15. 28 Days Later (2002)
28 Days Lateris a frightening zombie film, not only because it was one of the first to break away from the “zombies are slow and dumb” trope, but because it was also one of the first to claim that humans are even scarier than zombies.
28 Days Lateris a well-crafted thriller, through and through, and a must-see for any fan of the zombie genre.
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14. A Quiet Place (2018)
Bloodthirsty aliens take over the world, and even though they’re blind, they have supersonic hearing.
The few survivors in the world have eked out a living by never speaking a word—and always being wary of what’s around the corner.A Quiet Placeis a unique thriller, elevated by excellent sound design and acting all around.
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13. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
A woman is knocked unconscious in a car crash, then wakes up in an underground bunker with two men who claim the world has ended and she can’t leave.
John Goodman breaks free from his typecast and plays one of the scariest roles he’s ever had, resulting in10 Cloverfield Lanebeing a top-notch example of what a suspense thriller ought to be.
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12. Gravity (2013)
Forget being stranded at sea—imagine being stranded in space. That’s pretty much the premise ofGravity, which is the 91-minute story of two astronauts as they fight and claw their way back to Earth after their space shuttle is destroyed. It’s beautifully filmed, and you’ll hold your breath through it.
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11. Prisoners (2013)
When his daughter is abducted and the police release the suspected abductor, the father goes vigilante and takes matters into his own hands.
Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal put in some of their best work in this gut-wrenching thriller, which is about as close to nightmare fuel as it gets without edging into the supernatural.
Prisonersis a rough watch but a must-watch for anyone who loves a tight revenge tale that’ll have you gripped from start to finish.
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10. Compliance (2012)
Inspired by a true event,Complianceis the story of a man who impersonates a police officer and convinces the staff at a fast food establishment to do anything he wants—dark, sinister, disturbing things.
It’s the kind of film that strains credulity, until you remember that it’s based on a true story that actually happened. That makes it all the more intense.
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9. Shutter Island (2010)
A federal marshal is brought in to investigate the disappearance of a patient at a psychiatric facility on Shutter Island. But things aren’t what they seem, and it’s up to him to figure out what’s really going on.
Shutter Islandis another immaculate film by Martin Scorsese, and it really pushes the psychological and mystery aspects to their limits.
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8. Sicario (2015)
InSicario, an FBI agent is brought onto a task force with one mission: bring down one of the top leaders in a Mexican drug cartel.
Not an easy ask, of course, and said FBI agent is thrown into all kinds of tense situations, not least of which involves one of the most intense shootouts ever written in film.
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7. Nightcrawler (2014)
Nightcrawleris about a freelancer videographer, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who records violent events and sells the footage to a local news station. This is easily one of Gyllenhaal’s finest performances, which depicts a dark and creepy sociopath who will stop at nothing to get the footage he needs.
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6. All Is Lost (2013)
All Is Lostis about a man stranded at sea. He’s alone, and the most impressive thing about this film is that it has zero dialogue beyond the first few minutes (which are simply voiceover narration).
It’s a survival film, and the struggle to keep going in the face of overwhelming disaster is what solidifiesAll Is Lostas one of the best suspense films of all time.
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5. The Departed (2006)
A gangster is planted inside the police force. A policeman is planted inside the gang. It’s a game of cat-and-mouse to see which side can bring down the other first.
That’s the kind of premise that reeks of potential, and in the hands of Martin Scorsese,The Departedended up becoming one of the best crime films of all time.
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4. Buried (2010)
Buriedis one of my favorite movies, if only because it’s so creative. How is it possible to create a 95-minute film that takes place entirely inside a coffin yet manages to keep you on the edge of your seat through the whole runtime? The claustrophobia just adds to the suspense.
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3. The Hurt Locker (2008)
The Hurt Lockerwon all kinds of awards, each one well-deserved. This war movie is unlike all other war movies, which tend to glorify what ought not be glorified.
Instead,The Hurt Lockerfeels more like a documentary, following the life and duty of a bomb defusal specialist over the course of a tour in Iraq while refusing to make any kind of moral statements. It’s heart-pounding, breath-taking, and downright scary at times.
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2. Ex Machina (2014)
What happens when a programmer is flown in to test whether an artificially intelligent robot can really think for itself?
Well, let’s just say it’s akin to opening Pandora’s box. Underneath all of the suspense and mystery,Ex Machinais a beautiful and thoughtful film exquisitely executed.
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1. Whiplash (2014)
Who knew that the most tense and suspenseful film ever made would be about a drummer and his teacher?
Unlike most films in the genre, there’s no threat of death here—yet somehow it ends up being the kind of film where you don’t even blink once from start to finish.Whiplashis a must-watch for all thriller junkies.
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