15 Most Universally Loved Thriller Movies of All Time, Ranked

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Michael Block is a 14 time GLAM Award nominated writer, producer, and host of the podcast Block Talk. Throughout his time in the entertainment industry, he has worked on and off Broadway as a stage manager, written several produced plays, critiqued hundreds of theatrical performances, drag and cabaret shows, and has produced events randing from drag competitoons to variety concerts!
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If there is one genre of cinema that is known for keeping viewers on the edge of their seats, look no further than the thriller. Through gripping stories, expertly crafted atmospheres, and tense scores, the thriller is a beloved genre for its ability to push your mind into places you might otherwise fear.

There may be a plethora of sub-genres within the bigger thriller umbrella, but no matter the style, what they all share is the capacity to capture your attention from start to finish. Oh, and the finish is even better with a shocking twist that you never saw coming. We're here to celebrate a litany of extraordinary titles that are universally loved. From genre-defining shocks to pop-culture inspiring moments, these thrillers have stood the test of time.

15 'Fight Club' (1999)

A shirtless Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden, surrounded by men in Fight Club

The first rule of fight club is that you don't talk about fight club. That is, as long as you're singing the praises of the mind-blowing film. There are very few films that have made an impact quite like Fight Club. Directed by David Fincher, the film follows an unnamed, insomniac office worker (Edward Norton), who, feeling alienated by consumer culture, meets charismatic soap salesman Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). Together, they start an underground bare-knuckle fighting club that devolves into a massive anti-consumerist, anti-establishment terrorist organization called Project Mayhem. An examination of identity through the lens of modern masculinity, materialism, and the search for meaning, Fight Club is a thrilling masterpiece that changed how we view psychological thrillers.

Of course, more than two decades later, the film's biggest twist was the discovery that the narrator and Tyler Durden were one and the same. It made all of us ponder if we might have a Brad Pitt looming inside. An utterly thought-provoking film that glamorized brutality in a necessary manner, Fight Club touched a nerve, yet forced a mirror to be held up to a reactionary society that refused to admit how '90s machismo was evolving into something dangerous. Fight Club was imaginative, edgy, and expertly directed. As you'll notice based on this list, it's safe to say that Fincher deserves to be the Mount Rushmore of thriller directors.

14 'The Sixth Sense' (1999)

Malcolm and Cole look the same direction in 'The Sixth Sense'.

All one needs to say is, "I see dead people," and you'll immediately know the reference. One of the greatest psychological thrillers in history, The Sixth Sense put M. Night Shyamalan on the map with a mind-blowing twist no one saw coming. And if you claim you did see coming, you're lying. The film follows Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who attempts to help a young, troubled boy, Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), who claims he can speak to the dead. Seeking redemption for himself, Dr. Crowe helps Cole, before it's revealed just how deep the boy's connection to the deceased truly is. With a twist that kept audiences talking for decades, The Sixth Sense forced artists to elevate their thrillers to match the shock.

Established as a classic Hollywood film with the chills of a modern horror, The Sixth Sense was unapologetically daring. Though audiences knew Willis as an action star, slowing down the pace allowed audiences to take him in through a new lens. Pair him up with the effortlessly haunting Osment, who proves reaction shots live in the eyes, and you get a major dramatic performance that was convincing and terrifying. Plus, Toni Collette was quite extraordinary, which helped establish her place as a rising star in Hollywood. Both Osment and Collette were nominated for Oscars for their performances, and yes, you could make a case for both that they were robbed of Oscar gold. For a director who changed the game, Shyamalan's bar was set so high that every subsequent project had to match that or be even stronger. There's always a debate about whether anything ever lived up to the hype of this film, but the reality is that The Sixth Sense is a near-perfect thriller.

13 'Psycho' (1960)

Janet Leigh as Marion Crane screaming in the shower in Psycho.

We can call many of the films on this list "game-changers," but in a world where big-name stars are cast in major films and killed off early, Psycho changed things up. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the film is inspired by the book of the same name by Robert Bloch. Psycho tells the story of the chance encounter between on-the-run embezzler Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and shy motel proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). When Marion goes missing, private investigator Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam), Marion's lover Sam Loomis (John Gavin), and her sister Lila Crane (Vera Miles) investigate her disappearance. Known for the early murder and the most disturbing mother-son relationship you'll ever see, Psycho is the gold standard of horror.

A departure from other Hitchcock films at the time, Psycho was more than just a shocking story. Through slick direction, tense atmosphere-building, and an evocative score set against impressive camerawork, Psycho instantly influenced filmmakers seeking to replicate the magic Hitchcock captured. Killing off Leigh so early in the film was quite risky, but the shower scene became so iconic that it was worth it in the end. More than just a gimmick, Psycho's suspenseful storytelling has continually been praised. The film may have been divisive, but everyone can agree that its influence outweighs any pushback it ever received. There's a reason why that moment in the score is still referenced today! With every remake and influenced project that came after, Psycho will forever sit at the top of the heap. You'll never look at a motel shower the same again.

12 'Se7en' (1995)

A close-up of Detective Mills (Brad Pitt) crying while holding a gun in Se7en.

Just like a motel shower, you'll never look at a mysterious box the same again. We may have wanted to know what was in the box, but now that we know, can we get a redo? Directed by Fincher, Se7en follows disenchanted, nearly retired Detective Lieutenant William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) and his newly transferred partner David Mills (Pitt) as they try to stop a serial killer from committing a series of murders based on the seven deadly sins. A brutal and gruesome crime thriller, Se7en went beyond the typical police procedural to deliver something thought-provoking and intelligent, while also dropping the shocks.

Se7en was a dark examination of evil through the terrifying John Doe (Kevin Spacey), who became one of the most brilliant murderers on film. Freeman and Pitt had a unique pairing, bringing the old and the new together as they balanced their styles to create a dynamic duo. But no one could be prepared for the crescendo at the end. Unafraid to be graphic in exposing its deep themes, Se7en pushed the audience to the brink, yet made them ultimately unwilling to tap out. A quintessential '90s crime thriller, Se7en is one of the most alluring films ever made.

11 'The Silence of the Lambs' (1991)

Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter smiling sinisterly in The Silence of the Lambs (1991).

You have to truly transform into a character to terrify audiences beyond the role you play. Anthony Hopkins was so transformative that it's hard to see him as anything other than Hannibal Lecter now. Directed by Jonathan Demme and written by Ted Tally, based on the 1988 novel by Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lamb follows young FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who must interview the brilliant, incarcerated cannibal Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins) to get insights into another serial killer, "Buffalo Bill," (Ted Levine) who skins his female victims. As Starling begins to develop a dangerous psychological bond with Lecter, trading personal confessions for clues, Starling must race to save Buffalo Bill's current hostage, Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith), and confront her own past trauma, symbolized by the screaming "lambs" she couldn't save as a child. A masterfully suspenseful horror film, The Silence of the Lambs' impact on the genre is immeasurable.

The Silence of the Lambs is not an easy film for all audiences to endure. It's rightly terrifying and expertly gruesome. Unafraid to push the bounds of acceptability through taboo trends and topics, The Silence of the Lambs may shock you, but it's to remind the audience about the depths serial killers may go to. Winning the "Big Five" awards at the Oscars, The Silence of the Lambs is proof that horror films deserve to have a seat at the mainstream table. There has never been a cop and killer duo quite like Starling and Lecter, and it's all thanks to the career-defining performances. Balancing a psychological thriller with a straight-up horror film, The Silence of the Lambs will forever be remembered for how far it went to ensure the terror.

10 'The Maltese Falcon' (1941)

Humphrey Bogart looks serious in a suit as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon (1941).

Perhaps the epitome of film noir, John Huston's remarkable film The Maltese Falcon put crime thrillers on the map for generations to come. Adapted from Dashiell Hammett's novel, the film follows the hard-boiled private eye Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) as he becomes entangled in a web of murder, greed, and betrayal while searching for a priceless, jewel-encrusted falcon statuette. Along the way, he meets an array of characters who covet the legendary artifact, including his mysterious femme fatale client, Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor), and the villainous "Fat Man," Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet). When his partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), is murdered, Spade navigates lies and double-crosses as he unlocks the truth about the falcon and the lengths the shady individuals will go to possess it. The Maltese Falcon truly is "the stuff that dreams are made of."

Defining film noir for generations to come, The Maltese Falcon displayed how melodramatic storytelling and suspenseful direction can go hand in hand to deliver a thrilling crime adventure. The Maltese Falcon reminded audiences that, to capture the film noir vibe, it's all about the atmosphere. By allowing the murder mystery to unfold through the textured characters and mesmerizing revelations, The Maltese Falcon keeps you guessing until the very end. The story is a mystifying labyrinth that jump-started the subgenre forever.

9 'Dog Day Afternoon' (1975)

Al Pacino staring intently off-camera in Dog Day Afternoon.

As a living legend, picking his greatest cinematic achievement is quite difficult, but many might point to Dog Day Afternoon as Al Pacino's finest acting performance. Directed by Sidney Lumet and inspired by the 1972 Life article by P.F. Kluge and Thomas Moore, Dog Day Afternoon is a biographical thriller that dramatizes the 1972 robbery and hostage situation led by John Wojtowicz and Salvatore Naturile at the Chase Manhattan branch in Brooklyn. As the inexperienced robbers, Sonny Wortzik (Pacino) and Sal Naturile (John Cazale), attempt to manage the chaotic situation, it's soon revealed that Sonny's objective is to get money for his lover's (Susan Peretz) sex-change surgery.

A story of love, gender identity, and the broken American Dream, Dog Day Afternoon is a compelling thriller that is brilliantly chaotic with just the right shades of emotion that provoke empathy for a situation that might deserve it. It's all partly thanks to Pacino's affable performance. His bravado and volatility make him a tragic antihero. Dog Day Afternoon is a haunting film that brought the infamous line, "Attica! Attica!" to the forefront as a brilliant movie moment.

8 'Memento' (2000)

Guy Pearce looks at some polaroid photographs while sitting inside a car in Memento.

From the brain of one of cinema's greatest minds, Christopher Nolan, the 2000 film Memento redefined how cinephiles watch thrillers. Memento follows the intriguing story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man with anterograde amnesia, a condition that causes short-term memory loss and prevents him from forming new memories. Using an elaborate system of photographs, handwritten notes, and tattoos, Leonard attempts to uncover the perpetrator, simply known as “John G,” who killed his wife and caused him to sustain the condition. With its nonlinear, specific storytelling mechanic, Memento can be considered one of the greatest thrillers ever released.

Best known for a twist you likely didn't see coming, Nolan's ability to tell a gripping story through an unconventional style captivated audiences eager to see where the narrative would lead. Through two different filming approaches — the black-and-white story in chronological order and the color sequences in reverse order — it puts the audience directly into Leonard’s perspective. By the time they converge, a complete story is revealed, leaving you gobsmacked. A film about truth versus illusion and the malleability of memory, Memento is intricately told, proving thrillers don’t need to follow a cookie-cutter mold. At the time, it was Nolan at his finest, but what's since proven is that this was just him getting started.

7 'The Usual Suspects' (1995)

The characters of 'The Usual Suspects' stand annoyed in a police line-up.

Leave it until the very end to get your mind blown! In Bryan Singer's extraordinarily twisted crime thriller, The Usual Suspects, five career criminals — a corrupt ex-cop, Dean Keaton (Gabriel Byrne); hotshot Michael McManus (Stephen Baldwin); his partner, Fred Fenster (Benicio del Toro); hijacker Todd Hockney (Kevin Pollak); and a con man, Verbal Kint (Spacey) — are brought together for a police lineup who get roped into a complex heist orchestrated by a mythical crime lord, Keyser Söze. But who exactly is Keyser Söze?

Through flashback and narration, Spacey's Kint tells a convoluted story of events that lead to one of cinema's most fabulous late-film reveals. With a simple plot featuring layers of lies, deceit, twists, and turns, The Usual Suspects is an unflinching bait-and-switch that is rightly justified. Many thrillers have tried their hand at a fake-out twist like The Usual Suspects, but none have truly mastered it. A genuinely enjoyable film, The Usual Suspects remains a beloved title that, for some, you love to hate.

6 'Inception' (2010)

Arthur running through a revolving hallway in Inception

A remarkable work of art, Christopher Nolan's Inception blends science fiction with a gripping crime caper, forcing you to analyze your own dreams. The film follows Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a thief who steals secret information from people's dreams, taking on the impossible job of "inception" — planting an idea in the target's subconscious. While forced to deal with his past traumas, if he succeeds, Dom can get his life back as his past criminal history is erased. Blurring the lines between dream and reality, the multi-layered film uses corporate espionage as the backdrop against a twisted, complex dreamscape.

While some may find the film dense, if you pay attention, the answers are present, and the intricate world-building is accessible. With a brilliant castthat includes Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, and Cillian Murphy, Inception is an action-packed adventure that goes to places other films never dreamed of (pun intended). Plus, a little Edith Piaf never hurt anyone! The director has had some sensational films over the years, but Inception deserves to be toward the top of the pack.

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