I’m a passionate movie fan who watches picks from across all genres (yes, I even love a good musical), but if pressed to select a favorite type of movie, then I would have to go with thrillers. There’s just something almost unbeatable about a well-crafted thriller that combines tension, clever writing, strong performances, and a shocking twist or two.
In my time as an entertainment writer, it’s become very clear to me that the thriller genre is a favorite of many movie-watchers out there. And so, I’ve set myself the task of picking out the very best thriller movies of the last decade, to hopefully give you a few new movies to add to your watchlist. However, if you’ve already seen all ten of my picks, then big kudos to you!
Assembling this ranking was no easy task, and I’ve had to skip over plenty of thriller movies that I genuinely love, so definitely don’t consider this a list of the only entries in the genre worth watching from the last decades. Instead, these are just my personal favorite thriller movies released between 2015 and 2025. And fair warning, if you ask me for my ranking on a different day, it could completely change, because putting this list together was tough.
My 10 favorite thriller movies of the past decade
10. ‘The Long Walk’ (2025)
Few dystopian thrillers are as utterly bleak as “The Long Walk.” Adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same name (written under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman), this gritty survival flick centers on the eponymous Long Walk, a grueling test of endurance with only one winner. 50 boys sign up to compete and must walk until they physically can’t anymore. If they stop or fail to meet the set pace of three miles per hour, they will be executed on the spot by an armed squadron led by the ruthless Major (Mark Hamill).
Tense from the moment the starting gun is fired, the movie’s protagonist is Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), a young man entering the Long Walk for very personal reasons. While the contest is horrific, and the extreme brutality stomach-turning, there are a few flecks of hope on offer to keep you going. These tender moments come in the form of Ray’s developing friendship with fellow walker, Pete McVries (David Jonsson). “The Long Walk” may not be as entertaining as some picks on this list, but it’s gripping and impactful.
Buy or rent "The Long Walk" on Amazon now
9. ‘The Killer’ (2023)
I’m a huge fanboy of director David Fincher (2014’s “Gone Girl” only misses the cut by virtue of being 11 years old now). I was disappointed with his 2020 drama “Mank,” but delighted when he returned to the thriller genre for 2023’s “The Killer.” The result was an ultra-polished movie, one that favors meticulous craft over deep characterization. That trade-off does lead to “The Killer” feeling rather cold and calculating, but considering its subject matter, focusing on a master hit man, that emotional distance feels extremely thematically appropriate and certainly intentional.
Michael Fassbender plays an international assassin renowned for his clean hits. However, when a job unexpectedly goes wrong and things become personal, he embarks on an international hunt for vengeance. Playing out as a string of absorbing vignettes as Fassbender’s unnamed hitman leaps from target to target, “The Killer” is masterfully made. Some viewers might find its simplistic narrative off-putting, but its sense of expert style is undeniable.
Watch "The Killer" on Netflix now
8. ‘One Battle After Another’ (2025)
The dust is still settling on “One Battle After Another” — as of writing, the movie is still playing in theatres — but there’s no recency bias here. Paul Thomas Anderson’s best movie since 2012’s “The Master,” this action-thriller is a true epic, combining a sprawling narrative with some of the most inventive action scenes of the current decade. It also packs a world-class performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, which allows the Oscar winner to showcase his fantastic comedic chops. It’s thrilling and funny in equal measures.
This awards frontrunner centers on a former revolutionary, now living under the name Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio). Bob is attempting to live off the grid and is deeply paranoid about his past catching up with him. Sheltering his rebellious daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti), in a small Californian town, when Bob’s worst fears come true, it’s a race against time to escape from an old nemesis (Sean Penn). I have a few critiques of the ending, but when the journey to get there is such a blast, these minor quibbles are easy to forgive. One Battle After Another deserves the hype.
Watch "One Battle After Another" in theatres now
7. ‘Conclave’ (2024)
![CONCLAVE - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters October 25 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JX9jasdi3ic/maxresdefault.jpg)
You might not think the election of a new Pope would be fertile ground for an engaging political thriller, but director Edward Berger took Robert Harris’ 2016 novel and turned it into one of the most gripping dramas of recent years. Anchored by one of Ralph Fiennes' strongest performances, it explores the secretive process and asks some big questions about the nature of faith. With enough politicking and scheming to put “Game of Thrones” to shame, “Conclave” is a riveting peek behind the curtain of the Catholic Church.
Following the death of the current Pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Fiennes), a man grappling with his own faith, is put in charge of the election process to select a new leader of the church. Set in the ornate halls of the Vatican, Lawrence is confronted by several cardinals who differ in their vision for the future of Catholicism. And if the grand speeches and crafty attempts to win votes weren’t enough drama, Lawrence also uncovers some dark secrets as the election proceeds.
Watch "Conclave" on Prime Video now
6. ‘The Handmaiden’ (2016)
If the main thing you look for in a thriller is shocking twists, then “The Handmaiden” is a must-watch. From “Oldboy” director Park Chan-wook, it’s a steamy period flick that warps into a psychological nightmare where the rug is pulled constantly. In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, so many twists and turns could have felt cheap, but Chan-wook is a master at delivering reveals that take you by surprise but feel almost obvious in hindsight, which is the true mark of an expertly delivered twist.
Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo), not his real name, is a crafty con man who has set his sights on swindling a Japanese heiress (Kim Min-hee) out of her considerable inheritance. As part of his plan, he hires a pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri) to serve as the heiress’s handmaiden. What follows is a deliciously twisty tale, as it becomes very tricky to figure out who is conning who. Presented in three chapters, “The Handmaiden” is a visually stunning and well-told fable.
Watch "The Handmaiden" on Prime Video now
5. ‘Uncut Gems’ (2019)
The Safdie brothers, Josh and Benny, have been striking out on their own this year, but before that, they made for one of the most skilful directing duos since the Coen brothers. While I love 2017’s “Good Times” for my money, their true masterpiece is “Uncut Gems.” A propulsive crime thriller that successfully reminded the world that Adam Sandler is capable of so much more than fart jokes. In fact, “Uncut Gems” ramps up the tension to such an extreme degree that you might need to pause to catch a breath.
Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jeweller in New York City’s Diamond District. With an eye for priceless treasures, he comes into possession of a 600-carat black opal, which could be his ticket out of an increasingly deep pit of debt. However, his creditors and business rivals are on his tail, and to secure his family’s future, he’s forced to take extreme measures. Sandler is spell-binding in the lead role, and “Uncut Gems” builds to a memorable conclusion that is both shocking and yet extremely fitting.
Watch "Uncut Gems" on HBO Max now
4. ‘Black Bag’ (2025)
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/maxresdefault.jpg)
Another entry where recency bias could play a factor, but having recently rewatched “Black Bag” after first seeing it in theatres back in the spring, I maintain that it’s a laser-sharp spy thriller that succeeds thanks to a pacey plot and some really strong performances.
Its central hook is finding a mole among a group of British intelligence agents, and much of the fun is playing detective yourself, attempting to analyze each character and figure out any holes in their stories. Director Steven Soderbergh has a tight grip on proceedings, and running a lean 94 minutes, it’s a thriller that isn’t saddled with any fat; it’s all meat here.
Michael Fassbender plays a national cybersecurity officer with a renowned ability to read people. He’s tasked by his superiors to identify a national traitor passing on classified information to enemy actors. But when his beloved wife (Cate Blanchett) becomes a suspect, his loyalties are tested. Also starring Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page and Pierce Brosnan, “Black Bag” is small in scale but big on impact.
Watch "Black Bag" on Prime Video now
3. ‘Knives Out’ (2019)
If I were ranking my favorite new film franchises launched in the last decades, “Knives Out” would be right at the top. This murder mystery series from Rian Johnson is a delightful throwback that takes inspiration from the genre greats like Agatha Christie, but gives the established fundamentals a neat modern twist. Daniel Craig is also simply fantastic as detective Benoit Blanc, and while the 2023 sequel “Glass Onion” is a hoot, the original “Knives Out” remains the strongest entry yet (though I hear the third mystery, “Wake Up, Dead Man” due out in theatres later this month might be even better.)
In “Knives Out,” detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) is called to investigate the death of best-selling crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). The police rule it a suicide, but Blanc is convinced something fishy is afoot. Investigating Thrombey’s self-serving relatives, and receiving help from the author’s nurse (Ana de Armas), he soon discovers there’s much more to this case than meets the eye. Packing an all-star cast (with Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis and Toni Collette, among others) and several excellent twists, “Knives Out” is a murder mystery throwback done right.
Watch "Knives Out" on Prime Video now
2. ‘Juror No. 2’ (2024)
Speaking of throwbacks, “Juror No. 2” feels like a movie from an era gone by, and that’s meant as a huge compliment. Directed by Clint Eastwood, it might not be the most cinematic entry on this list, but it certainly ranks as one of the most compelling. Like the best thrillers should, it hooks you not just because you’re desperate to see what will happen next, but because it also challenges you to consider your own sense of morality, and reflect on how you might handle a similar situation. Plus, the ending is a knockout.
Justin (Nicholas Hoult) is a recovering alcoholic with a baby on the way called up for jury service in the state of Georgia. The trial is a high-profile murder case, but Justin is shocked when he realizes that he might actually be inadvertently responsible for the victim’s death. Wrestling with guilt and unsure whether to come forward, he attempts to find a way to sway his fellow jurors to a “not guilty” verdict while simultaneously keeping his own role in the crime a secret.
Watch "Juror No. 2" on HBO Max now
1. ‘Parasite’ (2019)
Earlier this year, I named “Parasite” as the best movie of the past decade, so for any returning readers, it’ll come as no shock to see Bong Joon Ho’s Best Picture-winning masterwork claiming the top spot here. Yes, it’s arguably the “safe” pick, but there’s a reason this breathtakingly well-crafted movie has been universally adored since its release in 2019. It’s simply a triumph on every single level. There’s not a single frame out of place, and it manages to be both deeply unnerving while still retaining an element of black comedy.
Impressively, “Parasite” holds up a mirror to the flaws in our society and confronts the social inequality and wealth disparity that surrounds us daily, but it does this without compromising on entertainment value. The flick centers on two families: the Kims and the Parks. The latter are barely keeping a (leaky) roof over their heads, but seize the opportunity to change their fortunes when their son gets a job working for the wealthy Park family. I’ll say no more, to avoid spoilers, because the less you know about “Parasite” before watching, the better.
Watch "Parasite" on Netflix now
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