Thrillers & Suspense
Thriller and Suspense Films promote intense excitement, suspense, a high level of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, anxiety, and nerve-wracking tension.
A genuine thriller is a film that relentlessly pursues a single-minded goal, to provide thrills and keep the audience cliff-hanging on the 'edge of their seats' as the plot builds towards a climax. Plots of thrillers often involve characters which come into conflict with each other or with outside forces - the menace is sometimes abstract or shadowy.
Below is a grand line-up of the best in contemporary Thrillers & Suspense made since 1965. Following a similar theme, with generally a darker look is the "Film Noir" feature, well worth checking out. The exploits of "James Bond 007" may also be accessed stage left.
Right: Frances McDormand makes an arrest in the Coen Bros "Fargo".
Switchback (1997)
6.4/10
Director: Jeb Stuart
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Danny Glover, Jared Leto, Ted Devine
A well-acted, tricky thriller about FBI agent Dennis Quais dogged pursuit of a serial killer. Danny Glover and Jared Leto are his travelling companion... Read more
Swordfish (2001)
6.5/10
Director: Dominic Sena
Starring: Halle Berry, Don Cheadle, Hugh Jackman, Vinnie Jones, John Travolta, Sam Shepard
Non-stop mix of high-tech thrills and plot twists stars John Travolta as a mysterious criminal mastermind (or is he?) who hatches a plan to lift billi... Read more
Swordfish ( Blu-ray ) (2001)
6.5/10
Director: Dominic Sena
Starring: Don Cheadle, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, John Travolta, Sam Shepard, Vinnie Jones
Non-stop mix of high-tech thrills and plot twists stars John Travolta as a mysterious criminal mastermind (or is he?) who hatches a plan to lift billi... Read more
Sympathy For Lady Vengeance (2005)
Director: Chan-wook Park
Starring: Min-sik Choi, Yeong-ae Lee, Il-woo Nam, Byeong-ok Kim, Bu-seon Kim, Mi-ran Ra
The final instalment in Chan-wook Park's vengeance trilogy, after 'Sympathy for Mr Vengeance' and 'Old Boy', this follows the story of Guem-ja, impris... Read more
Sympathy For Mr Vengeance (2002)
7.7/10
Director: Chan-wook Park
Starring: Kang-ho Song, Ha-kyun Shin, Bae Doo-na, Ji-Eun Lim, Bo-bae Han
The first part of Chan-wook Park's revenge trilogy, precursor to the incredible 'Old Boy', centres around a young deaf man, Ryu and his dying sister.... Read more
Synchronic (2019)
6.2/10
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Bill Oberst Jr
Two New Orleans paramedics' lives are ripped apart after they encounter a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre, otherworld... Read more
Syriana (2005)
6.9/10
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, William Hurt, Tim Blak...
Stephen Gaghan (screenwriter of 'Traffic') directs this labyrinthine story of corruption in the global oil industry, based partly on the writings of e... Read more
Syriana ( Blu-ray ) (2005)
6.9/10
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright, Chris Cooper, William Hurt, Tim Blak...
Stephen Gaghan (screenwriter of 'Traffic') directs this labyrinthine story of corruption in the global oil industry, based partly on the writings of e... Read more
Take Shelter (2011)
7.4/10
Director: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Kathy Baker, Michael Shannon, Shea Whigham, Jessica Chastain, Katy Mixon
In this unnerving drama, Michael Shannon ("Bug") plays a husband and father who harbours the growing certainty that an apocalyptic event will soon tak... Read more
Taken (2008)
7.8/10
Director: Pierre Morel
Starring: Maggie Grace, Liam Neeson, Famke Janssen, Xander Berkeley, Leland Orser, Jon Gri...
Liam Neeson plays a former CIA operative who needs all his super-spy skills when his daughter is kidnapped by slave traders in Paris. Produced and co-... Read more