5 best dark thriller movies to stream on Netflix

I love the thriller genre, but have a particular soft spot for dark thrillers. These movies, which often incorporate horror elements, explore bleak situations, humanity at its most savage and disturbing violence.

While none of the movies on this list could ever be considered “light entertainment,” if you’re looking for a thriller that will give you chills, have you wincing in shock at the hardship endured by their lead characters and are packed full of unexpected twists, these five are essential. Plus, all of them are available on the world’s biggest streaming service, Netflix.

From a twisting trip that explores the dangers of obsession to a period piece that proves not all miracles are what they appear, these are the five best dark thrillers on Netflix worth watching right now.

‘The Platform’ (2019)

The Platform | Main Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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One of Netflix’s biggest international success stories, you may have heard of “The Platform” before. It’s a streaming original that deserves its level of reputation and recognition because it pairs together an intriguing sci-fi idea with a fascinating exploration of human nature, and for those just after a descent into some savage place, you’ll find exactly what you’re craving.

“The Platform” is set in a future prison that is comprised of a series of individual levels arranged in a seemingly never-ending tower block. Every day, a concrete platform of food is slowly lowered down the block, with the people at the top eating like royalty, and those down below left with only scraps.

We focus on a man named Goreng (Iván Massagué) as he attempts to survive this dystopian jail. I should also give a fair warning that you’ll want to skip the movie snacks for this one, because several scenes will turn your stomach.

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‘The Ritual’ (2017)

The Ritual | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube

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While plenty of dark thrillers contain horror elements, “The Ritual” is not one for viewers who can’t tolerate the odd jump scare. This supernatural folk thriller is seriously spooky, but it’s also rich with well-developed, if not always likable, characters. Plus, the eerie setting of the Swedish wilderness adds suspense and dread to the proceedings.

Six months after the death of their friend in a robbery gone wrong, four middle-aged men reunite to hike through the Scandinavian mountains in their friend’s memory. Making the foolish decision to step off the beaten path and take a “shortcut” through the forest, they quickly become lost and believe that someone, or something, is stalking them.

Just be sure to select the right movie. There’s another movie called “The Ritual” released earlier this year, which is a complete skip.

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‘Calibre’ (2018)

Calibre | Main Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube

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The mark of a good dark thriller is when it makes you feel genuinely uneasy, and “Calibre” does that often. This small-scale but intense movie had me sitting bolt upright on my sofa, and racking my own brain in an attempt to figure out how the two lead characters were going to get out of the terrifying predicament they find themselves in. "Calibre" is completely bone-chilling, and I love it.

Vaughn (Jack Lowden) and Marcus (Martin McCann) are two childhood best friends traveling to the remote Scottish Highlands for a weekend away. The duo plan to go hunting, but while roaming the forest for game, they make a terrible mistake, and the consequences of their actions spiral completely out of control.

Yes, that’s an extremely vague plot write-up, but I’m deliberately holding my cards close to the chest, because “Calibre” is best enjoyed with as little known ahead of time (I would even recommend skipping the trailer).

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‘The Perfection’ (2018)

The Perfection | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix - YouTube

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“The Perfection” is one of the most skin-crawling dark thrillers I’ve ever seen. And I mean that quite literally, there’s a highly disturbing sequence where a character believes bugs are bursting out of her arm. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, in this warped trip that goes to several bleak and very gruesome places. It’s not a thriller movie for the faint of heart.

Charlotte Willmore (Allison Williams) is a gifted cellist who is forced to leave her prestigious music academy to care for her sick mother. Returning to the fold after her mother’s death, Charlotte meets Lizzie (Logan Browning), another musical prodigy, who has effectively replaced her as the star pupil and personal favorite of Anton (Steven Weber), the school’s head. What follows is a nightmare ordeal for both of them, but I won’t spoil any more, as there are plenty of surprising twists to discover.

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'The Wonder' (2022)

The Wonder | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

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One of Florence Pugh’s most overlooked movies, “The Wonder,” is a period thriller based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue. At its core is a compelling mystery, and as it progresses, the darker side of faith comes to the surface as Pugh’s character, an English nurse named Elizabeth, struggles to convince the residents of a small Irish town that what they believe to be a miracle might not be quite what it seems.

Elizabeth is sent to the rural village to monitor a young girl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who, it is claimed, hasn’t eaten in four months. Far from malnourished, the girl appears to be in good health and claims she is surviving by consuming “manna from Heaven.” Despite her family’s insistence that this is a miracle from above, Elizabeth seeks to discover the truth of the situation. “The Wonder” is a slow-burn dramatic thriller anchored by a predictably strong turn from Pugh.

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