These are the best thrillers to watch on Netflix right now
10-6
10. The Irishman
- Genre: Crime thriller
- Release date: November 27, 2019
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Stephen Graham
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 3 hours 29 minutes
What it’s about: Through a chance encounter, Frank Sheeran becomes a handyman for the mafia, ‘painting houses’ and doing anything else asked of him. His dispassion for life makes him a huge asset, especially when he’s sent to work for Jimmy Hoffa, a powerful Teamsters leader.
Why we like it: Thank God it’s not, but The Irishman would’ve been a fitting final film for Scorsese – it feels like the grand summation of his ambitions and plights over the years. The gangster beats are there, but as a loving, desperately moving look at mortality, guilt, and how time endlessly, irrepressibly moves on, this is a truly extraordinary film; a near-perfect epic.
9. Knives Out
- Genre: Whodunnit, Comedy, Thriller
- Release date: November 27, 2019
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Cast: Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 2 hours 10 minutes
What it’s about: When a rich mystery writer is murdered in his bed, legendary detective Benoit Blanc is anonymously hired to solve the crime, with the author’s children all having something to gain from the death of their father.
Why we like it: Knives Out is pretty much the perfect whodunnit, with the murder at the heart of the story ingenious, the siblings suspected of that murder both interesting and colorful, and man on the case Benoit Blanc a likable lead, even if Daniel Craig does make him sound a bit like Foghorn Leghorn. And you won’t see the solution coming.
8. El Camino
- Genre: Thriller
- Release date: October 11, 2019
- Director: Vince Gilligan
- Cast: Aaron Paul, Jesse Plemons, Krysten Ritter
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 2 hours 2 minutes
What it’s about: Taking place during and after the events of Breaking Bad, El Camino follows Jesse Pinkman during his time being held prisoner and after his escape.
Why we like it: Let’s get this out of the way: El Camino didn’t need to exist, and it certainly didn’t outperform the show that came before it. But for an unnecessary follow-up, it’s a pretty damn fierce solo outing for Jesse Pinkman, who attempts to survive his circumstance and later, overcome his trauma. The short but overwhelming story will leave you feeling like you’re hurtling down the road at 90mph, only to come to a sudden stop.
7. The Killer
- Genre: Thriller/action
- Release date: September 3, 2023
- Director: David Fincher
- Cast: Michael Fassbender, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton, Monique Ganderton, Arliss Howard
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 1 hour 58 minutes
What it’s about: A solitary, cold, and methodical contract killer has a hit go awry. As he gets into more trouble, he believes he’s losing his mind.
Why we like it: Only David Fincher could make a main role who hardly talks and doesn’t even have a name into an absolute masterpiece. The Killer is a spectacle of meditation, moving stealthily through a storyline that shouldn’t otherwise feel new to us at all. Our contract hitman has an unexpected sense of humor alongside chomping a McMuffin and taking out baddies who watch The Antiques Roadshow. In short, it’s all happening.
6. Carry-On
- Genre: Thriller, action
- Release date: December 5, 2024
- Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
- Cast: Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Jason Bateman
- Regions: Everywhere
- How long is it? 1 hour and 59 minutes
What it’s about: When a TSA agent is instructed to let through a mysterious bag at a busy airport, he finds himself trying to stop a horrific terrorist plot that could cost the lives of hundreds.
Why we like it: Many dubbed Carry-On as this generation’s Die Hard, and while that might be an exaggeration, the Netflix thriller has all the makings of an undeniably fun time. If there were a thriller checklist, Carry-on would tick them all off: a time crunch, a busy and everyday environment, a blackmailed protagonist, and a cheesy villain with the goal to destroy. Oh, and it’s a Christmas movie. Not too shabby!