These are the best thrillers to watch on Netflix right now
NetflixDo you love films that have you on the edge of your seat and get your heart pounding? Of course, you do; why else would you click on an article titled the best thrillers on Netflix?
Now, working out what to include on this list was no easy task. After all, some of the best films ever made are thrillers, and the genre has a lot of crossover with action movies.
Still, our team of film fanatics was more than up to the task, and they’ve spent the last few days diligently trawling through Netflix’s library (and there are a lot of new movies on Netflix; trust me I have the tired eyes to prove it) to bring you what might just be the greatest list of thriller films ever made (on Netflix…).
Is that a gross exaggeration designed to hit an arbitrary word count before we get to the list? Absolutely… not, but just to make sure I’m not lying, you should probably read on and let us know what you think.
30-26
30. Luther: The Fallen Sun
- Genre: Crime thriller
- Release date: March 10 2023
- Director: Jamie Payne
- Cast: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 2 hours 9 minutes
What it’s about: When a twisted new killer starts targeting families in London DCI John Luther is given the task of bringing the murderer down. But this devious killer is no ordinary criminal it soon becomes clear he’s more dangerous than Luthor realized.
Why we like it: The Fallen Sun may not reinvent the wheel but it’s got everything you’d want from a popcorn thriller namely a spooky villain, a compelling mystery, and Idris Elba growling and punching his way through London’s criminal underworld like a robot powered by thumping crooks. If that doesn’t tempt you it’s worth watching for Serkis’ unhinged performance: it’s big, brave, and totally bonkers.
29. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Netflix- Genre: Thriller, Comedy
- Release date: February 24, 2017
- Director: Macon Blair
- Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, Jane Levy
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 1 hour 36 minutes
What it’s about: While deep in the midst of an existential crisis, Ruth’s house is burgled, so she teams up with strange neighbour Tony, and embarks on a mission to track the thieves down, in the hopes of making them pay for what they’ve done.
Why we like it: Written and directed by Macon Blair, who also briefly appears in the movie, I Don’t Feel at Home is a comedy-thriller that turns decidedly nasty when the protagonists find themselves in over their heads. Plot and tone are clearly influenced by the best of the Coen brothers, while Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood are a winning odd couple who should have played Ruth and Tony in a bunch of sequels to this underrated and underseen crime caper.
28. The Power of the Dog
- Genre: Western, Drama, Thriller
- Release date: November 17, 2021
- Director: Jane Campion
- Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 2 hours 6 minutes
What it’s about: Based on the 1967 Thomas Savage novel of the same name, The Power of the Dog concerns a tough and domineering rancher waging psychological warfare on his brother’s wife and son in 1920s Montana, until the tables are turned in the most shocking fashion.
Why we like it: Jane Campion’s Western movie is beautiful, disturbing, terrifying, and filled with twists and turns that you won’t see coming. Kirsten Dunst has never been better, Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a powerhouse performance as a bad man with big secrets, while the understated Kodi Smit-McPhee steals the film out from under him as a youngster with an even bigger secret. Mesmerizing stuff.
27. The Platform
- Genre: Dystopian thriller
- Release date: November 8, 2019
- Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
- Cast: Iván Massagué, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor
- Regions: US, Europe
- How long is it? 1 hour 34 minutes
What it’s about: Set in an impossible towering prison The Platform follows several inmates who rely on a single platform for food that moves down the tower. Those at the top get the most to eat, those at the bottom… well they’re lucky if they get scraps.
Why we like it: The cinematic equivalent of a Cormac McCarthy novel, The Platform is an exceptionally bleak movie that ends with the promise that things might get better. As you might expect then it’s a challenging watch, yet if you’re willing to give it your time you’ll find its compelling plot, inventive concept, and shocking twists make up for the fact it’s gloomier than a Goth who can’t find their favorite black coat. It’s shockingly violent which is always a good things right?
26. I’m Thinking of Ending Things
- Genre: Thriller, drama
- Release date: August 28, 2020
- Director: Charlie Kaufman
- Cast: Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 2 hours 14 minutes
What it’s about: When a young woman joins her boyfriend on a trip to meet his parents, she starts to discover small clues and moments that suggest the world around her isn’t really what it seems to be, including her boyfriend.
Why we like it: Thrillers are often known for their intensity and the feeling of being left on a knife’s edge, but there are quieter options, too. One of which is I’m Thinking of Ending Things, which is a far more subtle but equally enticing flick that just about classifies as a thriller. But it could also be a horror, a romance, or a drama, depending on how you interpret events. And some interpretation is needed, because by the time the tension and mystery dissolve, you’ll be left with more questions than answers.