We love it when things go "bang": modern gunfights in film & games

We all started somewhere - usually in front of the screen. Movie nights with Heat, endless rounds of Call of Duty, the first time we saw John Wick at the movies. Intense firefights, clicking slides, magazine changes, controlled violence in slow motion. And somewhere between the rain of bullets and the tracking shot, you thought to yourself: “Yep, that's how I'd do it.” Got ya.

What was often just a pure “style element” back then now feels like... like substance. Welcome to the threshold: between pop culture and practice.

This article is for all those who have long been watching more than just entertainment. We show you which gunfights in films, series and games are worth watching. Which ones we think are relevant and you should definitely have seen.

You're closer to gun culture than you think. We've taken a look at all the authors' favorites:

HEAT (1995) – The mother of all modern gunfights

The street battle in Michael Mann's Heat between Val Kilmer, Robert De Niro and the L.A. police is legendary - and rightly so. Why?

• What characterizes the scenes: The actors received training from 2 former British Special Air Service members, Andy McNab and Mick Gould. Gould even makes a cameo appearance as one of the policemen who break into Henry Rollin's apartment. Val Kilmer's magazine exchange is simply epic and crisp. A feast for the senses in the best Hollywood style.
• Stephan says: The shootout in Downtown LA is a choreographic masterpiece: intense, emotional, multidimensional. It culminates the inner turmoil of its protagonists and the complexity of the entire film in such an incredibly dense, exciting and unique form. Anyone who reduces this scene to mere shooting has not only failed to understand the scene, but also the entire narrative surrounding Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino).

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) – When reality comes to the movies

This movie is not an action fairy tale. The movie depicts the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. "13 Hours" delivers raw, intense firefights rarely seen in Hollywood. And: no background music.

• What characterizes the scenes: Director Michael Bay (yes, THE Michael Bay) has deliberately dialed it back here. There are no superheroes, no high-gloss effects - just ex-special forces soldiers in a endless and hopeless battle. The gun handling is on point, the tactics understandable, the communication authentic and not cringe. The fact that tactics don't always work is a recurring theme in 13 Hours. Here, too, the actors received professional training. Because the handling of an M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) has to be right, too.
• Fred says: What makes 13 Hours so special is not only the raw intensity, but also the commitment of the actors off camera. Krasinski and co. went through a rigorous boot camp to be drilled by real ex-SEALs in marksmanship, tactics and full physical toughness. You can see that preparation in every scene: authentic, believable, uncompromising.

Escape from Tarkov: Raid (2019) – When "gaming-realism" meets "real-realism"

The mini-series "Escape from Tarkov: Raid", produced by Battlestate Games, brings the dark, merciless world of the game to YouTube in cinematic form. The series captures the intensity and realism of the game and sets new standards for video game adaptations.

• What sets the scenes apart: The series eschews over-the-top Hollywood effects and focuses on authentic tactics, drastic depictions of wounds, and the raw atmosphere of urban combat. Everything is gray in gray, gritty and drastic. Bad decisions have direct consequences. However, the emotional connections between the boys are not neglected.
• Moritz says: Yeah, yeah - everyone thinks "HEAT" is so cool. I understand that. But have you ever seen "Raid"? Could it be more realistic? Could it be dirtier? Could it be rougher? I haven't found what you see in "Raid" anywhere else. The fights are just different from any other movie. Not heroic and without a big story - maybe that's why I like "Raid" so much. No b*llshit.

Lone Survivor (2013) - Try to survive.

Based on the real mission of Navy SEAL Team 10 in Afghanistan, "Lone Survivor" is pure horror. The SEALs' mission goes dramatically wrong when they are reconnoitred far too early. What began as a reconnaissance mission ends in disaster. Four operators against a superior force. No support, no hope. In the end, only one survives: Marcus Luttrell

• What characterizes the scenes: After just a few minutes in battle, the protagonists suffer their first wounds and can do nothing about it. Everyone suffers hits. Doubts arise. Confusion and in some cases sheer panic take hold. Even the requested support is switched off. The hopelessness is palpable.
• My (Chris') opinion: I remember exactly when I saw the film for the first time: with my best man Nico in the cinema.
  We were 17 at the time, had nachos with us - and, without exaggeration, my life has never been the same since that evening. Even though I was aware that some scenes were dramatized, the toughness of these SEALs still impresses me to this day - not in a glorifying way, but in a deeply humbling way.

Anna (2019) - The KGB in Paris

At first glance, "Anna" is a typical Luc Besson action thriller with model vibes and espionage flair. But if you take a closer look at the restaurant scene, you soon realize that there is a surprising amount of substance here. Of course - the fight is choreographed. And yet it's not a cheap, pointless shoot-out. There is a love of detail here.

• What characterizes the scenes: Badass martial arts. The restaurant scene in Anna doesn't impress with its noise, but with its control: division of space, weapon handling and tactical approach under pressure. Every shot is on target, every movement has a goal - not a show, but efficiency in its purest form. Somehow particularly cool.
• Danielle says: When I started shooting in 2019 and launched my Instagram channel, it was more than just a new social media account - it was my entry into a scene that is still heavily dominated by men. It was precisely at this time that Anna came to the movies - and immediately grabbed me. In the restaurant scene, when the KGB wants to test her, she enters the room seemingly casually, only to take out a whole group of armed men in seconds. For me, this is one of the most powerful gunfights ever - not just because of the choreography, but because of what lies beneath: strength, precision, pace and unwavering focus. All qualities that are far too often only attributed to male heroes in action films.

What remains in the end? Fascination.

Movies, TV shows and video games are the driving forces of our modern civilization.
They influence what we think, what we see, what we feel - and how we think others perceive us.
In a way, they are a mirror of ourselves. The shootout or firefight - in whatever form - is the most extreme form of human conflict, the absolute climax of a disagreement. It is the crudest and most definitive form of human interaction. Perhaps it is also the oldest.

Maybe that's why we're fascinated by how differently it's portrayed.
And it's kinda cool, too. Not gonna lie.