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MTDb โ€บ Best of โ€บ 1981 โ€บ Nighthawks

Nighthawks poster

Nighthawks (1981)

โ€œOne man can bring the world to its knees and only one man can stop him.โ€

6.4/10 ยท 514 votes 1h 39m r ActionThrillerCrime

#39 of 42 films from 1981 #1324 of 2168 in action

Directed by Bruce Malmuth ยท Written by David Shaber, Paul Sylbert

โ–ถ Trailer, images & where to stream

Overview

When one of Europe's most lethal terrorists shows up in New York, an elite undercover cop is assigned to take him down by any means necessary.

Cast

Sylvester Stalloneas Deke DaSilva
Billy Dee Williamsas Matthew Fox
Rutger Haueras Wulfgar
Lindsay Wagneras Irene
Persis Khambattaas Shakka
Nigel Davenportas Peter Hartman
Hilarie Thompsonas Pam
Joe Spinellas Lt. Munafo
Walter Mathewsas Commissioner
E. Brian Deanas Sergeant
Caesar Cordovaas Puerto Rican Proprietor
Charles Duvalas Dr. Ghiselin
Tony Munafoas Big Mike
Howard Steinas Disco Manager

Facts

Release dateMarch 17, 1981
Runtime99 min (1h 39m) โ€” about the same as the 1981 average of 108 min
GenresAction, Thriller, Crime
LanguageEN
Budget$5,000,000
Box office$19,905,359 (4.0ร— budget)
IMDbtt0082817

More from Bruce Malmuth

Hard to KillHard to Kill1990 ยท โ˜… 6.0 ยท 1h 35m

If you liked Nighthawks

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The KillerThe Killer1989 ยท โ˜… 7.6 ยท 1h 50m The Taking of Pelham One Two ThreeThe Taking of Pelham One Two Three1974 ยท โ˜… 7.5 ยท 1h 45m Police StoryPolice Story1985 ยท โ˜… 7.5 ยท 1h 39m Lethal WeaponLethal Weapon1987 ยท โ˜… 7.3 ยท 1h 50m Assault on Precinct 13Assault on Precinct 131976 ยท โ˜… 7.3 ยท 1h 31m Midnight RunMidnight Run1988 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 2h 6m ThiefThief1981 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 2h 3m The DriverThe Driver1978 ยท โ˜… 7.2 ยท 1h 31m

Questions

How long is Nighthawks?
Nighthawks runs 99 minutes (1h 39m).
Is Nighthawks worth watching?
TMDB users give it 6.4/10 across 514 votes, which places it #39 of 42 films released in 1981 in this index (top 10%) and #1324 among 2168 action titles.
Who directed Nighthawks?
Nighthawks was directed by Bruce Malmuth. Other well-rated titles by the same director: Hard to Kill (1990).
Who stars in Nighthawks?
Sylvester Stallone as Deke DaSilva; Billy Dee Williams as Matthew Fox; Rutger Hauer as Wulfgar; Lindsay Wagner as Irene; Persis Khambatta as Shakka; Nigel Davenport as Peter Hartman.
What is Nighthawks rated?
It carries a r certification in its home market. Ratings differ by country.
Where can I watch the trailer for Nighthawks?
Open the title in the MTDb app for trailers, images and streaming links: https://mv.peoplentools.com/titles/88733.

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Film data and images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB. Ratings are TMDB user scores as of 2026-10-05.