Whether it’s mixed with action, crime, or even sci-fi, thrillers are meant to get viewers on the edge of their seats, waiting (or dreading) to see what happens next. The established genre definitely has countless fans who enjoy the suspense and tension that often accompany the twisty narratives from the greatest thriller movies.
IMDb—a platform for film buffs—has made it easy for fans of the genre who are looking for must-see thrillers. The highest-rated thriller movies on the site are almost always award-winning classics that represent the best that the genre has to offer. These top thriller movies include genre-defining classics like Psycho, international hits like Parasite, and even gritty superhero movies like The Dark Knight. Fans who have gone through the top 10 thriller movies as voted by users on IMDb and are looking for more heart-pounding flicks to watch only need to go a bit further down the list to find more classic, critically acclaimed, and essential thrillers.
45. 'Blade Runner' (1982)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
When it first came out, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner was a flop in every sense of the word. It's been over the years that it's become the quintessential cult classic that it is today, now considered one of the greatest masterpieces of the '80s. Proof of that is the fact that it's among the 250 highest-rated films on IMDb.
As a thriller, Blade Runner is much more grounded, slow-burning, and philosophical than most, but that's precisely where the charm of its suspense and mystery comes from. Scott's direction and the film's strong cyberpunk elements work in conjunction to create some of the most powerful and atmospheric world-building of any sci-fi thriller. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
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Blade Runner
R
DramaSci-Fi
Thriller10 9.3/10
- Release Date
- June 25, 1982
- Runtime
- 117 minutes
Cast
-
Harrison Ford
-
Rutger Hauer
44. 'Gone Girl' (2014)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
One of many exceptional thrillers from acclaimed director David Fincher, Gone Girl has proven to be one of his most prolific and acclaimed works during the 2010s, balancing tension and dread with the difficulties of a failing marriage. The film follows Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), who soon finds himself at the center of a media frenzy when his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike)'s disappearance becomes a massive news story. The public soon begins to suspect that Nick is not an innocent party, yet the truth proves to be much more complicated.
Much like the greatest mystery thrillers out there, Gone Girl doesn't lose any of its impact or depth even after being aware of its major twist, with its context and full picture only further elevating the entire experience as a whole. Both Affleck and Pike bring it their all in terms of brilliant performances, further elevating the exceptional filmmaking to create one of the most effective and standout mystery thrillers of the 2010s.
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Gone Girl
9.50
DramaDocumentary
Mystery
Thriller9.0/10
- Release Date
- October 1, 2014
- Runtime
- 2h 29m
Cast
-
Ben Affleck
-
Rosamund Pike
43. 'Gangs of Wasseypur' (2012)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
.jpg "45 Best Thriller Movies of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb (11)")
The Hindi-language Indian epic Gangs of Wasseypur is one of the country's most internationally popular movies of the 21st century, a five-and-a-half-hour-long gangster satire that had to be screened in two parts as a result of no theater wanting to take such a long film. Nevertheless, cinephiles have embraced its epic runtime in the years since its release, giving it widespread acclaim and a cult following.
Thanks to its dark sense of humor, its fantastic pacing, and its glossy soap opera style that was unprecedented in Bollywood at the time, Gangs of Wasseypur is typically onsidered one of the best gangster thrillers of all time, making it no surprise that it's so highly rated by IMDb reviewers. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
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Gangs of Wasseypur
Not Rated
Crime
ActionComedy
Drama- Release Date
- June 22, 2012
- Runtime
- 321 Minutes
Cast
-
Manoj Bajpayee
-
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
-
Tigmanshu Dhulia
-
Richa Chadha
42. 'Die Hard' (1988)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
In terms of action-thrillers that manage to be as tense and high-stakes as they are exciting and high-energy, few films are as iconic and influential to the genre as a whole as the original Die Hard. The film sees Bruce Willis as John McClane, a New York City policeman who finds himself at the center of a hostile takeover when visiting the headquarters of a business that his estranged wife works for. With little help from outside the building, McClane becomes the only person who can put a stop to the vicious terrorists and save the hostages.
Die Hard is one of the most influential thrillers of the 80s, with John McClane being an iconic figure in action filmmaking and propelling Bruce Willis as one of the most recognizable actors in action. Especially with its increasing legacy as an unexpected Christmas classic, the film constantly finds itself in the conversation as one of the most recognizable and timeless thrillers of all time. Even after the various Die Hard sequels that have been released over the years, none of them hold a candle to the inherent mastery and genius of the original film.
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Die Hard
R
Action Thriller8.5/10
- Release Date
- July 15, 1988
- Runtime
- 132 minutes
Cast
-
Bruce Willis
John McClane
-
Alan Rickman
Hans Gruber
41. 'The Great Escape' (1963)
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
One of the defining films of the 60s, The Great Escape made massive waves through its combination of the striking and powerful World War II backdrop with a legendary real-life escape story. The film follows a group of Allied prisoners who frequently find themselves escaping Nazi prison camps, now being relocated to a high-security camp that is built to be "escape-proof" where they will stay for the rest of the war. However, this doesn't stop this group of brave soldiers, who devise a daring plan to enact one of the most ambitious and dangerous escape attempts in history.
The Great Escape has continued to stay an action thriller classic for over 60 years for good reason, as its fundamental understanding of the genre and its stakes still give it a timeless, enthralling energy. For a relatively long film, it manages to be exceptionally paced and keeps audiences engaged throughout its entire runtime, allowing you to feel for the characters' low points and get amped up as they narrowly find the way to succeed despite the odds.
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The Great Escape
Approved
Adventure Drama Thriller- Release Date
- July 4, 1963
- Runtime
- 172 Minutes
Cast
-
Steve McQueen
Hendley 'The Scrounger'
-
James Garner
Hilts 'The Cooler King'
-
Richard Attenborough
Bartlett 'Big X'
-
Charles Bronson
Ramsey 'The SBO'
40. 'The Secret in Their Eyes' (2009)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
The Secret in Their Eyes is an Argentinian crime thriller that was able to make massive waves across the world with its exceptional pacing and engaging central story, even winning the Academy Award for Best International Film. The film follows retired criminal investigator Benjamin Esposito, who in an attempt to finally put the past of a grueling case behind him, decides to write a novel based on the unsolved mystery of a newlywed's rape and murder. As he delves deeper into the past of the case, he attempts to finally find some solace and truth of what actually happened.
Crime procedurals always make for engaging and gripping thriller experiences, with The Secret in Their Eyes having a fundamental understanding of pacing and timing to make each reveal and revelation that much more impactful. The film is incredibly approachable and universal in scope despite being spoken in a foreign language, with anyone being able to instantly understand and connect with the characters and their struggles.
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The Secret in Their Eyes
R
DramaMystery
Romance- Release Date
- August 13, 2009
- Runtime
- 129 Minutes
Cast
-
Soledad Villamil
-
Ricardo Darin
-
Carla Quevedo
-
Pablo Rago
39. 'Dial M for Murder' (1954)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
One of many masterful thrillers from the master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock, Dial M for Murder is one of the most legendary films in his entire filmography, a crime thriller that would revolutionize the entire genre. The film follows retired tennis pro Tony Wendice, who after hearing word that his wife has been having an affair with a crime-fiction writer, begins to plot the murder of his own wife to inherit her fortune. However, the plan ends up being screwed up, leaving his wife alive and forcing him to weasel his way out of this conundrum, outwitting the police and doing everything he can to hide his crime from being brought to light.
Hitchcock is a master when it comes to rising suspense and keeping audiences guessing and on edge as to what will happen next, with Dial M for Murder being one of the director's most legendary titles and one of the most influential mystery thrillers of all time. Even 70 years later, the film still works wonders thanks to the timeless direction from Hitchcock, with many of the classic conventions of thrillers and mysteries that are still used today being executed perfectly within this all-time classic.
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Dial M for Murder
PG
ThrillerCrime
9.0/10
- Release Date
- May 29, 1954
- Runtime
- 105 minutes
Cast
-
Grace Kelly
Margot Wendice
-
Ray Milland
Tony Wendice
38. 'The Sixth Sense' (1999)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
While director M. Night Shyamalan has had a shaky and largely mixed filmography over the years, it is near-unanimously considered that his original foray into the thriller genre created a modern masterpiece of thrills and twists. The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller that follows the perspective of Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who after a painful event in his past, finds himself caring for Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a nine-year-old who reminds him of a patient he failed in the past. However, as the supernatural occurrences surrounding Cole appear to have some truth behind them, Malcolm is forced to face his demons in order to be able to help Cole fight his own.
The Sixth Sense is the type of masterful thriller where everything comes together to create a cinematic opus of suspense, mystery, and emotion; everything one would want from a thriller. The film blends together its deeper psychological themes with its spooky, ghostly premise to be the perfect supernatural thriller, making the most of multiple genres an experience that anyone could get hooked on. The duo of performances from Willis and Osment is the final piece of the puzzle that brings everything together, as they elevate the already great material into all-time status.
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The Sixth Sense
PG-13
Thriller Drama HorrorMystery
8.9/10
- Release Date
- August 6, 1999
- Runtime
- 107 minutes
Cast
-
Bruce Willis
-
Toni Collette
37. 'Yojimbo' (1961)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
One of many samurai film masterpieces by legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, Yojimbo has proven to be wildly influential and fundamental to the core structure of modern action-thriller films. The film follows a nameless samurai with no master to his name, finding himself in the middle of a struggle as a small village is home to two rival businessmen struggling for control of the local gambling trade. The samurai soon convinces both businessmen to hire him as their personal bodyguard, setting into motion a full-scale battle between the two men.
From engaging swordplay action to an exciting story of greed and deception between parties, it's easy to have an exhilarating and great time watching Yojimbo, as is the case with many of Kurosawa's classic samurai thrillers. The film uses the intricacies and strengths of the period to tackle a timeless struggle that is even found in the modern-day and could apply to any number of different time periods and settings. The film's premise proved to be so effective that it was soon after unofficially remade by Sergio Leone in one of the most acclaimed westerns of all time, A Fistful of Dollars.
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Yojimbo
Not Rated
Action Thriller Drama7.0/10
- Release Date
- April 25, 1961
- Runtime
- 110 minutes
Cast
-
Toshiro Mifune
-
Tatsuya Nakadai
36. 'Shutter Island' (2010)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Director Martin Scorsese has a lot of experience bringing to life genre-defying thrillers that continue to leave meaningful impacts on audiences well after the credits roll, with Shutter Island being one of the best examples. The film follows the story of WWII soldier turned Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio), who has been tasked with solving the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane. However, as he gets closer and closer to the truth, several seemingly unexplainable visions begin to haunt Teddy, seemingly fighting to keep him away from the harsh truth.
Shutter Island is the type of film where the majority of conversation around it revolves around its masterful final act twist, one that completely recontextualizes the entire film and places it in a new light. Even outside this iconic twist, Shutter Island's ability to keep the audience on edge and second-guessing themselves up until the moment the twist is revealed is what makes it such a compelling and rewatchable thriller. Scorsese is a master of tension and character building, with Shutter Island being the type of story that allows him to fully explore the horrors and limitless possibilities of psychosis.
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Shutter Island
R
Mystery
Thriller Drama 6.0/10
- Release Date
- February 19, 2010
- Runtime
- 138 minutes
Cast
-
Leonardo DiCaprio
-
Emily Mortimer
