For the amazing variety of films that a Netflix subscription allows one to stream, the platform seems to specialize in certain genres more than others, as one can see by the great collection of horror movies on Netflix, especially. However, for the kind of moviegoers who would prefer not to be “horrified,” but are still interested in something to raise their adrenaline a bit, we have just the great movies on Netflix that you are looking for. Take a look at our picks for the best thrillers on Netflix below.
Chinatown (1974)
A private investigator (Jack Nicholson) uncovers a deadly conspiracy involving Los Angeles’ water supply while investigating a typical case of adultery in the 1930s.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: While it was released decades after the genre was in its prime, Chinatown is a definite film noir movie to its very bones with an enduringly captivating mystery with dazzling twists and turns.
Oldboy (2003)
After spending 15 years held prisoner, a man (Choi Min-sik) is tasked with figuring out the identity of his captor, why he kidnapped him, and why he released him when he did.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy – a loose adaptation of a Japanese manga – is considered one of the greatest Korean movies ever made (if not greatest movies in general) for its stellar action sequence, brilliant performances, and absolutely wild ending that you will never forget.
Emily The Criminal (2022)
Desperate for money after a minor criminal record locks her out of the job market, a woman (Aubrey Plaza) becomes acquainted with a charismatic credit card scammer (Theo Rossi).
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Plaza gives one of her most striking dramatic performances yet in the title role of writer and director John Patton Ford’s Emily the Criminal, which became a hit on Netflix when it first dropped on the platform.
Stream Emily The Criminal on Netflix.
The Killer (2023)
A portrait of a professional assassin (Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender) slowly losing his grip on his sanity.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Director David Fincher returns to the genre that made him an icon with this visceral 2023 Netflix original movie adapted from Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon’s graphic novel, The Killer.
Jackie Brown (1997)
After she is caught smuggling cash and drugs, a flight attendant (Pam Grier) works with the DEA to implicate an arms dealer she also works for (Samuel L. Jackson), but she has other plans in mind as well.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Based on author Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch, Jackie Brown is one of writer and director Quentin Tarantino’s best movies for its subversive take on the crime thriller genre.
Stream Jackie Brown on Netflix.
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Three lawmen (Guy Pearce, Rusell Crowe, and Kevin Spacey), each with very different personalities and methods of maintaining justice, take on a case of corruption within the police force in 1950s California.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Winner of two Academy Awards – Best Supporting Actress for Kim Basinger and Best Screenplay – L.A. Confidential is one of the best movies of the ‘90s and one of the best crime dramas in general.
Stream L.A. Confidential on Netflix.
In The Shadow Of The Moon (2019)
Years after defeating a notorious serial killer (Cleopatra Coleman), a cop (Boyd Holbrook) obsessively tries to solve the mystery of how she has inexplicably returned.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Director Jim Mickle’s In the Shadow of the Moon has the skin of a typical crime drama, but the bones of something more peculiar, that makes it one of the best sci-fi thriller movies on Netflix.
Stream In The Shadow Of The Moon on Netflix.
Bird Box (2018)
A mysterious supernatural force that has deadly consequences for anyone who lays their eyes on it descends upon the Earth.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Sandra Bullock both serves as producer and leads the cast of Bird Box – an intriguing post-apocalyptic thriller based on the novel by Josh Malerman.
Play Misty For Me (1971)
A radio DJ (Clint Eastwood) has a life-altering encounter with a woman (Jessica Walter) who constantly requests a classic song by Erroll Garner on the air.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Eastwood also directs Play Misty for Me – a chilling tale of obsession and manipulation.
Stream Play Misty For Me on Netflix.
Joker (2019)
A series of debilitating circumstances lead a socially awkward aspiring comedian (Joaquin Phoenix) to lose his grip on reality in 1980s Gotham City.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Phoenix earned an Best Actor Oscar for his stunningly grim role in director Todd Phillips’ Joker – one of the best DC Movies on Netflix, but a stirring, thought-provoking portrait of mental illness in spite of its comic book origins.
Missing (2023)
A young woman (Storm Reid) comes across some shocking information while using the internet to locate her mother (Nia Long).
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: A spiritual sequel to Searching, Missing is a “found footage-style” thriller (taking place almost entirely on computer screens) that results in a captivatingly immersive experience of an already clever story.
Jurassic Park (1993)
A pair of paleontologists (Sam Neill and Laura Dern) and others accept an invitation to a zoo harboring dinosaurs bred from prehistoric DNA – a dream come true that soon becomes a nightmare when a malfunction causes the main attractions to break free.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Based on Michael Crichton’s novel, the first installment of the Jurassic Park movies made Steven Spielberg the most profitable filmmaker of all time (again) with its awe-inspiring themes of ambition’s grave consequences and timeless visual effects.
Stream Jurassic Park on Netflix.
The Platform (2020)
A man checks himself into a prison with a seemingly endless number of vertically stacked cells, each containing two inmates, in which a platform holding a mouth-watering feast descends from the top level… but not everyone gets the chance to have a bite.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: Mystery is a crucial element of this Spanish-language Netflix original, which is also why I am not at liberty to reveal too much more about The Platform other than its grim, claustrophobic setting and stunning allegorical social commentary that will keep your nerves on edge and your brain ticking from the beginning until long after it ends.
Stream The Platform on Netflix.
Uncut Gems (2019)
New York City jeweler Howard Rattner believes he has finally hit the jackpot when he comes into possession of a rare opal, but a rough family life, insurmountable debt, and his own demons only lure him further and further away from landing the big payday he believes he deserves.
Why it is one of the best thrillers on Netflix: With someone as likable as Adam Sandler as the lead of Uncut Gems – Josh and Benny Safdie’s exercise in translating emotional distress to celluloid – it is hard not to root for Howard Rattner, much to the audience’s own expense.
Stream Uncut Gems on Netflix here.
What do you think? Does this list prove that Netflix is home to the most thrilling movie binge imaginable, or are you already asleep just from reading this?
