30 Best Thrillers On Netflix

Summary

• Thriller movies on Netflix are perfect for fans of suspense and chills.
• Netflix’s impressive collection ranges from classics to newer titles.
• Big names in Hollywood, dark stories, and surprise endings make Netflix thrillers stand out.

While the streaming service caters to all kinds of genres, the best thriller movies on Netflix are perfect for those looking for some suspense and chills. In the age of streaming, Netflix remains one of the biggest platforms with a wide array of selections in movies and television. Among their best titles are some standout titles from the thriller genre that put people on the edge of their seats with dark and twisty stories with surprises around every corner and danger always lurking in the shadows.

These thrillers now available on Netflix come from some of the biggest filmmakers of all time, like Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino. They also star the biggest names in Hollywood with the likes of Tom Cruise, Florence Pugh, and Tom Hanks in the mix. They can range from classics like Heat to newer titles like The Killer, from bleak and disturbing stories to thrillers with a sense of humor. All these impressive options show just how extensive the collection of thriller movies on Netflix is.

30 Reptile (2023)

A Detective Looks At Various Suspects Of A Murder

A murder mystery story with a dedicated detective at its center is an effective type of story often seen in thriller movies. The Netflix Original movie Reptile offers its own take on the genre with the story kicking off with a husband (Justin Timberlake) discovering the body of his fiance. The movie is elevated by Benicio Del Toro’s lead performance as a troubled yet determined detective investigating the case. As the mystery gets more complicated and spirals into a larger conspiracy than he had expected, Del Toro’s reserved and gripping performance helps to ground it all.

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29 The Pale Blue Eye (2022)

A Detective Investigates A Murder At A Military Academy

A period thriller is a rarer thing to see in the genre, but it can be very appealing when pulled off well. Christian Bale reteamed with director Scott Cooper for the 1800s murder mystery The Pale Blue Eye. Bale stars as a reclusive detective who is called back into the profession to help solve a murder at the military academy in West Point, where he is aided by a young cadet, Edgar Allan Poe.

The movie takes that interesting bit of history about the famed author to develop this dark gothic tale. Indeed, the interactions between Bale’s detective and Harry Melling’s Poe are the best aspect of the movie, leading to a clever twist ending.

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28 The Stranger (2022)

An Undercover Cop Attempts To Trap A Kidnapper

Some of the best thriller movies on Netflix are ones that slipped under the radar. Such is the case with the Australian true-crime movie The Stranger. Based on a true kidnapping case, the movie stars Joel Edgerton as a cop investigating the case who goes undercover to befriend the prime suspect (Sean Harris). Despite the real events that inspired it, the movie still builds tension and intensity with its quiet yet gripping story. Egerton and Harris each deliver strong performances as these complex characters.

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27 Gerald’s Game (2017)

A Woman Struggles To Free Herself

Before Mike Flanagan adapted Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep, he brought the author’s 1992 novel Gerald’s Game to the small screen. Like the 2019 sequel to The Shining, Gerald’s Game stands as one of the better King adaptations from Hollywood’s newest glut of them. The plot follows Carla Gugino’s Jessie Burlingame, whose husband dies from a heart attack while the two are arguing.

Unfortunately for Jessie, she’s handcuffed to their bed’s headboard, and now she’s seeing the dead. It is a simple premise that mixes relatable horror with supernatural fear in an effective way. It also features a climax that is wild but not for the faint of heart.

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26 Shot Caller (2017)

A Man Finds Himself Turned Into A Hardened Criminal

Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau gives a solid lead performance in this tense and brutal thriller. Shot Caller finds Coster-Waldau playing a mild-mannered and successful family man whose reckless mistake ends him up in prison for a short prison sentence. The pressures of staying alive in the dangerous population of criminals cause him to be dragged into the world of organized crime, giving up any hope of a normal life outside of prison. Seeing the transformation of this man is unsettling and terrifying but the movie progresses, showing a plan at work to find some sort of redemption.

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25 Don’t Worry Darling (2022)

A Housewife Questions Her Reality

Don’t Worry Darling was the subject of a lot of unwanted press leading up to its release, but all that distracted from what is an intriguing and exciting thriller from director Olivia Wilde. Florence Pugh stars as a happy housewife in an idyllic 1950s suburb with her husband (played by Harry Styles). However, she soon begins to suspect there is something more sinister beneath the seemingly perfect surface and begins to question her reality. Pugh delivers a stunning performance in the lead role while the movie’s reveals are shocking and disturbing, building a fascinating mythology.

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24 Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)

The Controversial Detective Hunts A Twisted Serial Killer

After five seasons of playing the brilliant but troubled detective, Idris Elba returns as John Luther in the first movie of the series, Luther: The Fallen Sun. Beginning with Luther in prison, he is broken out to help hunt down a killer who blackmails people using their darkest secrets against them.

While the movie doesn’t break a lot of new ground for the character of Luther, it is a dark and gripping crime thriller that fans of the show will love. Elba continues to excel in the role while Andy Serkis is terrifying as the villain. The ending of Luther: The Fallen Sun sets off the future of the character in an exciting way, but this would still serve as a fitting farewell.

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23 I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore (2017)

A Woman Seeks Justice Following A Break-In

It is always impressive when a thriller can shock and disturb audiences with its storytelling while still having a sense of humor. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore is a pitch-black comedy starring Melanie Lynskey as a woman growing more disillusioned by an uncaring world.

After her house is burglarized, she decides to take matters into her own hands only to find herself in a more dangerous situation than she expected. The movie feels like a fitting tribute to the Coen Brothers’ stories of ordinary people suddenly over their heads in violence. It has some great laughs but never at the expense of the thrills.

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22 The Devil All The Time (2020)

Various Dark Figures Intertwine In The Rural South

The Devil All the Time is a Netflix original movie that assembles a star-studded cast for a dark Southern Gothic thriller. Set in a small backwoods community, Tom Holland leads the star-studded cast of The Devil All the Time as a young man who will do anything to protect his loved ones as a variety of dark characters converge on him, including Sebastian Stan as a corrupt sheriff and Robert Pattinson as an abusive preacher.

The grim nature of the movie may be too much for some people but it is a compelling story about the darkness of humanity and Holland’s hero attempting to escape it.

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21 Emily The Criminal (2022)

A Desperate Woman Becomes Involved In A Criminal Scheme

Aubrey Plaza gives her best movie performance to date in the underrated thriller Emily the Criminal. She plays a young woman struggling to find a job with her criminal background who finds an opportunity with a small and illegal scam operation. The movie is a fairly simple story that acts more as a character study of Emily than a crime story, yet still leaves the audience on the edge of their seats. The movie does a great job exploring the complexity of Emily from the unfair aspects of her struggles to the mistakes she makes.

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20 Missing (2023)

A Young Woman Investigates Her Mother’s Disappearance

Following the surprise success of Searching, Missing was developed as a sequel that wisely approached the unique format with a totally new story. Once again told entirely on the screens of computers and phones, Missing stars Storm Reid as a young girl who begins a desperate search for her mother who went missing while on vacation with her boyfriend.

Just as Searching did, Missing uses the unique storytelling approach to create a fully immersive mystery that is gripping from beginning to end. It is the kind of fast-paced thriller that is a perfect entry point for fans who are not typically thriller movie watchers.

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19 The Mauritanian (2021)

A Political Prisoner Fights For Freedom

Yet another subgenre to the thriller movie is the classic courtroom thriller. It is a riveting type of movie when done well and The Mauritanian is a recent example of how it is still going strong with interesting stories. Based on a true story, it follows the efforts of Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s fight for freedom after he was imprisoned by the U.S. government for years without any charges. It is a harrowing story of determination and courage featuring a powerful lead performance from Tahar Rahim and a supporting cast that includes Jodie Foster and Benedict Cumberbatch.

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18 El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story (2019)

Jesse Pinkman Goes On The Run

The Breaking Bad timeline continued with this Netflix Original movie that showed what happened to Jesse Pinkman after the show’s finale. While it could have been a mistake to return to this world after a well-received ending, El Camino makes it worthwhile by telling a story that fits within the feel and vibe of the show while feeling like its own story. Seeing Aaron Paul back in the role of Jesse is a thrill and he is not the only returning character. It is a thrilling footnote to the show that wraps up one of its most beloved characters.

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17 Triple Frontier (2019)

Former Soldiers Plan A Daring Heist

An all-star cast assembles for the high-octane thriller Triple Frontier. Oscar Isaac, Pedro Pascal, Ben Affleck, and more star in the movie as ex-special forces operatives who decide to take on an off-the-books mission to rob a drug lord. What is meant to be the perfect crime turns wrong as greed sets in. The entire cast of the movie elevates the modern-day treasure hunt story with Affleck as the ensemble’s standout as a desperate man whose reluctance turns to blind desire. It is a grounded and gritty ride with a cast of great actors.

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16 The Good Nurse (2022)

A Nurse Suspects Her Colleague Is A Killer

Oscar winners Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne teamed to tell the chilling true-crime story of The Good Nurse. Chastain plays a caring and compassionate nurse who is pulled into an investigation that implicates her friend and colleague (Redmayne) in the deaths of hundreds of hospital patients. The movie is a great two-handed story, focusing on the disturbing nature of Redmayne’s character and his crimes as well as Chastain’s character as a selfless hero hoping to save lives. The facts behind the movie only make it a more intriguing story to explore.

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15 Burning (2018)

A Man Suspects The Woman He Loves Is In Danger

Some of the best thrillers on Netflix will also open people up to the genre’s great offerings from other countries. Burning is a South Korean movie with an expert slow-burn approach to a haunting story. It follows a young man named Jong-su who reconnects with a girl from his youth only for her to bring her new wealthy boyfriend (Steven Yeun) into the fold, making Jong-su uneasy.

At nearly three hours, the movie takes a very deliberate pace, not even revealing the thriller aspect until the second half of the movie. However, it wraps the audience in the story so thoroughly that the final half is a pulse-pounding experience with Yeun delivering a brilliant and chilling performance.

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14 Fair Play (2023)

A Promotion At Work Adds Tension To A Couple’s Romance

One of the latest thrillers on Netflix, Fair Play is a gripping and expertly acted relationship drama that spirals into something darker. Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich star as a couple working together at a high-pressure hedge fund firm while keeping their relationship a secret.

However, things begin to unravel when she gets the promotion he was hoping for. The movie sees the seemingly loving relationship fall apart in realistic and powerful ways. There is a tension simmering underneath it all that explodes in the final act. Dynevor and Ehrenreich each give performances that should solidify them as two of the most exciting young actors in Hollywood.

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13 Leave The World Behind (2023)

Strangers Face An Impending Catastrophe

Leave The World Behind is based on a book of the same name and tells a tense, confined story about the potential end of the world. The movie stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as a couple who decide to escape the hustle of the city for a getaway at an isolated rental. However, their stay is interrupted by the owner (Mahershala Ali) who arrives claiming there is a national emergency.

The film is a commentary on the modern world and is filled with dark humor delivered effectively by the strong cast. However, there is also a palpable tension throughout as the situation grows more serious.

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12 Society Of The Snow (2023)

Plane Crash Survivors Fight For Survival

Another intense subgenre of the thriller genre is survival stories and Society of the Snow tells a remarkable true story of survival. The movie is based on the actual events of an Argentinian rugby team that crashed in the Andes in 1972 and endured brutal conditions as they waited for rescue. The real survivors have praised Society of the Snow for depicting their horrific ordeal in such a truthful way, with all the brutality included. This makes the movie an even more impressive viewing experience even though it is not easy to watch.

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11 They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

A Dysfunctional Trio Investigate A Strange Conspiracy

One of the latest Netflix Original movies already cements itself as one of its best thrillers. They Cloned Tyrone is a genre-bending movie that stars John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx as three unlikely allies who team up to investigate some strange occurrences that point to a sinister government conspiracy. The movie is attempting to do a lot with a mix of Blaxploitation and pulpy mystery while also maintaining a quirky sense of humor. The result is a totally original and exciting movie that has an energetic feel from beginning to end.

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