year 1972
Place:
israel, middle east, palestine, germany, europe ...
Similarity:
83%
21K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 143 min.
Story:
A French intelligence agent becomes embroiled in the Cold War politics first with uncovering the events leading up to the 1962 Cuban Missle Crisis, and then back to France to break up an international Russian spy ring.
Style:
tense, suspense, suspenseful, psychological, retro ...
Plot:
espionage, cold war, spy, betrayal, secret agent, cuban missile crisis, undercover, surveillance, conspiracy, politics, kgb, government agency ...
Time:
20th century, 60s, year 1962, year 1969
Place:
cuba, france, paris france, copenhagen, new york ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 58 min.
TV show
Story:
Nessa Stein, the daughter of a Zionist arms procurer who as a child witnessed his assassination. Now an adult, Nessa inherits her father's company and changes course from supplying arms to laying data cabling networks between Israel and the ...
Style:
serious, captivating, tense, suspenseful, realistic ...
Plot:
israeli palestinian conflict, terrorist, mistrust, political unrest, powerful corporation, family relations, state affairs, undercover, secret service, cia, who to trust, maid ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
middle east, palestine, england, israel, jerusalem ...
Similarity:
75%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, France
Duration: 167 min.
Story:
Edward Wilson, the only witness to his father's suicide and member of the Skull and Bones Society while a student at Yale, is a morally upright young man who values honor and discretion, qualities that help him to be recruited for a career in ...
Style:
tense, sexy, suspense, political, factual ...
Plot:
cold war, espionage, spy, double agent, cia, politics, corruption, conspiracy, mentor, secret agent, patriotism, invasion ...
Time:
year 1960, 1940s, 20th century, year 2006, year 1961 ...
Place:
cuba, usa, london, berlin germany, washington d.c. ...
Similarity:
100%
172K
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, Germany, France
Duration: 134 min.
Story:
CIA employee Edward Snowden leaks thousands of classified documents to the press.
Style:
realistic, political thriller, thought provoking, factual, inspirational ...
Audience:
chick flick, family friendly
Plot:
espionage, journalism, whistleblower, hacking, fighting the system, moral dilemma, internet, spying, cia, technology, cryptography, ethics ...
Time:
year 2016, 20th century, year 2015, year 2009, year 2011 ...
Place:
japan, russia, hawaii, america, pakistan ...
Similarity:
100%
74K
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, Israel, Hungary, USA
Duration: 113 min.
Story:
Rachel Singer is a former Mossad agent who tried to capture a notorious Nazi war criminal – the Surgeon of Birkenau – in a secret Israeli mission that ended with his death on the streets of East Berlin. Now, 30 years later, a man claiming to be ...
Style:
suspenseful, psychological, exciting, talky, realistic ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
mossad, spy, war criminal, redemption, nazi hunter, cold war, secret agent, espionage, passionate kiss, nazi, nazi war criminal, kidnapping ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, 70s, year 1997, year 1966 ...
Place:
middle east, israel, germany, berlin germany, kiev ukraine ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA, India, Jordan
Duration: 157 min.
Story:
A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 2001 attacks, and his death at the hands of the Navy S.E.A.L. Team 6 in May, 2011.
Style:
tense, political, talky, historical drama, controversial ...
Audience:
chick flick, family friendly, boys' night, adult
Plot:
terrorism, espionage, cia, 9/11, military, manhunt, islamic terrorism, combat, terrorist plot, cia agent, al qaeda, propaganda ...
Time:
september 11 2001, year 2003, year 2005, year 2011, 2000s ...
Place:
middle east, pakistan, iraq, baghdad iraq, afghanistan ...
Similarity:
67%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA, India, Qatar
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
In New York, a Pakistani native finds that his American Dream has collapsed in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Style:
tense, emotional, intense, realistic, captivating ...
Plot:
immigrant, culture clash, wall street, muslim, 9/11, terrorism, conspiracy, political unrest, civil rights, american dream, false accusation, dishonesty ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
new york, middle east, pakistan, istanbul turkey, usa ...
Similarity:
75%
100K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
A convert to Islam sends the U.S. government a tape showing him in three nondescript storage rooms, each of which may contain a nuclear bomb set to detonate in less than a week. Helen Brody, an FBI agent in L.A., is tasked with finding the bombs ...
Style:
suspense, psychological, psychological thriller, sexy, intense ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
terrorism, nuclear bomb, spy, counter terrorism, torture, expert, terrorist, violence, politics, cia, dehumanization, interrogation ...
Time:
year 2010, 21st century
Place:
iran, akron ohio, usa, middle east
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama, History
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
The true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets had some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
Style:
clever, political, factual, realistic, humorous ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
cold war, cia, politics, womanizer, satire, spy, politician, propaganda, swimming pool, soviet afghanistan war, congressman, brutality ...
Time:
20th century, year 1980, year 1988, 2000s, year 2007 ...
Place:
afghanistan, washington d.c., texas, pakistan, helsinki finland ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: UK, Germany, Kenya, France, USA, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
Justin Quayle is a low-level British diplomat who has always gone about his work very quietly, not causing any problems. But after his radical wife Tessa is killed he becomes determined to find out why, thrusting himself into the middle of a very ...
Style:
political thriller, tense, political, suspense, heartbreaking ...
Plot:
conspiracy, marriage, spy, lovers, death, murder, politics, corruption, passion, investigation, aids, idealism ...
Time:
2000s, year 2005, 21st century
Place:
africa, sudan, germany, london, kenya ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
When cocky military lawyer Lt. Daniel Kaffee and his co-counsel, Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Galloway, are assigned to a murder case, they uncover a hazing ritual that could implicate high-ranking officials such as shady Col. Nathan Jessep.
Style:
suspense, tense, intense, tricky, realistic ...
Audience:
date night, girls' night
Plot:
courtroom drama, courtroom, lawyer, justice, army investigation, trial, military, suicide, u.s. navy, court martial, destiny, hotshot lawyer ...
Time:
20th century, 90s, year 1992
Place:
washington d.c., cuba, persia, caribbean, usa
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
When his army unit was ambushed during the first Gulf War, Sergeant Raymond Shaw saved his fellow soldiers just as his commanding officer, then-Captain Ben Marco, was knocked unconscious. Brokering the incident for political capital, Shaw eventually ...
Style:
suspense, political thriller, clever, tense, political ...
Plot:
conspiracy, gulf war, political conspiracy, brainwashing, mind control, political corruption, assassin, politics, covert operation, senator, corporation, sniper ...
Time:
20th century, 2000s, year 2004, future, 90s ...
Place:
iraq, usa, new york, washington d.c.
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
In Ireland, American lawyer Ingrid Jessner and her activist partner, Paul Sullivan, struggle to uncover atrocities committed by the British government against the Northern Irish during the "Troubles." But when Sullivan is assassinated in ...
Style:
controversial, political, political thriller, suspense, mysterious ...
Plot:
politics, terrorism, conspiracy, blackmail, lawyer, corruption, human rights, trouble, british police, cia, torture, courtroom drama ...
Time:
year 1990, 80s, 20th century, year 1982
Place:
ireland, northern ireland, europe, england, dublin ireland
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, War
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
Three stories told simultaneous in ninety minutes of real time: a Republican Senator who's a presidential hopeful gives an hour-long interview to a skeptical television reporter, detailing a strategy for victory in Afghanistan; two special ...
Style:
serious, thought provoking, political, psychological, realistic ...
Plot:
war on terror, politics, state affairs, propaganda, terrorist, iraq war, terrorism, conservative, hopes, society, danger, soldier ...
Time:
future, 21st century
Place:
afghanistan, middle east, iraq, washington d.c., usa ...
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min.
Story:
Colonel Casey discovers what appears to be plans by General Lloyd to use fake military excercises to assist Jack Giddings in his plans to remove President Foster from office. Colonel Casey, and President Foster must find evidence that there is a ...
Style:
serious, suspenseful, realistic, tense, political thriller
Plot:
coup d'etat, conspiracy, terrorism, political corruption, state affairs, betrayal, government agency, undercover, manhunt, special agent, revolution, danger ...
Time:
90s
Similarity:
100%
25K
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller, War
Country: USA, Mexico, UK
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
A second rated journalist from the US tries his luck in El Salvador during the military dictatorship in the 1980s.
Style:
suspense, political, thought provoking, factual, harsh ...
Plot:
civil war, photojournalist, revolution, dictator, war correspondent, politics, journalism, war, dictatorship, reporter, assassination, cold war ...
Time:
80s, 20th century, year 1986, 70s
Place:
latin america, central america, san francisco, south america
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Germany, USA
Duration: 128 min.
Story:
The story of an idealist's rise to power in the world of Louisiana politics and the corruption that leads to his ultimate downfall. Based on the1946 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Robert Penn Warren.
Style:
political, harsh, captivating, serious, realistic ...
Plot:
manipulation, fighting the system, bodyguard, politics, corruption, political corruption, blackmail, mistress, moral ambiguity, journalist, world politics, governor ...
Time:
1930s, year 2006, 20th century, 1950s, 50s
Place:
louisiana, usa, new orleans, southern usa, new jersey
Similarity:
100%
Movie in collections
24K
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 60 min.
TV show
Story:
The story of an unassuming American family drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation. Bassam "Barry" Al Fayeed, the younger son of the dictator of a war-torn nation, ends a self-imposed 20-year exile to return to his ...
Style:
tense, suspenseful, stylized, serious, realistic ...
Plot:
dictatorship, homecoming, political unrest, totalitarianism, state affairs, ruler, gay son, family relations, parents and children, secret, society, exile ...
Time:
21st century
Place:
middle east
Similarity:
100%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 116 min.
Story:
An American woman, trapped in Islamic Iran by her brutish husband, must find a way to escape with her daughter as well.
Style:
thought provoking, factual, tense, touching, bleak ...
Audience:
chick flick, girls' night
Plot:
islam, culture clash, female protagonist, domestic violence, violent husband, confined, propaganda, family problems, life is a bitch, society, isolation, hopes ...
Time:
80s, year 1991, year 1984
Place:
iran, middle east, michigan, persia, israel
Similarity:
100%
27K
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
A former U. S. diplomat returns to service in order to save a former colleague in Beirut.
Style:
political, suspenseful, suspense, rough, bleak ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
terrorist, terrorism, hostage, mossad, spy, arab, israeli palestinian conflict, espionage, heroes, fight, covert operation, secret service ...
Time:
year 1982, year 1972, 80s, 70s
Place:
middle east, lebanon, beirut lebanon, israel, palestine
Similarity:
100%
137K
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Country: Germany, United Arab Emirates, USA
Duration: 110 min.
Story:
A team of U.S. government agents is sent to investigate the bombing of an American facility in the Middle East.
Style:
realistic, suspenseful, exciting, suspense, action packed ...
Audience:
boys' night, girls' night
Plot:
terrorism, terrorist, investigation, military, fbi, islamic terrorism, al qaeda, deception, muslim, gunfight, war on terror, spy ...
Time:
year 2007, 21st century
Place:
middle east, saudi arabia, iraq, usa, washington d.c.
Similarity:
50%
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 138 min.
Story:
In the run-up to the 1972 elections, Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward covers what seems to be a minor break-in at the Democratic Party National headquarters. He is surprised to find top lawyers already on the defense case, and the discovery of ...
Style:
political thriller, political, cerebral, realistic, serious ...
Audience:
family outing
Plot:
journalism, newspaper, political conspiracy, politics, conspiracy, political corruption, investigation, american politics, white house, investigative journalism, whistleblower, president ...
Time:
70s, 20th century, year 1973, year 1972, year 1976
Place:
washington d.c., usa, north america, miami, florida
Similarity:
50%
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: Ireland, USA
Duration: 109 min.
Story:
A British spy is banished to Panama after having an affair with an ambassador's mistress. Once there he makes connection with a local tailor with a nefarious past and connections to all of the top political and gangster figures in Panama. The ...
Style:
sexy, political, talky, suspense, political thriller ...
Plot:
espionage, spy, politics, gangster, roman empire, mentor, adultery, brainwashing, undercover, conspiracy, secret agent, debt ...
Time:
year 2001, y2k, 90s
Place:
panama, latin america, england
Similarity:
50%
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, USA, Germany
Duration: 122 min.
Story:
A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg and becomes a person of interest for a covert government team which tracks the movements of potential terrorists.
Style:
bleak, tense, political, thought provoking, cerebral ...
Audience:
teens
Plot:
espionage, terrorism, spy, intelligence, islam, war on terror, surveillance, immigrant, secret service, investigation, betrayal, manipulation ...
Time:
year 2014, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
germany, hamburg germany, britain, middle east, berlin germany
Similarity:
50%
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