10 Best Thriller Movies Of 2023

 

2023 was a great year for the thriller and plenty of films capitalized on all that the genre has to offer. Many approaches to the traditional thriller were taken, including action-adventure, psychological, and class critique. In the past several years, films that comment on class inequality have become increasingly popular and this is reflected in the films of 2023. Additionally, thrillers are steadily becoming more aware of the power they have to draw attention to other social inequalities throughout society.

The thriller is known for having many sub-genres, but the core tenets of a thriller include high tension, suspense, anxiety, and deceit. This can take on many forms and provides a filmmaker with plenty of opportunities to incorporate high-stakes plot points that are immediately engaging to the audience. However, a thriller mustn't rely too heavily on plot twists and red herrings to drive the story forward. There must be a strong narrative basis for the film that the viewer can be interested in, regardless of the thriller's many tricks.

#10

65 (2023)

Directed by: SCOTT BECK & BRYAN WOODS

A survival thriller with a sci-fi twist, 65 stars Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt as two space travelers who crash-land on Earth during the time of the dinosaurs. The main antagonist of the film is nature and the dinosaurs. It's Driver up against powerful prehistoric forces that attack him and Greenblatt as his surrogate daughter at every turn.
While the premise is interesting and there are some fun effects, 65 doesn't lean far enough into any tropes of the genres it encompasses. It isn't serious enough to be an interpersonal drama, and it doesn't use the fantastical elements of the ancient Earth to its advantage. The film is mostly mid-tier with some enjoyable elements to lighten it along the way.

#09     Missing (2023)

Directed by: NICHOLAS D. JOHNSON & WILL MERRICK

The follow-up to Aneesh Chaganty's 2018 Searching, Missing stars Storm Reid as a young girl desperately looking for her mother via the internet. After her mother fails to return home from a vacation, an elaborate plot of twists and turns emerges. Missing takes the clever storytelling technique of Searching by using phone and laptop cameras and screen recordings to further the plot.

This is an effective tool in the thriller-crime genre, where the use of phones and new technology can sometimes make physical crime-solving seem pointless. Missing also expands on the universe that Searching created, and opens it up to a younger and more dynamic lead in Reid. While Missing isn't quite as tight as the original, it still has a lot to offer for the next generation.

#08.    Knock At The Cabin (2023)

Directed by: M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN

Director M. Night Shyamalan is known for weaving plots that are impossible to predict and leave the audience breathless. In Knock At The Cabin, two young fathers and their daughter are held hostage by a group of doomsday believers who force them to make a devastating decision to stave off the end of the world. The best part of the film is the stunning visuals of the idyllic wooded cabin that's turned into a nightmare scenario.

Additionally, the frightening performance by Dave Bautista lends credibility to the outlandish claims of the group that's crying apocalypse. Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge also add real emotional stakes to the story. Overall, the film doesn't make the grand social statement it thinks it is, but it does deliver suspense and many twists in the ending of Knock At The Cabin.

#07  Saltburn (2023)

Directed by: EMERALD FENNELL

Saltburn is visually stunning and tonally confusing, but ultimately an unforgettable addition to the films of 2023. Director Emerald Fennell is known for her shocking and subversive stories, and Saltburn is no different. Fennell can't seem to decide if she's on the side of the rich or not in this part class critique, part psychological thriller. Following on the tails of powerhouse films in this genre like The Talented Mr. Ripley and Parasite, Saltburn doesn't quite fill those shoes, but it does capture the audience's attention.
The performances by Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan fill every scene with palpable homoerotic tension and play off each other very well while concealing their true motivations. With the beautiful English countryside estate as the backdrop for parties that drip with wealth and opulence, it's easy to become mesmerized by the glitter of Saltburn and forget how dark the film gets. Not without its problems, the film certainly will never be forgotten.

6Sharper (2023)

Directed by: BENJAMIN CARON

Sharper opts for a collection of stories about each character that slowly uncovers the twisted web of lies and betrayals that connect them all. Julianne Moore is easily the most outstanding part of the movie, as Madeline, a woman whose loyalties change at the drop of a hat. Watching the film is akin to putting together a puzzle, and it's extremely fun watching the pieces fall into place as the full story is revealed.

Sharper asks the audience if it's possible to find true love and trust when there is a massive amount of wealth on the table. If anything, Sharper could have been more biting in its critique and allowed its characters to be more insidious. Despite this, it's a thrilling watch and a compelling twist on the traditional con-movie formula.