Collider has ranked what it considers the six most accomplished gangster films made since 2000, arguing that the best entries in the genre go beyond depicting crime to explore how criminals rationalise loyalty, family and violence as a way of life. The list positions these films as successors to "The Godfather", showing how the genre has evolved in style and storytelling over the past two decades while retaining its classic appeal.

Among the films discussed are "Road to Perdition" (2002), starring Tom Hanks as a Depression-era mob enforcer forced to flee with his young son, notable for Conrad L. Hall's Oscar-winning cinematography and Paul Newman's final live-action film role; and "Eastern Promises" (2007), David Cronenberg's thriller starring Naomi Watts and Viggo Mortensen, which delves into London's Russian mafia and human trafficking networks. The article also begins to cover "A Prophet" (2009) before the extract ends, with further entries in the ranking not included in the text provided.