Here we’ve preserved Lillian Crawford’s snappy, hand-picked reviews of terrific thrillers movies: once they were available to stream on Netflix UK and more, but now they’ve got new homes, which you can find by clicking upon each title.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
It seemed impossible to top the original 1982 Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott, but this thrilling sequel directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green does a very good job. The film stars Ryan Gosling as Agent K who ventures out to find Rick Deckard, a returning Harrison Ford, with his AI girlfriend Joi (Ana de Armas). As with many of the films on this list, the thrills are heightened by the cinematography of Roger Deakins and an update on the original Vangelis score by Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer.
The Constant Gardener (2005)
This thriller from 2005 is an adaptation of the book of the same title by one of the great thriller writers, the late John Le Carré. Scripted by Jeffrey Caine and directed by Fernando Meirelles, the film stars Ralph Fiennes as Justin Quayle, a British diplomat in Kenya who attempts to solve the murder of his wife Tessa, played by Rachel Weisz. The film weaves his present with their past across Loiyangalani and the slums of Kibera in Nairobi, creating a tense but immensely beautiful mystery movie.
The Departed (2006)
The film that finally won Martin Scorsese Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy Awards, this remake of 2002 Hong Kong thriller Infernal Affairs is one of the director’s most tense works. Set in Boston, the film stars Jack Nicholson as Irish Mob boss Frank Costello, who plants Matt Damon’s Colin Sullivan as a spy within the Massachusetts state police. Also starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Wahlberg, it’s no wonder the film has been among Scorsese’s most celebrated projects.
The Game (1997)
There’s a whole collection of thrillers directed by David Fincher on Netflix, the first of which selected here being one of his finest. Written by John Brancato and Michael Ferris, the film follows Nicholas van Orton, a rich investment banker who receives a mysterious present from his brother, played by Sean Penn. The gift turns out to be an elaborate game which integrates Nicholas’s real life, with tense and often frightening results.
The Good Liar (2019)
Many of the thrillers tucked away on Netflix are based on paperback best-sellers, including The Good Liar directed by Bill Condon and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher from the 2015 novel by Nicholas Searle. The film stars Ian McKellen as a con artist who meets a wealthy widow (Helen Mirren) online before discovering a number of obstacles in his way. It co-stars Russell Tovey and Jim Carter, and features an atmospheric score by Coen Brothers-regular Carter Burwell.
Good Time (2017)
Before Uncut Gems there was Good Time, another breathless thriller from brothers Josh and Benny Safdie. The film stars Robert Pattinson in the lead role as a robber who attempts to free his disabled brother, played by Benny Safide, whilst evading his own capture. The intense atmosphere of the film is perfectly created by a pounding score by Oneohtrix Point Never and neon-infused cinematography by Sean Price Williams.
In Bruges (2008)
One of the funnier thrillers available on Netflix, Martin McDonagh’s debut film is much more than a travelogue of the beautiful Belgian city of Bruges. It stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two Irish hitmen in hiding while they attempt not to invoke the rage of their terrifying boss, played by Ralph Fiennes. The film opened Sundance in the year of its release, and Farrell won a Golden Globe for his perfectly pitched performance.
Layer Cake (2004)
Before Kick-Ass and Kingsman, Matthew Vaughn directed a tense crime thriller for his debut, adapted from the 2000 novel by J.J. Connolly. The film focuses on an unnamed cocaine trader in London trying to get out of the business, played by Daniel Craig in the performance that landed him the role of James Bond. This tough and menacing drama co-stars Tom Hardy, Colm Meaney and Sienna Miller.
The Nightingale (2018)
Perhaps the most controversial film on this list is Jennifer Kent’s Australian historical thriller, which comes with a major trigger warning for depictions of violence and sexual assault. The film is set in 1825 in the penal colony of Van Diemen’s Land, now Tasmania, where a young convict played by Aisling Franciosi seeks revenge for the violence committed against her and her family. Met with anger and praise on release, it won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
The Nest (2020)
British thrillers tend to be very understated, letting tension seep in through the woodwork. Sean Durkin, who wrote and directed The Nest, is a master of this form of suspense, and this entry spirals out of control at a terrifyingly slow pace. The film stars Jude Law as the egotistical and ambitious Rory O’Hara who deceives himself and his wife Allison, played by an astonishing Carrie Coon, into believing that he will make a deal that never really existed. Remember to breathe.
Munich (2005)
Steven Spielberg isn’t a director best known for his thrillers, but his 2005 historical drama about the Munich massacre at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games definitely fits the genre. The film was adapted by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth from the 1984 book Vengeance by George Jonas which recounts the events of Operation Wrath of God, the Israeli government’s retaliation against the Palestine Liberation Organisation following the massacre. It’s a difficult true story, but one Spielberg feels perfectly placed to tell.
Se7en (1995)
Another David Fincher film for the list, Se7en is a haunting exploration of the dark recesses of the human soul. Written by Andrew Kevin Walker, the film follows David Mills (Brad Pitt), a detective who partners with the retiring William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) as they must hunt down a serial killer leaving each of the seven deadly sins as a calling card in the way he murders his victims. It’s quite a ride.
She Dies Tomorrow (2020)
One of the finest films of 2020 was a quietly-released horror-thriller directed by the multi-hyphenate talent Amy Seimetz, following her stunning 2012 debut feature Sun Don’t Shine. Actress Kate Lyn Sheil plays a woman who becomes increasingly paranoid about her imminent death. The fear becomes infectious, spreading to a supporting cast including Jane Adams, Chris Messina, and Michelle Rodriguez, all to a throbbing score by The Mondo Boys.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Tim Burton isn’t best-known for great thrills, but the creeping tension of 1999’s Sleepy Hollow—based on the classic Washington Irving short story—ranks among his finest works. Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, a police constable sent to the titular village to investigate a series of murders supposedly carried out by a headless horseman. The film features an impressive international cast, from Christina Ricci to Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, and Christopher Lee, all of whom are in terrifyingly good form.
Split (2017)
M. Night Shyamalan is a divisive voice in the thriller genre, infamous for his wild and often absurd twists. One of his most acclaimed films is Split, in which James McAvoy plays a man with dissociative identity disorder who kidnaps three teenage girls. The ending reveals it to be a sequel to Shyamalan’s 2000 film Unbreakable, both of which were combined in the third film Glass in 2019—so it’s worth watching the three films in order.
Super 8 (2011)
Another crossover between thriller and science-fiction is this nostalgic return to the late 1970s from writer-director J.J. Abrams. A film to which Stranger Things is no doubt indebted, Super 8 tells the story of a group of teenagers who see a train derail while shooting their own movie in the fictional town of Lillian, Ohio. Starring Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, and Kyle Chandler, it’s a great revival of 1980s adventure movies, albeit with a dark sting in its tail.
The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
No one writes a thriller quite like Patricia Highsmith, and her 1955 novel The Talented Mr Ripley might just be the best of them all. Her work is adapted here by Anthony Minghella who also directs, weaving out the chilling threads through an epic web of deceit across America and Europe. The film stars Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, an impressive imitator surrounded by the scintillating company of Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and Philip Seymour Hoffmann.
Taxi Driver (1976)
There’s plenty of Martin Scorsese available on Netflix, but none of them match the thrillingly prescient social commentary of Taxi Driver. Penned by Paul Schrader and with an iconic final score by Bernard Herrmann, Scorsese’s Palme d’Or-winner explores the trauma of Vietnam veteran Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) through tight and dreamlike cinematography, crafted by Michael Chapman. Still, the portrayal of a sex worker by then 12-year old Jodie Foster remains incredibly uncomfortable and often marrs an otherwise excellent feature.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Okay, I’m dumb: I still don’t understand the basic plot of this frosty John le Carré adaptation. Maybe because the legendary cast of white British thespian dudes all kinda look similar in their boxy suits (Oldman, Firth, Hardy, Cumberbatch, Hurt, Graham, etc…). It’s such a sophisticated and labyrinthine film that you’d better stow your phone or any distractions before getting caught in its web of deceit and espionage.
True Grit (2010)
There’s a smattering of Coen films on NOW, including this western thriller from 2010. The streaming service has two adaptations of Charles Portis’s 1968 novel, both the 1969 version starring John Wayne and this film starring Jeff Bridges as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn. He appears alongside Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross, a farm girl who hires Rooster to hunt down the outlaw who murdered her father. The film follows both characters as they have their ‘grit’ tested.
The Whistlers (2019)
This Romanian Cannes gem is a unique thriller directed by Corneliu Porumboiu. It stars Catrinel Marlon as the sultry seductress Gilda, presumably named for the great Rita Hayworth character, who like her namesake fixes hard stares behind her long white cigarettes. She gets entangled in a plot to smuggle drug money out of Bucharest in mattresses which involves learning El Silibo, the native whistling language of the Spanish island of La Gomera. It’s worth watching for Marlon’s performance alone.
Zola (2020)
Janicza Bravo’s Zola is a remarkably unusual film, adapted from a 2015 viral Twitter thread by Aziah ‘Zola’ King. Starring Taylour Paige as Zola, the film follows her part-time stripping career as she travels to Tampa in Florida with her new friend played by Riley Keough as things become increasingly sinister. With a lush score by Mica Levi and stunning cinematography, you’ll soon want to hear Zola’s story out even though “it’s kinda long but full of suspense.”
