The 30 Best Thriller Movies on Netflix, According to Critics

Thrillers have offered some of the most memorable moments in cinema history and have left countless viewers with pulses racing.

Below, we've rounded up the very best thrillers available on Netflix right now, according to MetaCritic.

Robert McLaughlin, a film distribution expert at Birmingham City University in the U.K., told Newsweek the success of a thriller—more than most genres—can be judged on whether or not it it keeps you on the "edge of your seat."

"Whether its going back to the 80s with seeing what Glen Close would do in Fatal attraction of heading to the 90s to see what Brad Pitt would find in the box at the end of Seven, the tense nail biting notion of wanting to know but also not wanting to look holds so much appeal to an audience and the best, tightest thrillers are there to do that and to quote the master of the Thriller himself Alfred Hitchcock: There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it' and a good thriller will always manage that expectation."

Take a look through the best thrillers on Netflix, according to critics.

Pan's Labyrinth (R)

2006 ‧ 1h 59m

This Spanish-Mexican dark thriller finds a woman who encounters the faun Pan, who asks her to complete three tasks.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Pan's Labyrinth is Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups, with the horrors of both reality and fantasy blended together into an extraordinary, spellbinding fable."

The Irishman (R)

2019 ‧ 3h 30m

Martin Scorsese's The Irishman is an epic thriller starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci telling the true story of mob hitman over the ages.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "An epic gangster drama that earns its extended runtime, The Irishman finds Martin Scorsese revisiting familiar themes to poignant, funny, and profound effect."

Cool Hand Luke (GP)

1967 ‧ 2h 7m

Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) ends up in a prison camp and on the wrong side of its sadistic warden.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Though hampered by Stuart Rosenberg's direction, Cool Hand Luke is held aloft by a stellar script and one of Paul Newman's most indelible performances."

Uncut Gems (R)

2019 ‧ 2h 15m

A New York jeweler makes a high-stakes gamble in a hope of keeping his business and private life afloat.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Uncut Gems reaffirms the Safdies as masters of anxiety-inducing cinema—and proves Adam Sandler remains a formidable dramatic actor when given the right material."

Bonnie and Clyde (R)

1967 ‧ 1h 52m

A woman falls in love with an ex-con named Clyde Barrow and together they team up to begin a violent crime spree.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "A paradigm-shifting classic of American cinema, Bonnie and Clyde packs a punch whose power continues to reverberate through thrillers decades later."

The Departed (R)

2006 ‧ 2h 31m

A cop goes deep undercover to infiltrate the mob while another is simultaneously double-crossing his department.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Featuring outstanding work from an excellent cast, The Departed is a thoroughly engrossing gangster drama with the gritty authenticity and soupy morality we come to expect from Martin Scorsese."

Mystic River (R)

2003 ‧ 2h 18m

This neo-noir thriller finds three friends reflecting on a crime that occurred 25 years ago.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Anchored by the exceptional acting of its strong cast, Mystic River is a somber drama that unfolds in layers and conveys the tragedy of its story with visceral power."

Under the Shadow (PG-13)

2016 ‧ 1h 24m

A Tehran woman caring for her daughter while her husband is at war believes she has a supernatural visitor.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Under the Shadow deftly blends seemingly disparate genres to deliver an effective chiller with timely themes and thought-provoking social subtext."

Enter the Dragon (R)

1973 ‧ 1h 50m

A Shaolin martial artist helps the British Intelligence in a dangerous undercover mission.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Badass to the max, Enter the Dragon is the ultimate kung-fu movie and fitting (if untimely) Bruce Lee swan song."

The Blair Witch Project (R)

1999 ‧ 1h 45m

A trio of filmmakers disappears after traveling into a Maryland forest to make a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Full of creepy campfire scares, mock-doc The Blair Witch Project keeps audiences in the dark about its titular villain, proving once more that imagination can be as scary as anything onscreen."

Good Time (R)

2017 ‧ 1h 41m

Following a failed bank heist, a young man attempts to break his mentally challenged younger brother out of jail.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "A visual treat filled out by consistently stellar work from Robert Pattinson, Good Time is a singularly distinctive crime drama offering far more than the usual genre thrills."

Lost Bullet (R)

2020 ‧ 1h 32m

A genius mechanic with a criminal past attempts to track down a missing car after encountering dirty cops.

Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter writes: "It's probably one of the best Gallic action movies to come along in a while."

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (R)

2020 ‧ 2h 14m

This surrealist psychological thriller centres around a woman who goes to visit her new boyfriend's parents.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Aided by stellar performances from Jessie Buckley and Jesse Plemons, I'm Thinking of Ending Things finds writer-director Charlie Kaufman grappling with the human condition as only he can."

A Clockwork Orange (R)

1971 ‧ 2h 17m

Stanley Kubrick's dark and dystopian thriller gravitates around a young sociopath in England, who undergoes an experimental rehabilitation.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Disturbing and thought-provoking, A Clockwork Orange is a cold, dystopian nightmare with a very dark sense of humor."

Gerald's Game (R)

2017 ‧ 1h 43m

A sex game goes wrong, leaving the protagonist handcuffed to a bed alone in a remote lake house.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Carla Gugino carries Gerald's Game's small-scale suspense with a career-defining performance."

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (R)

2020 ‧ 2h 9m

A peaceful protest transformed into a violent clash with the police and results in a notorious court case.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "An actors' showcase enlivened by its topical fact-based story, The Trial of the Chicago 7 plays squarely – and compellingly – to Aaron Sorkin's strengths."

Calibre

2018 ‧ 1h 41m

Two lifelong friends on a hunting trip in Scotland find their vacation descends into a nightmare.

Catherine Renton of The Edinburgh Reporter writes: "I was exhausted but exhilarated after a taut 100 minutes of drama, and I can't wait to do it all again.

Midnight Special (PG-13)

2016 ‧ 1h 52m

The U.S. Government pursues a man's young son who possesses special powers.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Midnight Special's intriguing mysteries may not resolve themselves to every viewer's liking, but the journey is ambitious, entertaining, and terrifically acted."

The Guest (R)

2014 ‧ 1h 40m

A stranger claiming to be the close friend of a recently deceased soldier ingratiates himself into his family.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Boasting enough intelligence to bolster its darkly violent thrills, The Guest offers another treat for genre fans from director Adam Wingard."

Nightcrawler (R)

2014 ‧ 1h 57m

This satire on local TV reporting involves a loner discovering success patrolling the streets of LA to document death and disaster.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Restless, visually sleek, and powered by a lithe star performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, Nightcrawler offers dark, thought-provoking thrills."

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (R)

2011 ‧ 2h 38m

This noir thriller follows a disgraced journalist teaming up with a young female hacker in his search for a woman's killer.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Brutal yet captivating, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the result of David Fincher working at his lurid best with total role commitment from star Rooney Mara."

I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore

2017 ‧ 1h 36m

A timid woman receives a new lease on life when she and a local eccentric track down thieves.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "I Don't Feel At Home In This World Anymore transcends its unwieldy title to offer timely, intoxicatingly dark observations on gender dynamics and social norms in modern America."

The Invitation (R)

2015 ‧ 1h 40m

A man accepts an invitation to a creepy dinner party hosted by his ex-wife and her new husband, an evening responsible for reopening festering wounds.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "The Invitation makes brilliant use of its tension-rich premise to deliver a uniquely effective – and surprisingly clever – slow-building thriller."

See You Yesterday (R)

2019 ‧ 1h 27m

This sci-fi thriller finds a pair of teenage science prodigies build backpacks with the ability to travel through time.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "See You Yesterday marries a novel sci-fi premise with urgent social relevance and forges something excitedly new from the union—providing an impressive showcase for star Eden Duncan-Smith and debut writer-director Stefon Bristol."

Dukhtar

2014 ‧ 1h 33m

A mother and her ten-year-old daughter flee their home in Pakistan on the eve of the girl's marriage to a local religious leader.

Theodora Munroe of The Upcoming awarderd the movie five stars and wrote: "Well-acted and beautifully written, Dukhtar thrills and stirs."

The Impossible (PG-13)

2012 ‧ 1h 54m

This thriller depicts the carnage caused by the massive 2004 tsunami, as viewed through the experience of one family on vacation in Thailand.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "The screenplay isn't quite as powerful as the direction or the acting, but with such an astonishing real-life story at its center, The Impossible is never less than compelling."

The Platform (R)

2019 ‧ 1h 34m

A nightmarish building houses prisoners watching as inmates in the upper cells are fed while those below starve.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "While it may feel muddled at times, The Platform is an inventive and captivating dystopian thriller."

Mad Max (R)

1979 ‧ 1h 35m

A post-apocalyptic future, finds a malicious gang murder Max's family as an act of retaliation, triggering an urge for revenge.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "Staging the improbable car stunts and crashes to perfection, director George Miller succeeds completely in bringing the violent, post-apocalyptic world of Mad Max to visceral life."

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (R)

2017 ‧ 2h 1m

A successful man decides to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life crumbles when an eccentric boy enters his family's existence.

Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states: "The Killing of a Sacred Deer continues director Yorgos Lanthimos' stubbornly idiosyncratic streak—and demonstrates again that he is a talent not to be ignored."

Layer Cake (R)

2004 ‧ 1h 45m

A British drug dealer's retirement plans are curtailed after his boss asks him to do one more job.
Rotten Tomatoes' critic consensus states simply: "A stylized, electric British crime thriller".