Best thrillers on Netflix in December 2025

Jake Gyllenhaal as political cartoonist Robert Graysmith in Zodiac

Here’s our list of the best thrillers on Netflix this month, which includes the likes of Identity, Inside Man, Parasite, Zodiac, and the recently released House of Dynamite.

Working out what to include on this list was no easy task, as some of the best films ever made are thrillers, and the genre has a lot of crossover with both horror and action

But our team of film fanatics was more than up to the task, and they’ve been diligently trawling through Netflix’s library (and there are a lot of new movies on Netflix) to bring you what might just be the greatest list of thriller films ever made (on Netflix). 

You’ll find the Top 30 below, while we’re updating this list every month to clear out what’s been removed, and add the best of the newcomers. 

30. The Thursday Murder Club

Helen Mirren looking for clues in The Thursday Murder Club.
  • Genre: Murder-Mystery
  • Release date: August 27, 2025
  • Director: Chris Columbus
  • Cast: Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kinglsey
  • Region: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 58 minutes

What’s it about: In a beautiful British retirement community called Cooper’s Chase, a group of golden oldies get together on a weekly basis to investigate cold cases. But when people start dropping dead all around them, they suddenly have a very live case to crack.

Why we like it: The Thursday Murder Club is twee beyond belief, but it’s also a faithful adaptation of Richard Osman’s novel; one that delivers the requisite murder and mystery, as well as laughter and the odd tear.

Words by Chris Tilly

29. Night Always Comes

Vanessa Kirby in Night Always Comes
  • Genre: Crime thriller
  • Release date: August 15, 2025
  • Director: Benjamin Caron
  • Cast: Vanessa Kirby, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Zack Gottsagen
  • Region: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 48 minutes

What it’s about: When her mother spends the last of their money on a car, Lynette endures an eventful, heartbreaking, and potentially life-threatening night trying to raise $25,000 to save the family home.

Related

Why we like it: Vanessa Kirby always delivers, and Night Always Comes features one of the Mission: Impossible star’s best performances as a woman desperately trying to hold it together. The film itself also manages to successfully combine stressful thrills with serious social drama.

Words by Chris Tilly

28. Bombshell

Working on a computer in Bombshell.
  • Genre: Drama/thriller
  • Release date: December 13, 2019
  • Director: Jay Roach
  • Cast: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, John Lithgow
  • Region: U.S.
  • How long is it? 1 hour 49 minutes

What it’s about: At Fox News, anchors Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson uncover Roger Ailes’ culture of harassment, risking their own careers and reputations as they expose systemic abuse and ignite a movement for accountability.

Why we like it: Bombshell concerns a shocking scandal that straddles politics and the media, but the real reason to watch is for the powerhouse performances from Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, and Margot Robbie as three women who dare to challenge the status quo, in spite of potentially career-ending consequences.

Words by Chris Tilly

27. The Power of the Dog

Benedict Cumberbatch riding a horse in The Power of the Dog
  • Genre: Western, Drama, Thriller
  • Release date: November 17, 2021
  • Director: Jane Campion
  • Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 2 hours 6 minutes

What it’s about: Based on the 1967 Thomas Savage novel of the same name, The Power of the Dog concerns a tough and domineering rancher waging psychological warfare on his brother’s wife and son in 1920s Montana, until the tables are turned in the most shocking fashion.

Why we like it: Jane Campion’s Western movie is beautiful, disturbing, terrifying, and filled with twists and turns that you won’t see coming. Kirsten Dunst has never been better, Benedict Cumberbatch delivers a powerhouse performance as a bad man with big secrets, while the understated Kodi Smit-McPhee steals the film out from under him as a youngster with an even bigger secret. Mesmerizing stuff.

Words by Chris Tilly

26. The Platform

  • Genre: Dystopian thriller
  • Release date: November 8, 2019
  • Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
  • Cast: Iván Massagué, Antonia San Juan, Zorion Eguileor
  • Regions: US, Europe
  • How long is it? 1 hour 34 minutes

What it’s about: Set in an impossible towering prison The Platform follows several inmates who rely on a single platform for food that moves down the tower. Those at the top get the most to eat, those at the bottom… well they’re lucky if they get scraps.

Why we like it: The cinematic equivalent of a Cormac McCarthy novel, The Platform is an exceptionally bleak movie that ends with the promise that things might get better. As you might expect then it’s a challenging watch, yet if you’re willing to give it your time you’ll find its compelling plot, inventive concept, and shocking twists make up for the fact it’s gloomier than a Goth who can’t find their favorite black coat. It’s shockingly violent which is always a good things right?

Words by Tom Percival

25. Compliance

The victim in Compliance sitting in a stock room.
  • Genre: Crime/Thriller
  • Release date: January 21, 2012
  • Director: Craig Zobel
  • Cast: Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy, Bill Camp
  • Regions: US and Canada
  • How long is it? 1 hour 30 minutes

What it’s about: Based on the 2004 strip search phone call scam, a fast food manager receives a disturbing phone call, leading to the increasingly invasive interrogation of a young employee.

Why we like it: Some movies are simply too unbelievable to be realistic, and Compliance should be one of them. But it’s not. Watching this is like passing a train wreck; you can’t look away, no matter how much you want to. Zobel succeeds in creating a film that is as compelling as it is claustrophobic, but the true story behind it is where the tension lies (you’ll find yourself screaming at the baffling decisions being made, all the while wondering whether “icky thriller” should be a new genre).

24. Captain Phillips

Pirates take Captain Philips hostage.
  • Genre: Action-thriller, drama
  • Release date: October 11, 2013
  • Director: Paul Greengrass
  • Cast: Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi
  • Region: US
  • How long is it? 2 hours 15 minutes

What it’s about: An unarmed container ship called the Maersk Alabama is hijacked by Somali pirates, putting the captain and crew in mortal danger.

Why we like it: Based on a true story, Captain Phillips is an unbearably tense thriller that pits the title character against fearsome Somali pirate Abduwali Muse, and features newcomer Barkhad Abdi going toe-to-toe with acting great Tom Hanks, matching him every step of the way.

Words by Chris Tilly

23. The Lost Daughter

Olivia Colman in The Lost Daughter
  • Genre: Thriller/Drama
  • Release date: December 16, 2021
  • Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
  • Cast: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Ed Harris
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 2 hours 1 minute

What it’s about: A middle-aged woman’s seaside vacation takes a turn thanks to her fixation on a mother-daughter duo in a nearby villa. Watching them day to day, her dark past is opened up.

Why we like it: If you’ve ever wanted to see Olivia Colman be a complete cold-hearted b*tch, now’s your chance. Brooding and often stuck in its own trauma, The Lost Daughter plays out like the callous neighbor you’ve always suspected looks down on you. It serves as Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, and she’s going to school you on cinema etiquette any chance she gets.

Words by Jasmine Valentine

22. It’s What’s Inside

The cast of It's What's Inside
  • Genre: Horror/sci-fi
  • Release date: January 19, 2024
  • Director: Greg Jardin
  • Cast: Reina Hardesty, Gavin Leatherwood, James Morosini, Nina Bloomgarden, Madison Davenport
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 43 minutes

What it’s about: A group of college friends at a pre-wedding reunion find a surprise guest who arrives with a mysterious suitcase in the pack. This starts to tear the group apart, resulting in psychological chaos.

Why we like it: This mind-bending sci-fi Netflix movie takes a typical coming-of-age story to the next level. It’s What’s Inside is an all-rounder that’s easy to watch – good cast, direction, script, and a satisfying mystery… it’s all there.

Words by Jasmine Valentine

21. House of Dynamite

Idris Elba as the POTUS in A House of Dynamite
  • Genre: Political thriller
  • Release date: October 10, 2025
  • Director: Kathryn Bigelow
  • Cast: Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 52 minutes

What it’s about: A single, unattributed nuclear missile is launched toward the United States. In the next 18–20 minutes, military, White House and intelligence officials race to identify the attacker and decide whether to surrender or retaliate.

Why we like it: Kathryn Bigelow directs this high-stakes thriller with an urgency that matches the seriousness of the subject matter, and while the ending divided viewers, House of Dynamite got everyone talking, which was ultimately the point.

Words by Chris Tilly

20. Don’t Move

The cast of Don't Move
  • Genre: Horror/Thriller
  • Release date: October 24, 2024
  • Director: Adam Schindler
  • Cast: Kelsey Asbille, Finn Wittrock
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 30 minutes

What it’s about: When a Patrick Bateman wannabe injects a woman with a paralytic agent, she has just 20 minutes to run and hide before her body shuts down.

Why we like it: Word of warning: Don’t Move will have you screaming at your screen. It might not be “absolute cinema,” as Martin Scorsese would put it, but if you’re looking for 90 minutes of heart-thumping tension and a unique premise, this is for you. Asbille and Wittrock give impeccable performances, and as for that ending, well, let’s just say you won’t see it coming.

Words by Daisy Phillipson

19. Fair Play

Phobe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich in Fair Play
  • Genre: Thriller/Mystery
  • Release date: January 20, 2023
  • Director: Chloe Domont
  • Cast: Phoebe Dynevor, Alden Ehrenreich, Eddie Marsan, Sebastian de Souza, Brandon Bassir
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 53 minutes

What it’s about: An unexpected promotion at a cutthroat hedge fund pushes a newly engaged couple’s relationship to the brink.

Why we like it: Sally from Corrie’s daughter in a sexy, legal, love affair? It’s almost too good to be true. Fair Play is a different dramatic turn for Netflix, taking the typical romance mystery on a much darker turn. Our leads’ chemistry is off the charts, and the twists and turns will keep you on a knife’s edge.

Words by Jasmine Valentine

18. I Care a Lot

Rosamund Pike in I Care a Lot
  • Genre: Crime thriller
  • Release date: February 21, 2021
  • Director: J. Blakeson
  • Cast: Rosamund Pike, Eiza González, Peter Dinklage, Chris Messina
  • Regions: US and Canada
  • How long is it? 1 hour 58 minutes

What it’s about: Marla Grayson has a particularly insidious con: she convinces judges to make her a court-appointed guardian of elderly people, before moving them into her care home and robbing them. However, she gets more than she bargained for when she bags a new resident with ties to the mafia.

Why we like it: This is deliciously grim viewing. Pike is a force of wicked nature; if it wasn’t for Gone Girl, this would be a career-best performance. However, as compulsively nasty as it is – you’ll be distressed, and you’ll like it – it’s also slickly directed, wittily written, and always entertaining, plus it has an empowering love story at its core. Sometimes, it just feels good to watch bad people have some fun.

Words by Cameron Frew

17. Creep

Mark Duplass grinning in Creep.
  • Genre: Horror/thriller
  • Release date: June 23, 2025
  • Director: Patrick Brice
  • Cast: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice
  • Regions: US
  • How long is it? 1 hour 17 minutes

What it’s about: Josef hires a videographer to record a ‘day in his life’ for his unborn child before he dies of a brain tumour, but he has an ulterior motive…

Why we like it: Creep starts out a black comedy as Josef messes with Aaron the videographer, but the film becomes increasingly dark and weird as proceedings progress, and it gradually transforms from thriller into full-blown horror. But the main reason we love Creep is for Mark Duplass’s diabolical central performance as the title character.

16. Leave the World Behind

The cast of Leave the World Behind
  • Genre: Sci-fi/Thriller
  • Release date: October 25, 2023
  • Director: Sam Esmail
  • Cast: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, and Myha’la
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 2 hours 20 minutes

What it’s about: Based on Rumaan Alam’s novel of the same name, the story sees a family vacation turn into a tense apocalyptic ordeal as tech failures spark paranoia, distrust, and questions of survival.

Why we like it: Say what you want about this film (“predictive programming” and all), there’s no denying it’s an apocalyptic thriller for our times. So much so that it hits the newsfeed every time there’s a tech-related failure. Alongside its enticingly dark story and stunning shots, Leave the World Behind benefits from its top-tier cast performances – even if we can’t forgive that dance scene.

Words by Daisy Phillipson

15. Watcher

Maika Monroe in Watcher
  • Genre: Psychological thriller
  • Release date: November 4, 2022
  • Director: Chloe Okuno
  • Cast: Maika Monroe, Burn Gorman, Karl Glusman, Madalina Anea, Daniel Nuta
  • Regions: US
  • How long is it? 1 hour 36 minutes

What it’s about: A young actress who has just moved to town with her boyfriend notices a mysterious stranger watching her from across the street… at exactly the same time as a serial killer runs loose.

Why we like it: Before she hit Longlegs fame, Monroe was living out our worst fears – being stalked by a stranger while in our own homes. We know how well she can deal with absolute creeps, with Watcher being another turn that keeps us on the edge of our seats. It’s a slower burn this time, blending elements of classic horror tropes into an already frightening narrative. Best watched in the daytime with all the lights on, as a precaution.

Words by Jasmine Valentine

14. The Stranger

14. The Stranger

  • Genre: Thriller
  • Release date: October 19, 2022
  • Director: Thomas M. Wright
  • Cast: Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Jada Alberts
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 56 minutes

What it’s about: Police officer Mark Frame befriends a man suspected of abducting and killing a child as part of a dangerous sting operation.

Why we like it: Based on a true story that’s both disturbing and distressing, The Stranger examines the mental and physical toll of undercover police work, and features powerhouse performances from Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris.

Words by Chris Tilly

13. Identity

John Cusack and Ray Liotta caught in the rain in Identity.
  • Genre: Psychological thriller
  • Release date: April 25, 2003
  • Director: James Mangold
  • Cast: John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet
  • Regions: U.S.
  • How long is it? 1 hour 30 minutes

What it’s about: Ten strangers stranded in a remote motel during a storm discover they share a bizarre connection, just as a murderer amongst the group starts picking them off one by one.

Why we’re excited: Nothing is as it seems in this tent, taut, twist-filled thriller with a clever structure, and a killer cast. John Cusack anchors proceedings with an edgy central performance, Ray Liotta and Pruitt Taylor Vince lend superb support, and you’ll never see the ending coming.

Words by Chris Tilly

12. Calibre

Two men look through binoculars.
  • Genre: Psychological thriller
  • Release date: June 29, 2018
  • Director: Matt Palmer
  • Cast: Jack Lowden, Martin McCann, Tony Curran
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 40 minutes

What it’s about: Two old friends reunite for a hunting trip in the Scottish Highlands, but a single mistake spirals into life-altering consequences, transforming their journey into a devastating moral nightmare.

Why we like it: Watching Calibre is like experiencing a nightmare; you’ll wake up from it feeling grateful that none of it was real. It’s a simple premise, brought to life by convincing performances and a claustrophobic tension that snowballs to the point of absurdity. It’ll undoubtedly raise those cortisol levels but the wash of relief when it ends is euphoric. Trust me, it’s worth the stress.

Words by Daisy Phillipson

11. The Good Nurse

Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne in The Good Doctor
  • Genre: Crime thriller
  • Release date: September 11, 2022
  • Director: Tobias Lindholm
  • Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Jessica Chastain, Kim Dickens, Alix West Lefler, Nnamdi Asomugha
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 2 hours 1 minute

What it’s about: Nurse Charlie Cullen is found to be responsible for the murder of dozens of patients over a period of 16 years, across two states and nine hospitals, without ever being charged. When his colleague Amy Loughren finds out, life changes forever.

Why we like it: A medical drama AND a murder mystery? Could this be the perfect movie? Chilling in its storyline and execution, Redmayne’s lead performance is convincing enough in its empathy to make us question absolutely everything we’re being told. For the true crime fans amongst us, The Good Nurse is also based on a true story, meaning the lore runs deep.

Words by Jasmine Valentine

10. Traffic

Benicio Del Toro holding a gun.
  • Genre: Thriller/drama
  • Release date: December 27, 2000
  • Director: Stephen Soderbergh
  • Cast: Michael Douglas, Erika Christensen, Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro,
  • Regions: US
  • How long is it? 2 hour 27 minutes

What it’s about: Based on British mini-series Traffik from 1989, the celluloid Traffic is a thought-provoking examination of what illegal drugs do to society, told via multiple stories concerning users, suppliers, politicians, and law enforcement.

Why we like it: Traffic takes a tough subject and makes it palatable through Stephen Gaghan’s Oscar-winning script, which incorporates traditional thriller elements to a pretty dark and distressing story. The ensemble is top-notch, with Benicio Del Toro also earning an Oscar for his performance as a member of the Mexican Federal Police, while Steven Soderbergh’s direction is electric.

Words by Chris Tilly

9. Carry-On

Taron Egerton as Ethan in Carry-On on Netflix
  • Genre: Action thriller
  • Release date: December 5, 2024
  • Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
  • Cast: Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Jason Bateman
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour and 59 minutes

What it’s about: When a TSA agent is instructed to let through a mysterious bag at a busy airport, he finds himself trying to stop a horrific terrorist plot that could cost the lives of hundreds.

Why we like it: Many dubbed Carry-On this generation’s Die Hard, and while that might be an exaggeration, the Netflix thriller is an undeniably fun time. If there were a thriller checklist, Carry-on would tick them all off: a time crunch, a busy and everyday environment, a blackmailed protagonist, and a cheesy villain with the goal to destroy. Oh, and it’s a Christmas movie. Not too shabby!

Read our full Carry-On review.

Words by Jessica Cullen

8. Woman of the Hour

Still from Woman of the Hour
  • Genre: Thriller, true crime
  • Release date: October 18, 2024
  • Director: Anna Kendrick
  • Cast: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Tony Hale
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 35 minutes

What it’s about: Based on the real TV dating show appearance of Rodney Alcala (aka The Dating Game Killer), Woman of the Hour explores his past crimes and tells a fictional story of the woman he almost went on a date with.

Why we like it: Lots of great thrillers fall under the true crime umbrella, and Woman of the Hour is easily one of Netflix’s very best dramatizations. The true story behind the Dating Game Killer is horrific and downright unbelievable, but Woman of the Hour manages to ground the drama while adding its own fictional twists to emanate a deep sense of unease and unpredictability.

Read our full Woman of the Hour review.

7. Gerald’s Game

bruce_greenwood_carla_cugino_geralds_game
Bruce Greenwood and Carla Cugino in Gerald’s Game.
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller
  • Release date: September 29, 2017
  • Director: Mike Flanagan
  • Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 43 minutes

What it’s about: A couple who are drifting apart head to a cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to try and reconnect. Husband Gerald endeavors to spice things up by handcuffing wife Jessie to the bed. But then he has a heart attack and dies, with the key to the cuffs ending up out of Jessie’s reach. What follows is the weekend from hell as Jessie is trapped without food or drink, and that’s before the wolves appear at her door…

Why we like it: Gerald’s Game is based on Stephen King’s famously unfilmable novel 1992 novel, but writer-director Mike Flanagan found a way, as well as the perfect Jessie in Carla Gugino. Tension, tragedy, and genuine horror make gripping bedfellows throughout, while the infamous “degloving” sequence is one of the most shocking scenes in horror history.

Words by Jessica Cullen

6. Rebel Ridge

Aaron Pierre in Rebel Ridge
  • Genre: Action thriller
  • Release date: August 27, 2024
  • Director: Jeremy Saulnier
  • Cast: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, Anna Sophia Robb, David Denman
  • How long is it? 2 hours 11 minutes

What it’s about: Terry Richmond has a simple goal: bailing his cousin out of jail and setting up a new life for them. Unfortunately, Shelby Springs’ corrupt police force gets in the way, leaving him with one option: “I gotta haunt these motherf**kers myself.”

Why we like it: Rebel Ridge is one of the best movies (let alone thrillers) Netflix has ever produced; a proper 21st-century successor to Rambo (First Blood, specifically) that mixes the Dad-coded charms of Reacher and Jeremy Saulnier’s trademark, clinical direction. Plus, it’s impossible not to fall under the hulking, charismatic spell of Aaron Pierre as he stares down Don Johnson’s “sh*t-eating grin.”

Read our full Rebel Ridge review.

Words by Cameron Frew

5. Emily the Criminal

Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal
  • Genre: Crime thriller
  • Release date: August 12, 2022
  • Director: John Patton Ford
  • Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Theo Rossi, Brandon Sklenar, Gina Gershon, Megalyn Echikunwoke
  • Regions: US
  • How long is it? 1 hour 33 minutes

What it’s about: Struggling under a ton of student debt and unable to find work, Emily involves herself in a credit card scam. But when she acts as a dummy shopper and buys things using stolen cards, the risks start increasing.

Why we like it: Unlike some of our other favorite thrillers, Emily the Criminal features a hefty dose of realism. Pairing Plaza’s natural sarcastic comedy with the sad realities of life as a graduate is an inspired choice, and the result is this dark and disturbing story set in the world of black-market capitalism.

Words by Jasmine Valentine

4. I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore

The dynamic duo at the heart of I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore looking mean and moody.
  • Genre: Thriller, Comedy
  • Release date: February 24, 2017
  • Director: Macon Blair
  • Cast: Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, Jane Levy
  • Regions: Everywhere
  • How long is it? 1 hour 36 minutes

What it’s about: While deep in the midst of an existential crisis, Ruth’s house is burgled, so she teams up with strange neighbour Tony, and embarks on a mission to track the thieves down, in the hopes of making them pay for what they’ve done.

Why we like it: Written and directed by Macon Blair, who also briefly appears in the movie, I Don’t Feel at Home is a comedy-thriller that turns decidedly nasty when the protagonists find themselves in over their heads. Plot and tone are clearly influenced by the best of the Coen brothers, while Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood are a winning odd couple who should have played Ruth and Tony in a bunch of sequels to this underrated and underseen crime caper.

Words by Chris Tilly

3. Inside Man

Denzel Washington dons a bullet-proof vest.
  • Genre: Crime thriller
  • Release date: March 24, 2006
  • Director: Spike Lee
  • Cast: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster
  • Regions: USA
  • How long is it? 2 hours 9 minutes

What it’s about: A masked gang stages a meticulously-planned bank heist in Manhattan. As Detective Frazier negotiates, ruthless robber Dalton Russell and fixer Madeleine White navigate multiple hidden agendas.

Why we’re excited: Spike Lee turns the bank-robbery formula on its head via this slick, layered game of cat and mouse, that transforms into a twist-laden battle of wits. The central heist is ingenious, while it’s a blast watching GOATs Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster go toe-to-toe.

Words by Chris Tilly

2. Zodiac

robert downey jr and jake Gyllenhaal in zodiac
  • Genre: Serial killer thriller
  • Release date: March 2, 2007
  • Director: David Fincher
  • Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr.
  • Region: USA
  • How long is it? 2 hours 27 minutes

What it’s about: Based on the true crime books ‘Zodiac’ and ‘Zodiac Unmasked’ by Robert Graysmith, David Fincher’s film revolves around the manhunt for the titular serial killer who terrorised the San Fransisco Bay Area during the 1960s and 1970s.

Why we like it? David Fincher made the utterly terrifying Se7en about fictional serial killer Jon Doe, but Zodiac is even more frightening as it focusses on a real-life murder, who was never found. Jake Gyllenhaal plays cartoonist Graysmith who helped crack the code containing in the letters Zodiac sent to the the San Fransisco Chronicle, but the film is very much a three-hander, with Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. both equally superb as polieman Dave Toschi and journalist Paul Avery.

Words by Chris Tilly

1. Parasite

The Kim family in Parasite
  • Genre: Thriller/Comedy
  • Release date: October 11, 2019
  • Director: Bong Joon-ho
  • Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin, Park Myung-hoon, Lee Jung-eun
  • Regions: US
  • How long is it? 2 hours 10 minutes

What it’s about: The struggling Kim family con their way into working for the wealthy Park household, but their deception has violent and shocking consequences.

Why we like it: Joon-ho really went and showed us what cinema is all about with his tour de force thriller comedy. A simple story told incredibly well, Parasite is at once funny, entertaining, thought-provoking, and jaw-dropping – and it will make you crave Jjapaguri with steak like never before. For all their faults, you’ll find yourself gunning for the underdog family by the end, reminding us that, well, “rich people are nice because they’re rich.”

Words by Daisy Phillipson

Now you know our picks for the best of Netflix’s thriller offering, if you’re looking for more hot takes, check out our list of the best sci-fi movies ever made. You can also check out Netflix’s new TV shows in April, and you’re more excited about the year ahead, then we’ve got you covered with our list of the most anticipated movies of 2025.