Thrillers never fail to entertain, and Amazon Prime Video has some of the best movie picks in this genre. The streaming platform’s library has everything fans of tense stories want, from classics to modern hits. Prime Video’s thrillers are also diverse when it comes to subgenres, featuring sci-fi thrillers, action, dystopian tales, and everything in between.
Movies like James Cameron’s timeless The Terminator and Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi epic War of the Worlds are among this month’s highlights. The depth of the service’s catalog can be intimidating, but this guide is updated monthly to highlight some of the best thriller movies on Prime Video right now.
Amazon Prime may have a robust catalog, but it doesn’t have everything. Luckily, we’ve also curated roundups of the best thrillers on Netflix and the best thrillers on Hulu. Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
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The Terminator1984 -
Children of Men2006
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War of the Worlds2005
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Disturbia2007
The Terminator (1984)
Director James Cameron has put out several iconic blockbusters over the decades, and 1984’s The Terminator remains one of his most important movies. A sci-fi action thriller, the story revolves around a cybernetic assassin known as a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) traveling from 2029 to 1984 to murder Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton).
Connor’s future son will help defeat Skynet, the tyrannical AI that’s created an apocalyptic future for mankind. The human resistance sends soldier Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) back in time to protect Sarah. The Terminator is still seen as an iconic Hollywood blockbuster, sci-fi thriller or otherwise. The movie and its titular role are synonymous with Schwarzenegger, who brings tension to the relentless monster-movie-like antagonist and action set pieces.
Children of Men (2006)
Children of Men is one of the best action thrillers of the 2010s. Director Alfonso Cuarón’s dystopian movie is set in 2027, with humanity battling infertility issues for around 20 years. U.K. asylum seekers are subjugated to detention and deportation.
Disillusioned civil servant Theo Faron (Clive Owen) finds himself desperately trying to help refugee Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) escape the violent situation. Children of Men earned acclaim for its deft balance of riveting action and sincere human drama. Owen and Ashitey’s characters ground the story amid the chaos, making Children of Men a well-rounded dystopic thriller.
War of the Worlds (2005)
There is something for every movie fan in Steven Spielberg’s catalog, and War of the Worlds gives them some alien-themed thrills. The film is adapted from author H. G. Wells’ 1898 novel. It follows Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise), a dock worker swept into the mayhem of an alien invasion and their devastating war machines.
Ray does everything he can to protect his children, including his daughter Rachel (Dakota Fanning), and bring them to their mother Mary Ann (Miranda Otto). War of the Worlds isn’t Spielberg’s most memorable movie — though that’s almost an unfair standard to meet — but it’s an epic sci-fi thriller sure to satisfy fans of extraterrestrial invasion tropes. Anchored by Tom Cruise’s star power, the movie will give audiences a sympathetic angle to root for.
Disturbia (2007)
Loosely inspired by legendary director Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, D. J. Caruso’s Disturbia is an exciting neo-noir thriller. Starring Shia LaBeouf as teenager Kale Brecht, the film follows the 17-year-old on house arrest for assaulting his teacher.
Once he begins watching his neighbors from home, he strongly suspects one of them is a serial killer. While Disturbia isn’t a standout thriller of its subgenre, it has plenty of provocative psychological themes to elevate it above a simple teen-themed crime movie. Plus, LaBeouf does a great job of engaging the audience in this character-driven plot.
No Time to Die (2021)
68%
7.3/10Daniel Craig is among the best James Bond actors, and No Time to Die is a fitting sendoff. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, this spy thriller sees Bond’s tranquil life interrupted when CIA agent Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) recruits him on a mission to rescue a scientist.
The mission has even darker implications as it becomes a race against time to prevent a shadowy villain (Rami Malek) from deploying a deadly weapon. While it can’t measure up to the likes of Casino Royale or Skyfall, Fukunaga’s No Time to Die is an epic swan song for Craig’s character. Packed with elaborate action set pieces and an emotional story, the movie brings James Bond’s character arc full circle.
Ex Machina (2015)
From studio A24, Ex Machina is one of the most underrated sci-fi movies of the 2010s. The sci-fi thriller is directed by Civil War’s Alex Garland. The plot sees Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) win a competition to spend a week at Blue Book CEO Nathan Bateman’s (Oscar Isaac) mountain retreat.
However, Caleb finds himself roped into an increasingly uncomfortable experiment on the world’s most sophisticated artificial intelligence (Alicia Vikander). Ex Machina earned critical acclaim for its clever take on AI-themed science fiction and cerebral stories. It’s not the sci-fi thriller most audiences would expect, as it uses its small-scale setting to make the tension between the three co-leads all the more palpable.
The Raid (2012)
Western movies like the John Wick series further popularized extended, bombastic action sequences. Even so, 2011’s The Raid: Redemption is one of the best action thrillers to date. Directed by Gareth Evans, the plot revolves around an Indonesian police squad tasked with raiding a brutal crime lord’s apartment block.
Deep in the slums of Jakarta and outnumbered by violent criminals, the tactical squad must brute force their way through the building. The Raid: Redemption was critically praised for the movie’s relentless, but tight pacing, taking the “all killer, no filler” approach. The action is over-the-top violent and incredibly well choreographed to match.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
85%
8.6/10Equal parts horror and crime thriller, The Silence of the Lambs is one of the most acclaimed 1990s movies. Directed by Jonathan Demme and adapted from Thomas Harris’ 1988 novel, the movie follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) as she tracks down a gruesome serial killer dubbed “Buffalo Bill” (Ted Levine).
The grisly murderer has proven incredibly elusive, forcing Clarice to seek the help of imprisoned and cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). The Silence of the Lambs is a concise psychological crime thriller, elevated by a harrowing plot and Foster and Hopkins’ performances. The Oscar-winning portrayals of Clarice and Hannibal maintain a constant, unnerving tension.
V for Vendetta (2006)
Aside from superheroics, DC Comics is known for some exciting crime thrillers that break the mold. James McTeigue directs the live-action adaptation of Alan Moore, David Lloyd, and Tony Weare’s V for Vendetta, set in an alternate United Kingdom under the thumb of fascist rule. The plot revolves around V (Hugo Weaving), an anarchy-driven vigilante determined to free society from its totalitarian vice grip, and Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman), who becomes wrapped up in the vigilante’s freedom-fighting efforts.
As one of DC’s most successful comics from its Vertigo imprint, McTeigue’s adaptation was praised for translating Moore’s politically challenging themes to the big screen. Backed by striking cinematography and compelling performances from its co-leads, V for Vendetta also makes for an entertaining dystopian movie.
The Grey (2012)
Liam Neeson is no stranger to action thrillers, but The Grey is among his best from the 2010s. Directed by Joe Carnahan and adapted from a short story by co-writer Ian MacKenzie Jeffers called “Ghost Walker,” the plot sees Neeson’s marksman on a punishing survival mission in Alaska.
After the death of his wife, the jaded John Ottoway (Neeson) is hired as a sharpshooter at a remote Alaskan oil facility. John must give everything he can to protect himself and a group of stranded oilmen from a stalking pack of gray wolves. The Grey is a must-watch for fans of survival-themed thrillers, with Liam Neeson’s performance elevating an already tense story. The atmosphere and Neeson’s role complement the movie’s straightforward premise, but it also offers some poignant commentary on humanity’s relentless spirit.
Cape Fear (1962)
Cape Fear is a classic psychological thriller and one of the most influential movies of the 1960s. Directed by J. Lee Thompson, the story revolves around small-town lawyer Sam Bowden (Gregory Peck), who finds himself and his family tormented by ex-convict Max Cady (Robert Mitchum).
Cady returns determined to exact his revenge on Bowden for convicting him 20 years earlier. Cape Fear earned critical acclaim for its riveting atmosphere, bolstered by the dynamic between Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum’s characters. Thompson’s direction mirrored the scores, camera techniques, and suggestive violence used by Alfred Hitchcock.
Atomic Blonde (2017)
Outright action-thrillers aren’t the box-office draws they once were, but movies like Atomic Blonde show they’ll always have a place in the medium. Directed by David Leitch (Deadpool 2, The Fall Guy), the movie follows elite MI6 agent Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron) on a covert mission in Germany the night before the Berlin Wall’s fall.
Broughton must retrieve a sensitive dossier of double-agents and dismantle a spy ring. Atomic Blonde’s story is rather straightforward, but it’s all it needs to be thanks to Theron’s dynamic performance. She sells the character’s cunning nature, and the stylistic action scenes evoke sequences from the John Wick franchise.
Ronin (1998)
The 1990s was a great decade for action-thrillers, and Ronin will surely satisfy fans of Robert De Niro. Directed by John Frankenheimer, the plot focuses on a high-stakes mission taken up by a group of mercenaries. The mercenaries — portrayed by an impressive cast including De Niro, Jean Reno, Sean Bean, Natascha McElhone and Stellan Skarsgård — must steal a tightly guarded briefcase.
Ronin won’t outshine the legacies of movies like The French Connection, but it tastefully pays homage to them with an action-packed premise. The car chase sequences are technical marvels in and of themselves, and they’re backed by a stellar ensemble.
Face/Off (1997)
Directed by the revered filmmaker John Woo, Face/Off is a must-watch for fans of sci-fi thrillers. The movie sees John Travolta (Grease) and Nicolas Cage (Longlegs) play the dual roles of FBI agent Sean Archer and terrorist Castor Troy.
After Archer captures Troy, he undergoes an experimental procedure to replace his face with the terrorist’s — with Troy following suit by impersonating Archer. Face/Off developed a strong cult following over the years, beloved for its bombastic action sequences. It’s the highlight of Woo’s career, with Travolta and Cage making the most of the campy premise to play off each other perfectly.
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Joel and Ethan Coen, otherwise known as the Coen Brothers, are the most revered directing duos in Hollywood, and No Country for Old Men is among their finest works. The crime thriller follows a trio of characters, opening with Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin). The Vietnam veteran finds a massive sum of money that puts him in the crosshairs of ruthless hitman Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem).
Meanwhile, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) follows the trail of what becomes a bloody crime spree. No Country for Old Men was critically acclaimed for its take on the Western genre, subverting narrative tropes and using the modern setting to its advantage. Bardem’s role holds up as the standout performance, portraying one of the most unnerving movie villains to date.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Director Martin Scorsese is a legacy name in the industry, and Taxi Driver is one of his early highlights. This grim thriller revolves around Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), a Vietnam War veteran in a dangerously unstable mental state.
Travis works nights as a taxi driver, but the more he sees his idea of moral degradation through the streets of New York City, the more emboldened he becomes to take violent action. Taxi Driver earned universal praise for how it blended the neo-noir genre with psychological thrillers. The movie’s intense POV-driven plot makes his deteriorating mental state feel unsettling and intimate, resulting in one of the best character studies in movie history.
The Beekeeper (2024)
The Beekeeper has been one of the most surprising successes in the thriller genre. Directed by David Ayer, the story sees former “Beekeeper” operative Adam Clay (Jason Statham) go on a gruesome killing streak.
When his compassionate landlady and retired school teacher Eloise Parker (Phylicia Rashad) dies by suicide after being caught in a phishing scam, Adam decides to hunt down the perpetrators. The Beekeeper earned a moderately positive critical reception for embracing its over-the-top nature. The movie didn’t pretend to be anything it wasn’t, and it delivered an easily entertaining action-thriller for its efforts.
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Directed by Lynne Ramsay, We Need to Talk About Kevin is a gripping psychological drama and thriller. The plot revolves around Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton), a former travel writer, who struggles to cope with her psychopathic son Kevin (The Flash‘s Ezra Miller) and the atrocities he’s committed.
Eva now works at a travel agency near the prison where he’s being held, with the story unraveling the former’s troubled memories. We Need to Talk About Kevin received positive reviews for its harrowing mix of horror, drama, and thriller elements. It’s also regarded as one of Swinton’s strongest performances, portraying Eva’s tortured psyche convincingly.
Oppenheimer (2023)
90%
8.3/10What Lies Beneath (2000)
51%
6.6/10Rear Window (1954)
100%
8.5/10Wolf Creek (2005)
56%
6.2/10The Perfect Host (2010)
48%
6.7/10Road House (2024)
47%I Think We're Alone Now (2018)
51%
4.9/10The Descent (2005)
71%
5.7/10Foe (2023)
44%
5.4/10Saltburn (2023)
61%
7.1/10Dark Nature (2023)
4.4/10The Wall (2012)
What would you do if you were cut off from the rest of civilization by an invisible wall? Short of panicking, most of us would have no clue, but these are the cards dealt to our main character in writer-director Julian Pölsler’s 2012 film The Wall. Starring Martina Gedeck as the unnamed protagonist, when our hero discovers the titular barrier between her and the rest of the world, the woman and her dog Lynx are forced into survival mode as nature starts taking over. Will she succumb to the unmovable façade, or will she perish? Watching The Wall may be a bit of a slow-going experience at times, but if you’re willing to go along with the nearly two-hour runtime, you’ll be privy to quite an amazing performance from Gedeck.
M.O.M. Mothers of Monsters (2020)
5.8/10The Swerve (2018)
90%
6.6/10Once in a blue moon, a solid psychological thriller comes along that truly dips its toes into the world of disturbed and narratively unreliable psyches. Sure, there are plenty of films that try to dive deep into mental hellscapes, but when you see how brilliantly this type of conflict is pulled off by movies like The Swerve, you realize how many other flicks simply miss the mark. Starring Azura Skye as Holly, a high-school teacher, wife, and mother of two, Holly’s life is seemingly good on the surface. That is until a series of strange and hallucinatory events start unfolding around her. Compounded by the many stresses of daily life, including her rebellious children and an unusual student, Holly’s façade begins to crumble as past demons rear their heads. An excellent story of a methodically-paced breakdown, The Swerve is steered by an emotionally arresting lead performance from Skye.
Inside (2023)
53%
4.4/10The Boondock Saints (1999)
44%
7.7/10Thirteen Lives (2022)
66%
7.8/10In director Ron Howard’s harrowing and emotional Thirteen Lives, is the real-life story of the Wild Boars, a Thai soccer team made up of twelve players and their coach. When the team ventures off into the Tham Luang cave, heavy rains flood the cavern, trapping them inside. After the parents of the boys alert authorities, a globalized rescue effort, comprised of professional divers and other emergency responders, must race against the clock to save the Wild Boars before it’s too late. Dialing in the dramatized strengths from other Howard-honed pictures like Apollo 13, there’s plenty at stake in Thirteen Lives, and the longtime auteur deftly tackles the many anxiety-inducing feats of one of the world’s most death-defying search-and-rescue efforts.
All the Old Knives (2022)
62%
6.1/10Jungle (2017)
48%
6.7/10Lansky (2021)
45%
6.2/10The Courier (2021)
65%
7.1/10Blow the Man Down (2019)
72%
6.4/10The Handmaiden (2016)
84%You Were Never Really Here (2017)
84%
6.8/10
