I have a soft spot for weird movies (even bad ones) that 100% committed to the bit. I'd rather see a new idea that falls a little flat than be stuck with the same recycled ideas in perpetuity. "Circle" is one such weird little guy (and no, we're not talking about Netflix's popular reality competition: "The Circle") that I had a lot of fun watching when it came out in 2015, and when "Squid Game" burst onto the scene a few years later, this offbeat psychological thriller immediately came to mind.
A group of strangers find themselves caught in an ominous game where breaking the rules means death and only one can survive — sound familiar? Only instead of playing Red Light, Green Light or Tug-of-War, the "Circle" contestants must decide among themselves who will be the one to live. The "12 Angry Men"-inspired low-budget project has become a fan-favorite indie horror film in the decade since, but you don't have long to watch it on Netflix before it's gone.
"Circle" is leaving Netflix on October 16. It's unfortunate timing with Halloween right around the corner, which is my annual excuse to revisit all the best horror movies on Netflix. It doesn't have a new streaming home at this time, so it looks like it will be exclusively on paid video-on-demand platforms after October 16. That's a shame, because this is one of those movies I recommend in the same breath as "Cube" and "The Cabin in the Woods" if you're in the mood for hokey, not-quite-horror movies that feel like a breath of fresh air.
Whether you're on the hunt for something to watch this spooky season that you haven't seen before or you need something to tide you over while holding out hope for a "Squid Game" spinoff, "Circle" should be on your radar. Here's why you should stream this cult classic before it leaves Netflix this week.
What is 'Circle' about?
In "Circle," 50 strangers wake up in a dark and circular structure that kills you whenever you try to move from your designated circle. Naturally, panic breaks out, especially after a guy who hadn't left his circle gets taken out mid-sentence by a death ray from the ominous black dome in the center.
As people drop like flies around them, the survivors frantically try to piece together what's going on. Soon, they realize they can use the room's alien technology to vote for who dies next. If they refuse to choose a sacrifice among them, then, every two minutes, a random person gets zapped.
Faced with the impossible task of choosing the one person among them worthy of being spared, each captive makes their case. Lines are drawn, voting blocs form, and uncomfortable truths come to light as deliberations get heated. Each captive only remembers bits and pieces of their last moments before they ended up in this twisted game, but in poring over them together, they hope to find some clue to an escape route.
Watch 'Circle' now on Netflix
"Circle" doesn't spend much time bothering with the "hows" and "whys" of its twisted thought experiment, and that's part of the appeal. It's a dialogue-driven thriller where everyone stands in one spot for 87 minutes and talks, and talks, and talks. And yet it kept my attention from start to finish.
The storytelling isn't exceptional by any means, and there aren’t any noteworthy performances that stand out, but "Circle's" take on how society might unravel under pressure is genuinely compelling. Its reliance on mostly nameless, ordinary characters draws you in, and you can't help but reflect on what you would do in the same situation. Just like the captives, the audience is dropped into this claustrophobic, circular dungeon (which, from a set design standpoint, is just *chef's kiss*) with zero context before launching right into the plot. The result is a disorienting and unsettling atmosphere that always seems to shift just when you finally feel like you're getting your feet back under you.
Some of the dialogue feels a bit forced, but that rarely distracts from the intrigue of watching societal norms slowly erode. It's like speed-running the beats of a messy reality show in under 90 minutes. If you liked the win-at-all-cost mentality fueling all the twists and turns of "Squid Game," then "Circle" is definitely worth adding to your watchlist.
Stream "Circle" on Netflix until October 16, 2025.
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