It is hard to pigeonhole the thriller genre into just a single definition. Thriller movies are part of such a broad category that has many different sub-genres. Whether it's a thriller-horror or psychological thriller, and even down to comedic thrillers, it's a genre that definitely has something for any audience that craves the darkness and mysteries within the film world. However, with many different sub-genres, thriller does have some strong constant themes throughout such as cliffhangers, red herrings, plot twists, betrayals, and of course, suspense.

In a world with many classic films that defined the thriller genre such as Alien or Cape Fear, the modern take on the thriller is something quite impressive. In the last decade or so, there has been a surplus in suspense films with some being good, some being bad, and some being certain to become classics themselves. Narrowing it down, there are modern thriller films (from the 2010s onwards) that have gained significant critical acclaim over the years, often being called "instant classics" at the time of their premieres. These will undoubtedly come to define the thriller genre from this era, for future generations to look back on and enjoy.

10 'The Gift' (2015)

Director: Joel Edgerton

Rebecca Hall, Jason Bateman, and Joel Edgerton in The Gift

Are past bygones ever truly bygones? Young married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn's (Rebecca Hall) lives are going according to plan until a chance encounter with a friend from Simon's high school sends everything into a terrifying tailspin. At first, Simon doesn't remember Gordo (Joel Edgerton), but after a string of impromptu meetings and puzzling gifts become problematic, a terrifying secret from the past is revealed after more than 20 years.

When she discovers the frightening truth about what transpired between Simon and Gordo, Robyn begins to wonder: How well do we really know the people closest to us? In that way, The Gift can be strangely unnerving, especially as the revelations lead to quick escalations and unexpected turns, aided by a chilling performance from Bateman. Viewers' perspectives are challenged by some clever directorial choices that pay off in the end.

The Gift
R

A fortune teller with extrasensory perception is asked to help find a young woman who has mysteriously disappeared.

Release Date
January 19, 2001
Director
Sam Raimi
Runtime
111 Minutes

Watch on Tubi

9 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' (2017)

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Steven performing tests on Martin in The Killing of a Sacred Deer.
Image via A24

A strong and compassionate friendship gradually develops between Martin (Barry Keoghan), 16, and Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell), his father's surgeon, after the sudden death of his father on the operating table. Even though Martin's sincere intentions are immediately overshadowed by a hazy but unsettling sense, the orphaned teen will quickly win the approval of Dr. Steven's ideal family with pricey gifts and an invitation to dinner. Then, out of the blue, the happy family is subjected to harsh punishment. Ultimately, only an unthinkable and unbearable choice that demands a pure sacrifice can purge the soul because the sins of one person burden the entire family. But one must acknowledge the sin in order to receive catharsis.

Yorgos Lanthimos' disturbing psychological thriller, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is infused with the director's off-kilter humor and love for the bizarre and totally unexpected. It's an increasingly sickening viewing experience, veering dangerously into horror territory, but maintains a chilling level of suspense all throughout.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer
R

Release Date
November 3, 2017
Director
Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast
Colin Farrell , Nicole Kidman , Barry Keoghan , Sunny Suljic , Denise Dal Vera
Runtime
121 minutes

Watch on Tubi

8 '10 Cloverfield Lane' (2016)

Director: Dan Trachtenberg

John Goodman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in 10 Cloverfield Lane
Image via Paramount Pictures

Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in a secret bunker with two men named Howard (John Goodman) and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.) after being involved in a car crash. She accepts Howard's offer of a pair of crutches, which maintain her movement despite the car accident injuries to her leg. Howard advises her to "get good on those" before leaving the bunker. She has been informed that there has been an alien attack and that the environment has been tainted. Michelle must decide whether it is preferable to be inside or outside as Howard and Emmett's motives quickly come into doubt.

10 Cloverfield Lane is the follow-up to the 2008 found-footage classic, Cloverfield. The 2016 sequel is a fascinating spin on the franchise's story, with director Dan Trachtenberg making the most of the limited space presented in the movie. Not a second of the film's 104-minute runtime is wasted, with each moment being more tense than the last as the truth begins to come to the surface.

10 Cloverfield Lane
PG-13
Where to Watch

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Release Date
March 10, 2016
Director
Dan Trachtenberg
Cast
John Goodman , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , John Gallagher Jr. , Douglas M. Griffin , Suzanne Cryer , Bradley Cooper
Runtime
105

7 'Saltburn' (2023)

Director: Emerald Fennell

Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick sitting on a chair with a drink in his hand in Saltburn
Image via MGM

Director Emerald Fennell's Saltburn became an internet sensation when it premiered, further proving Barry Keoghan plays a certain type of unsettling character in his most popular films. In this case, Keoghan plays Oliver, a student at Oxford who becomes obsessed with a wealthier fellow student, Felix (Jacob Elordi). When Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his dysfunctional family's titular estate, dark things begin to happen at every turn.

A darkly comedic psychological thriller, Saltburn took over the online world, with its shocking and strange sexual scenes becoming the subject of discussions and even memes. It's Keoghan who's undoubtedly at the center of the cultural phenomenon, however, with his performance as the cunning Oliver earning him praise from critics and new fans. Plus, who can forget that instantly iconic dance scene?

Saltburn
R

Release Date
November 17, 2023
Director
Emerald Fennell
Cast
Rosamund Pike , Barry Keoghan , Jacob Elordi , Carey Mulligan , Archie Madekwe
Runtime
127 minutes

Watch on Amazon Prime

6 'The Menu' (2022)

Director: Mark Mylod

Ralph Fiennes as Chef Julian Slowik smiling softly in The Menu
Image via Searchlight Pictures

A refreshingly original story brought to the world of thrillers, The Menu is one of the best movies of 2022. Directed by Mark Mylod, The Menu follows the story of a young couple, Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), who travel to a remote island to partake in a costly and avant-garde dinner. The affluent guests here travel far for a chance to dine on the course meal by the elusive and eccentric chef, Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), and his henchmen-like service team. As Margot goes into dinner skeptical of the whole night's sense of suspense and snobbery, she learns that the chef has a few surprisingly terrifying additions to the ingredients going into the night's meal.

The Menu is a fantastic eat-the-rich film that blends dark comedy, horror, and thriller elements seamlessly. Ralph Fiennes is incredible as the villainous and vengeful chef who is determined to create the perfect course meal, with his performance flawlessly complemented by Anya Taylor-Joy's defiant character who is determined to make it out of the island alive.

The Menu
R
Release Date
November 18, 2022
Director
Mark Mylod
Runtime
107 minutes

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5 'Uncut Gems' (2019)

Directors: Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie

Uncut Gems

Adam Sandler leads the Safdie Brothers' gritty crime thriller that follows a fast-talking New York City jeweler slowly being buried by his debts. Howard Ratner (Sandler), a formerly prosperous New York jewels dealer, is now deeply in debt due to his gambling addiction, which has also destroyed his family and business. Always on the lookout for the next big wager, Howard believes he has struck it rich when he comes across a rare uncut Ethiopian opal that has a highly interested high-profile bidder. Howard is forced to understand he can't keep avoiding the consequences of his actions as he gets closer to ultimately winning big, though.

Uncut Gems is a nightmare of a movie, but for the right audience, in the most thrilling way possible. The A24 film has earned a reputation as a fast-paced, unrelenting, and anxiety-inducing flick that's carried by Sandler's dramatic turn as the troubled Howard. The stress is worth it for the distinct viewing experience that Uncut Gems offers.

Uncut Gems
R
Release Date
August 30, 2019
Director
Ben Safdie , Joshua Safdie
Cast
Adam Sandler , Julia Fox , Kevin Garnett , The Weeknd , Idina Menzel , Jonathan Aranbayev
Runtime
130

Watch on Netflix

4 'Nightcrawler' (2014)

Director: Dan Gilroy

Lou Bloom walking up the stairs holding a camera in 'Nightcrawler'
image via Open Road Films 

Nightcrawler is set in the seedy underbelly of modern Los Angeles. Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a determined young man in need of employment, enters the fast-paced world of Los Angeles crime journalism. Lou enters the competitive, deadly world of nightcrawling, where each police siren cry means a potential payday for camera crews, and victims are converted into dollars and cents. These freelance camera crews film crashes, fires, murders, and other mayhem. Lou blurs the lines between spectator and participant to become the focus of his own narrative with the help of Nina (Rene Russo), an experienced former participant in the local TV news industry's blood sport.

Director Dan Gilroy brings out the best of Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays the dangerously obsessed freelance journalist with incredible intensity. As Lou learns what it takes to get paid in that industry, he's willing to break more and more rules, never realizing that he has crossed a line somewhere and he can't turn back.

Nightcrawler
R

Release Date
October 31, 2014
Director
Dan Gilroy
Cast
Jake Gyllenhaal , Michael Papajohn , Marco Rodríguez , Bill Paxton , James Huang , Kent Shocknek , Rene Russo
Runtime
117 minutes

Watch on Starz

3 'Gone Girl' (2014)

Director: David Fincher

Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck in Gone Girl
Image via 20th Century Studios

Based on the renowned 2012 novel by Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl is a popular psychological thriller that's centered on the writer Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and his gorgeous wife Amy (Rosamund Pike). Despite having a seemingly happy marriage, the illusion is shattered when Amy goes missing one day, with Nick quickly becoming the prime suspect following some of his suspicious actions and evidence found in their home. Not everything is as it seems, as pressure from the police and media soon leads to some shocking revelations.

Directed by David Fincher, Gone Girl is one of those unpredictable movies that should be seen knowing little to nothing about its twisty plot. Despite its clear-cut premise, a jaw-dropping mid-point twist changes the entire plot and any assumptions about the main characters. It's also a faithful adaptation of the source material, with Pike impeccably cast as Amy in what is now known as a cult postmodern mystery.

Gone Girl
R
Where to Watch

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Release Date
October 3, 2014
Director
David Fincher
Runtime
149 minutes

2 'Prisoners' (2013)

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Jake Gyllenhaal as Keller and Paul Dano as Alex fighting in 'Prisoners'
Image Via Warner Bros.

Denis Villeneuve presents every parent's worst fear coming true in the form of Keller Dover's (Hugh Jackman) story. Minutes progress into hours, and fear creeps in when his six-year-old daughter Anna (Erin Gerasimovich) and her young friend Joy (Kyla-Drew Simmons) go missing. The sole lead is found in a run-down RV that was once parked on their street. Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is in charge of the inquiry, stops its driver Alex Jones (Paul Dano) but is compelled to let him go due to a lack of evidence. The distraught Dover thinks he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands as the police chase numerous leads and the strain rises knowing that his child's life is on the line. But how far would this father go in his desperation to defend his family?

Prisoners is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling, with its gritty and tense atmosphere making its dark story effective. As Dover and the rest of the parents decide to investigate on their own, they enter a morally gray area alongside audiences, who may end up rooting for their questionable actions in the process.

Prisoners
R

Release Date
September 18, 2013
Director
Denis Villeneuve
Runtime
153

Rent on Apple TV

1 'Parasite' (2019)

Director: Bong Joon-ho

Parasite

The Kim family is sick of living in poverty and eventually hatch an ambitious scam to infiltrate a wealthy family's life by posing as skilled workers. First, the son takes over the tutoring job for the wealthy daughter, then, his sister becomes the art therapist for the rich son. Both with no credentials or experience. Their parents also insert themselves into the wealthy family's employment. However, the scamming family may meet their match in the form of Parks' housekeeper who came with their house. The next question is how far will the Kim family go with this con in an effort to impersonate the Parks.

Parasite is the international sensation that turned director Bong Joon-ho into a household name. The groundbreaking black comedy thriller made cinematic history by becoming the first non-English-language film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, alongside three other Oscars. Parasite's riveting thriller narrative is a clear commentary on class warfare and inequality, with each meticulously crafted scene emphasizing the disparity between the way the rich and poor live.

Parasite
R

Release Date
May 8, 2019
Director
Bong Joon-ho
Cast
Seo Joon Park , Kang-ho Song , Seon-gyun Lee , Yeo-Jeong Jo , Woo-sik Choi , Hye-jin Jang
Runtime
132 minutes

Watch on Max

NEXT: The Best Psychological Thrillers of All Time, Ranked