10 Most Twisted Thrillers of the Last 25 Years, Ranked

The ability for thriller films to be able to tackle darker subjects with an elusive sense of tension and stakes has made the genre a fan-favorite for filmmakers looking to explore such more layered, philosophical, and adult material. However, many thrillers manage to take it a step too far in terms of such a raw, unfiltered approach, becoming deeply twisted experiences that find success thanks to their confrontational nature.

Whether it comes from unsettling and deeply unnerving themes or simply an abundance of disturbing visuals, thriller films have significantly more freedom when it comes to what twisted content they can get away with. Especially in the modern era of cinema, where audiences are much more desensitized to such disturbing material, these twisted thrillers thrive on provoking, going out of their way to leave the audience in a state of sheer discomfort.

10 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things' (2020)

While nearly all of Charlie Kaufman's films have dabbled in their fair share of strange and uncomfortable subject matter, I'm Thinking of Ending Things goes above and beyond in terms of strange, metaphysical, and psychological chaos. The film is ripe with a painful and heartbreaking subtext that makes it a largely uncomfortable and harrowing experience, delving into the twisted nature of a fractured, depressed psyche.

Even putting aside its larger symbolic meaning, the primary text doesn't shy away from a creepy and twisted execution. I'm Thinking of Ending Things does an exceptional job of building up its characters and creating a sense of things simply not being quite right, with the entire world presenting itself in an off-putting and uneasy way. These subtle, uncomfortable changes make sense when given the full picture, yet in the moment, make for an especially twisted viewing experience.

9 'Swallow' (2019)

Swallow is a perfect example of how, even without directly showing a lot of gore, there are certainly other ways to make the audience squirm in their seats, thanks to the sheer unnerving nature of its premise. The film follows a pregnant housewife spiraling out of control as she is increasingly compelled to consume dangerous objects. It delves into the psyche and mentality behind such a strange obsession, and the execution doesn't shy away from the absolute painful reality behind it.

After so many different films about people getting hurt in acts of violence, the simple originality of seeing a unique approach to pain is enough to send shivers down one's body. It helps that Swallow is far from just an exploration of shocking content just for shock value. Instead, it utilizes the uncomfortability of its scenes as a tool for its overarching messaging and thematic symbolism.

8 'Irreversible' (2002)

An icon of controversial cinema ever since its release, the French thriller Irreversible has lived in infamy thanks to the painful and shocking nature of its content, combined with its experimental, non-chronological storytelling. Telling the story in reverse order, it begins with a brutal act of vengeance before rolling back the curtain and showing the painful lead-up to why such depraved actions were taken in the first place.

While many of Gaspar Noé's films have attained legendary status thanks to their twisted and chaotic execution, Irreversible easily stands as the director's defining cinematic achievement, effectively utilizing shock as a key to its compelling story. The film is willing to delve into the sickening depths of its rape-revenge story, not holding back in terms of a deeply painful story and an even more harrowing execution. It's the type of film that is deeply sickening to watch, as people absolutely appreciate it, but will rarely ever view it more than once.

7 'Titane' (2021)

Titane makes for one of the strangest yet ingenious combinations of genre and concepts, telling a shocking and wildly chaotic serial killer body horror film blended with themes of the unconditional love of family, even to those not blood-related. It certainly has its feel-good moments in the second half, but that only comes after an onslaught of murder, pregnancy-based body horror, and a sexual encounter with a Cadillac.

Its concepts are as creative as they are disturbing to watch, with the clash between feel-good messaging and overly gruesome murder and body horror working surprisingly well. When Titane wants to subject the audience to horrific imagery, it is entirely capable of presenting the sheer dread of an oil-soaked car pregnancy. Such creativity acts as a literal fuel for the film's strength, embracing its wild side for an incredibly memorable yet twisted experience.

6 'Revenge' (2017)

Building upon the already painful and tension-inducing dread of Irreversible, Revenge is the contemporary equivalent of a ruthless, blood-soaked rape-revenge thriller. The film doesn't delve as much into the psychological torment, instead going all out in setting up the brutality of what Jen (Matilda Lutz) goes through and her bloodthirsty quest for vengeance. It easily stands as one of the most blood-soaked thrillers out there, each moment overwhelming with both blood and palpable tension.

As if the overwhelming gore wasn't enough, the premise and prospects of a rape-revenge thriller are still sure to make audiences uncomfortable, especially when the crimes committed against Jen also include having her thrown off a cliff and left for dead by her boyfriend. However, unlike other rape revenge films where its twisted nature makes for a sickening, unpleasant experience, Revenge invites the audience to accompany Jen on her journey of glorious and cathartic vengeance.

5 'Goodnight Mommy' (2014)

Turning tables on what's often considered one of the most palpable sources of emotion in human history, Goodnight Mommy finds sheer terror and twisted evil in the unconditional familial love between a mother and her children. The film follows a mother returning home to her two young twin boys after a facial surgery, covered in bandages and acting much differently than before. The boys begin to suspect that this woman is an impostor pretending to be their mother, setting out to torture her to get the truth out of her.

Placing kids in these types of grueling, high-tension scenarios is always a quick ticket to twisted filmmaking. However, Goodnight Mommy goes above and beyond in terms of cringe-inducing amateur torture methods done by these small, far-from-innocent children. The third-act reveal makes the film that much more twisted, with the big picture painting a painful and harrowing story of loss and the inability to move on.

4 'The Skin I Live In' (2011)

While Pedro Almodóvar is no stranger to creating wild, non-traditional movies that push barriers forward, none of his films are quite as twisted as the psychological thriller The Skin I Live In. The story follows a brilliant yet obsessive plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) who has created a synthetic skin that can withstand any kind of damage. To perfect his creation, he goes through rigorous testing on a mysterious and volatile woman (Elena Anaya) who seems to hold the key to his obsession.

The Skin I Live In goes out of its way to capture the feeling of a dreadful horror film without any of the actual scares inherent to the genre, subsisting on dreadful energy and sickeningly sadistic concepts. Its twisted nature is amplified by an exceptionally eerie lead performance from Banderas, who finds the perfect balance between classic charms and an unsettling, twisted demeanor.

3 'Oldboy' (2003)

Often considered one of the greatest thrillers of all time, Park Chan-wook's Oldboy is a legendary masterpiece of the genre, and no singular element is more prominent than its twisted story. From the painful difficulties of its main character enduring 15 years in captivity to his ruthless journey of hollow revenge to a painful final twist, Oldboy does a great job of emphasizing its unforgiving and sadistic world.

The film's twisted nature has given it such an effective edge, even compared to similar thrillers of the early 2000s, as it went to previously unheard of lengths for its shock value and compelling, unpredictable story. The final act, where all the backstory and explanation for the kidnapping and layers of revenge take place, allows Oldboy's nihilistic, chaotic philosophy to come out in full force and make it an all-time icon of twisted thriller cinema.

2 'Speak No Evil' (2022)

Easily one of the bleakest and most uncomfortable movie experiences of recent memory, Speak No Evil is defined by its weighted sense of intentional awkwardness, with its characters brushing off many painful circumstances for the sake of good manners. However, things soon take a massive turn for the twisted and sadistic in the back half, when the truly evil nature of these awkward good Samaritans is revealed, complete with child murder and one of the bleakest endings in film history.

The Danish film doesn't hold anything back in terms of the raw and visceral nature of its characters and story, managing to only get more and more psychotic as the film goes on. It reaches a point where one can even detach oneself from the movie out of self-preservation. In fact, when the film was remade for American audiences with James McAvoy, they completely reworked the final act to be more lighthearted and not end on such a dour, twisted note.

1 'Antichrist' (2009)

Few filmmakers are as inherently synonymous with their twisted sense of filmmaking as Lars von Trier, who has an entire filmography consisting of some of the most twisted and unapproachable works of art that cinema has to offer. However, the title of absolute king of twistedness in his filmography easily belongs to Antichrist, a dark, masochistic story of grief complete with more sexual violence and strange visions than one could ever imagine.

Inspired by von Trier's experiences with clinical depression and anxiety, Antichrist is a manic and uncompromising display of madness and sickening chaos in a cinematic form. It's unrelenting in its vision and isn't afraid of alienating as many audience members as possible with its twisted nature, whether it be through strange dream sequences or painful violence towards sexual organs. It's difficult to imagine any other thriller coming close to the levels of sheer madness that Antichrist instills.