The best thrillers on Netflix right now
Netflix has occasionally neglected its lineup of thrillers, but November has two very worthy additions. The first is Michael Mann’s Collateral, a stylish crime thriller that debuted 20 years ago. Angelina Jolie’s Salt is the second addition, and it’s one of her best action thrillers. At 14 years old, Salt is also older than most of the movies on Netflix, but it holds up very well.
Additionally, Netflix is the current streaming home for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Red Dragon, and a lot of other thriller movies as well. So don’t hold yourself in suspense any longer, because these films and more are among the best thrillers on Netflix right now.
We’ve also rounded up the best thrillers on Amazon Prime Video and the best thrillers on Hulu if Netflix doesn’t have what you’re looking for.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Collateral (2004) [New]
Metacritic: 71%
IMDb: 7.7/10
Rated: R
Duration: 120m
Genre: Drama, Crime, Thriller
Stars: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith
Directed by: Michael Mann
Tom Cruise rarely plays villains in films, but he does it very well in director Michael Mann’s taut thriller Collateral. Vincent (Cruise) is in town for a short stay, and he’s got places to go and people to kill. Cab driver Max Durocher (Jamie Foxx) innocently picks up Vincent and agrees to drive him around the city for a generous fee.
To his horror, Max soon learns that Vincent is a hired killer knocking off a list of targets with his help. Max is understandably scared for his life, especially since Vincent will almost certainly kill him when he’s no longer useful. And even if Max can escape, he still has to figure out how he can save Vincent’s victims from meeting an untimely end.
Salt (2010) [New]
Metacritic: 65%
IMDb: 6.5/10
Rated: R
Duration: 100m
Genre: Action, Mystery, Thriller
Stars: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Even by the CIA’s standards, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is having a bad day at work. A Russian defector, Oleg Vassily Orlov (Daniel Olbrychski), tells the CIA that Salt is a sleeper agent for the KGB who plans to kill Russian President Boris Matveyev (Olek Krupa) during his visit to the U.S.
When the CIA takes the warning seriously, Salt fights her way out and goes on the run. Her CIA colleague Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber) and ONCIX agent Darryl Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor) don’t know what to make of her actions. But the longer Salt stays free, the more the evidence seems to point to the truth behind Matveyev’s accusations and a conspiracy that may turn the world against America.
Red Dragon (2002)
Metacritic: 60%
IMDb: 7.2/10
Rated: R
Duration: 124m
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror
Stars: Edward Norton, Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes
Directed by: Brett Ratner
Technically, Red Dragon is the second adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel of the same name after 1986’s Manhunter. But this remake gave Anthony Hopkins one more chance to play his Oscar-winning role as Hannibal Lecter. Although this Silence of the Lambs prequel is missing Jodie Foster, the spotlight falls on Ed Norton’s Will Graham, an FBI profiler who narrowly survives his initial encounter with Lecter after exposing him as a cannibal.
Years later, Graham reluctantly seeks help from Lecter to find another deadly serial killer, Francis Dolarhyde (Ralph Fiennes). Graham’s mistake was assuming that Lecter couldn’t find a way to hurt from behind bars. He was dead wrong, as Lecter finds a way to communicate with the Dolarhyde and puts Graham’s family in peril.
Psycho (1960)
Metacritic: 97%
IMDb: 8.5/10
Rated: R
Duration: 109m
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
Stars: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock directed several masterpieces, but few with the staying power of Psycho. The early part of this film belongs to Janet Leigh and her unforgettable turn as Marion Crane. Marion has just made a very bad moral choice, and it eats away at her as she attempts to escape the consequences of her actions. She also has the very bad misfortune of picking the wrong motel to stay at. Let’s just say that she doesn’t make it to check out time.
Marion’s sister, Lila Crane (Vera Miles), and private investigator Sam Loomis (John Gavin) soon show up looking for answers about Marion’s disappearance. The hotel’s owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), isn’t talking, and he’s determined to keep his mother from speaking to the police. The final reveal unnerved audiences in 1960, and it’s just as unsettling now as it was then.
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Metacritic: 77%
IMDb: 7.0/10
Rated: R
Duration: 132m
Genre: Crime, Action, Thriller
Stars: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb
Directed by: Jeremy Saulnier
Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) is a good and reasonable man in Rebel Ridge. but some dirty cops are really pushing the limits of his patience. After Terry is pulled over and thousands of dollars are stolen from him in the name of “asset forfeiture,” he tries to cut a deal with Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). Terry even offers to let the cops keep most of his money if they just give back enough for him to bail his cousin, Mike Simmons (C.J. LeBlanc), out of prison.
The bad cops mistook Terry’s good nature as a weakness. That might be their last mistake after reneging on the deal to save Mike. Now, Terry’s going to have to unleash his own law and order in this small town, and as a former Marine, Terry is more than a match for these crooks with badges.
The Catcher Was a Spy (2018)
Metacritic: 49%
IMDb: 6.3/10
Rated: R
Duration: 94m
Genre: Drama, War, Thriller
Stars: Paul Rudd, Mark Strong, Sienna Miller
Directed by: Ben Lewin
The Catcher Was a Spy is based upon the true story of Moe Berg (Paul Rudd), an unremarkable Major League Baseball player who had a second career as a spy for the Office of Strategic Services, the forerunner of the CIA.
While few would compare this movie to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, they both touch upon the race to build the atomic bomb. One of Moe’s missions is to determine how close Werner Heisenberg (Mark Strong) is to completing the bomb in Nazi Germany. If Heisenberg has found a breakthrough, then Moe is supposed to kill him.
The Devil's Own (1997)
Metacritic: 53%
IMDb: 6.2/10
Rated: R
Duration: 107m
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Stars: Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Rubén Blades
Directed by: Alan J. Pakula
The Devil’s Own featured a young Brad Pitt (Wolfs) as Frankie McGuire, an IRA operative who has come to America to buy stinger missiles. In order to protect his cover, Frankie pretends that he’s an Irish immigrant who needs a place to stay. NYPD Sergeant Tom O’Meara (Harrison Ford) and his family generously take Frankie in.
Over time, Frankie and Tom bond even though the former is keeping deadly secrets from the latter. Frankie has picked a very volatile place to hide, and his sins will catch up to him before he’s ready to confront Tom with the truth.
Arkansas (2020)
Metacritic: 55%
IMDb: 6.0/10
Rated: R
Duration: 117m
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Stars: Liam Hemsworth, Clark Duke, Vince Vaughn
Directed by: Clark Duke
Clark Duke co-wrote, directed, and co-stars in Arkansas as Swin Horn, a low-level drug smuggler who is working with Kyle Ribb (Liam Hemsworth) for Frog (Vince Vaughn), a man they’ve never met. When their first assignment together gets a loyal operative, Bright (John Malkovich), killed, Swin and Kyle decide to cover up his fate to escape the blame.
The perspective changes a few times in this story, and the characters will keep you on your toes as they reveal who they really are. Kyle and Swin don’t realize how much trouble they’re in, but they’re going to find out quickly.
Vanished into the Night (2024)
IMDb: 5.2/10
Duration: 93m
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Stars: Riccardo Scamarcio, Annabelle Wallis, Massimiliano Gallo
Directed by: Renato De Maria
Vanished Into the Night is an Italian thriller about a couple on the outs with each other. Pietro (Riccardo Scamarcio) and Elena (Annabelle Wallis), who are facing the impending end of their marriage, share two children, Giovanni (Lorenzo Ferrante) and Bianca (Gaia Coletti), whom they adore.
Although Pietro is trying to turn his life around, his shady past comes back to haunt him when his children are kidnapped and held for ransom. To get his kids back, Pietro has to turn to another morally questionable guy, Nico (Massimiliano Gallo). And Nico is all too eager to help … if Pietro handles a dangerous delivery for him.
American Psycho (2000)
Metacritic: 64%
IMDb: 7.6/10
Rated: R
Duration: 102m
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Crime
Stars: Christian Bale, Justin Theroux, Josh Lucas
Directed by: Mary Harron
One of the ironic things about American Psycho is that Christian Bale’s Patrick Bateman absolutely hates Jared Leto’s Paul Allen. So a future Batman actor went up against a future Joker actor with their roles reversed. In this film, Bale is the one who plays a psychotic killer, while Leto’s character is Patrick’s clueless and affluent co-worker.
Once Paul goes to that big Arkham Asylum in the sky, Patrick’s killer hobby starts drawing the attention of private investigator Donald Kimbal (Nosferatu‘s Willem Dafoe). Patrick could keep the heat off of himself if he could stop murdering people and just enjoy the wealth and life of privilege that he has. But Patrick can’t stop, because this is his calling.
Captain Phillips (2013)
Metacritic: 83%
IMDb: 7.8/10
Rated: R
Duration: 134m
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Stars: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Barkhad Abdirahman
Directed by: Paul Greengrass
Tom Hanks has a history of playing real-life people in extraordinary circumstances, as he does once again in Captain Phillips. Hanks portrays the title character, Richard Phillips, the captain of a cargo ship called the MV Maersk Alabama. In 2009, off the coast of Africa, the Alabama is attacked by pirates.
Phillips’ first officer, Shane Murphy (Michael Chernus), is able to protect himself and the rest of the crew by locking themselves in the engine room. But that leaves Phillips alone to face the pirates, including their leader, Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi). And they won’t let Phillips go without ransoming his life.
Patriots Day (2016)
Metacritic: 69%
IMDb: 7.3/10
Rated: R
Duration: 133m
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, History, Thriller
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons
Directed by: Peter Berg
The Boston Marathon bombing took place just over a decade ago, and the events surrounding that attack and the subsequent investigation are dramatized in Patriots Day. The main character, Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg), isn’t real because there wasn’t one person involved with so many aspects of the case. If you’re looking for a history lesson, this isn’t it.
What Patriots Day does have to offer is an increasingly intense manhunt for the two bombers, Dzhokhar (Alex Wolff) and Tamerlan Tsarnaev (Themo Melikidze). And as law enforcement officials get closer to the suspects, the Tsarnaev brothers prove to be more erratic and dangerous than expected.
A Simple Favor (2018)
Metacritic: 67%
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rated: R
Duration: 117m
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Comedy
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, Henry Golding
Directed by: Paul Feig
Anna Kendrick stars in A Simple Favor as Stephanie Smothers, a single mother who befriends the glamorous Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). Since Emily’s son, Nicky (Ian Ho), is friends with Stephanie’s son, Stephanie agrees to look after him while Emily is in Miami.
When Emily goes missing and is feared dead, Stephanie is forced to wonder what happened to her friend. She also starts an affair with Stephanie’s husband, Sean Townsend (Henry Golding). But there’s more to this murder than meets the eye, and Emily’s secrets will come back to haunt both Stephanie and Sean.
Miller's Girl (2024)
Metacritic: 41%
IMDb: 5.2/10
Rated: R
Duration: 93m
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Stars: Martin Freeman, Jenna Ortega, Bashir Salahuddin
Directed by: Jade Halley Bartlett
The majority of the online discourse around Miller’s Girl centers on the large age gap between Martin Freeman and Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega, and the power imbalance of their respective characters, Jonathan Albert Miller and Cairo Sweet. And that’s kind of the point of the whole film.
Jonathan knows that Cairo is much too young for him, and so does she. Cairo is Jonathan’s student, and pursuing anything romantic with her would be career suicide. However, Cairo just can’t resist pushing Jonathan’s buttons to provoke a response. When Jonathan doesn’t give her the answer she hoped for, Cairo’s revenge may burn his entire life to ashes.
Shot Caller (2017)
Metacritic: 59%
IMDb: 7.3/10
Rated: R
Duration: 121m
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Jon Bernthal
Directed by: Ric Roman Waugh
Former Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has multiple thrillers on Netflix, but Shot Caller is the best one. Coster-Waldau plays Jacob Harlan, an ordinary stockbroker who accidentally got one of his friends killed while driving under the influence. Even a plea deal means Jacob has to go to prison. In order to survive behind bars, Jacob allows himself to become a hardened killer even though it adds years to his sentence.
When Jacob is finally released, he attempts to keep his distance from his wife, Kate Harlan (Lake Bell), and their son. But when Jacob’s criminal associates demand that he continue to work for them outside of prison, he’ll have to take matters into his own hands to protect his family.
Your Lucky Day (2023)
Metacritic: 64%
IMDb: 5.8/10
Rated: R
Duration: 89m
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Stars: Angus Cloud, Elliot Knight, Jessica Garza
Directed by: Dan Brown
It’s the American dream to get rich without really trying. But the thriller Your Lucky Day is going to make Sterling (Angus Cloud) work for it. After hearing someone discover that he’s got a winning lottery ticket worth millions, Sterling kills the owner of the ticket and a cop who was at the scene. The big problem is that there are witnesses to Sterling’s crime: Amir (Mousa Hussein Kraish), Abraham (Elliot Knight), and his girlfriend, Ana-Marlene (Jessica Garza).
Sterling offers the survivors a share of his winnings if they help him cover up his murders. Unfortunately, it was never going to be that simple, and the money on the line is simply too enticing. There’s going to be more blood spilled before this story is over, but who will emerge with the lucky ticket?
Oldboy (2003)
Metacritic: 78%
IMDb: 8.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 120m
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Mystery, Action
Stars: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung
Directed by: Park Chan-wook
There is an American remake of Oldboy by Spike Lee, but the South Korean original is the one that deserves all of the attention. Park Chan-wook directed and co-wrote this manga adaption, which follows the story of Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a businessman who is arrested for being drunk in public. But Dae-su’s problems really begin after being released by the cops when he is kidnapped and imprisoned in a sealed hotel room.
Dae-su soon learns that his wife has been murdered, and the police think he killed her. This also means that their four-year-old daughter will grow up without him. For the next 15 years, Dae-su remains trapped by his captors until he is mysteriously released. Now, Dae-su has to discover who did this to him and why. One of the best thrillers with a twist ever, Old Boy is just as shocking and enthralling as it was 20 years ago.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Metacritic: 70%
IMDb: 6.7/10
Rated: R
Duration: 140m
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Stars: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke
Directed by: Sam Esmail
Amanda Sandford (Julia Roberts) and her husband, Clay (Ethan Hawke), just wanted to take a vacation in Leave the World Behind. But their kids, Rose (Farrah Mackenzie)and Archie (Charlie Evans) were the first to notice that their smartphones can’t connect to the internet.
The vacation continues uninterrupted until G.H. Scott (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter, Ruth (Myha’la), show up at the rental house and claim that it’s theirs. From there, things start to get super weird, and both families are left to question what happened to the rest of the world while they were in the woods and whether they can trust each other.
The Killer (2023)
Metacritic: 73%
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rated: PG-13
Duration: 118m
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell
Directed by: David Fincher
Michael Fassbender’s unnamed assassin talks to the audience throughout The Killer, and he tells viewers all about his life except who he is. Perhaps he truly has no identity outside of meticulously planning and long stretches of waiting for his opportunity to kill. Yet before our eyes, the Killer botches a hit and kills the wrong person.
If the Killer thought he could slink away without consequences then he’s sadly mistaken. For his failure, the Killer’s lawyer, Hodges (Charles Parnell), has him marked for death. Two other assassins, The Expert (Tilda Swinton) and The Brute (Sala Baker), are sent to hunt down the Killer…if the Killer doesn’t hunt them down first.
Locked In (2023)
IMDb: 5.1/10
Duration: 96m
Genre: Thriller
Stars: Famke Janssen, Rose Williams, Alex Hassell
Directed by: Nour Wazzi
Locked In apparently starts in the aftermath of an attempted murder, and only gets more twisted from there. Someone tried to kill Katherine (Famke Janssen), and they must have come pretty close to succeeding because she’s become trapped in her own body and left unable to move or properly communicate, with the exception of her eyes.
Suspicion immediately falls on Lina (Rose Williams), a young woman who is both Katherine’s adoptive daughter and her daughter-in-law. Nurse Mackenzie (Anna Friel) is determined to get to the bottom of this mystery, but she may be kicking the proverbial hornet’s nest by asking questions that shouldn’t be asked.
Fair Play (2023)
Metacritic: 74%
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rated: R
Duration: 113m
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Stars: Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Sebastian de Souza
Directed by: Chloe Domont
Fair Play, follows a couple, Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) and Emily (Phoebe Dynevor), when their relationship is challenged by their mutual ambition. The pair keep their romance a secret from their co-workers at One Crest Capital. That only works for them until a promotion comes up, and Emily gets the job instead of Luke.
Although Luke initially takes the news well, he soon becomes obsessed with the idea that Emily’s success came at his own expense. This puts a lot of intense pressure on their relationship, especially when Emily discovers that Luke may be fired. And if Emily isn’t careful, she may lose more than just her romance.
Reptile (2023)
Metacritic: 52%
IMDb: 6.9/10
Rated: R
Duration: 136m
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Stars: Benicio del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone
Directed by: Grant Singer
The brutal murder of Summer Elswick (Matilda Lutz) is the beginning of the mystery in Reptile, a thriller starring Benicio del Toro as Detective Tom Nichols (del Toro), the man in charge of the murder investigation. Summer’s body was found by her boyfriend, Will Grady (Justin Timberlake), but there are suspicious details that may draw suspicion to all of the men in Summer’s life.
Nichols is able to share some of the details with his wife, Judy (Alicia Silverstone), who acts as a sounding board for him. Regardless, the unfolding case forces Nichols to more closely examine his own life as well. However, he may not like what he finds.
The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
Metacritic: 56%
IMDb: 6.6/10
Rated: R
Duration: 130m
Genre: Crime
Stars: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Lucy Boynton
Directed by: Scott Cooper
Given its extremely short stay in theaters in late 2022, you probably missed seeing The Pale Blue Eye when it was on the big screen. But the cast is too good for this movie to simply disappear among the other streaming thrillers. Christian Bale headlines the film as Augustus Landor, a former detective who has fallen on hard times following the death of his wife.
When Leroy Fry (Steven Maier), a cadet at West Point, is found ritualistically murdered, Landor is coaxed out of retirement to solve the mystery. But Landor can’t do it alone, which is why he turns to one of Fry’s classmates to act as his partner on the case: Cadet Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling).
The Snowman (2017)
Metacritic: 23%
IMDb: 5.1/10
Rated: R
Duration: 119m
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Directed by: Tomas Alfredson
It’s very appropriate that Michael Fassbender’s character in The Snowman is a detective named Harry Hole, because his life is in a deep hole when the story opens. Harry has broken up with the woman he loves, Rakel Fauke (Charlotte Gainsbourg), while struggling with his sobriety. Unfortunately for Harry, a serial killer has already started sending him enigmatic messages.
Harry’s new partner, Katrine Bratt (Silo‘s Rebecca Ferguson), is convinced that the killer is somehow linked to a case that was once investigated by Gert Rafto (Val Kilmer), an alcoholic former detective who was very much like Harry himself. But as the mystery intensifies, Harry realizes that Katrine has a personal connection that fuels her obsession with the case.
I Came By (2022)
Rated: R
Duration: 110m
Genre: Thriller
Stars: George MacKay, Percelle Ascott, Kelly Macdonald
Directed by: Babak Anvari
I Came By stars George MacKay as Toby Nealey, an underground graffiti artist operating in London, who targets the aristocratic estates of the city’s top movers and shakers. Infamously renowned for the spray-painted “I Came By” moniker that he leaves behind, Nealey’s vigilante artwork lands the youth in troubled waters when he targets a decorated judge (played by Hugh Bonneville) who has some less-than-philanthropic secrets lurking in his manor — mysteries that could threaten Toby’s own life and the lives of those he holds dear. If you’re looking for pure originality, you won’t find it with I Came By, but among the tropes and cookie-cutter templates, there are still plenty of devilish surprises to shock viewers, and Bonneville is simply top-shelf casting as the madman running the show.
Circle (2015)
Rated: R
Duration: 87m
Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery, Drama, Thriller, Horror
Stars: Julie Benz, Carter Jenkins, Cesar Garcia
Directed by: Aaron Hann, Mario Miscione
In Circle, sci-fi dystopia takes center stage. The premise is fairly simple: a collective of 50 individuals is imprisoned in a mysterious compound, each stationed on a single platform. If they attempt to move from their location, a laser-beam of death instantly eradicates them. When it’s discovered that a random captive is executed every two minutes, the group figures out that a gesture-led voting system will allow them to select who among them will get the beam treatment. If you like your thriller flicks dark and disturbed, but filled with gripping plot points, give Circle a whir — you won’t be disappointed.
The Good Nurse (2022)
Rated: R
Duration: 121m
Genre: Drama, Crime, Mystery
Stars: Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne, Noah Emmerich
Directed by: Tobias Lindholm
Adapted from the true-crime novel of the same name, The Good Nurse stars Jessica Chastain as Amy Loughren, a single mother and ICU nurse. When a series of untimely patient deaths start cropping up around the hospital, Amy begins to suspect that new hire Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne) is the man responsible. Both Chastain and Redmayne are the kind of talents we expect greatness from, and truly, both actors go out of their way to foster a sort of surreal pathos for their characters, especially the latter. It’s a solid thriller and a tragic and haunting reminder that we don’t have to dig into fiction to tell some of the most grueling stories imaginable.
Lou (2022)
Rated: R
Duration: 107m
Genre: Action, Thriller, Drama
Stars: Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, Logan Marshall-Green
Directed by: Anna Foerster
If you’re in the mood for something a little more on the action-heavy side, director Anna Foerster’s Lou will likely satiate. It stars Allison Janney as the titular protagonist, a reclusive woman living on Orcas Island, Washington. When a wicked storm threatens the Pacific Northwest, a single mother named Hannah (Jurnee Smollet) begs Lou for help when her young daughter is kidnapped by a vicious ex-pat (Logan Marshall-Green). But as the two women set off on their rescue mission, Hannah soon learns that there’s far more to Lou than meets the eye. A grim gut-punch of an action-thriller, Lou is a big win for the genre.
The Stranger (2022)
Metacritic: 74%
IMDb: 6.6/10
Rated: R
Duration: 117m
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Stars: Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Jada Alberts
Directed by: Thomas M. Wright
Based on Kate Kyriacou’s non-fiction novel, The Sting: The Undercover Operation That Caught Daniel Morcombe’s Killer, writer-director Thomas Wright’s cinematic adaptation of the source text, The Stranger, stars Joel Edgerton as an undercover cop tasked with befriending a suspected murderer (Sean Harris), in hopes of electing a confession from the elusive man. But when the guise of friendship starts to falter, it’s only a matter of time before things start to boil over. With a similar plot to Apple TV+’s Black Bird series (which is also based on true events), The Stranger is a pulse-pounding thriller done right.
A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)
Metacritic: 57%
IMDb: 6.5/10
Rated: R
Duration: 114m
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Stars: Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, David Harbour
Directed by: Scott Frank
In A Walk Among the Tombstones, Liam Neeson stars as former FBI agent-turned-private detective Matt Scudder, a man-for-hire working the streets of NYC. When a drug kingpin (Dan Stevens) calls upon Scudder to track down the men who brutally murdered his wife, Matt’s investigation turns up a number of jaw-dropping discoveries that force the PI to constantly address and re-address his moral compass. A Walk Among the Tombstones plays a bit like a grim film noir, a narrative leaning that bolsters the strength of the film’s script and further sells the airtight chops of the many onscreen talents.
Munich: The Edge of War (2022)
Metacritic: 53%
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rated: PG-13
Duration: 129m
Genre: Drama, History
Stars: George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Sandra Hüller
Directed by: Christian Schwochow
Based on the 2017 Robert Harris novel Munich, Munich: The Edge of War stars Jeremy Irons, George MacKay, and Jannis Niewöhner, among other players. Directed by Christian Schwochow, the story follows Hugh Legat and Paul von Hartmann (MacKay and Niewöhner), a British civil servant and a German official tasked with traveling to Munich for an international conference of nations. But on the brink of WWII, the stakes are high for the European powers, with Hitler’s planned takeover of Czechoslovakia an imminent danger. Can negotiations be successfully made, or will the Nazi besiegement come to be? An eloquently stylized espionage thriller, Schwochow draws on the many strengths of his core cast to deliver an elevated historical spy picture, exploring and unpacking the art and risk of top-shelf subterfuge.
The Platform (2019)
Metacritic: 73%
IMDb: 7/10
Rated: R
Duration: 95m
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars: Iván Massagué, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor
Directed by: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Have you ever seen or heard of famed French-Canadian Denis Villeneuve’s short film Next Floor? If not, here’s a quick summary: A baroquely-costumed set of aristocrats gorge on a handsome feast, with their increasingly accrued weight plummeting them (and their table, chairs, and food) through the floor, where they resume said gorging. Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s The Platform plays with some of the same narrative bits, albeit in the form of a more realized social commentary.
The story follows the imprisoned residents of a Vertical Self-Management Center, a dystopian vessel that delivers food to its captives by way of an elevator system. In order of randomized hierarchy, those at the top get the most food, while those at the bottom get the scraps. Inevitably, this leads to an uprising of horrific proportions. The Platform is a satirical production that grapples with Darwinism in some bizarre and all-consuming ways. One thing is for sure: It’s a flick you don’t want to miss.
Spiderhead (2022)
Metacritic: 54%
IMDb: 5.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 107m
Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Spiderhead tears down all the bars, gates, and imposing walls of the traditional prison thriller. And it totally flips the sub-genre on its head with a bit of sci-fi thrown in for good measure. The film stars Chris Hemsworth as Steve Abnesti, the tech-warden-savant of a revolutionary new prison, one where inmates are fed mind-altering drugs for their respective sentences as opposed to literal time “behind bars.” But when two new inmates, Jeff (Miles Teller) and Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett), enter the facility, they form a unique bond that calls Abnesti’s experimental practices into question. Based on the George Saunders short story Escape from Spiderhead, the film adaptation aims for a high-brow blending of wit and adrenaline. While it doesn’t completely nail either, screen-stealing performances from its main ensemble, particularly Hemsworth, are enough to keep us here for the long haul.
Triple Frontier (2019)
Metacritic: 61%
IMDb: 6.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 125m
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime, Adventure
Stars: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam
Directed by: J.C. Chandor
In Triple Frontier, an ensemble of recognizable talents are given the action-hero treatment for what amounts to a heist thriller that dares to say more about the genre, and succeeds. Our story follows a team of ex-Special Forces comrades as they band together to steal away the fortune of a South American drug lord. But as the group’s collective hubris threatens to deconstruct their mission, their adversaries gain ground, forcing the mercenaries to fight for their lives.
The Devil All the Time (2020)
Metacritic: 55%
IMDb: 7.1/10
Rated: R
Duration: 138m
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars: Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough
Directed by: Antonio Campos
In writer-director Antonio Campos’ The Devil all the Time (an adaptation of the Donald Ray Pollack novel of the same name), the lives of several small-town post-World War II citizens are changed forever when the fervor of evangelical religion descends upon their rural community. Powered by an ensemble cast (Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland chief amongst the players), the source material may have been a bit too much to pull off for the creative team, but The Devil all the Time manages to serve up plenty of maniacal thrills, regardless of the bumpy nature of its narrative coherence.
Windfall (2022)
Metacritic: 52%
IMDb: 5.7/10
Rated: R
Duration: 92m
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars: Jason Segel, Lily Collins, Jesse Plemons
Directed by: Charlie McDowell
In Windfall, Jason Segel stars as an unnamed home invader. Breaking into the regal estate of a billionaire CEO, the man seeks to make off with whatever he can find, but his plans are thwarted when the owner of the home (Jesse Plemons) and his spouse (Lily Collins) arrive unexpectedly. As the robbery devolves into a hostage situation, the three home inhabitants are forced to contend with both their actions and intentions, all while some long-held secrets boil to the surface. A bare-bones thriller that really gets the job done, thanks in part to the strengths of its core cast, Windfall will have you glued to the edge of your couch for its entire 90 minutes.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Metacritic: 52%
IMDb: NaN/10
Rated: R
Duration: 111m
Genre: Crime
Stars: Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario
Directed by: Joe Berlinger
An adaptation of the Elizabeth Kendall memoir The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile stars Zac Efron as the infamous serial killer and Lily Collins as his longtime girlfriend, Liz. As news of Bundy’s crimes start making headlines, the authorities descend on the murderer, putting him behind bars. At first, Liz is hesitant to believe that Ted could commit such horrific crimes, but as the evidence starts piling up, her steadfast belief in her partner starts to wane. Featuring great lead performances and a captivating story told from the perspective of someone who doesn’t want to believe their lover is a psychopath, Extremely Wicked is unnerving from start to finish.
Fever Dream (2021)
Metacritic: 75%
IMDb: 5.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 93m
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Mystery, Horror
Stars: María Valverde, Guillermo Pfening, Dolores Fonzi
Directed by: Claudia Llosa
A hypnotic adaptation of the Samantha Schweblin novel of the same name, Fever Dream centers on the story of two young mothers that are brought together in psychologically mind-bending ways when their children fall victim to a mysterious poisoning. A commentary on some of Argentina’s environmental troubles, the film takes a bold visual approach, building an overbearingly eerie tone as the fates of several characters become unbreakably intertwined.
Coming Home in the Dark (2021)
Metacritic: 64%
Rated: R
Duration: 93m
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Stars: Daniel Gillies, Erik Thomson, Miriama McDowell
Directed by: James Ashcroft
The feature debut of James Ashcroft, Coming Home in the Dark stars Daniel Gillies and Matthias Luafutu as Mandrake and Tubs, a pair of hellbent maniacs who attach themselves to the doomed Hoaganraad family, a nuclear unit of four hoping to enjoy a weekend away from it all. As the family gets to know Mandrake more, they soon realize that his surface-level charisma is but a thin wall that holds back a much more sinister plan, a scheme he has been planning for nearly two decades. Powered by a devilish lead performance from Daniel Gillies, Coming Home in the Dark will feel familiar to anyone who was watched movies like Funny Games, but it’s a welcome entry to the constantly rotating sub-genre of domestic invasion thrillers.
Sentinelle (2021)
IMDb: 4.7/10
Rated: R
Duration: 80m
Genre: Thriller, Action, Drama
Stars: Olga Kurylenko, Marilyn Lima, Michel Nabokoff
Directed by: Julien Leclercq
Revenge-thrillers are a dime a dozen, so what makes Sentinelle any different than the rest? Well, for starters, it’s completely unrelenting. The plot follows Klara (Olga Kurylenko), a discharged soldier sent home after a harrowing close call during combat. The woman’s trauma is only compounded when she uncovers a web of crime that could lead to her sister’s death. Taking justice into her own hands, Klara utilizes her weapons training and intellect to hunt down the could-be killers. As mentioned, Sentinelle hits hard and fast, delivering a blazing action-thriller in less than 90 minutes.
Army of Thieves (2021)
Metacritic: 49%
IMDb: 6.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 127m
Genre: Action, Thriller, Comedy
Stars: Matthias Schweighöfer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ruby O. Fee
Directed by: Matthias Schweighöfer
Serving as a prequel to Zack Synder’s adrenaline-pumping Army of the Dead, Army of Thieves was co-written by Matthias Schweighöfer and Synder and directed by Schweighöfer. Our story follows Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer), operating as Sebastian, a safecracking expert living in Potsam. When one of Sebastian’s safecracking instructional YouTube videos receives attention from a mysterious viewer, he journeys into the city where he is recruited to join an elite heist-team led by Gwendoline (Natalie Emmanuel). Together, the band of thieves concoct a plan to crack a series of impenetrable safes throughout Europe. A brilliant extension of the Army universe, Thieves stands on its own two legs, thanks to memorable performances and riveting set-pieces.
The Guilty (2021)
Metacritic: 63%
IMDb: 6.3/10
Rated: R
Duration: 91m
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ethan Hawke, Riley Keough
Directed by: Antoine Fuqua
LAPD officer Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) is working the night shift for 9-1-1 dispatch. Awaiting a court hearing for an initially-unknown incident that occurred months before, Joe receives a call from a woman claiming to be kidnapped. As Joe does everything in his power to help his abducted caller, it soon becomes clear that this singular call may have more to do with Joe and his past than he’s aware of. A fist-clenching thriller, one led by an extremely captivating lead performance from Gyllenhaal, The Guilty may not be as great as the original 2018 Danish film, but the talent onscreen and close-quarters cinematography is undeniably gripping.
In the Shadow of the Moon (2019)
Metacritic: 48%
IMDb: 6.2/10
Rated: R
Duration: 115m
Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars: Boyd Holbrook, Cleopatra Coleman, Michael C. Hall
Directed by: Jim Mickle
Our story begins in 1988. Thomas Lockhart (Boyd Holbrook) is faced with a macabre investigation in Philadelphia — one where several victims all hemorrhage to death at the same time, with puncture wounds located on each of their heads. Following leads that inevitably result in an even deeper mystery, Lockhart’s investigation goes dormant until a series of copycat killings resurfaces nine years later. A great blend of mystery-meets-sci-fi, In the Shadow of the Moon may not land with all viewers, but as a made-for-Netflix caper, it’s an arresting genre-dive you won’t want to miss.
Creep (2014)
Metacritic: 74%
IMDb: 6.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 82m
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Stars: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice, Katie Aselton
Directed by: Patrick Brice
When shoestring videographer Aaron (Patrick Brice) accepts a paying gig from a mysterious new client, his visit to the man’s remote mountain residence soon devolves into a bizarre nightmare as Josef (Mark Duplass), the homeowner, claims to be making a video for his unborn child before he dies from a brain tumor. At least that’s what Josef wants Aaron to believe. The truth, as the viewer will come to discover, is far more sinister. Taking the found footage sub-genre to thrilling new places, Creep feels like a very small film, but one packed with suspense and misdirects as Josef’s intentions become increasingly murkier.
Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
Metacritic: 47%
IMDb: 6.0/10
Rated: R
Duration: 114m
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Stars: Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Chloe Coleman
Directed by: Navot Papushado
In this rollicking action thriller, Karen Gillan stars as Sam, a high-octane assassin carrying out hits for an underground organization known as The Firm. Abandoned at a young age by her mother (Lena Headey), a fellow hitman, Sam’s estrangement has reinforced her cold-blooded tendencies. In the wake of a hit gone wrong, Sam is forced to re-examine her allegiance to the organization that provides her lifestyle and the life of an innocent 8-year-old girl (Chloe Coleman). An intense film from start to finish, Gunpowder Milkshake gives us an intriguing premise with excellent players and top-notch filmmaking.
The Vault (2021)
Metacritic: 50%
IMDb: 6.4/10
Rated: R
Duration: 118m
Genre: Crime, Action, Thriller
Stars: Freddie Highmore, Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Sam Riley
Directed by: Jaume Balagueró
In The Vault, Freddie Highmore stars as Thom, a prolific engineer who happens upon some intoxicating intel. Learning of a hidden treasure trove located underneath The Bank of Spain, Thom and his group of allies concoct a master plan to break into the compound and make off with the riches while the rest of the country is distracted by Spain’s World Cup Final. Powered by energetic performances from its main ensemble and buttressed by some incredible set pieces and memorable locations, The Vault hits all the beats that a heist thriller should, making for an excellent watch.
Hold the Dark (2018)
Metacritic: 63%
IMDb: 5.6/10
Rated: TV-MA
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime
Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Alexander Skarsgård, James Badge Dale
In his follow-up to the ultra-violent Green Room, Jeremy Saulnier takes to the great wilds of Alaska for an adaptation of William Giraldi’s Hold the Dark. Starring Jeffrey Wright as wolf-tracker Russell Core, the animal expert is hired by Medora Slone (Riley Keough), a woman convinced that a pack of vicious wolves made off with her young son. As Russell begins his investigation, Medora’s spouse, Vernon (Alexander Skarsgård), arrives home from Iraq. Troubled by the horrors of frontline warfare, Vernon begins an all-out descent into madness as Russell begins to uncover more than he bargained for in the unrelenting tundra. Working with his biggest budget yet, indie stalwart Jeremy Saulnier delivers a grim reimagining of Giraldi’s already-macabre prose, complete with big action sequences and a touch of folkloric horror.
Red Dot (2021)
IMDb: 5.5/10
Rated: TV-MA
Genre: Thriller
Cast: Johannes Bah Kuhnke, Nanna Blondell, Anastasios Soulis
David (Anastasios Soulis) and Nadja (Nanna Blondell), a set of young newlyweds, lead a stressful life of work, school, and poor communication skills. When Nadja learns that she’s pregnant, she decides to save the news for an adventurous ski trip to Sweden’s far north with David. As the couple begins to lose themselves to nature’s bounty, a hidden assailant begins stalking David and Nadja. It’s a nightmarish fight for survival in the merciless winter wilderness, as the infamous red dot of a rifle-sight follows every move the married couple makes. An energy-packed survival thriller, Red Dot is effective in making us feel just as lost and drenched in paranoia as the film’s leading talents.
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Metacritic: 61%
IMDb: 5.7/10
Rated: R
Duration: 113m
Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Horror
Stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Zawe Ashton
Directed by: Dan Gilroy
The art world is a strange one to live in, particularly when the tortured spirits of dead artists start wreaking havoc on the outside world. These are the cards we’re dealt with Dan Gilroy’s insanely odd Velvet Buzzsaw, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Morf Vandewalt, an eccentric art critic that comes in contact with the possessed paintings of Vetril Dease (Alan Mandell). Death, dismemberment, and other macabre occurrences soon descend on the principal players, leaving us to wonder where the line is drawn between reality and fiction. Big, odd, and loaded with color, Velvet Buzzsaw is one you won’t forget.
Calibre (2018)
Metacritic: 76%
IMDb: 6.8/10
Rated: TV-MA
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Cast: Jack Lowden, Martin McCann, Tony Curran
When two lifelong friends, a businessman and his pal from boarding school, head out for a hunting weekend in the Scottish Highlands, things quickly turn ugly. The old friends find themselves unexpectedly panicked and dealing with dire situations they never thought they would face. The British thriller, originally released on Netflix, was described by Variety as an “intensely terrifying twist on Deliverance.”
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
Metacritic: 72%
IMDb: 7.3/10
Rated: TV-MA
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller, Action
Cast: Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons, Charles Baker
For fans of the AMC series Breaking Bad, this flick is the epilogue they’ve been waiting for to address the unanswered question of what happened to Jesse Pinkman. For others who might not have seen Breaking Bad, it’s still a fabulous film about a young man on the run from a clearly sordid past. It wraps Pinkman’s story up with a nice little bow and delivers plenty of cameos and throwback references from the original series to make it a worthwhile watch for any fan who has been missing the show.