50 Best Thriller Movies of All Time, Ranked According to IMDb
Whether it’s mixed with action, crime, or even sci-fi, thrillers are meant to get viewers on the edge of their seats, waiting (or dreading) to see what happens next. The established genre definitely has countless fans who enjoy the suspense and tension that often accompany the twisty narratives from the greatest thriller movies.
IMDb—a platform for film buffs—has made it easy for fans of the genre who are looking for must-see thrillers. The highest-rated thriller movies on the site are almost always award-winning classics that represent the best that the genre has to offer. These top thriller movies include genre-defining classics like Psycho, international hits like Parasite, and even gritty superhero movies like The Dark Knight. Fans who have gone through the top 10 thriller movies as voted by users on IMDb and are looking for more heart-pounding flicks to watch only need to go a bit further down the list to find more classic, critically acclaimed, and essential thrillers.
50
‘Memories of Murder’ (2003)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Before he took the world by storm with his historic, Oscar-winning Parasite, Bong Joon-ho made another one of the most acclaimed South Korean crime films of the 21st century: Memories of Murder, based on the true story of two detectives struggling to solve the case of multiple young women having been found raped and murdered in a small Korean province in 1986.
With a fascinating blend of dark humor and gut-wrenching seriousness, this police procedural is by far one of the best of the 21st century so far. On IMDb, users have nothing but praise for its haunting story and the slow-burn manner in which Bong deploys it, as well as for the exceptional production qualities and the extraordinarily taut script.
49
‘Jaws’ (1975)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
There’s no getting around the objective fact that Steven Spielberg is easily one of the most influential filmmakers in history. This is thanks to a variety of reasons, perhaps chief among which is the fact that he was the father of what we now know as blockbuster cinema. Jaws was the first summer blockbuster ever, and as such, one of the most important movies in Hollywood history.
Scary, fun, and visually timeless, this sea adventure has earned the love of IMDb reviewers who commend the fantastic performances, the many iconic scenes, and the way the special effects haven’t aged a day. Jaws is historic, and its fans on IMDb only have love to give to what Spielberg was able to achieve with it.
48
‘Blade Runner’ (1982)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
When it first came out, Ridley Scott‘s Blade Runner was a flop in every sense of the word. It’s been over the years that it’s become the quintessential cult classic that it is today, now considered one of the greatest masterpieces of the ’80s. Proof of that is the fact that it’s among the 250 highest-rated films on IMDb.
As a thriller, Blade Runner is much more grounded, slow-burning, and philosophical than most, but that’s precisely where the charm of its suspense and mystery comes from. Scott’s direction and the film’s strong cyberpunk elements work in conjunction to create some of the most powerful and atmospheric world-building of any sci-fi thriller. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
47
‘Gone Girl’ (2014)
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
One of many exceptional thrillers from acclaimed director David Fincher, Gone Girl has proven to be one of his most prolific and acclaimed works during the 2010s, balancing tension and dread with the difficulties of a failing marriage. The film follows Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), who soon finds himself at the center of a media frenzy when his wife Amy’s (Rosamund Pike) disappearance becomes a massive news story. The public soon begins to suspect that Nick is not an innocent party, yet the truth proves to be much more complicated.
Much like the greatest mystery thrillers out there, Gone Girl doesn’t lose any of its impact or depth even after being aware of its major twist, with its context and full picture only further elevating the entire experience as a whole. Both Affleck and Pike bring it their all in terms of brilliant performances, further elevating the exceptional filmmaking to create one of the most effective and standout mystery thrillers of the 2010s.
46
‘Demon Slayer — The Movie: Mugen Train’ (2020)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
There are plenty of reasons to watch Demon Slayer, including the fact that it’s one of the best anime TV shows of recent years. Another huge reason to watch it is so one can check out Demon Slayer — The Movie: Mugen Train, one of the highest-rated anime films of the 2020s on IMDb.
The film’s reviews on the site, of course, are mostly written by die-hard fans of the franchise; but that doesn’t make them any less reliable. On the contrary, in fact. If reviewers calling the movie visually breathtaking and a fantastic action film full of heart is any indication, this is an anime movie that every fan of the medium should do themselves the favor of checking out.
45
‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
In 2004, Batman’s history in film was still pretty uneven. There was the history of Adam West‘s campy and goofy take on the character, the twist that Tim Burton put on that formula, and the infamy of Joel Schumacher‘s take on the hero. In 2005 came Christopher Nolan and changed the game completely. Critics like Roger Ebert adored Batman Begins, as did audiences.
In the years since, the film has maintained its terrific reputation online. Reviews on IMDb date all the way back to the movie’s release, when people were calling it the quintessential Batman adaptation that they’d been waiting for years. The bar remains high. More modern reviews still call Nolan’s first foray into superhero cinema one of the best and most revolutionary comic book movies in history.
44
‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ (2012)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
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The Hindi-language Indian epic Gangs of Wasseypur is one of the country’s most internationally popular movies of the 21st century, a five-and-a-half-hour-long gangster satire that had to be screened in two parts as a result of no theater wanting to take such a long film. Nevertheless, cinephiles have embraced its epic runtime in the years since its release, giving it widespread acclaim and a cult following.
Thanks to its dark sense of humor, its fantastic pacing, and its glossy soap opera style that was unprecedented in Bollywood at the time, Gangs of Wasseypur is typically considered one of the best gangster thrillers of all time, making it no surprise that it’s so highly rated by IMDb reviewers. —Diego Pineda Pacheco
43
‘Die Hard’ (1988)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
In terms of action-thrillers that manage to be as tense and high-stakes as they are exciting and high-energy, few films are as iconic and influential to the genre as a whole as the original Die Hard. The film sees Bruce Willis as John McClane, a New York City policeman who finds himself at the center of a hostile takeover when visiting the headquarters of a business that his estranged wife works for. With little help from outside the building, McClane becomes the only person who can put a stop to the vicious terrorists and save the hostages.
Die Hard is one of the most influential thrillers of the 80s, with John McClane being an iconic figure in action filmmaking and propelling Bruce Willis as one of the most recognizable actors in action. Especially with its increasing legacy as an unexpected Christmas classic, the film constantly finds itself in the conversation as one of the most recognizable and timeless thrillers of all time. Even after the various Die Hard sequels that have been released over the years, none of them hold a candle to the inherent mastery and genius of the original film.
42
‘The Great Escape’ (1963)
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
One of the defining films of the 60s, The Great Escape made massive waves through its combination of the striking and powerful World War II backdrop with a legendary real-life escape story. The film follows a group of Allied prisoners who frequently find themselves escaping Nazi prison camps, now being relocated to a high-security camp that is built to be “escape-proof” where they will stay for the rest of the war. However, this doesn’t stop this group of brave soldiers, who devise a daring plan to enact one of the most ambitious and dangerous escape attempts in history.
The Great Escape has continued to stay an action thriller classic for over 60 years for good reason, as its fundamental understanding of the genre and its stakes still give it a timeless, enthralling energy. For a relatively long film, it manages to be exceptionally paced and keeps audiences engaged throughout its entire runtime, allowing you to feel for the characters’ low points and get amped up as they narrowly find the way to succeed despite the odds.
41
‘The Secret in Their Eyes’ (2009)
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
The Secret in Their Eyes is an Argentinian crime thriller that was able to make massive waves across the world with its exceptional pacing and engaging central story, even winning the Academy Award for Best International Film. The film follows retired criminal investigator Benjamin Esposito, who in an attempt to finally put the past of a grueling case behind him, decides to write a novel based on the unsolved mystery of a newlywed’s rape and murder. As he delves deeper into the past of the case, he attempts to finally find some solace and truth of what actually happened.
Crime procedurals always make for engaging and gripping thriller experiences, with The Secret in Their Eyes having a fundamental understanding of pacing and timing to make each reveal and revelation that much more impactful. The film is incredibly approachable and universal in scope despite being spoken in a foreign language, with anyone being able to instantly understand and connect with the characters and their struggles.
