Entertainment
8 Most Exciting Thriller Movies of All Time, Ranked
What makes a thriller film truly exciting? As the history of filmmaking has proven time and again, some of the best thrillers ever made in cinema rely on high suspense, stakes, and a constant sense of anticipation to get the audience on the edge of their seats. Rather than sudden surprises and shocks (like most horror films do), well-made thriller films rely on raising dread, stretching the tension, and playing with the idea of what can happen next.
That kind of excitement can be either psychological, as seen in deceptive crime thrillers filled with mind games like Zodiac, or it could be a non-stop adrenaline rush, as seen in films like Run Lola Run. Irrespective of the exact methods and means, each of these films is exciting in its own way, and all of them boast smart pacing, high stakes, energy, and constant danger that will keep you in suspense. So, without further ado, here’s our ranked selection of some of the most exciting thriller movies of all time.
8
‘Seven’ (1995)
David Fincher’s second film and first crime feature, Seven is a noir thriller that became definitive of the genre and is now widely considered a crime classic. The film follows Brad Pitt’s hot-headed Detective David Mills and Morgan Freeman’s embittered veteran cop, Lieutenant William Somerset, as they navigate conflicting personalities and perspectives to investigate serial murders committed based on the seven cardinal sins. Gwyneth Paltrow, Richard Roundtree, John C. McGinley, R. Lee Ermey, and Kevin Spacey also star in key roles.
With a story centered on a methodical, intellectual killer, Seven reinvented the serial killer trope, setting new trends for the genre that are still often seen in today’s modern crime thrillers. The desperate hunt for a dangerous criminal soon becomes a gripping psychological and philosophical puzzle that keeps the audience guessing until the very end. Underlined by its relentless tension and grungy ’90s aesthetics, Seven thrills even after the credits roll, leaving the viewer with one of the most shocking final moments in Hollywood history.
7
‘Zodiac’ (2007)
David Fincher’s gripping cinematic interpretation of the hunt for the Zodiac Killer, Zodiac is adapted from cartoonist/author Robert Graysmith’s books Zodiac and Zodiac Unmasked, which document the unsolved murders by the titular killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area through the late 1960s and early 1970s. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Robert, the film follows the professional cartoonist as he closely follows the coded letters, ciphers, and cryptic clues sent by the killer, becoming deeply obsessed with hunting him down using his puzzle-solving abilities. Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., John Carroll Lynch, and Tom Verica also star in the movie, playing other real people of the time.
Praised for its direction, writing, cinematography, soundtrack, and accuracy to real-life investigations, Zodiac is a major cult hit that has since evolved into a masterpiece of 21st-century crime cinema. A masterclass in suspense, the film is noted for the way it slowly and meticulously builds tension through Robert’s obsession and the killer’s mind games, challenging the viewer to guess what lies one step ahead. Zodiac has since remained one of Fincher’s most iconic films and is often considered his magnum opus.
6
‘Run Lola Run’ (1998)
A German avant-garde thriller film about time, choices, and destiny, directed by Tom Tykwer, Run Lola Run follows the titular protagonist, whose boyfriend, Manni, owes 100,000 Deutsche Mark to his dangerous boss and needs to raise it in 20 minutes. To save his life, Lola runs through Berlin, trying to get the money any way possible before time runs out and Manni gets in trouble. Franka Potente and Moritz Bleibtreu play the central characters, with Herbert Knaup, Nina Petri, Joachim Król, Armin Rohde, and Heino Ferch in supporting roles.
Inventive and electrifying, Run Lola Run shattered the conventional storytelling structure in thriller cinema of its time with its unique format. The fast-paced story is told in three distinct, 20-minute windows, backed by a high-energy background score and pop-style art that is sure to get your adrenaline rushing. A ’90s cult classic, Run Lola Run is visually and thematically stimulating with tons of action, suspense, dark comedy, existentialism, and sex packed into a mere 80-minute runtime.
5
‘Memento’ (2000)
A neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Christopher Nolan and based on Jonathan Nolan’s short story Memento Mori, Memento follows the tragic story of Leonard Shelby, an insurance investigator suffering from anterograde amnesia following a home invasion and the murder of his wife. Leonard devises a system using photographs, notes, and tattoos to remind him of his past so he can hunt down the man who killed his wife and robbed him of his memories. Guy Pearce plays Leonard Shelby, in one of his most definitive roles, appearing alongside Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior, Jorja Fox, and more.
A tightly-knit, atmospheric story presented in a unique reverse-chronological structure, Memento is as exciting as a thriller film can get. The innovative storytelling format and the moody music instantly trap the audience inside the disoriented mind of the paranoid protagonist. The film received critical acclaim for its narrative style, which was quite inventive for its time, and has since been regarded as one of the most definitive thriller films ever made.
4
‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
The second entry in The Dark Knight Trilogy by Christopher Nolan and the sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins, The Dark Knight sees Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne/Batman facing off against his nemesis, the Joker, in the villain’s first live-action appearance. With organized crime causing chaos and mayhem in Gotham with the Joker’s help, Batman, Inspector Gordon, and District Attorney Harvey Dent come together to stop the unhinged anarchist, with unexpected consequences. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman reprise their roles from the previous film, with Heath Ledger playing the Joker and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent / Two-Face.
Headlined by Heath Ledger’s chilling portrayal of the Joker in the first live-action appearance of the iconic villain, The Dark Knight is a gritty and grim action thriller that defined the 2000s. The fast-paced, high-tension plot, unpredictable villain, and explosive action scenes never fail to keep the audience on their toes. With its mature tone and themes, slick visual style, and engaging performances, The Dark Knight became a blueprint for modern superhero cinema and is easily one of the best action films of all time.
3
‘North by Northwest’ (1959)
A highly entertaining spy thriller directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, North by Northwest follows Roger Thornhill, a New York advertising executive who is mistaken for a secret agent by foreign spies. Framed for murder and pursued by both the authorities and shady agencies, Roger goes on the run across the United States while also falling for a mysterious woman. Cary Grant stars as Roger, appearing alongside Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, and Leo G. Carroll.
North By Northwest turns a classic tale of mistaken identity and the ordinary-man-in-extraordinary-situation trope into an intriguing espionage mystery and exciting cross-country chase. One of the canonical Hitchcock films of the 1950s, the stylishly suspenseful film thrills with Cold War-era themes of secret agents, the fast pace of city life, and a constant, pervasive sense of dread. North by Northwest has been hailed as one of the inspirations for the cinematic style, tone, and formula of classic James Bond films and is widely regarded as one of the greatest movies ever made.
2
‘Jaws’ (1975)
Steven Spielberg’s ever-popular creature feature Jaws is an adaptation of Peter Benchley’s novel of the same name and centers on a great white shark that starts attacking people on the beaches of a New England resort town. The town’s sheriff, Martin Brody, teams up with a shark hunter and marine biologist to hunt down the man-hunting shark. The movie stars Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, Murray Hamilton, and Lorraine Gary.
Jaws is a timeless horror thriller that perennially excites the audience with its non-stop suspense and impending sense of terror, elevating the dread with John Williams’ haunting score, which remains one of cinema’s finest. On its release, Jaws became a massive success, completely overhauling the genre trends of the time and becoming the highest-grossing film in history until Star Wars was released in 1977. The film set new trends with its storytelling style and thrilling special effects, which became the template for practically all subsequent creature features.
1
‘Psycho’ (1960)
A film that changed thriller cinema in ways that still resonate, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is unarguably the best adaptation of Robert Bloch’s novel. A woman on the run, a remote motel, and an awkward motel owner — Psycho provides all the fuel for an exciting thriller right from the beginning. But it only gets better once the story’s heroine, Marion Crane, disappears from the story, shattering all audience expectations and building the tension to unpredictable levels. Anthony Perkins stars as Norman Bates, one of the most influential characters ever to appear on screen, with Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Martin Balsam in key roles.
With Psycho, Hitchcock introduced the audience to things they had never seen or even expected before in films, thus forgoing conventions and forging new standards for how thriller cinema is written and produced. The slick direction, impressive camerawork, memorable score, and iconic performances make Psycho the ultimate masterclass in thrills, horror, and suspense. The movie is a timeless genre classic.
- Release Date
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September 8, 1960
- Runtime
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109 minutes
- Writers
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Joseph Stefano, Robert Bloch
- Sequel(s)
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Psycho 2
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