Netflix is about to lose one of the most intense psychological thriller movies — and I still think about the ending

Maika Monroe as Julia in "Watcher" now streaming on Netflix — (Image credit: Netflix / Universal Pictures)

It’s that time of the month when Netflix and other top streaming services are set to drop a bunch of titles from their libraries to make room for March’s slate. I make it a habit to scroll through Netflix’s removals, and I was surprised to find “Watcher” leaving the service, an intense psychological thriller that not only is a critical darling but has been residing on the platform for a year now. Clearly, it’s nearing its expiration date.

I’ve watched my fair share of psychological thrillers over the years, but “Watcher” is one that lingered with me long after I finished streaming it. Much of that comes down to how unsettlingly plausible it feels. For anyone who enjoys thrillers that venture into truly dark territory, “Watcher” needs to be on your watchlist before it leaves Netflix on February 24, which isn’t far away.

If you need something to stream this evening, or want to start a fresh week with something utterly gripping, here’s why “Watcher” deserves your time before it leaves Netflix.

What is ‘Watcher’ about?

WATCHER Official Trailer (2022) - YouTube

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“Watcher” follows Julia (Maika Monroe), a young American woman who moves to Bucharest, Romania, with her husband, Francis (Karl Glusman), for his job. Shortly after settling into their new apartment, Julia grows uneasy after noticing a man in the building across the street who appears to be watching her from his window.

As Francis spends long hours at work and Julia struggles with the language and her unfamiliar surroundings, her anxiety deepens, especially when she begins spotting the same figure in other places around the city, leaving her convinced she’s being followed. Meanwhile, local news reports detail a serial killer dubbed “the Spider” targeting women in the area.

Julia tries to persuade Francis and others that something is wrong, but her concerns are dismissed. Determined to find answers, she begins tracking the man herself, which forces her to face the truth about the danger surrounding her.

‘Watcher’ needs to be on your watchlist now

The highest praise I can give “Watcher” is how brilliantly it portrays that uneasy feeling of being somewhere unfamiliar. For Julia, that unease is even more intense since she hasn’t just moved to a new city, but to an entirely new country, navigating her surroundings without speaking the local language. What makes this thriller so convincing, though, is that the threat is entirely real: a brutal killer targeting women, not some supernatural force. It taps into a near-universal feeling of anxiety, especially for women, when walking alone and glancing over your shoulder.

Considering this was Chloe Okuno’s directorial debut, she perfectly conveys the anxiety and frustration of not being believed. She also lets tension simmer just beneath the surface, and because of that, the deeper ideas never overshadow the suspense. “Watcher” is content to let its meaning emerge naturally from the familiar cat-and-mouse rhythms of its story. I’d even argue that Okuno transforms “Watcher” from a Hitchcockian homage into one of the most compelling explorations of female anxiety in modern cinema.

I first discovered Maika Monroe in “It Follows,” a genuinely chilling horror movie, so I expected her performance here to be just as gripping (and it is). Her character, Julia, is deeply unsettled, increasingly adrift in a foreign city while living under nearly constant fear, and Monroe makes sure you feel every ounce of that tension. It’s easily one of the most compelling performances I’ve seen in a psychological thriller, and the mounting unease of her situation naturally has you rooting for her every step of the way.

I have to admit that “Watcher” doesn’t pack in twists or have a huge reveal at the end. It’s not that kind of thriller. Instead, it lets the suspense build naturally rather than relying on shocks or gimmicks, with an ending that's still heart-pounding to watch. “Watcher” stands out as one of the most compelling entries in the genre, offering a measured exploration of the pervasive fear that many women face daily. I strongly recommend thriller fans catch this before it leaves Netflix.

Stream "Watcher" on Netflix until Feb. 24

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Alix is a Senior Streaming Writer at Tom’s Guide, which basically means watching the best movies and TV shows and then writing about them. It’s a dream job for someone who’s been obsessed with storytelling since she first figured out how to work a remote.

Before joining Tom’s Guide, Alix honed her skills as a staff writer with outlets like Screen Rant and Bough Digital, where she discovered her love for the entertainment industry.

She heads to the cinema every week as a tradition, no matter what’s showing. For her, movies aren’t just entertainment — they’re a ritual, a comfort, and a constant source of inspiration. When she’s not at her desk or at the cinema, you’ll probably find her deep into a horror video game on her PC.

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