Top five kick-ass movie kill squads

“My name is Lieutenant Aldo Raine and I need me eight soldiers,” hollers a moustachioed Brad Pitt to his assembled crew of Jewish-American military men in Inglourious Basterds. “We’re gonna be dropped into France, dressed as civilians. We’re gonna be doing one thing and one thing only… killing Nazis.” The gang nod in bloodthirsty delight (clearly there’s no need for a question and answer session afterwards) and with that his titular gang of ‘Basterds’ is born.

These tough-as-nails guys eagerly set about their business of “killing Nazis” and though they make a truly terrifying sight (especially Eli Roth’s “Bear Jew” who specialises in smashing heads with his mighty baseball bat), but how do the Basterds compare to cinema’s other kill units?

Before the debate begins, let’s clarify what does and doesn’t make our list. First up, we’re not talking about criminal gangs that come together to rob a bank or the like with subsequent violence and killing a by-product of their outlaw behaviour (e.g. Heat, Resevoir Dogs, The Warriors). This extends to more formalised groups such as mobsters (Goodfellas) and general military units (Aliens), all of which might resort to violence but it’s not their main focus. Instead we want those squads brought together with just one purpose – that of killing. It’s not pretty and is certainly not for the faint-hearted, but it is pretty bloody hardcore. So get your gang together and tool up as we rundown the best of the brutes.