Netflix has a decent amount of thrillers actually worth watching. Here are some of my favourites and what I’m adding to my watchlist next.
WYALAN Ranked, Rated and Recommended
WYALAN star rating explained:
- 5 stars – Highly enjoyed and would highly recommend as a must watch
- 4 stars – Enjoyed and would watch again in the future
- 3 stars – Glad I watched it once, but I’ll probably never watch it again
- 2 stars – Watched to the end, but I wouldn’t watch it again
- 1 star – DNF (did not finish)
No Country for Old Men (2007) – Crime/Thriller
For fans of: Sicario, Hell or High Water, Fargo
The Coen brothers’ Oscar-winning adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel pits a relentless hitman against fate and silence in the Texas desert. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Jaws (1975) – Horror/Thriller
For fans of: The Shallows, The Meg, Jurassic Park
Steven Spielberg’s shark thriller won three Academy Awards and redefined the summer blockbuster with its primal suspense and iconic score. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
Uncut Gems (2019) – Crime/Drama
For fans of: Good Time, The Wolf of Wall Street, Punch-Drunk Love
Adam Sandler delivers a career-best performance as a compulsive jeweller spiralling through debt and danger in the Safdie brothers’ anxiety-inducing thriller. WYALAN Rating – 5/5
More best lists on Netflix:
New Releases On Netflix This Week ~ Comedy Series On Netflix ~ Sci-Fi On Netflix ~ Rom Coms On Netflix ~ Documentaries On Netflix 2025 ~ Feel-Good Movies On Netflix ~ Horror Movies On Netflix ~ Short Movies On Netflix ~ Sports Documentaries On Netflix ~ Documentaries On Netflix
Award-Winning
Zero Dark Thirty (2012) – Political/Thriller
For fans of: The Report, Argo, The Hurt Locker
Kathryn Bigelow’s tense procedural follows the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden, earning multiple Oscar nominations and critical acclaim.
Seven (1995) – Crime/Psychological
For fans of: Zodiac, The Silence of the Lambs, Prisoners
David Fincher’s grim detective thriller tracks a serial killer using the seven deadly sins as inspiration, with a haunting finale.
Cape Fear (1991) – Thriller/Drama
For fans of: Misery, The Night of the Hunter, The Talented Mr Ripley
Robert De Niro earned an Oscar nomination as a vengeful ex-con in Scorsese’s remake of the 1962 classic.
Prisoners (2013) – Mystery/Drama
For fans of: Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, The Pledge
Denis Villeneuve’s taut thriller explores morality and desperation as a father takes justice into his own hands after his daughter disappears.
Critically Acclaimed
The Royal Hotel (2023) – Thriller/Psychological
For fans of: The Assistant, Men, The Nightingale
Two backpackers face escalating unease in a remote Australian pub in this tense, socially charged thriller from Kitty Green.
The Guilty (2021) – Thriller/Single Location
For fans of: Locke, Phone Booth, The Call
Jake Gyllenhaal anchors this minimalist thriller as a 911 operator racing to save a caller with limited information and mounting pressure.
Red Riding Trilogy: Part 1: 1974 (2009) – Crime/Period
For fans of: Mindhunter, The Serpent, Line of Duty
A journalist investigates child murders and police corruption in this bleak, atmospheric entry in the acclaimed British trilogy.
Red Riding Trilogy: Part 2: 1980 (2009) – Crime/Period
For fans of: True Detective, The Shadow Line, State of Play
A new detective reopens the case in this morally complex sequel, deepening the trilogy’s portrait of systemic rot.
Barbarian (2022) – Horror/Thriller
For fans of: The Rental, Smile, The Babadook
A woman discovers a sinister secret in a double-booked Airbnb in this genre-bending horror praised for its tonal shifts and surprises.
Split (2016) – Psychological/Thriller
For fans of: Identity, The Sixth Sense, The Machinist
James McAvoy plays a man with 23 personalities in M. Night Shyamalan’s tense thriller that blends horror and character study.
The Good Nurse (2022) – Crime/Drama
For fans of: Spotlight, The Staircase, The Dropout
Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne star in this true-crime hospital thriller about trust, ethics, and hidden danger.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017) – Crime/Dark Comedy
For fans of: Fargo, Blue Ruin, The Art of Self-Defence
A woman and her eccentric neighbour seek justice after a burglary in this Sundance-winning indie with deadpan violence and social bite.
The Pale Blue Eye (2022) – Mystery/Period
For fans of: Sleepy Hollow, The Raven, The Alienist
Christian Bale investigates a murder at West Point with help from a young Edgar Allan Poe in this moody gothic thriller.
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) – Crime/Drama
For fans of: Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Ozark
Aaron Paul returns as Jesse Pinkman in this gripping epilogue that explores escape, trauma, and redemption.
Woman of the Hour (2024) – Thriller/Biopic
For fans of: I, Tonya, She Said, American Crime Story
Anna Kendrick directs and stars in this true story of a serial killer’s appearance on a dating show, blending satire and suspense.
Cult Favourites
Flatliners (1990) – Sci-Fi/Thriller
For fans of: The Faculty, Event Horizon, The Cell
Medical students experiment with near-death experiences in this stylish thriller that explores guilt, mortality, and the supernatural.
Signs (2002) – Sci-Fi/Thriller
For fans of: The Village, War of the Worlds, The Mist
Night Shyamalan’s alien invasion story focuses on faith, family, and eerie crop circles with minimalist dread.
Creep (2014) – Horror/Found Footage
For fans of: The Blair Witch Project, Lake Mungo, The Taking of Deborah Logan
A videographer documents a stranger’s final messages in this unsettling, low-budget psychological horror with a cult following.
Run (2020) – Thriller/Horror
For fans of: Misery, The Act, The Girl in the Basement
A wheelchair-bound teen begins to suspect her mother is hiding dark secrets in this tense, claustrophobic thriller.
Kill Your Friends (2015) – Satire/Crime
For fans of: American Psycho, Filth, The Player
A ruthless A&R exec navigates the Britpop era with drugs, murder, and ambition in this darkly comic industry takedown.
Revolver (2005) – Crime/Mystery
For fans of: Fight Club, The Prestige, Layer Cake
Guy Ritchie’s philosophical crime thriller blends con games, metaphysics, and psychological warfare in a divisive but enduring cult entry.
Knowing (2009) – Sci-Fi/Thriller
For fans of: The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Forgotten, The Number 23
Nicolas Cage deciphers a prophetic code in this apocalyptic thriller that mixes disaster spectacle with cosmic mystery.
Disturbia (2007) – Thriller/Teen
For fans of: Rear Window, The Girl Next Door, The Burbs
A teenager under house arrest suspects his neighbour is a killer in this suburban thriller with Hitchcockian echoes.
Copycat (1995) – Crime/Psychological
For fans of: The Bone Collector, Kiss the Girls, Red Dragon
Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter track a serial killer mimicking infamous crimes in this tense, underrated procedural.
Falling Down (1993) – Drama/Thriller
For fans of: Taxi Driver, Network, American Beauty
Michael Douglas plays a man pushed past his breaking point in this urban descent into rage, alienation, and moral ambiguity.
More best thrillers to stream: