Summary
Nearly-perfect thriller movies tend to perfect either the thrills or thematics,leaving the other lacking. Thebest thriller movies of all timestrike a balance between the two, providing audiences with narratives that are nerve-wracking but convey something greater than what is literally happening on screen. However, some titles don’t get to join the best thrillers club because they mishandle one or a few story or stylistic elements, possibly ruining the movie’s effect with too much gratuitous violence and jump scares.
Thriller movies worth rewatchingare often so because they demand undivided attention from the audience to piece together the filmmaker’s intentions. On the other hand, themost confusing thrillers evergo too far in this direction and fall short of perfection, because no one is going to figure it out without help. Yetmany thrillers that are almost perfect are still worth watching because of all their better parts,and the discussions they provoke about what could have been done better.
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30 Best Thrillers On Netflix
Netflix is home to some of the most unique, tense, and incredible thrillers in cinema history but what are the best ones on the platform?
10Emily The Criminal (2022)
Emily The Criminal’s Filmmaking Style Is A Bit Bland
Emily the Criminalis just a bit lacking in the style that would make it a truly effective thriller. The filmmakers probably intentionally opted for a simplistic approach to immerse the audience in the characters' mundane lives, where they are just trying to get by, and regular financial troubles drive them to a life of crime. The script could possibly have used one or two more comments to drive home its themes, which seem to be about its protagonist realizing that she is suited to dangerous criminal activities and feels empowered by it.
A few small improvements like this would have further emphasized what is already a profound thriller.Emily the Criminal’s biggest strength is its depiction of the main character being trapped in student debtand her inability to get out of it through any law-abiding means due to a competitive job market and her criminal record. Aubrey Plaza and Theo Rossi give strong performances, and the final scenes are an understated but powerful end to a good psychological thriller.
Emily the Criminal
Emily the Criminal is a thriller directed by John Patton Ford, featuring Aubrey Plaza as Emily, a down-on-her-luck young woman drowning in student debt. Desperation leads her into a high-stakes credit card fraud operation that propels her into a dangerous criminal underworld. Co-starring Theo Rossi, the film explores themes of financial distress and moral ambiguity.
9Fair Play (2023)
Fairy Play Is An Intense Drama But Botches The Ending
Fair Playgot a lot of attention after its impressive debut at Sundance, boasting Netflix mega-star Phoebe Dynevor alongside the equally talented Alden Ehrenreich. Some critics bestowed nothing but praise upon the movie. Indeed, the intensity of a thriller emphasizes the strained relationship when the power balance changes.The consensus is thatFair Playis an electric thriller that illustrates terrifying gender politicswhen Emily is promoted over her fiancé Luke.
However,Fair Play’s endingis most likely why it did not entirely escape negative reviews, as few movies ever do. Amid their other complaints about the movie, including opinions about the performances that conflict with other reviewers, Hannah Strong (viaLittle White Lies) and Wendy Ide (viaThe Guardian) both imply that the final act is the weakest, possibly because Luke assaulting Emily is unnecessary.Fair Playwould have been just a little bit better if it had maintained, as Ide calls it, its“icily calculated cool”in the final stretch.
Fair Play
Fair Play is a drama/thriller film starring Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Erenreich as two newlyweds that are largely devoted to one another. However, when a new promotion at the financial firm they work at opens up, the two’s ambition begins to strike a wedge between their romance. The two will face one another in a competition that is anything but sportsmanlike - it may even turn sinister.
8Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)
Gunpowder Milkshake Could Have Been A Great Feminist Action Movie
Gunpowder Milkshake’s biggest weakness is that it underuses the power trio of Angela Bassett, Michelle Yeoh, and Carla Gugino,all cast as supporting characters whose only purpose is to aid Karen Gillan and Lena Headey with no character development of their own. IfGunpowder Milkshakewanted to be an amazing feminist action movie, it should have done a better job of highlighting and comparing the experiences of different women, establishing a motif of the obstacles they face in the underground espionage setting. Yet this narrative is reserved for Gillan and Headey’s characters.
When some of the action sequences seem to drag on, it would have been too easy to give the supporting cast more dialogue.
When some of the action sequences seem to drag on, it would have been too easy to give the supporting cast more dialogue. On the other hand,Gunpowder Milkshakeinterestingly draws connections to famous female authorsand the villain has the beginning of a compelling monologue that reveals the mentality of the opposing side, but the main characters' response is lacking.Gunpowder Milkshakeis amovie with serious wasted potentialbut still features a great cast and aesthetic.
Gunpowder Milkshake
Gunpowder Milkshake is an action film that sees Karen Gillan as a woman following in her mother’s footsteps as an assassin. Abandoned at twelve years old, Sam has grown into a skilled assassin. However, after a job goes sideways after learning the truth about it, Sam decides to take up the vigilante route to save a kidnapped girl, resulting in an unexpected team-up with her estranged mother.
7Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawler Could Have Benefited From A Different Ending
There was possibly a way for the audience to get the satisfaction of seeing the villain protagonist punished inNightcrawlerwhile implying that the toxic work environment depicted is still a problem.Nightcrawlerfollows con man Louis Bloom as he starts working as an independent, on-the-scene crime journalistand abuses his employee and business partner. It is a psychological thriller that dives into Lou’s mentality and what he will do to succeed — which is just about anything. Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance rivals some of the best movie supervillains.
However,Nightcrawler’s ending doesn’t quite resonate with the rest of the movie. A story that was only going to be about evil triumphing should have been more dramatic, whilemore ambiguity would have suitedNightcrawler.This thriller features strong performances from both Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed and a compellingly disturbing main plot. However, its ending feels like the writers weren’t sure what else to do with the main character.
Nightcrawler
Written and directed by Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler follows petty thief Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) after he learns of a potentially lucrative job opportunity selling footage of violent events to local media outlets. Lou becomes a “stringer” - a freelance journalist who captures and records footage for news stations - and finds that the profession sucks him into the most dangerous parts of Los Angeles. Drawn deeper into his dark obsession, Lou becomes increasingly fixated with violence and crime.
6Don’t Worry Darling (2022)
Don’t Worry Darling Needed Better Social Commentary
Don’t Worry Darlinghas the foundation of a movie that could have carried some very sophisticated gender politics commentary. However, the entire plot amounts to a kidnapping conspiracy that is obviously bad but doesn’t delve into any bigger themes.Don’t Worry Darlingneeded some of the inspiration that droveBarbieor evenFair Playto elevate the psychedelic concept of the virtual world in which women are imprisoned.
WhatDon’t Worry Darlingdoes have is a new take on a classic sci-fi premise and an amazing cast,including Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, and Gemma Chan. The 1950s suburban setting has a creepy feeling throughout, but the offhand comments and interactions in this world don’t have as much bearing on the movie’s meaning as they should. The aura of this movie is wonderful; it just needed better dialogue and unsaid implications.
Don’t Worry Darling
In Don’t Worry Darling, a young married couple are lucky enough to live in Victory, an experimental town created to house the workers and families of the top-secret Victory Project. Life is perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is an unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause. But soon, cracks in their idyllic life appear, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade.
10 Worst Twist Endings That Ruined Thriller Movies
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5Bird Box (2018)
Sandra Bullock’s A Quiet Place Is Missing An Emotional Component
No one missed the similarities between the Netflix thrillerBird Boxand the recent hitA Quiet Place, as it utilizes essentially the same premise except that humans must avoid looking at the aliens rather than alerting them with sound. Sandra Bullock is always excellent, and Sarah Paulson is a strong addition to any horror movie, althoughBird Boxarguably underuses the latter. Despite its unoriginality,Bird Boxhas a good framed and non-linear narrativeand awesome thrills in the dangerous journey the main character undertakes with two children.
However, the movie’s emotional storyline is ham-fisted.Malorie is so emotionally cut off that she calls her children"Boy"and"Girl,“while the story seems like it wants to imply that the alien invasion forced her to change for the better. She considered giving up her child for adoption but was prevented from doing this by circumstance; it awkwardly implies something valuable in Malorie being forced to become a mother. IfBird Boxhad figured out a better arc for her, it would have had less of a cash-grabbing feeling.
Bird Box
Bird Box shows the apocalypse through the ears of Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock), a mother of two who tries to get her children to safety after realizing that the demonic entities who are ravaging the world only affect their victims through their eyes. The 2018 Netflix hit is based on Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name.
4I’m Thinking Of Ending Things (2020)
I’m Thinking Of Ending Things' Themes Are There But All Over The Place
Like several other modern horror movies,I’mThinking of Ending Thingsleans in the direction of commenting upon women’s autonomy,but doesn’t quite follow through on it. The female protagonist finds herself in the uncomfortable situation of meeting the parents of a boyfriend she is about to break up with. It is implied that his flirting with her and her not feeling like she could so bluntly reject him ruined her relationship with another partner.
This theme is confused with the movie’s other motif of a fear of aging. The dinner party changes ages and clothing between shots, apparently as an illustration of aging rapidly in the blink of an eye.I’m Thinking of Ending Thingsis a whirlwind of strange moments that are doubtlessly meant to represent something greater,but take some time to process. Ultimately, it seems like the movie is missing one beat to tie it all together.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a Netflix original movie that was released in September 2020. The story centers on a young woman who decides to visit her boyfriend’s parents' mysterious farm. But after arriving, she realizes he’s not the man she thought he was. I’m Thinking of Ending Things stars Jesse Plemmons and Jessie Buckley and is directed by Charlie Kaufman.
3Now You See Me 2 (2016)
Now You See Me 2 Adds To The First Movie’s Weaknesses
The firstNow You See Me’s biggest problem is that not all the magic tricks are explained.When a few of them are broken down, the audience wants to know how the Horsemen accomplished all the others, which certainly look like real magic. Some character motivations are also hard to buy into when they play their undercover roles so well. However,Now You See Meis a great movie of glam and thrills, so these things are tolerable. Yet they become harder to ignore inNow You See Me 2.
It is exactly what fans wanted from a Now You See Me sequel.
In the sequel,Lizzy Caplan is a strong addition to the main cast, replacing Isla Fisher after her exit from the franchise.There are just as many mind-bending and delightful magic tricks in service of the Horsemen’s Robin Hood image, with the spectacular cast shining as they always do. It is exactly what fans wanted from aNow You See Mesequel. However, the plausibility of the magic and the plot pushes the envelope, leaving some people behind after the relatively easy-to-understand first installment.
Now You See Me 2
Now You See Me 2 follows the Four Horsemen as they return after eluding the FBI, only to encounter a new adversary who forces them into their most perilous heist. The film, released in 2016, continues the saga of illusionists navigating conflicts with law enforcement and enigmatic foes.
2Tenet (2020)
Tenet Is An Intriguing But Notoriously Confusing Time Travel Movie
Tenetis generally not regarded as one ofChristopher Nolan’s best moviesbut has some dedicated defenders. Its take on time travel is like nothing ever seen before, dependent on the characters physically moving in reverse as they go backward in time. There are some satisfying twists involving an anonymous figure having been someone important all along, andthe main trio of John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, and Elizabeth Debicki have great chemistry.
The most common complaint aboutTenetis that it is too confusing,with the trajectories of characters moving in different directions through time folding over on each other several times.Tenetis also mildly lacking heart, with a point of it all not completely coming through. While audiences doing the work to understand the plot is arguably a stipulation of this genre, Nolan could have better emphasized the importance of the Protagonist protecting Kat and taking down her husband.
Tenet
Armed with only one word—Tenet—and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a nameless Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.
10 Complicated Movies That People Pretend To Understand (But Really Don’t)
Some movies feature intricate metaphors that people often pretend to understand, despite initial confusion and difficulty comprehending them.
1Last Night In Soho (2021)
Last Night In Soho Resolves The Conflict As Quickly As It Began
Admittedly, most ofLast Night in Sohois amazing. As a kind of horror version ofMidnight in Paris,Last Night in Sohofollows a young fashion student in London afflicted by visions of an aspiring singer decades earlier,witnessing how her life in the city quickly became a nightmare. Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin McKenzie, Matt Smith, and Diana Rigg are all perfect in their respective roles. The movie exhibits some gratuitous gore but conveys the terror of these two young women living in the city.
The one thing that would have madeLast Night in Sohobetter would have been a stronger parallel between Eloise and Sandie. Eloise might feel out of her element in London, but she is never in danger the way Sandie is. The ending twist also undermines any potential theme of Eloise and Sandie being familiars. However,most people will callLast Night in Sohoa great movie,as is the case with most thrillers that got almost everything right.
Last Night in Soho
In the acclaimed director Edgar Wright’s psychological thriller, Last Night in Soho, Eloise, an aspiring fashion designer, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s, where she encounters a dazzling wannabe singer, Sandie. However, the glamour is not all it appears to be, and the dreams of the past start to crack and splinter into something far darker.
