8 Greatest Psychological Thrillers of the Last 10 Years, Ranked

Psychological thrillers have a powerful way of peering into the human condition, delivering unmatched suspense through their mind-bending narratives. The past decade has been something of a golden age for the genre, with the releases of some of the most incredible psychological thriller films ever made, both in Hollywood and beyond. Combining fiction, fantasy, social horror, and sometimes the supernatural, each of these films has redefined the genre in its own way.

Any attempt to rank these brilliant masterpieces would, of course, be subjective, but all these movies deliver remarkable, deep explorations of societal anxieties, trauma, and the dark complexities of the human mind. And if you’re in the mood for bold narratives, unreliable narrators, and dark atmosphere, these are the films you need. So, without further ado, here’s our ranked selection of some of the greatest psychological thrillers of the last 10 years.

8

‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ (2016)

Image Via Paramount Pictures

Dan Trachtenberg’s debut film and the second movie in the Cloverfield film series, 10 Cloverfield Lane follows a young woman named Michelle who wakes up after a terrible car accident and finds herself in a bunker with two strangers who claim the apocalypse has happened. Although set in the same universe as the other films in the series, the movie is a standalone story in its own timeline. The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Michelle, with John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr., and Suzanne Cryer as supporting characters and Bradley Cooper in a voice role.

10 Cloverfield Lane is arguably the best film in the Cloverfield series, with a more compelling plot, sharper direction, and tighter action than the other movies in the franchise. The bunker’s closed-room setting and the small cast of intense characters work wonderfully to create a claustrophobic experience that is enhanced by the clever camera angles. An intelligent blend of sci-fi, psychological, and supernatural horror, 10 Cloverfield Lane is easily one of the best thrillers of the 2010s.

7

‘Hush’ (2016)

Image via Netflix

Directed by Mike Flanagan, who also co-wrote the film with star Kate Siegel, Hush is a psychological horror thriller that went on to inspire the hit series Midnight Mass and amplified Flanagan’s mainstream popularity. The movie follows Maddie Young (Siegel), a successful horror novelist who can’t speak or hear, as she moves into an isolated home in the woods and is attacked by a masked intruder, forcing her to fight for her life in silence. Besides Siegel, the film also stars John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan, and Emma Graves in notable roles.

An intimate, high-concept slasher thriller, Hush boasts an ingenious narrative style using limited dialogue, allowing the performances to speak volumes. Despite the minimal lines, the film never loses its tempo or forgoes the necessary edge-of-the-seat scares, making it a very quietly thrilling film and one of the best of the decade. Even though the film earned great reviews for its writing and acting, Hush has become a forgotten horror film that deserves to be revisited.

6

‘The Invisible Guest’ (2016)

Image Via Warner Bros Pictures

Directed by Spanish filmmaker Oriol Paulo, The Invisible Guest tells the story of Adrian, a successful young entrepreneur, who finds himself waking up next to his dead lover, locked inside their hotel room. With all the evidence stacked against him, Adrian seeks the help of celebrated lawyer Virginia Goodman, who promises him the best defense strategy possible, but the case takes a wild turn. The film stars Mario Casas, Ana Wagener, Bárbara Lennie, Blanca Martinez, and Francesc Orella in lead roles.

One of the most underrated international films of the 2010s, The Invisible Guest is a clever combination of legal thriller, psychological drama, and murder mystery. With its sharp writing and great acting, the Spanish thriller is gripping enough to keep the audience hooked and also surprise them with unexpected twists. At the time of its release, The Invisible Guest was critically acclaimed and became a major success, leading to several international remakes.

5

‘Burning’ (2018)

Image via CGV Arthouse

A South Korean thriller by Lee Chang-dong, Burning is an adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s short story from The Elephant Vanishes collection, with elements from William Faulkner’s story of the same name. The film follows Lee, an aspiring novelist, who is in love with his childhood friend, Shin, who introduces him to Ben, an enigmatic man she met on a trip. But Lee suspects Ben of having dangerous intentions that could harm them both. Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo, and Steven Yeun star in the main roles.

Part twisted love story, part crime thriller, Burning is a genre masterpiece that is more than the product of its inspirations and stands out among psychological movies of the 2010s. Powered by Steven Yeun’s chilling and sublime performance, the film does justice to the original material while delivering an experience that leaves you both disturbed and satisfied. Burning breaks the expectations of genre tropes with its unsettling exploration of the human condition and has been critically acclaimed for its narrative style.

4

‘Watcher’ (2022)

Image via IFC Films

Directed by Chloe Okuno in her directorial debut, Watcher is a psychological thriller about a young couple, Francis and Julia, who move from America to Bucharest, Romania, for a new life. While Francis is away at work, Julia spends time alone at home and soon becomes convinced she’s being watched by someone from across the street, with disturbing and dangerous outcomes. Maika Monroe and Karl Glusmas star as Julia and Francis, respectively, with Burn Gorman, Madalina Anea, Daniel Nuta, and Cristina Deleanu in supporting roles.

Watcher is a very well-made stalker thriller that explores how anxiety and paranoia from fear and isolation can upend life and sanity. Unlike conventional thrillers, the film stays away from outright violence and action and uses anxiety as a device of fear, which, while unsettling, is an intriguing storytelling approach. Watcher was widely praised for its direction and performances, with special acclaim for the way it turns familiar genre tropes into a chilling thriller with an incredible narrative.

3

‘Split’ (2016)

Image via Universal Pictures

Written, directed, and produced by M. Night Shyamalan, Split is the second film in his Unbreakable series, preceded by 2000’s Unbreakable and followed by 2019’s Glass. The movie stars James McAvoy as Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with dissociative identity disorder who must stop one of his personalities from killing the others and imprisons three young women in his bunker. Anya Taylor-Joy, Betty Buckley, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula appear in key roles.

A mind-bending psychological thriller that leaves a lingering effect on the audience, Split is perhaps one of the best in the genre from the last decade, and is as successful and critically acclaimed as Unbreakable, if not more. The film was a major box office hit, becoming Blumhouse Productions’ most successful movie until 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s. While it has faced some criticisms, Split has been generally well-praised for the story and direction, and for the unimaginably brilliant performance by James McAvoy as an individual with 23 personalities.

2

‘Nocturnal Animals’ (2016)

Image via Focus Features

Based on the 1993 novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright, Nocturnal Animals was directed, written, and produced by Tom Ford. The plot follows Susan, a wealthy gallery owner who becomes obsessed with a new novel written by her ex-husband, Edward, which soon begins to blur the lines between fiction and reality. Amy Adams stars as Susan and Jake Gyllenhaal as Edward, with Armie Hammer, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Laura Linney, and Michael Sheen in key roles.

Nocturnal Animals is a fine blend of sleek and stylish cinematography and an interesting storytelling style. The embedded narrative structure not only feels immersive but also pushes the audience to question reality alongside Susan. Thematically intriguing and visually gorgeous, Nocturnal Animals has been critically acclaimed for its production values and performances, especially those by Gyllenhaal, Adams, Shannon, and Taylor-Johnson, earning several nominations and a Golden Globe win for Taylor-Johnson.

1

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Image via Universal Pictures

Directed by Jordan Peele in his directorial debut, Get Out stars Daniel Kaluuya as Chris, a young photographer from New York City who is invited to his girlfriend’s parents’ estate for the weekend. After an awkward introduction, Chris experiences a series of bizarre, almost surreal events that soon threaten his life. Allison Williams co-stars as his girlfriend, Rose, with Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, and Catherine Keener in other significant roles.

Get Out not only put Jordan Peele on the list of modern filmmaking geniuses but also became Daniel Kaluuya’s most successful role to date. With its intelligent narrative that combines horror, social satire, and dark humor, the film redefined the genre, setting a new standard for psychological horror while also paying tribute to genre classics. Shocking and thought-provoking in the same breath, Get Out is a fantastically surreal take on the contemporary American social, political, cultural, and economic landscape.

Release Date

February 24, 2017

Runtime

104 minutes