Best Thriller Movies on Netflix You Shouldn’t Miss!

On the topic of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix, we can all agree that thrillers are one of the more intriguing genres in any language and the sub-genres from psychological thrillers to suspense-thrillers offered us some of the most engaging films over the years. So, while you’re sitting all alone at home during a weekend, here are the most enthralling and must-watch films that are available to stream online on Netflix.

Last Updated on September 12, 2023

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21. The Good Nurse

Director – Tobias Lindholm
Cast – Eddie Redmayne & Jessica Chastain

Preview Only: Nurse Amy Loughren is shocked when Charlie Cullen, one of her colleagues, is foound responsible for the murder of dozens of patients over a period of sixteen years, across two states and nine hospitals, without being charged.

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20. Snowden

Director – Oliver Stone
Cast – JGL & Shailene Woodley

Snowden (2016), masterfully directed by Oliver Stone, delivers a captivating portrayal of the actual whistleblower Edward Snowden, portrayed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. This biographical thriller delves deep into the controversial disclosure of classified government surveillance programs. Bolstered by riveting performances and a thought-provoking storyline, Snowden provides valuable insights into the intricate issues of privacy and national security. It’s an indispensable viewing experience for anyone drawn to the realms of real-world espionage and digital ethics.

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19. Last Night in Soho

Director – Edgar Wright
Cast – Thomasin McKenzie & Anya Taylor-Joy

Edgar Wright’s venture into thriller territory with ‘Last Night in Soho’ showcases his unique storytelling skills. Eloise, a fashion student, delves into the 1960s through an enigmatic singer’s experiences, uncovering a dark past. Thomasin McKenzie excels in her role, and Wright’s clever use of music and visuals crafts an eerie atmosphere. While it’s Wright’s weakest film, Last Night in Soho still stands out with its creativity and talent.

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18. The Red Sea Diving Resort

Director – Gideon Raff
Cast – Chris Evans, Haley Bennett

The Red Sea Diving Resort, inspired from Operation Brothers, spotlights Chris Evans as he spearheads a daring mission to rescue Ethiopian Jews. While the film boasts commendable performances and an absorbing plot, it occasionally relies on well-worn storytelling conventions. Nevertheless, the genuine heroism at its core serves as an enduring source of inspiration, rendering it a worthwhile watch. The film sheds light on the intriguing historical events that unfolded between Sudan and Israel during the 1980s.

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17. The Platform

Director – Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Cast – Ivan Massagu, Zorion Eguileor

The Spanish gorefest, The Platform is already being touted as one of the Best Horror/Thrillers in recent times. The film is a blood-curdling allegory of capitalism, released aptly at a time when the resourceful are hoarding food items, not considering the consequential price hike and eventual paucity for those who cannot afford to buy in abundance. The storyline of the film is set in the future where prisoners housed in vertical cells watch as inmates in the upper cells are fed while those below starve. A massive level up for allegorical cinema! – Sohini Sen (@cine_thusiast)

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16. The Accountant

Director – Gavin O’Connor
Cast – Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick

Preview Only: Christian Wolff is an accountant, who works for various illegal parties and manipulates their financial records. When the FBI learns about his truth, he takes up a legitimate client to bluff the officers. The film stars Ben Affleck and Anna Kendrick in the lead roles with Jon Bernthal and J. K. Simmons in the supporting roles. One of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix.

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15. Raat Akeli Hai

Director – Honey Trehan
Cast – Nawazuddin Siddiqui & Radhika Apte

Raat Akeli Hai, directed by Honey Trehan as an overall film, the narrative astonishes and goes beyond your regular whodunit thriller. It explores the wide variety of concerns we still face on a day-to-day basis and combines them in immaculately with the on-going narrative. The top-notch performances and the captivating storyline make us neglect the drawbacks, the film when it comes to the screenplay, and the runtime. One of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix.

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14. The Hater

Director – Jan Komasa
Cast – Maciej Musiaowski, Agata Kulesza

Preview Only: The 2020 Polish thriller, The Hater explores the story of an ambitious youngster who begins working in the dark world of web-based media smear strategies and discovers that his virtual games have genuine outcomes. One of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix.

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13. The Invisible Guest (2016)

Director – Oriol Paulo
Cast – Mario Casas, Ana Wagener

A businessman wakes up to the body of his dead lover, whom he’s accused of killing. He hired a lawyer to defend him and they try to work backward to figure out what happened. I like this movie because it isn’t overly complicated and there was no need for anything extra thrown into the mix. Every story has two sides to it and that’s exactly what the movie is about. I was kept enthralled until the end and the film did a pretty good job in making me doubt my suspicions. The music is great; suspenseful and chilling. Everything just adds up well here and you’re in for a wonderful ride. The Invisible Guest, hiding in plain sight. -Siddharthen

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12. Rebecca

Director – Ben Wheatley
Cast – Armie Hammer & Lily James

A woman’s companion gets married to a widowed owner of a large estate, but the legacy of his ex-wife still haunts the place. Surrounded by a sweet and romantic vibe on the outside, you can tell there is something wrong, and as the movie progresses, the feeling of uneasiness grows and grows until you reach the climax. However, Rebecca was slow, although it was filmed beautifully, the story takes too long to develop, and the ending is nauseatingly sweet. So, if you want to watch an engaging film with a nice plot and a lot of suspense, you should definitely check this out. – Zoha Junaid (@zohasreviews)

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11. Windfall

Director – Charlie McDowell
Cast – Jason Segel, Lily Collins

Windfall on Netflix is directed by Charlie McDowell, co-written by Justin Lader and Andrew Kevin Walker, starring Jason Segel as Nobody, Lily Collins as Wife, and Jesse Plemons as CEO. A man breaks into a tech CEO’s vacation home when he thought he would be alone. The CEO and his wife make a surprise trip to the house and his last minute getaway attempt fails. One of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix.

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10. The Woman in the Window

Director – Joe Wright
Cast – Amy Adams, Julianne Moore

Best Thriller Movies on Netflix: An agoraphobic woman tries to overcome her fears and assimilate herself back into society. A roller coaster of emotions from start to finish and the ups and downs will keep you glued to the screen and at the edge of your seat. It was such a refreshing, albeit chilling movie as you most probably will not see the twists in the climax. Powered by Amy Adams’ remarkable performance, The Woman in the Window is worth a watch. – Zoha Junaid

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9. In the Shadow of the Moon

Director – Jim Mickle
Cast – Boyd Holbrook, Michael C. Hall

In the Shadow of the Moon, skillfully helmed by director Jim Mickle, emerges as a spellbinding sci-fi thriller. Anchored by a stellar ensemble, led by Boyd Holbrook, the film crafts a labyrinthine narrative that revolves around a detective’s relentless fixation on an enigmatic serial killer whose crimes transcend conventional logic and time itself. Through its intricate storytelling and a compelling mystery, this movie proves to be essential viewing for both sci-fi aficionados and enthusiasts of suspenseful mysteries, delivering an indelible and immersive cinematic experience.

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8. Dangerous Lies

Director – Michael Scott
Cast – Camila Mendes & Jessie T. Usher

[This excerpt comes from Nirmal’s ‘Dangerous Lies’ Review]

Best Thriller Movies on Netflix: Written by David Golden and directed by Michael Scott, Dangerous Lies, the suspense-thriller on Netflix stars Camila Mendes and Jessie T. Usher is a well-made, elegant thriller which I have no problem recommending a casual watch. With a runtime of fewer than 100 minutes, you wouldn’t want to miss this movie which ticks all the boxes of a suspense-thriller. 

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7. A Simple Favor

Director – Paul Feig
Cast – Blake Lively & Anna Kendrick

Best Thriller Movies on Netflix: Based on the novel, of the same name, A Simple Favor, revolves around two mothers, who become friends via their sons, but things get out of hand when Emily goes missing after asking Stephanie for a simple favor, to pick her son from school. With a mix of romance, action, mystery, and a cache of dark pasts of seemingly innocent people, this film is a surprisingly decent thriller, 117 minutes you will not regret wasting. – Zoha Junaid

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6. Now You See Me

Director – Louis Leterrier
Cast – Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson

Best Thriller Movies on Netflix: Louis Leterrier’s Now You See Me follows the journey of four street magicians who try to pull off a huge heist in the midst of chaos and drama created by the cops. Accompanied by an engaging narrative, although the film is littered with quite a few issues, it keeps you entertained until the very end. A decent movie to sit through if you have nothing else to do.

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5. Cam

Director – Daniel Goldhaber
Cast – Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh

[‘Cam’ is also featured in our ‘Best Horror Movies on Netflix’ list]

 Cam stars Madeline Brewer as an online sex performer who is dead-set on climbing the ranks on the host website. Her efforts soon turn into a nightmarish reality, as one day she finds that her account has been hacked and is now live-streaming her erotic acts, without her own cognizance. It is a great meditation on technology and its ills and the dignity of work; even in a dehumanizing industry as that of online sex-workers. It depicts how greatly our online personas vary from our real self, the consequences of asking for attention and the terrifying notion of losing one’s identity, especially online. – Kaushal Munshi

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4. Gerald’s Game

Director – Mike Flanagan
Cast – Carla Gugino & Bruce Greenwood

Gerald’s Game is a psychological horror film based on Stephen King’s 1992 novel of the same name and the narrative involves a middle-aged couple striving to keep their marriage together as they take a weekend off to spend quality time together at their deserted vacation home. Involving only three or four characters at best and encompassed within a limited setting, the tightly written script by Jeff Howard and Mike Flanagan is the film’s strong suit here.

The interactions and the dialogue between the characters, the emotional connotations, the self-discovery aspects develop an interesting character study of Jessie, played by Carla Gugino, who does an impeccable job showcasing the pain, anguish and adversity that her character had to go through while remaining handcuffed to the bedpost. Overall, Gerald’s Game is a riveting thriller of a film carried by some splendid performances, first-class writing, and a topnotch directorial job by Flanagan. One of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix. Don’t miss it!

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3. Apostle

Director – Gareth Evans
Cast – Dan Stevens, Lucy Boynton

[This excerpt comes from Sidd’s ‘Apostle’ Review]

A period horror film, Apostle (2018), revolves around Thomas Richardson, a former missionary set on rescuing his sister who has been kidnapped and held ransom by a religious cult. Following the concept of tense and creepy atmospheric films like The Invitation and The Innocents, Apostle, is an intense yet steady descent into terror and has a ruthless storyline and has a masterful way of narrating its story.

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2. Missing

Director – Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Cast – Will Merrick & Nick Johnson

Missing (2023), a thrilling sequel to Searching, directed by Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick, continues the story of teenager June Allen searching for her missing mother. This unexpected gem delivers on par with its predecessor, offering an enigmatic, well-paced narrative filled with twists and heartwarming moments. First-time directors Johnson and Merrick shine with their direction and script. Storm Reid’s captivating lead performance, supported by a stellar cast, adds to the film’s appeal. Missing is a crowd-pleaser, sure to delight viewers. One of the Best Thriller Movies on Netflix. – Robert Arc

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1. Searching

Director – Aneesh Chaganty
Cast – John Cho, Debra Messing

Filmed entirely on computer screens, smartphones, news broadcasts, and surveillance footage, Searching manages to unravel the whodunnit thriller with an impeccable screenplay, pristine edits, and compliments the story with various emotional connotations and character development. John Cho gives his career-best performance as an upset father of a missing daughter and keeps his character engaging enough inside and out. An absolute masterclass of a film, and an exhilarating roller-coaster ride through and through.

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