For decades, Hollywood and filmmakers have been pushing the envelope and creating some truly unforgettable and daring R-rated films, with some of the industry's most revered pictures rocking the risque rating. From celebrated classics like Animal House and Taxi Driver to modern-day marvels like Pearl, the silver screen has seen its fair share of exhilarating movies featuring daring and unapologetic premises, characters, and visuals.
Fans of the bold rating and those with a Prime Video subscription are in for quite a treat, as the juggernaut streaming platform is constantly acquiring a dynamic assortment of films of every genre available at their disposal. Right now Prime has a slew of fan-favorite comedies, crime dramas, war epics, and action extravaganzas starring iconic performers like Tom Hanks, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jodie Foster, and Steve Carell. Here are 11 of the best rated-R movies to watch on Prime.
11 Pearl (2022)
Pearl
R
Horror
- Release Date
- September 16, 2022
- Director
- Ti West
- Cast
- Mia Goth , David Corenswet , Tandi Wright , Matthew Sunderland , Emma Jenkins-Purro
The second installment in Ti West's acclaimed horror series X features the talented Mia Goth reprising her role as the villainous titular character in 2022's Pearl, which serves as a prequel and origin story for the fame-seeking antagonist who is forced to help take care of her ailing father while coping with her strict and controlling mother on a remote Texas farm in 1918.
Pearl's psychopathic tendencies are ultimately revealed as she plots to become a film star and escape the dead-end life she is stuck in, embracing her violent and deranged side to ensure her dreams are achieved.
Goth Dazzles as the Villainous Lead
Upon its worldwide premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, both Pearl and Goth attracted widespread critical acclaim, with fans raving about the dynamic actress' brilliant performance and admirable commitment to the crazed role. Goth received numerous accolades for her powerhouse work in the horror picture, winning a Sitges Film Festival Award for Best Actress as well as a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Lead Performance.
Due to the critical and commercial success of Pearl a third entry in the franchise entitled MaXXXine was released in 2024 with Goth returning, with director Ti West later stating that he had plans for a fourth film.
10 The Beekeeper (2024)
The Beekeeper
R
Action
Thriller
- Release Date
- January 12, 2024
- Director
- David Ayer
- Cast
- Jason Statham , Minnie Driver , Josh Hutcherson , Jeremy Irons , Emmy Raver-Lampman
Action hero Jason Statham's latest big screen extravaganza was in the exhilarating 2024 thriller The Beekeeper, in which he portrays a retired former operative from a highly classified program who sets out on a mission for vengeance after his compassionate landlady tragically takes her life after falling prey to a phishing scam.
Statham's character, Adam Clay, begins to meticulously take down the money-hungry scammers responsible for her death, waging an epic war against a powerful company and their affluent technology executive overseeing the scam.
Statham Delivers to the Masses
The Beekeeper proved to be quite the success with both critics and moviegoers alike, grossing over $152 million and spending its first eight weeks of release in the top 10 films at the domestic box office.
It was one of Statham's most well-received projects, earning a 71% Rotten Tomatoes rating and 92% audience score, with the exciting leading man being in top-tier form in the action flick and dazzling his fans with his electrifying physical prowess and commanding on-screen presence. Though some have called The Beekeeper a John Wick knock-off, Statham nonetheless makes the most out of both the character and thriller.
9 Animal House (1978)
Animal House
R
Comedy
Romance
- Release Date
- July 27, 1978
- Director
- John Landis
- Cast
- Tom Hulce , stephen furst , Mark Metcalf , Mary Louise Weller , Martha Smith , James Daughton
Widely considered to be one of the greatest comedies to ever grace the big screen, John Landis' uproarious 1978 farce National Lampoon's Animal House enlists the talents of famous faces like John Belushi, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, and Donald Sutherland, and takes place at the fictional Faber College in 1962 where a rambunctious and wild fraternity is causing major trouble for the school's fed-up Dean Vernon Wormer, who assigns his favorite snooty frat house to take down the rowdy Delta Tau Chi House and have their charter revoked.
Animal House Skyrockets Belushi to Stardom
Animal House marked the feature film debut of the then 28-year-old Belushi, who had steadily gained famed as a founding cast member on Saturday Night Live and was looking to shift his focus to Hollywood productions. The comedian would emerge as the film's breakout performer and it helped pave the way for his ensuing filmmaking career.
With just a budget of $3 million, the beloved cult classic went on to earn more than $141 million throughout its lifetime and $120.1 million during its original run, becoming the highest-grossing comedy of all time until it was surpassed by Ghostbuster in 1984 (another Ramis flick).
8 Smile (2022)
Smile
R
Horror
- Release Date
- September 30, 2022
- Director
- Parker Finn
- Cast
- Sosie Bacon , Jessie T. Usher , Kyle Gallner , Caitlin Stasey
Parker Finn's spine-tingling 2022 supernatural horror film Smile took the world by storm because of its deeply unsettling and downright creepy premise, which centers on therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) as she witnesses the terrifying and bizarre suicide of a patient in a psychiatric ward after claiming she was being terrorized by an unseen entity that presents itself as different smiling people.
Rose herself begins to experience unexplainable and frightening phenomena after the horrific incident, and she also begins to believe she is being haunted by a malevolent presence.
Smile Sets a Box Office Record
A sequel to Finn's 2020 short film Laura Hasn't Slept, the taut psychological horror flick had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest and delivered plenty of thrills and chills for brave moviegoers, who were rightfully freaked out by the ghastly smiles featured.
Smile was favorably compared to films like Ringu and It Follows, and went on to be a blockbuster triumph, earning over $217 million and becoming the highest-grossing R-rated horror film worldwide released during the pandemic. Smile was nominated for Best Horror Film at the Saturn Awards and because of its remarkable reception. An upcoming sequel is currently set to hit theaters later this year.
7 The Boondock Saints (1999)
The Boondock Saints
R
Action
Crime
Thriller
- Release Date
- January 22, 1999
- Director
- Troy Duffy
- Cast
- Willem Dafoe , Sean Patrick Flanery , Norman Reedus , David Della Rocco , Billy Connolly , David Ferry
Before he was killing zombies with his trustee crossbow on a weekly basis, Norman Reedus appeared alongside Sean Patrick Flannery as vigilante fraternal twin brothers Murphy and Conner MacManus in the 1999 action thriller The Boondock Saints.
In the gripping picture, the fearless Irish Catholic twins take on Boston's criminal underworld after killing two Russian mafia members in an act of self-defense, and they set out to rid the city of dangerous undesirables in the name of God, all the while being hunted down by a determined FBI Special Agent (Willem Dafoe).
Celebrated '90s Cult Classic
Troy Duffy made his directorial debut with the underrated gem, drawing inspiration for its premise after witnessing a drug dealer take money from a dead body across the hall from his Los Angeles apartment.
The Boondock Saints was given a limited release due to the Columbine High School massacre and was subsequently a box office failure, though because of word-of-mouth and home video release it grossed $50 million in sales and emerged as a bona fide cult classic. A sequel titled The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day reunited Reedus and Flannery, and a third film with the actors is currently in development.
6 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Saving Private Ryan
R
Action
Documentary
Drama
History
War
- Release Date
- July 24, 1998
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Tom Hanks , Tom Sizemore , Edward Burns , Barry Pepper , Adam Goldberg , Vin Diesel
Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made and one of Steven Spielberg's finest masterpieces, the poignant and deeply moving 1998 epic war drama Saving Private Ryan chronicles the courageous efforts of a group of soldiers as they venture into enemy territory in Normandy, France to bring home the eponymous private during World War II. Tom Hanks leads the noble men on their valiant quest and brilliantly portrays Captain John Miller, who is determined to locate the young soldier and tell him of the tragic deaths of his three brothers killed in action.
Related: Saving Private Ryan 25 Years Later: Why It's the Best War Film Ever Made
Spielberg's Groundbreaking War Masterpiece
The blockbuster picture featured the additional talents of famous faces like Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, and Giovanni Ribisi and went on to become the second-highest-grossing film of the year, bringing in over $482 million worldwide and receiving universal acclaim from fans and critics alike.
Saving Private Ryan won five Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Drama, and World War II veterans who went and saw the heartrending film expressed that the combat scenes were the most realistic cinema portrayals of their personal experiences that they had ever seen, and that it touched them so deeply that some were unable to finish watching it because of their trauma.
5 Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Reservoir Dogs
R
Crime
Thriller
- Release Date
- September 2, 1992
- Director
- Quentin Tarantino
- Cast
- Harvey Keitel , Tim Roth , Michael Madsen , Chris Penn , Steve Buscemi , Lawrence Tierney
The king of stylized violence Quentin Tarantino made his phenomenal feature-length film debut when he directed the 1992 crime drama Reservoir Dogs, showcasing his unique flair and point-of-view in a story that focuses on a group of diamond thieves who attempt to pull off the ultimate heist for a life-changing payday but find their mission goes horrifically wrong when one of the criminals turns out to be a police informant.
After escaping the authorities, the remaining thugs meet up at their pre-planned rendezvous spot with tensions boiling over as they attempt to figure out who might be an undercover cop.
A Trailblazing Feature-Length Film Debut
Touting a fantastic ensemble cast led by Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Steve Buscemi, Reservoir Dogs was a modest box office success and fared extremely well with critics, who praised its non-linear storytelling and exceptional cast performances.
The crime flick achieved even greater popularity after the release of Tarantino's 1994 juggernaut Pulp Fiction, and is now regarded as a highly-revered cult classic and sensational independent classic; Empire magazine named Reservoir Dogs as the "Greatest Independent Film of All Time" and it helped pave the way for Tarantino's illustrious filmmaking career.
4 The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Silence of the Lambs
R
Crime
Documentary
Drama
Thriller
- Release Date
- February 1, 1991
- Director
- Jonathan Demme
- Cast
- Jodie Foster , Scott Glenn , Anthony Hopkins , Ted Levine , Brooke Smith , Anthony Heald
Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster created some of the cinema's most sensational movie magic when they starred in Jonathan Demme's 1991 psychological horror thriller The Silence of the Lambs, an adaptation of the Thomas Harris novel that follows young and ambitious FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she is forced to seek help from the imprisoned cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in order to catch a deranged serial killer skinning his female victims.
Clarice and Lecter engage in a taut cat-and-mouse game while working the case as she is given a terrifying glimpse into the mind of the formerly respected forensic psychiatrist.
Demme's Record-Shattering Triumph
Directors, critics, and fans have frequently declared that The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest and most influential films of all time, with both Starling and Lecter often being cited as the best movie heroines and villains.
The spine-tingling picture is just the third and most recent film to win the big five at the Academy Awards (including Best Actor for Hopkins and Best Actress for Foster), receiving the prestigious honor alongside It Happened One Night and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. It is the first and only horror film to win Best Picture and because of its unprecedented success, both a sequel and two prequels were ultimately released.
3 Taxi Driver (1976)
Taxi Driver
R
Crime
Documentary
Drama
- Release Date
- February 9, 1976
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Cast
- Robert De Niro , Jodie Foster , Cybill Shepherd , Harvey Keitel , Leonard Harris , Peter Boyle
Hollywood dream team Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro joined forces for the 1976 neo-noir psychological thriller Taxi Driver, in which the Oscar-winner famously portrayed former U.S. Marine and Vietnam War veteran Travis Bickle as he is plagued by insomnia and crippling loneliness and takes up a job as a taxi driver at night to combat his struggles.
The emotionally unwell young man begins to become obsessed with saving the world (specifically New York) from urban decay and the criminals that roam the streets, and he begins to spiral further after fantasizing about assassinating a potential presidential candidate.
De Niro & Foster Truly Deliver
Jodie Foster joined De Niro on-screen as the 12-year-old child prostitute Iris Steensma, whom Travis attempts to convince to quit her profession and instead just be a normal kid. De Niro bonded with Foster during production and took special time with her, astutely believing she had "serious potential" and wanting to help her explore the craft and her own skills as a performer.
Taxi Driver was the recipient of the highly-coveted Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and also earned four Academy Award nominations, while going on to achieve cult status and becoming one of the most culturally significant and influential films of its time.
2 The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
The 40 Year Old Virgin
R
Comedy
Romance
- Release Date
- August 11, 2005
- Director
- Judd Apatow
- Cast
- Steve Carell , Catherine Keener , Paul Rudd , Romany Malco , Seth Rogen , Elizabeth Banks
Judd Apatow made his unforgettable directorial debut when he helmed the uproarious 2005 romantic comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin, enlisting the talents of a star-studded cast led by Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener, and Seth Rogen and telling the amusing story of the shy and introverted Andy Stitzer (Carell) as his electronics store buddies attempt to help him lose his virginity when they discover the awkward middle-aged man has never had sex. When Andy strikes up an exciting relationship with a beautiful shop owner, he attempts to navigate the world of romance with side-splitting results.
Related: How The 40-Year-Old Virgin Was the Triumphant Return of the R-Rated Comedy
Carell's Fearless Performance
Apatow was inspired to cast Carell in the lead role of Andy after watching his scene-stealing performance in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and the hapless character was based on a sketch Carell created while performing with the improv comedy troupe The Second City.
Audiences couldn't get enough of the delightfully zany farce, which showcased Carell's impressive skills as an actor and helped further establish him as one of Hollywood's most endearing comedians. The 40-Year-Old-Virgin was named as one of the Top Ten Films of the Year by the American Film Institute and helped establish both Apatow and his lead stars as certified movie stars.
1 Road House (2024)
Road House (2024)
3.5/5
R
Action
Thriller
- Release Date
- March 21, 2024
- Director
- Doug Liman
- Cast
- Jake Gyllenhaal , Arturo Castro , Lukas Gage , Billy Magnussen , Conor McGregor
A remake of the Patrick Swayze '80s classic, the 2024 action flick Road House features Jake Gyllenhaal as the tough-and-troubled former UFC fighter Elwood Dalton, who after falling from grace in his brutal profession is offered a job as a head bouncer at a Florida Keys road house that often attracts some dangerous, low-life patrons.
Dalton inadvertently finds himself attracting the unwanted attention of a violent local gangster looking to expand his empire, with the criminal tasking the psychotic enforcer Knox (Conor McGregor) to get rid of the resilient bouncer once and for all.
Gyllenhaal & McGregor's Epic Showdown
Road House marked UFC champion McGregor's acting debut, and fans of both the fighter and Oscar-nominee Gyllenhaal were thrilled to watch the two men duke it out on screen in the adrenaline-pumping film. Despite getting a mixed bag response from critics, the action film attracted a record-breaking 50 million viewers worldwide on Prime Video within just its first two weekend and went on to become the studio's “most-watched produced film debut ever on a worldwide basis.”
Due to the exceptional viewership numbers and positive fan response, a sequel was officially announced to be in development with Gyllenhaal reprising his role as the resilient Dalton.
