“Don’t Move” is the latest Netflix thriller to rocket straight to the No. 1 spot following its debut last week (on October 25). The movie sees a grieving woman hunted by a violent killer through a dense forest, but the wrinkle is that she’s been injected with a paralyzing agent and must escape her tormentor while her entire body shuts down rendering her immobile.
Blending a cat-and-mouse game with heart-pounding tension, “Don’t Move” is an enjoyable thriller (even if its internal logic is a little inconsistent), but running a breezy 85 minutes, the streaming flick won’t keep you entertained for all that long. So, if you’re looking for similar thrillers that make for perfect viewing afterward, here are 5 movies like “Don’t Move” you can watch right now.
‘Hush’ (2016)
The hook of “Don’t Move” is that our hero is attempting to escape a killer with a pretty severe disadvantage, and that’s also the case in “Hush.” Rather than being slowly rendered immobile, in “Hush”, the protagonist Maddie (Kate Siegel) is deaf and mute, meaning that she can’t rely on a sense of sound to detect when the killer is present, nor can she cry out for help. This serves to make “Hush” extremely tense as Maddie’s odds of survival look pretty bleak.
Directed by Mike Flanagan, “Hush” is a stripped-back slasher that focuses on building tension. The isolated setting of a house in the remote woods also adds to the atmosphere. And while Maddie is sadistically toyed with by her masked tormentor, she’s not portrayed as a helpless victim, which gives “Hush” an empowering element. Plus, now is a great time to watch as “Hush” recently returned to streaming platforms after being unavailable for more than a year.
Buy or rent on Amazon
‘Alone’ (2020)
Like in “Don’t Move”, “Alone” is a cat-and-mouse game set across a sprawling wilderness. This rural setting only adds to the fear factor. Jessica (Jules Willcox) is a recent widow, who hits the open road to escape her traumatic past, but when she encounters an unnerving figure at a rest stop, a nightmare ordeal begins as she’s hunted through the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest.
The similarities to “Don’t Move” are fairly obvious with this one, and while Jessica is fortunate enough to have the ability to run from her pursuer, the life-or-death stakes are no less dramatic. Willcox is excellent in the leading role, and while “Alone” has been described as “minimalist” that’s not a bad thing as it gives the flick a real focus as all your attention is kept on Jessica’s battle for survival. Plus, this movie enjoyed a very strong critical reception holding an impressive 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a testament to its overall quality.
Watch on Amazon Prime
‘Don’t Breathe’ (2016)
Earlier this year Fede Álvarez reinvigorated the “Alien” franchise with “Alien: Romulus”, but before playing in my favorite sci-fi universe, the director helmed “Don’t Breathe” a home-invasion horror with one of the best twists in any movie ever. If you thought “Don’t Move” was tense, you’re not prepared for just how palm-sweating things get in “Don’t Breathe”. In fact, it’s appropriately named as you might find yourself holding your breath during its most stressful scene.
“Don’t Breathe” centers on three thieves Rocky (Jane Levy), Alix (Dylan Minnette) and Money (Daniel Zovatto), who break into the home of a blind war veteran thinking he’ll be an easy mark for robbery. Instead, they discover this supposedly helpless victim is anything but, and become trapped in his home desperate for a way to escape. “Don’t Breathe” is a seriously exciting thriller that will have you wondering who is the real victim by the end.
Buy or rent on Amazon
‘See for Me’ (2022)
If you thought Iris was at a disadvantage in “Don’t Move” being unable to move her limbs, in “See for Me” the protagonist must evade and escape a trio of criminals all without the ability to even see them. Sophie (Skyler Davenport) is a visually-impaired teen house-sitting in a luxurious, but isolated, mansion. When three robbers break in, Sophie must rely on an app that remotely connects her with an army veteran living across the country to survive this ordeal.
Much like “Hush” (and to an extent “Don’t Move”), “See for Me” plays with our perception of powerlessness. You might assume that Sophie will be a helpless victim unable to do anything against the strength of three criminals, but the script is flipped and with the assistance of Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy), the duo fights back. But there’s still plenty of tension in “See for Me” as while Sophie is portrayed as capable she’s certainly not invulnerable.
Watch on Amazon Prime
‘Trap’ (2024)
In “Don’t Move” the antagonist (played by Finn Wittrock) is a family man on the surface but harboring a dark secret, and that’s exactly the same in “Trap”. The M. Night Shyamalan flick opens with a doting dad (Josh Hartnett) taking his young daughter to a pop concert for her musical idol. It seems pretty normal until we are shown that this seemingly ordinary father is actually a sadistic serial killer known as the Butcher, with his next victim locked up in a basement.
Adding yet more intrigue to the mix, Hartnett’s Cooper then learns that the concert is a secret police sting operation as the authorities have received a tip-off that the Butcher is in attendance. Now Cooper has to evade arrest while also hiding his true identity from his daughter. “Trap” has some pretty big flaws in its back half, but its premise is novel, and it’s got enough thrills to keep you entertained throughout. Plus, Hartnett is wonderfully wicked in the leading role.
Watch on Max
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