And with that, the 2024 season has come to an end. It’s the last day of the year, so we’re taking stock of films released in the previous 12 months. From blockbusters and superhero adventures to horrors and comedies, 2024 started slow, but finished strong.
There is always a ton of excitement on New Year’s Eve. What better way to channel that bottled-up energy than with a thriller? Netflix has an entire section dedicated to exciting thrillers. Consider watching some of our recommendations, which include a holiday thriller, a crime saga, and a cat-and-mouse showdown.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Carry-On (2024)
A thriller set around Christmas deserves to be watched around the holidays. Carry-On is in the same vein as Die Hard, where one unlikely protagonist attempts to thwart an entire terrorist operation. Carry-On’s version of John McClane is Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton), a TSA agent tasked with working on Christmas Eve.
While working the security line, Ethan is ordered to wear an earpiece. On the other end of the line is a mysterious traveler (Jason Bateman), who blackmails Ethan into letting a dangerous package through security and onto a plane. If Ethan refuses to comply, the traveler will kill his pregnant girlfriend, Nora (Sofia Carson). Unwilling to let an innocent person die, Ethan springs into action and fights back in this highly entertaining action thriller.
Stream Carry-On on Netflix.
Don’t Move (2024)
Don’t Move? More like Can’t Move. The Sam Raimi-produced Don’t Move stars Yellowstone’s Kelsey Asbille as Iris, a grieving mother who wakes up one morning and visits the memorial of her deceased child. While contemplating her life, Iris meets Richard (Finn Wittrock), a kind man who literally talks her off a cliff.
Before they part ways, Richard unexpectedly stabs Iris with a paralyzing agent. Richard is a serial killer and plans to torture and kill Iris. In 20 minutes, Iris’ entire body will shut down, so she runs into the forest to hide. This is where the “don’t move” part rings true, as Iris must hide from Richard long enough for her body to regain mobility. Though it’s a movie where the protagonist must remain calm, Don’t Move’s suspense makes your heart beat out of your chest.
Stream Don’t Move on Netflix.
The Guilty (2021)
The Guilty is one of the few effective one-location movies from the COVID era. Speaking of COVID, Antoine Fuqua caught the virus days before the shooting, so he directed the scenes from a secure location off set. Serving as the American remake of a 2018 Danish film, The Guilty stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Joe Baylor, an LAPD officer working the night shift at a call center. Joe was recently demoted after a questionable incident occurred while he was on duty.
During his shift, Joe receives a strange call from Emily Lighton (Riley Keough), who claims to have been abducted. Joe gets to work on solving the crime, and as the night progresses, he becomes so obsessed with the case that he can’t let it go. The entire movie takes place in the call center, so it’s a testament to Gyllenhaal’s acting that The Guilty gets more tense with each passing minute.
Stream The Guilty on Netflix.
Emily the Criminal (2022)
Aubrey Plaza is mostly known for her comedic work. In 2022, Plaza ventured outside of comedy and proved she has dramatic chops in Emily the Criminal, John Patton Ford’s wildly underrated thriller. Los Angeles resident Emily Benetto (Plaza) struggles to make ends meet as a delivery driver for a catering company. Emily would love a better-paying job to pay off her student loans, but her felony conviction prevents many companies from hiring her.
Emily gets the chance to make some quick cash as a “dummy shopper,” someone who buys goods with stolen credit cards. The scheme works, and Emily becomes more involved in the illegal business. Plaza is a revelation as Emily, a woman forced into the criminal underworld in this slick commentary about capitalism.
Stream Emily the Criminal on Netflix.
Fair Play (2023)
Fair Play is an ode to the erotic thrillers of the 1990s. Written and directed by Chloe Domont, Fair Play stars Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich as Emily Meyers and Luke Edmunds, two young analysts at a Manhattan hedge fund. Emily and Luke are in a secret relationship and get engaged without notifying their company.
When one of the portfolio managers is fired, Emily, not Luke, receives the promotion. At first, Luke is happy for his soon-to-be wife. However, the admiration quickly turns to jealousy as the cutthroat nature of the business takes over in this well-constructed exploration of gender politics and power dynamics within a relationship.
Stream Fair Play on Netflix.
