A thriller is defined as "a book, play, or film that has an exciting story, often about solving a crime." There are excellent and entertaining examples of the genre that adhere to this definition, but the most important quality of any thriller is its excitement. Today, many filmmakers have redefined the thriller genre by creating movies that make viewers think as much as they raise their pulse, showing that a good thriller can and should entertain from its first to its final moments.
Fortunately, thriller films can accomplish exactly that. The standard is high, but some films live up to the definition of a thriller and keep audiences riveted for the entire duration. Whether it's an Alfred Hitchcock classic or a more recent foreign film, movies that have the ability to keep momentum are rare gems. Ten endlessly entertaining thrillers will be discussed on this list, which is a great place to start for anyone looking to be thrilled, excited, and impressed. These thrillers are commonly regarded as good examples of the genre.
10. 'Blow Out' (1981)
One of Brian De Palma's most exciting films stars John Travolta. The 1980s were full of great movies, and De Palma had the decade in the palm of his hands. Blow Out was inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni's Blowup, but De Palma replaced the medium of photography with sound, making the movie feel more immersive with exceptional sound engineering. Although critics praised the film, audiences did not particularly enjoy it, and today it is a cult classic and one of the main examples of the neo-noir thriller genre.
Blow Out follows sound technician Jack Terry (Travolta) working on a slasher film in Philadelphia. While he's out recording more realistic sounds for the movie, he witnesses a car steering off the road and into a creek. Jack saves the survivor, Sally (Nancy Allen), but upon reviewing the sound recording, realizes he may have evidence of a crime. Blow Out is exciting from start to finish and an ode to Hitchcock's thrillers; it's also one of Travolta's best roles.
9. 2024's "Rebel Ridge"
Don Johnson is now kind of used to playing terrible police officers, including in his latest role, Rebel Ridge, a high-octane action thriller on par with First Blood. Rebel Ridge is Jeremy Saulnier's magnum opus—for now—since he had a role in writing, directing, editing, and producing the feature for Netflix. The film, which launched Aaron Pierre into the stratosphere, is not only one of the most exciting films of 2024 but also possibly one of the most exciting films of the last five years. Rebel Ridge is equal parts intelligent, intense, and violent, with Pierre portraying a franchise-worthy action hero.
Rebel Ridge follows Terry Richmond, a former Marine who gets arrested while riding his bicycle. The police officers take the cash from his backpack, which he intended for his cousin's bail, and a truck that they'd use to start a legitimate business. With his money gone and time running out, Terry decides to find a legal way out before realizing retaliation is the best way. This thriller's 131-minute runtime has very few moments of downtime, keeping attention to a maximum. Get ready to drink some water after the movie.
8. "Cape Fear" from 1991
Over the course of their careers, Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese have collaborated on eleven films. It's hard to pick one in particular as the best, though the title of the most terrifying might (or should) go to Cape Fear. This psychological thriller is a remake of the 1962 movie starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum (who appear in the remake, too); it's hard to decide which version is scariest, though as frightening Mitchum can be, a slightly scarier antagonist is for sure De Niro.
Max Cady, played by Robert De Niro, is a violent psychopath who is given a life sentence in Cape Fear after his public defender, Nick Nolte's Sam Bowden, withdraws from his case. Cady reappears in Bowden's life after 14 years, having learned to read and interpret legal cases and loopholes. With Cady out, armed with facts and rage, Bowden's family is increasingly put in danger. De Niro as Cady is very intense, and the movie keeps viewers guessing the entire time with palpable tension and paranoia.
7. 'Primal Fear' (1996)
Primal Fear was Edward Norton's Oscar-nominated acting debut, and it shows just how promising an actor he's always been. Richard Gere, who was in a more mature stage of his career as an actor at the time, appears alongside him. For him, the 1990s were a time of fun-filled thrillers and sexy dramas. Primal Fear is not a sexy drama—it's a gripping psychological thriller that, even today, can make you hold your breath while watching. It has all the markings of a quintessential 1990s thriller, and it may not feel totally original, but in hindsight and some perspective, everything in it feels totally new.
In Primal Fear, sassy and cocky defense attorney Martin Vail (Gere) takes on the case of Aaron (Norton), a 19-year-old altar boy. Aaron is accused of killing the beloved Chicago archbishop, Rushman, and all evidence points to him, but Aaron is meek, stuttering, and defenseless, leading Martin to choose to defend him pro bono, believing his innocence. The acting performances are exceptional, and the script is brilliant, with even Roger Ebert praising Gere.
6. 'Memento' (2000)
Do you recall watching Memento for the first time? Neither does Leonard Shelby. This terrible joke won't work on people who've not seen Memento yet, but Leonard Shelby is the movie's protagonist who can't make new memories after experiencing a traumatic event.
This condition is called anterograde amnesia, and it was first covered in Christopher Nolan's brother's short story, Memento Mori. Jonathan and Christopher Nolan developed Memento Mori into a feature-length movie, making history with unique storytelling that shaped the thriller genre from then on.
The entire runtime of Memento is nonlinear, something Nolan really seems to love. The two parallel storytelling engines depict events as they happen in real life and as Leonard (Guy Pearce) sees them. Leonard's vision is shown in black-and-white, while real-time is portrayed in color.
5. 'Gone Girl' (2014)
Gone Girl is a movie many people are wary of giving an opinion about. It is a very irrational depiction of female vengeance, resulting in a monster-like protagonist who is both indefensible and comprehensible. Gillian Flynn adapted he debut novel into the movie that David Fincher so beautifully directed. The soundtrack was composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who completed the eerie and uneasy atmosphere of the movie with their soundscapes.
Gone Girl follows the perfect couple, Amy (Rosamund Pike) and Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck). When Amy disappears, Nick becomes the prime suspect in the investigation of her disappearance. It's now up to the viewers to deduce whether Nick was to blame, why or why not, and the appropriate ways to treat him after reaching a conclusion.
4. 'Uncut Gems' (2019)
When Josh Safdie wrote Uncut Gems, Julia Fox was his inspiration. This is fortunate for both of them because the film is one of the best thrillers of the last ten years. Although he rarely steps into movies other than his own, Adam Sandler's performance in Uncut Gems is essential for his acting career. Uncut Gems is funny, thrilling, and nerve-wracking; it will make you riddled with anxiety, and it's rare to find a movie that makes you experience it with every sense like this one does.
Until 2022, this was A24's highest-grossing movie; today, it's the third after Everything Everywhere All at Once and Civil War.
Uncut Gems follows a New York-based jeweler in the Diamond District, Howard Ratner (Sandler). Ratner gambles a lot on the side and has expensive hobbies and tastes, as well as a mistress who also works with him (Julia Fox). Howard acquires a 600-carat black opal, which he intends to auction off for significantly more.
3. 'Parasite' (2019)
The South Korean phenomenon Parasite has given people the necessary boost to include international movies in their viewing repertoire. Director Bong Joon-ho and his brilliant thriller won big at the 2020 Oscars, but the movie isn't just some overly lauded foreign film. It's a social satire that hits hard on every level, even shifting genres halfway to overstate and solidify its purpose as a movie that's meant to grip and disturb the viewers. Parasite is an exceptional work of art and deserves every kind of praise it has received.
The Kim family, who live in a poor part of Seoul and make do by doing various small jobs and scams, is the focus of Parasite. The son of the family, Ki-woo (Choi Woo-sik), gets a job as an English teacher sorted by his friend; he'll be visiting the wealthy Park family's home and teaching their daughter English.
2. "Rear Window," a 1954 film
Rear Window is one of Hitchcock's most famous additions to the thriller genre. It's been relentlessly imitated and parodied, which probably means it's famous enough that everyone would get the reference; this assumption is very likely true. Hitchcock and screenwriter John Michael Hayes adapted Cornell Woolrich's short story, It Had to be Murder, into a feature film starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, making it a gripping and intense mystery thriller that's now considered one of the greatest movies ever made. No pressure then, if you haven't seen Rear Window.
1. 'Heat' (1995)
Heat is nearly three hours long, but it's worth the runtime. It has intense ups and downs, a brilliantly choreographed heist scene, and riveting dialogue between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. While this iconic combo may not feel too relevant today, it was essential in 1995, when people thought these two unicorns of the acting world would never have a face-to-face scene. Inspired by the true story of Neil McCauley, a career thief who organized heists in Chicago in the 1960s, Michael Mann wrote and directed Heat.