These are the best thrillers to watch on Netflix right now
25-21
25. A Prophet
- Genre: Crime/Thriller
- Release date: May 16, 2009
- Director: Jacques Audiard
- Cast: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Hichem Yacoubi, Reda Kateb
- Regions: US and Canada
- How long is it? 2 hours 30 minutes
What it’s about: A young Muslim man rises through the ranks of a brutal French prison, navigating alliances, betrayals, and a criminal empire.
Why we like it: Emilia Perez might not be for everyone, but A Prophet is undoubtedly Audiard’s best work. A mature, engrossing crime drama that touches on race and religion, it’s the kind of film you need to set aside time for. Rather than a popcorn thriller, it’s a gritty, unrelenting portrayal of prison life and criminal ascension, one that’s well worth sticking with. Thankfully, your only option is to watch this thriller its original language (French) on Netflix, so there are no dodgy dubs to be found here.
24. The Lost Daughter
- Genre: Thriller/Drama
- Release date: December 16, 2021
- Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Cast: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Ed Harris
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 2 hours 1 minute
What it’s about: A middle-aged woman’s seaside vacation takes a turn thanks to her fixation on a mother-daughter duo in a nearby villa. Watching them day to day, her dark past is opened up.
Why we like it: If you’ve ever wanted to see Olivia Colman be a complete cold-hearted b*tch, now’s your chance. Brooding and often stuck in its own trauma, The Lost Daughter plays out like the callous neighbor you’ve always suspected looks down on you. It serves as Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, and she’s going to school you on cinema etiquette any chance she gets.
23. It’s What’s Inside
- Genre: Horror/sci-fi
- Release date: January 19, 2024
- Director: Greg Jardin
- Cast: Reina Hardesty, Gavin Leatherwood, James Morosini, Nina Bloomgarden, Madison Davenport
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 1 hour 43 minutes
What it’s about: A group of college friends at a pre-wedding reunion find a surprise guest who arrives with a mysterious suitcase in the pack. This starts to tear the group apart, resulting in psychological chaos.
Why we like it: This mind-bending movie takes a typical coming-of-age story to the next level. It’s What’s Inside is an all-rounder that’s easy to watch – good cast, direction, script, and a satisfying mystery… it’s all there.
22. Nowhere
- Genre: Thriller/drama
- Release date: September 29, 2023
- Director: Albert Pintó
- Cast: Anna Castillo, Mariam Torres, Tamar Novas, Tony Corvillo, Kaabil Sekali
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 1 hour 49 minutes
What it’s about: Pregnant Mia is fleeing a totalitarian country when a violent storm knocks the ship container she’s hiding in overboard. Can she survive? Well, that would be telling.
Why we like it: I’m not sure if I’d describe watching a dystopian thriller that could happen to us at any given moment as “thrilling,” but Nowhere never drops its tension. By the end of the movie, you’ll be spent of any energy, which has all gone into the baby’s survival. It’s a great choice if you want to expand your Spanish Duolingo streak, though.
21. Don’t Move
- Genre: Horror/Thriller
- Release date: October 24, 2024
- Director: Adam Schindler
- Cast: Kelsey Asbille, Finn Wittrock
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 1 hour 30 minutes
What it’s about: When a Patrick Bateman wannabe injects a woman with a paralytic agent, she has just 20 minutes to run and hide before her body shuts down.
Why we like it: Word of warning: Don’t Move will have you screaming at your screen. It might not be “absolute cinema,” as Martin Scorsese would put it, but if you’re looking for 90 minutes of heart-thumping tension and a unique premise, this is for you. Asbille and Wittrock give impeccable performances, and as for that ending, well, let’s just say you won’t see it coming.