The best thrillers on Amazon Prime Video right now

Inside (2023)

Genre Drama, Thriller

Stars Willem Dafoe, Gene Bervoets, Josia Krug

Directed by Vasilis Katsoupis

Directed by Vasilis Katsoupis from a script by Ben Hopkins, Inside stars Willem Dafoe as cunning art hief Nemo. After a heist goes south, Nemo is forced to hide out in the New York City penthouse he initially invaded do he could rob its out-of-town owner of his Egon Schiele paintings. When Nemo attempts to flee the premises, the high-rise’s security system traps him inside, subjecting the criminal to long days of starvation and hallucinations. Dafoe never delivers a faulty performance, and his egocentric portrayal of Nemo becomes all the more dizzying when the man’s psychosis starts to kick in.

Joker (2019)

Genre Crime, Thriller, Drama

Stars Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz

Directed by Todd Phillips

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Co-written and directed by Todd Phillips, Joker stars Joaquin Phoenix as one Arthur Fleck. Set in the crime-packed gauntlet of disdain that is an early 1980s Gotham City, Fleck has big dreams of becoming a renowned comedic talent, but one or two neurological disorders, and a big world of hate, forge a different path for the titular pariah. Inspired by movies like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, Phoenix and Phillips present a shocking and personal origin story for the infamous DC Comics villain.

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

Genre Thriller

Stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright

Directed by Anton Corbijn

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Featuring the last onscreen appearance of the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman, A Most Wanted Man is the 2014 adaptation of John le Carré’s 2008 novel of the same name. Hoffman stars as Günther Bachmann, the head of a German antiterrorism group on the hunt for connections to Islamic extremists. When a man named Issa Karpov (Grigoriy Dobrygin) lands on the radar of the organization, Günther’s team suspects that Issa may have ties to Chechen terrorists. As their investigation ensues, it becomes clear that Karpov is going to be a lot more trouble than anyone could have ever imagined. Hoffman received all kinds of praise for his performance in A Most Wanted Man, the film that would end up being his cinematic swan song.

Vengeance (2022)

Genre Thriller, Mystery, Comedy

Stars B.J. Novak, Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron

Directed by B.J. Novak

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Written, directed, and starring B.J. Novak, Vengeance is a bleak, adrenaline-fueled bit of genre cinema that follows a NYC podcaster by the name of Ben Manalowitz. Traveling to the heart of Texas as part of a murder investigation for a woman he was involved with a long time ago, Ben takes the opportunity to use her death as material for his show.

But after attending her funeral, Ben enters into conversation with the woman’s brother (Boyd Holbrook), a man who swears revenge on whoever took his sister’s life. And it just so happens that Ben is going to tag along on this quest for vengeance. A dark and funny mystery flick, Vengeance is the kind of movie that combines a well thought-out mystery with plenty of laughs to lead us down the seemingly never-ending trail of breadcrumbs.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller

Stars Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin

Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

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An adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, No Country for Old Men stars Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss, a Texas man who stumbles upon a botched drug deal in the desert. Amidst the devastation sits a big bag of cash ($2 million), which Moss decides to take for himself. But it just so happens that this glorious treasure is the wanted property of one Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a stone-cold hitman hired to retrieve the cash, who just so happens to have a penchant for mowing down locals with a captive bolt pistol. Hot on Llewelyn’s trail, Terrell County Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) is tasked with tracking down the killer-for-hire before he catches up with Moss. Not only did No Country for Old Men win the Best Picture Oscar in 2007, but the film also bears the unique distinction of being only one of four Westerns to take home the gold. Packed with amazing performances and a nearly scoreless soundscape that puts the focus on the onscreen cat-and-mouse mayhem, movies really don’t get much better than this.

Frozen (2010)

Genre Thriller

Stars Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, Kevin Zegers

Directed by Adam Green

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Before Disney dazzled the world with “Let it Go” in 2013’s Frozen, a 2010 feature with the same name focused less on anthropomorphic snowmen and more on ravenous wolves who want to devour a group of trapped skiers on a malfunctioning chairlift. Starring Kevin Zegers, Emma Bell, and Shawn Ashmore as Dan, Parker, and Joe, the trio of pals is enjoying a day on the slopes when a miscommunication between lift operators ends up stranding all three skiers high in the sky. As the weather picks up and the odds for survival decrease, the friends are forced to make some harrowing decisions, or risk dying on the chairlift. Written and directed by Adam Green, Frozen manages to pack quite a bit of emotion into its simple story, and while the feature may not have garnered the kind of diehard fans that Olaf has inspired, it’s still a very fun watch.

Nope (2022)

Genre Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction

Stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea

Directed by Jordan Peele

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Nope, one of 2022’s best movies, is the third feature film from celebrated writer-director Jordan Peele, and while the horror influences are still present here, Peele does opt for an epic introduction of sci-fi to his cinematic palette. Starring Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer as horse-wrangling siblings OJ and Em Haywood, whose family business looks to be in serious trouble after the recent passing of their father, the owner of a farm that raises stunt animals just outside of Hollywood.

After the tragic death, OJ and Em are forced to sell off some horses to a local theme park, but when the sudden emergence of an extraterrestrial life form starts wreaking havoc on the desert community, the brother and sister go all-in on trying to capture evidence of the near-invisible UFO. Delivering another powerhouse picture that proudly pays homage to titans of the genre like Steven Spielberg, Nope is further proof that Peele is an undeniable auteur of modern genre cinema.

Horror in the High Desert (2021)

Genre Horror, Thriller

Stars Suziey Block, Tonya Williams Ogden, Eric Mencis

Directed by Dutch Marich

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Shot in a faux found-footage style, Horror in the High Desert is written and directed by Dutch Marich and focuses on the fictional disappearance of wilderness explorer Gary Hinge (played by Eric Mencis). The disappearance took place in 2017, and the film picks up a few years later, focusing on Hinge’s family and friends, as well as authorities, and the horrific bits of evidence they’ve unearthed.

Filmed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marich shot all the talking-head segments of the film using Zoom footage. And whether it was a necessity or not, the format certainly adds to the cold and clinical feel of this chilling and atmospheric exploration of the shocking and vile. Oh, and if you like what you see, you may want to check out the sequel.

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Genre Adventure, Action, Science Fiction

Stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Laura Dern

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

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Jurassic World: Dominion is the third film in the rebooted trilogy of Jurassic Park films, preceded by 2015’s Jurassic World and 2018’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. The cinematic bookend brings Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard back to the fold, along with original ‘90s Jurassic Park alums Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern. Picking up four years after Fallen Kingdom, dinosaurs and humans now coexist, although one would struggle to call such ecosystems “harmonious.” With the future of the world truly at stake, it’s up to heroes both old and new to save the world from money-hungry bioengineering giants and rogue man-eating monsters. You know, the usual fare. While it’s not the best film of director Colin Trevorrow’s Jurassic reawakening, it’s packed with plenty of action, exciting CGI, and returning onscreen talent. It’s a popcorn-chomping flick for sure, and who said there’s anything wrong with that?

Orphan: First Kill (2022)

Genre Horror, Thriller

Stars Isabelle Fuhrman, Julia Stiles, Rossif Sutherland

Directed by William Brent Bell

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Remember Orphan? We understand if you don’t. The psychological chiller came out all the way back in 2009, and starred Isabelle Fuhrman as Ester, a disturbed adoptee of grieving parents John and Kate (Peter Sarsgaard and Vera Farmiga). Well, even if we didn’t ask for it, now there’s Orphan: First Kill, a prequel to the original cinema shocker. With Fuhrman reprising the lead role, our story follows Esther’s escape from an Estonian sanitarium. By impersonating the long-missing daughter of a high-brow family, she is able to travel to America to reunite with her “relatives.” But astute mother Tricia (Julia Stiles) begins to suspect that her rescued child is not who she claims to be. As far as follow-ups that take well over a decade to materialize go, Orphan: First Kill is actually pretty great, with Fuhrman doing an excellent job of channeling the role she popularized nearly 15 years ago.

Clue (1985)

Genre Comedy, Thriller, Crime, Mystery

Stars Tim Curry, Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn

Directed by Jonathan Lynn

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Not every Hollywood thriller has to focus on genre-defining subject matter like bloody bank heists and psychological chills. In fact, if you’re looking for a thriller that the whole family can wrap their heads around, look no further than Clue. Written and directed by Jonathan Lynn, the film features an ensemble cast made up of famous players like Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd, and Michael McKean. Set in 1954, the events of the movie transpire over a single evening. When seven strangers arrive at a secluded New England mansion, a death among the visitors leads to a scramble of finger-pointing, as the figurative skeletons in the guests’ closets begin emerging. A cinematic adaptation of the iconic board game, Clue’s theatrical run included three unique endings that were different based on the screening you attended (with all three endings present in the film’s home video release).

The Northman (2022)

Genre Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Stars Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang

Directed by Robert Eggers

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After disturbing genre-goers with films like The Witch and The Lighthouse, Robert Eggers upped the stakes and budget for his third feature film, The Northman. Starring Alexander Skarsgård as Viking prince Amleth, the story follows his wayward journey toward putting a sword to his uncle’s head (Claes Bang) and getting his revenge for the slaying of his father (Ethan Hawke). Big, bold, and bizarre in the way that only an Eggers film can be, The Northman is a prestige picture for the ages.

The Boondock Saints (1999)

Genre Action, Thriller, Crime

Stars Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus

Directed by Troy Duffy

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An adrenaline-heavy cult film like no other, The Boondock Saints stars Sean Patrick Flanery and Norman Reedus as Irish-Catholic siblings Conner and Murphy. Tiring of the crumbling world around them, the brothers summon up all their religious spirit as the modus operandi for a spree of vigilante killings. But as they take down one mobster after another, a whip-smart FBI agent (Willem Dafoe) starts zeroing in on their killing spree. Wearing its influences on its sleeve, Boondock Saints looks and feels like an amalgamation of Tarantino cinema and B-movie action spectacles, a narrative and atmospheric blending that aims to please and does so effectively, at least for the most part.

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

Genre Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Science Fiction

Stars Sarah Bolger, Amy Aquino, Olivia Wilde

Directed by David Gelb

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In director David Gelb’s The Lazarus Effect, Mark Duplass stars as Frank, a matriculating medical researcher, alongside and Olivia Wilde as Zoe, his fiancé. Together, they have come up with a way to bring the dead back to life. But after a non-approved experiment forces the dean of Frank’s university to put an ax to Frank’s efforts, a freak accident leaves Zoe dead, allowing Frank to use his recent scientific breakthroughs to play God and revive his partner. As one could guess though, the returned Zoe behaves in a much more sinister fashion, post-death. It’s not exactly reinventing the wheel, but The Lazarus Effect manages to chill in a number of compelling ways, and the stellar casting goes a long way toward making this genre pic feel a little more at home.

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Genre Drama, Thriller

Stars Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton

Directed by Ron Howard

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In director Ron Howard’s harrowing and emotional Thirteen Lives, is the real-life story of the Wild Boars, a Thai soccer team made up of twelve players and their coach. When the team ventures off into the Tham Luang cave, heavy rains flood the cavern, trapping them inside. After the parents of the boys alert authorities, a globalized rescue effort, comprised of professional divers and other emergency responders, must race against the clock to save the Wild Boars before it’s too late. Dialing in the dramatized strengths from other Howard-honed pictures like Apollo 13, there’s plenty at stake in Thirteen Lives, and the longtime auteur deftly tackles the many anxiety-inducing feats of one of the world’s most death-defying search-and-rescue efforts.

All the Old Knives (2022)

Genre Thriller, Action

Stars Chris Pine, Thandiwe Newton, Jonathan Pryce

Directed by Janus Metz

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Espionage thrillers make up a unique subset of the genre, and director Janus Metz’ All the Old Knives is a more than fitting contribution to the narrative traditions. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves‘ Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton star as Henry Pelham and Celia Harrison, CIA operatives and ex-lovers who are forced to work together to uncover a mole within the organization’s Vienna satellite location. As the duo closes in on the perpetrator, chemistry resurfaces and past demons arise, leading to some near-insurmountable obstacles that stand in the way of their mission. Pine and Newton are at the top of their game in this one, delivering a dynamic performance fueled by old haunts and new deceit.

Labor Day (2013)

Genre Drama

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Based on the Joyce Maynard novel of the same name, Labor Day stars Josh Brolin as convict Frank Chambers, a man on the run who forces Henry (Gattlin Griffith), a 13-year-old boy, and his depressed mother, Adele (Kate Winslet), to take him in after encountering the pair at a grocery store. Hiding out in Adele’s home, both Henry and his mother begin to take a liking to the grizzled nomad. But when authorities start closing in, Frank’s tragic past threatens to tear everything apart. Featuring strong performances from the main players, Labor Day dips its toes into multiple genres but works best as a dramatic thriller where anything could wrong in seconds.

Jungle (2017)

Genre Adventure, Drama, Thriller

Stars Daniel Radcliffe, Thomas Kretschmann, Alex Russell

Directed by Greg McLean

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A cinematic retelling of Yossi Ghinsberg’s 1981 foray into the Amazon jungle, director Greg McLean’s Jungle stars Daniel Radcliffe as Ghinsberg, an Israeli outdoorsman who travels to Bolivia. Taking up a local guide’s offer to venture into the heart of the jungle with a group of fellow adventurers, Ghinsberg’s fight-or-flight instincts are soon put to the test when the expedition goes completely haywire. A tantalizing survival thriller that leans on the desperation and resourcefulness of its core cast, with Radcliffe leading the charge. Jungle may not be the greatest “nature versus man” film, but it’s a gritty and captivating addition to the sub-genre nonetheless.

No Time to Die (2021)

Genre Adventure, Action, Thriller

Stars Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Rami Malek

Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga

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This is the cinematic sendoff to actor Daniel Craig’s tenure as the ever-charismatic and highly skilled James Bond. No Time to Die, one of the best Bond movies ever, finds the decorated ex-MI6 agent in peaceful retirement on the shores of Jamaica — at least until Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) of the CIA arrives. Bond agrees to one last daring mission, and the objective is to rescue a kidnapped scientist from enemy clutches. This is the kind of quest that Bond is certainly used to. But it turns out that this foe and his plans are more layered and far more devilish than anyone could imagine. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga delivers a well-executed swan song for Craig, bringing Bond’s arc as an intelligence operative to a solid close.

Lansky (2021)

Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller

Stars Harvey Keitel, Sam Worthington, John Magaro

Directed by Eytan Rockaway

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Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel), a notorious crime lord, is on his last leg, a fact that the authorities are all too aware of. Hoping to track down Lansky’s hidden fortune, the Feds do everything in their power to make Lansky talk — and talk he does. In the vein of The Usual Suspects, the patriarchal puppet master begins weaving an intricate tale of his past, with specifics on how he rose to power. Keitel is perfectly cast as Lansky, delivering a tour-de-force performance that carries much of this true-crime thriller.

The Courier (2021)

Genre Thriller, History, Drama

Stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Merab Ninidze, Rachel Brosnahan

Directed by Dominic Cooke

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Based on a true story, The Courier stars Benedict Cumberbatch Greville Wynne, your run-of-the-mill British businessman who’s handed the seemingly impossible task of negotiating with a Soviet spy (Merab Ninidze) to defuse international tensions, a massive effort by the U.K.’s MI-6 to put an end to the Cuban Missile Crisis. A tactful and rewarding espionage thriller, The Courier finds Benedict Cumberbatch at the top of his powers, delivering yet another engrossing leading-man performance.

The Wall (2017)

Genre Thriller, War, Drama

Stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Cena, Laith Nakli

Directed by Doug Liman

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The Wall is a very stripped-down thriller with only three major roles. In Iraq, military sniper Shane Matthews (John Cena) and his spotter, Sergeant Allen “Ize” Isaac (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), are assigned to make sure that a pipeline construction site is clear from enemy forces. Unfortunately, a feared sniper known as Juba (Laith Nakli) successfully draws them into a trap, and wounds both men. As the soldiers hide behind a crumbling wall, Juba uses the radio to learn more about them and to advance his larger plans. That’s because Juba has done this before, and his words are also weapons in his arsenal.

Blow the Man Down (2019)

Genre Drama, Mystery, Comedy

Stars Morgan Saylor, Sophie Lowe, Margo Martindale

Directed by Danielle Krudy, Bridget Savage Cole

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From writer-director duo Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy, Blow the Man Down is a bleak seaside thriller with black comedy undertones. Siblings Priscilla (Sophie Lowe) and Mary Beth Connolly (Morgan Saylor) aren’t on the greatest of terms after their mother’s funeral. Further complicating their sisterly struggle is a murder they must commit (in self-defense). Disposing of the body, the sisters are far from out of the woods when local law enforcement begins a search for the very man the duo pitched in the ocean. Add to that another body washing up on the shore, and Blow the Man Down sheds a layer to reveal a deeper underbelly of feminist power-playing and malicious intent. A film that builds an immersive tone and atmosphere from the get-go, Blow the Man Down is a whodunit that keeps you drawn in for its 90-minute runtime.

The Handmaiden (2016)

Genre Thriller, Drama, Romance

Stars Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo

Directed by Park Chan-wook

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Dubbed an erotic psychological thriller, this South Korean film, also known as Ah-ga-ssi, is inspired by the novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, with a change in setting from the Victorian era to Korea during Japanese colonial rule. At the heart of the story is a con man with a sinister plot to seduce a Japanese heiress so he can have her committed and steal her money.

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Genre Drama, Thriller

Stars Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller

Directed by Lynne Ramsay

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Lionel Shriver’s psychological thriller, We Need to Talk About Kevin, was adapted for the screen by director Lynne Ramsay with The Flash‘s Ezra Miller in the title role. Regardless, this movie belongs to Tilda Swinton, who plays Kevin’s mother, Eva. John C. Reilly also has a rare dramatic turn as Eva’s husband and Kevin’s father, Franklin. The story begins in the present, as Eva struggles to deal with the enormity of Kevin’s crime against society and herself. But as Eva examines her past, she begins to wonder what part she had to play in raising a monster under her own roof. Swinton’s performance is electric, and it carries the film all the way to its conclusion. However, Miller’s Kevin is the rare screen monster who is all too human with the evil he inflicts upon the world.

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Genre Thriller, Drama

Stars Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov

Directed by Lynne Ramsay

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Joaquin Phoenix is on point in Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here. The Oscar-winning actor plays Joe, a brutalizer-for-hire, with a specialty in rescuing trafficked girls. Suffering from suicidal thoughts and years of trauma from his childhood through his military career, Joe agrees to a new mission. It’s standard fare: Rescue a senator’s daughter and take down anyone that gets in the way. The only trouble is that those involved are part of a much deeper political conspiracy, and Joe lands right in the middle of the villains and their victims. You Were Never Really Here has teeth, and it bites — a lot. Those uneasy with gore may want to choose something else on this list. For those that can stomach Joe’s reign of hammer-blows, you’ll be rewarded with a brilliantly directed character study and a mesmerizing lead performance from our latest cinematic Joker.

Inside (2023)

Joker (2019)

A Most Wanted Man (2014)

Vengeance (2022)

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Frozen (2010)

Nope (2022)

Horror in the High Desert (2021)

Jurassic World Dominion (2022)

Orphan: First Kill (2022)

Clue (1985)

The Northman (2022)

The Boondock Saints (1999)

The Lazarus Effect (2015)

Thirteen Lives (2022)

All the Old Knives (2022)

Labor Day (2013)

Jungle (2017)

No Time to Die (2021)

Lansky (2021)

The Courier (2021)

The Wall (2017)

Blow the Man Down (2019)

The Handmaiden (2016)

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

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