The 1980s provided some of the very best detective movies. From hard sci fi to action comedies, the 80s had some memorable detective movies that varied in genre. It was a decade that really furthered the genre of the hard-hitting detective film. Long before the superhero movie took over as the most prominent genre in film, cop stories really provided much of the action on the silver screen.

Detective stories had already been such an iconic part of film yet the 80s really furthered the genre and took it to places it had never gone before. The very best detective movies of the 80s brought all the action that the decade was known for, but they contained the familiar tropes that made the genre such a hit with audiences. High-flying stunts and compelling story telling made the films on this list the classics that they would eventually be known as. These are the best detective movies from the 80s, ranked.

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5 48 Hours

48-hours-detective-movie-80s
Paramount Pictures

The 80s were dominated by Eddie Murphy movies. His dominant run of hit films began with the action comedy 48 Hours. This iconic and influential buddy cop film followed Murphy's character Reggie Hammond as he's given a temporary release from prison in order to help out hardened detective Jack Cates, played by the perpetually gruff Nick Nolte. This action comedy was a breath of fresh air for the detective film and essentially became the prototype for the buddy cop film genre.

4 Beverly Hills Cop

Beverly Hills Cop - 1984
Paramount Pictures

Murphy's dominance continued with one of his most iconic roles as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop. It was his turn as the smooth Detroit detective that really cemented Murphy as the box-office draw of the 1980s. Beverly Hills Cop showcased Murphy's ability to seamlessly switch between action hero and comedian. Detective Axel Foley became a legendary part for Murphy that helped spawn a trilogy for the former SNL alum. Recently, news of Beverly Hills Cop 4 surfaced, breathing new life in the long-awaited sequel.

3 Police Story

Police Story - 1985
Golden Harvest

Jackie Chan's storied career spanned decades, but it was the 1985 film Police Story that really stood out among his greatest films. This Hong Kong production captured the very essence of Chan and what made him great. His wild ability to perform his own high-flying stunts were on full display in Police Story. In this 80s classic, Chan is a Hong Kong detective working to clear his name after being framed for murder. The first entry in the Police Story franchise was a pivotal role for Chan and has largely been viewed as one of the greatest action films ever made and one of the best martial arts movies of the 80s. Police Story proved to be such a popular film that it spawned multiple retellings decades after its initial release.

Related: Best Jackie Chan Movies, Ranked

2 Lethal Weapon

Mel-Gibson-in-Lethal-Weapon
Warner Bros.

Lethal Weapon largely remained the standard for the buddy cop film. At it's core, however, is an L.A. detective story that finds two cops with different backgrounds, but with a same yearning for justice, even if one of the detectives happens to be a hot shot, suicidal maniac. The duo of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh, respectively, became an iconic pairing that many subsequent films attempted to duplicate to various degrees of success. Lethal Weapon follows the two bickering detectives as they uncover a drug ring after Murtaugh is tasked with bringing down the group that murdered his former friend's daughter. Gibson meanwhile stole the show as Riggs, a detective with a death wish after the loss of his wife. Lethal Weapon was the first in the long-running franchise that has stood the test of time as one of the best detective films of all time.

1 Blade Runner

blade-runner-detective-movie-80s
The Ladd Company

In the pantheon of neo-noir films, Blade Runner remains the champion. Despite a polarizing reception initially, Blade Runner went on to become one of the most storied detective films ever made. Ridley Scott had already proved himself as a science fiction director with Alien, but it was Blade Runner that really showcased his abilities as a storyteller. The film meshed the noir with a sci-fi twist as it followed Rick Deckard, played by Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford. The future cop, known as a blade runner is tasked with tracking down and putting down renegade androids in 2019 Los Angeles.

Scott was able to fashion an epic and emotional noir film with a futuristic backdrop that was ahead of its time. The Los Angeles that Scott created for the film became a standard for futuristic films for years to come. His vision essentially crafted what would become the futuristic cop film. While the world that Scott built for Blade Runner is epic in scale, the story is a simple one — it's a detective story at it's core.