The Best Thrillers on Netflix

You watch a movie as a way to escape from the real world for two hours. What better way to spice up the mundane activities of everyday life than with a pulse-racing, action-packed thriller film? The thriller genre offers a variety of picks for every film lover, and Netflix specifically has some great thriller options to watch and pick from, streaming right now. From psychological thriller films, to those that are more action heavy, the Netflix thriller category is guaranteed to have just the kind of story you're looking for. There are even some movies streaming that straddle the line between the thriller and horror genres, in case you can't pick between a thriller and a horror movie. No matter the type of story you like to watch, these Netflix selections are ready to keep you on the edge of your seat. Some incorporate elements of comedy, some offer their spin on a crime drama, and still others will appeal to horror fanatics. Get your adrenaline flowing with our list of the best thrillers streaming on Netflix right now.

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Riley Keough, Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 31m

Rotten Tomatoes: 69% (Critics) 48% (Audience) 

A remake of a Danish movie of the same name, Netflix’s The Guilty sees Training Day director Antoine Fuqua teaming up with Jake Gyllenhaal on a pulse pounding thriller. Written by True Detective writer Nic Pizzolatto, The Guilty centers on a demoted police officer (Gyllenhaal) who tries to save a 911 caller who’s in desperate trouble but soon discovers that things may not be what they seem. The film is notable for taking place largely in one room, like the original film, as we see Gyllenhaal’s character talk to people through his headset to try to help the caller. Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the few actors that appears on screen, with Riley Keough, Ethan Hawke, Peter Sarsgaard and other actors giving voice only performances. The result is a movie that’s shockingly tense, as Gyllenhaal makes us feel the stress of the situation as he races to help this woman as more and more shocking events occur. A unique thriller with a fantastic lead performance, The Guilty is superb.

Director: Robert Rodriguez

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida, Cheech Marin

Genre: Action

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 43m

Rotten Tomatoes: 66% (Critics) 79% (Audience)

Director Robert Rodriguez first made his indelible mark on cinema with 1992’s El Mariachi, a low budget Western that wowed audiences with his vibrant astyle. After the runaway success of that film, he continued his Mexico Trilogy with 1995’s Desperado, which sees El Mariachi now played by Antonio Banderas. The Western thriller follows El Mariachi as he arrives in a Mexican town and is confused for a hitman and seeks to avenge the death of his lover. 1995 saw Antonio Banderas at the height of his early career, fresh off the hits Philadelphia and Interview with the Vampire, and Desperado saw him going into full action mode with glorious results. The film is also viewed as Salma Hayek’s breakout role as Carolina, El Mariachi’s love interest. Together they’re the perfect pair of actors for this story that’s romantic as well as thrilling. Exceedingly violent and aggressively stylized, Desperado shows the very best of what Robert Rodriguez can do as a director.

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Edwards

Genre: Thriller, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 37m

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% (Critics) 77% (Audience)

One of David Fincher’s best films, Zodiac centers on the real life pursuit of the infamous serial killer known as the Zodiac Killer. Political cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), San Francisco police detective Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo), and crime reporter Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.) obsessively attempt to track down the Zodiac Killer and bring him to justice. What’s remarkable about Zodiac is its painstaking realism in its portrayal of the investigation, and some of the most chilling scenes in a non-horror movie (the scene in which the Zodiac murders a picnicking couple in broad daylight will probably put you off picnics for good). What’s even more impressive about Zodiac is that it’s still thrilling and riveting, despite the fact that the identity of the Zodiac Killer remains a mystery today. Zodiac’s status as a modern classic thriller is a testament to Fincher’s incredible direction. 

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: PG

Runtime: 2h 4m

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% (Critics) 90% (Audience)

Jaws is so easily remembered as the first summer blockbuster that it’s easy to forget it’s also one of the best thrillers to ever hit the big screen. Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Benchley, Jaws centers on a town menaced by a giant killer shark, and the local sheriff (Roy Scheider), oceanographer (Richard Dreyfuss), and shark hunter (Robert Shaw) who team up to destroy the beast. From its very first iconic scene in which a young woman meets an unfortunate end set to that now famous score, Jaws is a non-stop thrill ride that changed cinema forever. Its characters are memorable, its villain is one of the most iconic villains in cinema history, and the direction from Steven Spielberg shows a director that is working at the height of his craft. The movie even proved that showing the villain less (an unintentional choice, the onset mechanical sharks often broke down) can make a film even more tense and scary, with top notch direction and an effective score. Jaws is one of the very best thrillers of all time, and essentially influenced numerous thrillers that came out in the decades after its release.

Director: Alexandre Aja

Cast: Mélanie Laurent, Mathieu Almaric

Genre: Thriller

Rating: TV-14

Runtime: 1h 41m

Rotten Tomatoes: 88% (Critics) 74% (Audience)

French director Alexandre Aja is best known for his contribution to the New French Extremity movement, with his grisly and uber-violent High Tension being one of the most famous films of the movement. Aja continued to dabble in high octane violence in his Hills Have Eyes remake, but has taken a more subtle turn to horror in recent years, with 2021’s Oxygen his most unique and bloodless film yet. The thriller centers on a woman (Mélanie Laurent) as she wakes up in a cryogenic chamber with no memory of who she is or how she got there and soon discovers that she’s rapidly running out of oxygen. The film makes this anxiety-inducing premise as stressful as possible, never once leaving our main (and only on screen) character as she struggles to break out of her chamber. What’s most impressive is that the film never becomes boring, thanks to Aja’s inventive direction and Melanie Laurent’s committed terrified performance. One of the most unique thrillers you’ll ever see, Oxygen is sure to stay with you long after the credits roll.

Director: Bryan Bertino

Cast: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Glenn Howerton

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 25m

Rotten Tomatoes: 48% (Critics) 48% (Audience)

The Strangers is so scary that it’s easy to forget it’s essentially a thriller. The horror thriller follows couple Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) as they return to their vacation home following a wedding reception and find themselves menaced by masked intruders who eventually break in. The film works as well as it does thanks to its terrifying introduction to the intruders, who infiltrate the house long before the characters notice. The viewer knows that the characters are unaware they’re being watched, and that conceit alone makes the film so thrilling and stressful. Once the characters are fully aware of the imminent threat, the film smartly keeps the suspense at a high as the violence builds up. Even better is the reveal of why the introducers are menacing them, which makes the film even creepier in retrospect. The Strangers is the thriller genre at its scariest. 

Director: Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton, Ally Ioannides

Genre: Sci Fi, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 40m

Rotten Tomatoes: 79% (Critics) 76% (Audience)

Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead have made a name for themselves making impressive low budget science fiction films like 2014’s Spring and 2017’s Resolution. 2019’s Synchronic is their highest budget effort yet, with the biggest movie stars they’ve worked with yet. The science fiction thriller follows paramedics Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) as their lives are irreparably altered after encountering a series of mysterious deaths that stem from a designer drug that alters peoples’ perception of time. Like Benson and Moorehead’s earlier films, Synchronic is mind bending, hard science fiction that goes deep into theories of time travel and Einstein’s theories. It’s also very accessible, thanks to a carefully written screenplay and charming performances from both Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Synchronic is creative, well made, and further evidence that Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead are the future of science fiction film.

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Daniel Craig, Colm Meaney, Kenneth Graham, George Harris

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 45m

Rotten Tomatoes: 80% (Critics) 84% (Audience)

Before he was 007, Daniel Craig starred in one of the most underrated thrillers of the early 2000s. Layer Cake follows an unnamed cocaine dealer (Craig) who finds himself discarding his business-like ways when he’s given a tough assignment by his boss on the eve of his early retirement. Director Matthew Vaughn puts his own visual flair on this British gangster thriller, separating it from other wannabe Guy Ritchie films. Vaughn would later go on to direct the crowd pleasing blockbusters Kick-Ass and Kingsman: The Secret Service, both very similar in tone to this debut feature. Layer Cake is worth a watch if you’re in the mood for a stylish thriller that features a great early performance from James Bond himself.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams

Genre: Thriller, Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 18m

Rotten Tomatoes: 68% (Critics) 76% (Audience)

Martin Scorsese has tackled many genres in his filmography but his first straight up thriller was 2010’s Shutter Island. It follows U.S. Marshall Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he investigates the disappearance of a patient on Shutter Island’s Ashecliffe Hospital, but encounters disturbing visions and a seemingly malicious doctor (Ben Kingsley). DiCaprio’s second collaboration with Scorsese after 2004’s The Aviator was just as successful, with Shutter Island receiving critical praise for its moody, tense atmosphere and plentiful scares that were a welcome left turn for Scorsese. A supporting cast including Mark Ruffalo as Daniels’ partner and Michelle Williams as his recently deceased wife alongside DiCaprio’s impressive lead performance make this one of Scorsese’s very best acted movies (that isn’t a mob drama, of course). Fantastic direction and a moving story, combined with a haunting ending, places Shutter Island among the best of Scorsese’s already stacked filmography.

Director: Tom Ford

Cast: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shanon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Genre: Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 56m

Rotten Tomatoes:  74% (Critics) 73% (Audience)

Fashion designer and film director Tom Ford followed up his lauded 2009 debut A Single Man with 2016’s twisty Nocturnal Animals. The psychological thriller follows art gallery owner Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) as she receives a manuscript from her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal) and becomes absorbed in its story centering on math professor Tony (also Gyllenhaal), which seems to echo their relationship. Ford’s previous stylistic direction takes a more lurid angle here, with plenty of gratuitous violence and shocking turns, reminiscent of the films of Brian De Palma. Amy Adams is appropriately icy and stern here, contrasting with a menacing Jake Gyllenhaal. Both almost get shown up by perennial scene stealer Michael Shannon and a terrifying Aaron Taylor-Johnson in an Academy Award nominated role. Nocturnal Animals is the type of thriller that’s all too rare nowadays: tense, playful in its story construction, and appropriately star-studded.

Director: Josh and Benny Safdie

Cast: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett

Genre: Thriller, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 15m

Rotten Tomatoes:  91% (Critics) 52% (Audience)

Josh and Benny Safdie burst into the mainstream film scene with 2017’s unbearably tense Good Time. How did they follow it up? By making a movie that’s somehow even more stress-inducing. 2019’s Uncut Gems follows jeweler Howie (Adam Sandler) as he makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to an enormous windfall, all while balancing his work, his family, and adversaries that he owes money to. The film boasts one of Adam Sandler’s very best performances, with Howie feeling like such a specific type of person who is legitimately full of love even as circumstances push him to go further and further down a rabbit hole of greed. He’s equal parts funny, sad, and relatable, and it’s impossible to keep your eyes off him the entire film. The Safdies’ direction enhances the suspenseful nature of his constant betting with frenetic, chaotic camerawork that’s all too fitting for the busy nature of Manhattan’s diamond district. They also bring unbelievably great performances not just out of Sandler, but out of newcomer Julia Fox as Howie’s girlfriend Julia, and Kevin Garnett, who plays a slightly fictionalized version of himself. Reminiscent of the best thrillers of the 1970s, Uncut Gems is a huge step forward for the Safdies and another reminder of the unique power of their filmmaking.

Director: Olivier Assayas

Cast: Penélope Cruz, Edgar Ramírez, Gael García Bernal, Wagner Moura 

Genre: Thriller, Drama

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 2h 3m 

Rotten Tomatoes: 40% (Critics) 36% (Audience)

Director Olivier Assayas is a prominent figure in world cinema, thanks to film festival hits over the past thirty years such as Irma Vep, Summer Hours, and Personal Shopper. His latest film is unique, as it’s his first Netflix original film, and therefore one of his most widely accessible films yet. Wasp Network follows Rene Gonzalez (Edgar Ramírez) as he flees Cuba for Miami to become a member of an anti-Castro organization, only to be imprisoned alongside his collaborators. The star-studded thriller features several prominent Latinx actors in the lead roles, including Penélope Cruz, Edgar Ramírez, Wagner Moura, Gael García Bernal , and Ana de Armas. Assayas’ direction has an epic scope here, capturing an urgent real life story that spans several countries and still has political relevance to this day. A tense historical thriller, Wasp Network is further evidence of Oliver Assayas’ directorial genius. 

Director: Cate Shortland

Cast: Teresa Palmer, Max Riemelt, Matthias Habich

Genre: Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 56m

Rotten Tomatoes:  75% (Critics) 53% (Audience)

While Cate Shortland’s upcoming Black Widow is yet to have an official release date, her previous film Berlin Syndrome is a suspenseful delight that’s readily available on Netflix. The thriller follows the romance between Australian photojournalist Clare (Teresa Palmer) and English teacher Andi (Max Riemelt) as it quickly turns sour once Clare discovers that he has imprisoned her within his apartment. While there are plenty of thrillers where men present immediate danger to women, Berlin Syndrome stands out of the crowd by having perceptive direction that doesn’t sensationalize the gendered violence in ways other, more tawdry thrillers would, instead focusing on Clare’s attempts at survival above everything else. The writing is smart as well, showing how easy it can be to get into a situation like Clare’s, and showing how a man like Andi can be as smart as he is terrifying. Berlin Syndrome is a thrilling horror story that feels all too real.

Director: Sarah Adina Smith

Cast: Rami Malek, DJ Qualls, Kate Lyn Sheil, Lin Shaye

Genre: Thriller, Drama

Rating: UR

Runtime: 1h 38m

Rotten Tomatoes: 70% (Critics) 56% (Audience)

Before Rami Malek won his Oscar for 2018’s behemoth biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, he was using his distinctive look to liven up interesting indies, like 2017s Buster’s Mal Heart. The surreal thriller centers on “Buster” (Malek), an eccentric mountain man, as he eludes a local sheriff and recalls the strange events that changed the course of his life, leading him to change his name and leave his wife and family behind. The film utilizes a dreamlike narrative, and the strange nature of the film works largely in part to Malek’s stoic performance. His method of inhabiting an intense, determined demeanor like in his star-making lead role in Mr. Robot pays off well here, selling what could otherwise come off as too bizarre. Writer/director/editor Sarah Adina Smith also deserves credit, not just for creating such a singular story, but for letting the film unfold exactly like a dream, meaning some viewers will inevitably be lost, but most will be entranced by the pure vibe of the narrative. Buster’s Mal Heart will leave you entranced. 

Director: Dan Gilroy

Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, John Malkovich

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 53m

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% (Critics) 35% (Audience)

A slasher thriller set in the art world is one of the more unique Netflix originals to grace your home screens. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Morf, an art critic, who becomes embroiled in a mysterious curse unleashed by the discovery of paintings by an unknown artist. Boasting an impressive cast, including Toni Collette, John Malkovich, and Daveed Diggs, Velvet Buzzsaw is an ensemble horror thriller that also functions as a vicious satire of the art world, since the curse only targets those who have let their greed overtake their artistic integrity. Gyllenhaal is delightfully over the top, as is the script, from Nightcrawler screenwriter Dan Gilroy. Velvet Buzzsaw is a ridiculous, gory delight that will leave you asking your more artistic friends what exactly you just watched. 

Director: Zak Hilditch

Cast: Thomas Jane, Molly Parker, Dylan Schmid, Neal McDonough

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 1h 42m

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics) 57% (Audience)

The latest Stephen King film to hit Netflix, 1922 is an adaptation of his 2010 novella of the same name. The film centers on Wilf James (Thomas Jane), a farmer living in Hemingford Home, Nebraska (a locale surely familiar to Stephen King fans) in 1922 with his wife Arlette (Molly Parker) and teenage son. When Wilf strongly opposes Arlette’s plans to sell the farm and move to Omaha, he convinces his son to help him murder her. A more lowkey, human story from King, 1922 is nevertheless thrilling and creepy in its portrayal of a man headed toward damnation. It’s eerie, moody atmosphere benefits the story, as well as its strong lead performance by Thomas Jane. Add in some supremely creepy footage of rats, as well as a chilling slow burn pace, and you have one of the more assured, yet underrated King adaptations in recent years.  

Director: Adam Wingard

Cast: Dan Stevens, Maika Monroe, Brendan Meyer

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 40m

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics) 69% (Audience)

Criminally underrated, The Guest is a stylish and smart throwback to the works of John Carpenter with a devilish lead performance. The movie follows soldier David (Dan Stevens) who unexpectedly visits the family of a dead soldier, claiming to have been his friend before he died. When deaths begin to occur in their small town, daughter Anna (Maika Monroe) begins to suspect David may be behind them. Dan Stevens is equal parts charming and menacing as David, whose plans slowly begin to come clear as his weaponized handsome looks give way to darker motivations. Adam Wingard’s direction pays homage to Halloween and They Live director John Carpenter with its sleek and determined focus, strong use of color, and brutal, darkly comedic action scenes. The soundtrack is also an inspired mix of contemporary synthwave artists and classic goth rock bands such as the Sisters of Mercy and Clan of Xymox, cementing its 80’s thriller aesthetic. The Guest is a visually stunning genre film delight.

Director: Antonio Campos

Cast: Brady Corbet, Mati Diop, Constance Rousseau

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 1h 41m

Rotten Tomatoes: 77% (Critics) 50% (Audience)

A chilling glance into the mind of a sociopath, Simon Killer is an unnerving, well-acted thriller. From director Antonio Campos (director of the upcoming Netflix film The Devil All The Time), Simon Killer follows young American man Simon (Brady Corbet), as he visits Paris after a difficult breakup and befriends a sex worker (Mati Diop), as the darker sides of his personality begin to come to life. What makes the film so unnerving is how slow paced it is, having the viewer gradually witness Simon as the viewer slowly begins to learn about who he is as a person. Brady Corbet’s performance is deliciously opaque, and Mati Diop gives a stellar performance as well, as Victoria, the sex worker he befriends. Moody and mysterious, Simon Killer won’t leave you for a while after you finish watching it.

Director: Kate and Laura Mulleavy

Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Joe Cole, Pilou Asbæk

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 40m

Rotten Tomatoes: 25% (Critics) 24% (Audience)

Transitioning from fashion designer to movie director is a curious, but fruitful career move, especially when taking Tom Ford’s brilliant 2009 debut A Single Man into consideration. 2017 saw sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, founders of the Rodarte fashion label, take a similar plunge, writing and directing the evocative and impressive Woodshock. Released by A24, Woodshock follows Theresa (Kirsten Dunst), as she’s torn between depression resulting from a profound loss and the surreal effects of a potent drug. While its experimental stylings may not be for everyone, its stunning visuals and impressive performance from Dunst are enough to overcome any narrative shortcomings, with it essentially being one of the more high profile experimental films to be released by a major distributor in recent years. The Mulleavys have an interesting eye for composition and color, and use it to their advantage, portraying a women’s descent into depression in a uniquely purposeful way. Woodshock is an expressive, curious cinematic trip.

Director: Jonathan Glazer

Cast: Scarlett Johansson

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 48m

Rotten Tomatoes: 84% (Critics) 55% (Audience)

Under The Skin contains what is probably Scarlett Johansson’s most singular performance. She stars as a mysterious alien who lands in Scotland, takes the form of a woman, and begins preying on innocent men. It’s an alienating (no pun intended) and cold movie that has the viewer watching Johansson in both wonder and terror as the camera methodically follows her through the gloomy landscapes of Scotland. Eerily enough, the movie is filled with non-actors; the men that Johansson’s alien picks up were unaware that they were being filmed until after the fact. Under The Skin is a creepy experience that must be seen to be believed.

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 1m

Rotten Tomatoes: 80% (Critics) 63% (Audience)

Director Yorgos Lanthimos is known for his chilling dramas: even his most straightforward movie, the Oscar winning The Favorite, has a distinct menace to it. One of his more disturbing yet delectable movies, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, follows cardiac surgeon Steven (Colin Farrell) who befriends a teenager Martin (Barry Keoghan) who has a tragic connection to his past. Steven suspects something is deeply wrong with Martin when his family begins to fall mysteriously ill one by one after he enters their lives. Lanthimos’s impeccable direction highlights this disturbing story: every scene feels slightly off-kilter, even if you can’t exactly put your finger on why. Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman give great performances, but the breakout is Dunkirk’s Barry Keoghan, who oozes menace no matter what he does (a scene where he eats spaghetti might just put you off the stuff for a bit). The Killing of a Sacred Deer is yet another singular, riveting film from a steadily more appreciated director.

Director: Trey Edward Shults

Cast: Joel Edgerton, Christopher Abbott, Riley Keough

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 31m

Rotten Tomatoes: 87% (Critics) 44% (Audience)

Waves director Trey Edward Shults first gained attention when he released his directorial debut Krisha. Two years after the film’s release, Shults followed up his first cinematic success with the psychological thriller It Comes At Night. The film centers on a father (Joel Edgerton) and his family as they remain secure in a desolate home from a worldwide epidemic, only to encounter another family seeking refuge as well. As both families learn to live together, they begin to suspect that the true danger may come from themselves. Tense and well-acted, the movie is a nail-biter from start to finish as the trust breaks down between the two families and it becomes unclear who to trust. The movie is shot well too, with gorgeous, creepy shots of the woods surrounding the house and plenty of terrifying images as paranoia begins to spread between the family members. Edgerton is great in the lead role, as well as Christopher Abbott and Riley Keough as the mysterious parents of the second family. It Comes At Night is unnerving and haunting. 

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Cast: Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Samuel L. Jackson

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 48m

Rotten Tomatoes: 74% (Critics) 76% (Audience)

One of Quentin Tarantino’s most divisive but stealthily great films, The Hateful Eight is amongst one of his darkest. The movie takes place in post-Civil War Wyoming and follows bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) as they meet another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) while traveling to the town of Red Rock. They stop at a cabin to find shelter from a blizzard and soon encounter many suspicious characters with nefarious intentions as events quickly turn violent. The Hateful Eight is Tarantino’s nastiest film: whereas in his other films the gore is comedic or thrilling, here it purposefully hurts and is a reminder of the deep seated hate the men in this film have for women, minorities, and for each other. It’s also one of his most tense films, with plenty of dramatic irony when certain characters are in mortal danger and only the viewer is aware. It’s a scathing film that examines themes of vigilante justice, systemic racism, and political unity within America and comes to some largely pessimistic conclusions. It also is one of his best acted films, with Russell, Leigh, and Jackson giving devilishly great performances. A film that only gets more prescient by the day, The Hateful Eight is a brutal thriller that’s one of Tarantino’s most underrated films. And, with both the extended version and theatrical edition available on the platform, you have the option to choose your own Tarantino adventure. 

Director: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 1h 43m

Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics) 71% (Audience)

Mike Flanagan’s third collaboration with Netflix and his first Stephen King adaptation, Gerald’s Game was released to critical acclaim in 2017. The novel was once considered unfilmable—and rightfully so, when taking its premise into account: husband and wife Jessie and Gerald play a sex game while on vacation when Gerald suddenly dies of a heart attack, leaving Jessie handcuffed to the bed with no hope of rescue. Flanagan miraculously found a way to make the delusions, visions, and memories of a handcuffed woman not only filmable, but scary and tense. Carla Gugino is the heart and soul of the movie as main character Jessie, and she makes the viewer feel the true hopelessness of the situation. Flanagan’s adaptation is economical, scary, and considered one of the best King adaptations among the many that have been made recently.

Director: Mike Flanagan

Cast: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 22m

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (Critics) 73% (Audience)

Hush, co-written by husband and wife Mike Flanagan and Kate Siegel (who also stars in the film), has a terrifyingly simple premise: a deaf woman (Siegel) is terrorized by a psychotic killer in a mask (John Gallagher Jr.). It’s a ruthlessly efficient thriller, with much of the tension coming from the viewer waiting for the woman to actually notice that she’s being stalked. It’s similar in plot to the ‘60s classic Wait Until Dark, but quicker and nastier, and even manages some commentary on how easily men invade the privacy of women.

Director: Malcolm Blair

Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, Jane Levy

Genre: Comedy, Thriller

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 1h 33m

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% (Critics) 76% (Audience)

Written and directed by actor Macon Blair, best known for his collaborations with director Jeremy Saulnier, I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore is a thriller that shows how much Blair has learned from Saulnier’s talent for tense thrillers. This dark comedy/drama follows a depressed woman (Melanie Lynskey) who, after being robbed, teams up with her strange neighbor (Elijah Wood) to find the perpetrators. It’s not only tense, but also dryly funny, and culminates in a violent standoff that would make the Coen Brothers proud. This underrated thriller won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.