An action thriller gem is one of the many movies on TV tonight

Also featuring strong Western elements, the film comes from the director of the classics 48 Hrs. and The Warriors.

Our TV movie pick for tonight (Saturday, 20 July) is Extreme Prejudice, an ’80s action thriller with strong Western elements.

It centres around two childhood friends, one of which has grown up to be a Texas Ranger (Nick Nolte) and the other has gone on to become a major drug trafficker (Powers Boothe).

Over the course of the film, tensions between the pair grow, while the ranger’s territory is invaded by an unofficial and top-secret group of US combat veterans whose presence in the Mexican border town may or may not be connected to the drug trafficker’s activity.

Directed by cult US filmmaker Walter Hill (48 Hrs, The Driver, The Warriors) and taking its title from an iconic line from a regular JOE TV pick Apocalypse Now – the two movies sharing a writer in John Milius – Extreme Prejudice’s visceral action set-pieces, Western iconography and twisty story make it well worth seeking out.

It also boasts a great supporting cast of recognisable faces, including Clancy Brown, María Conchita Alonso, Michael Ironside, Rip Torn and William Forsythe.

Extreme Prejudice is airing tonight on the TV channel Legend at 9pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV and the Sky Store.

Powers Boothe and Nick Nolte in Extreme Prejudice – our movies on TV pick

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight:

Mission: Impossible – Sky Showcase – 9pm

The great first entry in the Tom Cruise action spy movie franchise.

Passengers – Film4 – 9pm

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence are stranded on a spaceship in this 2016 sci-fi romance.

Big Daddy – Comedy Central – 9pm

In this beloved Adam Sandler comedy, the actor plays a man who adopts a five-year-old to prove to his ex that he’s ready to grow up.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle – Channel 4 – 9pm

The underwhelming sequel to the very good action spy comedy Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Red Sun – Legend Xtra – 9pm

A Western from the ’70s which boasts a legendary cast including Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, Toshirō Mifune and Alain Delon.

The World’s End – ITV4 – 10.45pm

The third, final and most underrated entry in Edgar Wright, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg’s Cornetto Trilogy of movies, which also includes the classics Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.

Bad Lieutenant – Legend – 11pm

Cult director Abel Ferrara (The King of New York) helms this hard-hitting controversial crime drama about a corrupt cop (Harvey Keitel) in New York City.

About Last Night – Comedy Central – 11pm

This well-liked rom-com remake featuring Kevin Hart and Regina Hall follows two couples as the pairs’ enter a relationship.

The Courier – BBC One – 11.05pm

A well-reviewed 2020 historical spy film starring Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Grudge – Film4 – 11.15pm

The quite underrated 2020 horror reboot about a grieving cop (Andrea Riseborough) investigating a series of killings linked to a curse.

Universal Soldier: Regeneration – Legend Xtra – 11.15pm

This direct-to-video Universal Soldier sequel is surprisingly great and was a recent JOE Movies on TV pick.

London Has Fallen – Channel 4 – 11.50pm

The second entry in the Gerard Butler Has Fallen action franchise.