Looking for a thriller movie full of intrigue, suspense and, perhaps most importantly, mind-bending twists? Then you’ll want to comb through Netflix’s sizeable library of psychological thrillers, but fair warning — there are more than a few subpar flicks in the mix.
Fortunately, to save you some time, I’ve carefully combed through the streaming service’s movie catalog and picked out the most compelling picks that deserve a spot on your watchlist.
Each of the psychological thrillers on this list explores the darkest corners of the human psyche and will have you gripped from beginning to end.
Some of these can be pretty stressful watches, as characters face deadly situations and even wonder if they’re losing their grip on reality, but each one offers a highly satisfying journey by the very end.
So, without further preamble, these are the five best psychological thriller movies on Netflix right now.
‘Watcher’ (2022)
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“Watcher” is one of the most effective thrillers I’ve seen in recent years. It plays on a sense of paranoia, and that uneasy feeling that you’re being watched by somebody (or something), and after streaming it for the first time, I felt eyes on me just about everywhere I went.
The movie centers on Julia (Maika Monroe), a young woman who’s recently moved to Bucharest after her boyfriend takes a new job. Struggling to settle and feeling lonely in this foreign environment, her isolation turns to chilling discomfort when she believes a mysterious stranger is watching her. And adding to the horror, there’s a serial killer on the loose as well. Could the two be connected?
Monroe is the movie’s biggest strength, with her committed performance drawing you into Lisa’s plight, and the slowly building sense of terror is supremely effective. It all leads to a strong ending, which will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Watch “The Watcher” on Netflix now
‘The Devil All the Time’ (2020)
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I rank “The Devil All the Time” as one of Netflix’s most overlooked original movies. It was somewhat divisive at release, but I very much landed on the side of the fence that felt it was an engrossing watch, strengthened by serious star power delivering strong performances.
Set in the mid-20th century, it follows a group of complex characters as their lives intertwine in interesting, unexpected and even sinister ways. It tackles a lot of heavy themes, and perhaps its most off-putting element is the lengthy 140-minute runtime. This is no easy watch. The somber movie demands your full attention and a bit of patience.
Stick with it and you’re rewarded with a thoughtful thriller with deeper themes to unspool. As for the cast, it includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Bill Skarsgård, Sebastian Stan, Riley Keough, Mia Wasikowska, and Jason Clarke. That’s plenty of A-list names.
Watch “The Devil All the Time” on Netflix now
‘Red Eye’ (2005)
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If you thought being seated next to a crying baby was the worst thing that could happen on a flight, think again. Lisa (Rachel McAdams) faces the trip from hell when she’s seated next to Jackson (Cillian Murphy), who might look handsome, but is plotting something sinister.
Jackson is part of a domestic terrorist plot with plans to assassinate a high-ranking government official, and Lisa’s assistance is required to complete the mission. And let’s just say, Jackson isn’t exactly going to politely ask for her help, resorting to blackmail to force her to participate in the attempt on the life of the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security.
The claustrophobic setting of a flight really adds to the suspense here, and watching Lisa try to outmaneuver the man forcing her to participate in a murder is seriously engaging. It’s also not a bad thing that the film boasts two credible stars in the leading roles.
Watch “Red Eye” on Netflix now
‘The Call’ (2020)
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First things first, I am not talking about 2013’s “The Call” starring Halle Berry, which is also on Netflix (and very much not worth watching). Instead, I’m referring to the 2020 South Korean psychological thriller of the same name, which is packed full of twists and turns.
A remake of a British movie called “The Caller,” this chilling thriller with sci-fi elements, focuses on two women (Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo) who live in the same home, only 20 years apart. But the wrinkle is that these two can communicate across time via a telephone. And their strange connection might be key to changing their own fates.
“The Call” strays into chilling territory with some moments that are straight-up horror material, so it’s not for the easily spooked. But if you can handle a few scares, its 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes should be enough to convince you to add it to your Netflix watchlist.
Watch “The Call” on Netflix now
‘Don’t Move’ (2024)
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In most thriller movies, when a ruthless killer is chasing the protagonist, they have two choices: run or hide. In “Don’t Move,” Iris (Kelsey Asbille) can’t do either because she’s been injected with a paralytic agent by her sinister tormentor (Finn Wittrock), and she must find a way to evade him as the drug slowly shuts her entire body down.
It’s a great setup for a thriller full of heart-pounding moments, and the tension is often ratcheted up to such an extreme degree that you’ll be holding your breath alongside its heroine. The fact that Iris has a tragic backstory, which sees her struggle to find a reason to keep on going in the wake of losing her young son, only adds to the emotional stakes.
The movie’s biggest boon is Wittrock’s deliciously unhinged performance as a sadistic stalker, and while “Don’t Move” plays a little fast and loose with its logic rules (Iris’s ability to move seems governed mostly by the needs of the plot), it’s, for the most part, a breathless thrill ride.
Watch “Don’t Move” on Netflix now
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