Netflix’s new sci-fi thriller movie is proving popular just a couple of days after its release. "The Last House" has already climbed to the top of the platform’s top 10 most-watched list, securing the No. 1 spot. I’m not surprised; Netflix subscribers love thrillers, and this one has an intriguing premise focused on a family trapped in their home by mysterious forces.
If you’ve already watched “The Last House” and are craving more claustrophobic thrills, then I can help. I’ve found five movies that also center on characters trapped and seeking a way to escape. The locations range from an underground bunker, a windowless exam room, and even a coffin. These thriller flicks are intense and perfect to watch after “The Last House.”
‘Brick’ (2025)
If you want the closest movie possible to “The Last House,” the obvious choice is “Brick.” This Netflix original is about a couple who find themselves trapped in their home by an unexplainable force and desperately search for a way out. The similarities are stark. To be clear, on a quality level, “Brick” isn’t great; its dialogue is hammy, performances are weak, and the emotional trauma subtext is unsubtle, but like “The Last House,” you’ll want to finish watching just to figure out exactly what is keeping them trapped.
Tim (Matthias Schweighöfer) and Olivia (Ruby O. Fee) are an unhappy couple whose relationship is in crisis. The last thing they need is to be locked up in their apartment, but when a mysterious brick wall appears over their apartment building, they're trapped. Uniting with their neighbors, some friendly, some hostile, they resolve to figure out how the wall appeared, but more importantly, how they can find their freedom.
Watch "Brick" on Netflix now
‘Buried’ (2010)
Being trapped in a house or apartment is bad enough, but for Paul Conroy, his confinement is even more severe as he’s sealed within a coffin, buried six feet underground. “Buried” is a remarkably tense survival thriller. It makes the bold decision to set the entire movie within a single wooden box. There’s no introduction to set the scene, flashbacks or cut-aways; it’s just 90 minutes of claustrophobic camera lens and ratcheting suspense.
Ryan Reynolds plays Conroy, bringing his likability to the role, but shaving off some of his humor. After all, there’s nothing funny about Conroy's situation. Fortunately, he’s not totally alone in the box; he does have access to a cellphone, letting him call the outside world for help, but with a dwindling supply of oxygen, time is running out. It all builds to a heart-in-mouth ending that will have you in stunned silence as the credits roll.
Watch "Buried" (for FREE) on Tubi now
‘127 Hours’ (2010)
“The Last House” is a sci-fi thriller that centers on narrative elements that don’t exist in our reality. “127 Hours,” on the other hand, is a very real story of human survival against bleak odds. Directed by Danny Boyle, this Oscar-nominated movie is based on the true story of Aron Ralston, a hiker who got trapped miles from civilization in Bluejohn Canyon, Utah.
Aron (played by James Franco) is hiking the dusty trails when a climbing mishap results in an 800-pound boulder pinning his right arm against a rock wall. Unable to free himself, and with only a limited supply of water and food, he has to consider the unthinkable to free himself: cutting off his arm with a cheap multi-tool blade.
The movie enjoyed a resurgence in popularity earlier this year when a superfan revealed she had watched the movie more than 1,000 times. I like this film, but with its stomach-turning finale, once was enough for me!
Watch "127 Hours" on Prime Video now
‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ (2016)
My colleague Alix Blackburn is convinced the upcoming sci-fi thriller “The End of Oak Street” is a secret Cloverfield movie. Maybe this fan theory will prove to be accurate, but I wouldn’t bet on it surpassing the current best film in the franchise, “10 Cloverfield Lane.” This horror-thriller uses its claustrophobic setting to great effect, and unlike in “The Last House,” where it’s a loving family locked up together, here it's a trio of strangers.
Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) gets into a car accident after a fight with her fiancé. Rather than waking up in a hospital, she finds herself in an underground bunker with Howard (John Goodman). He explains that poisonous air has made the outside world uninhabitable and his bunker remains safe. Also down there is another man, Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.). With cabin fever setting in, Michelle wonders if Howard can be trusted.
Watch "10 Cloverfield Lane" on Fubo now
‘Exam’ (2009)
“Exam” is a little different from the rest of the movies on this list (and “The Last House”) because it sees a group of people willingly trap themselves in a single location, in this case a seemingly ordinary windowless room. It’s a psychological thriller packed full of twists and turns, so if you want a flick that will keep you guessing, then here’s the answer. A limp finale might leave you disappointed at the very end, but the journey to get there is fun.
This British film opens with eight nameless candidates for a competitive corporate job entering a room, each assigned to a small desk. An overseer (Colin Salmon) explains they will have 80 minutes to answer a single question, and must follow a strict set of rules. It sounds simple enough, but as the exam gets underway, it becomes clear that this test is not so straightforward. As their confusion rises, so does the tension.
Watch "Exam" on AMC+ now
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