If you are on the hunt for movies to binge-watch over the weekend and desire engaging and unpredictable storylines, suspense and thriller movies offer a quick and gripping solution. Here are the best suspense movies on Amazon Prime Video that cover a range of subgenres with the highest IMDb ratings as well.
What makes these suspense films rank higher among the best ones are aspects such as well-developed characters, cinematography, plot twists and outstanding acting. Plus, ratings of eight and above on IMDb add to their critical acclaim.
Noted thriller movies that are must-watch
When delving into sub-genres of thriller movies, it is hard not to consider South Korean films. Pictures like Oldboy (2003) and Parasite (2019) stand out with their unique plots, impeccable performances and themes like neo-noir suspense and dark comedy thriller, respectively. These films offer a fresh take on the suspense genre.
And, speaking of mystery and tense situations, one cannot leave out Alfred Hitchcock’s films. From Psycho (1960) to Rear Window (1954), every gritty thriller helmed by the maestro is a gem. In the same genre, Shutter Island (2010) and The Silence of the Lambs (1991) are among the must-watch suspense movies as well.
John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) taps into the science fiction world with alien invasions, making it a nerve-wracking watch.
What binds all these suspense films is not only the fact that they have amassed high ratings and audience appreciation, but they have also earned revered accolades worldwide, including Oscars, Golden Globes and BAFTAs.
Other suspense and thriller movies with less than 8 ratings
Even though these films may not have earned high ratings, they deserve mention for their crisp performances and splendid storytelling.
Unbreakable (2000), Burning (2018), and Suspiria (2018) are some of the other fascinating mystery thrillers on Amazon Prime Video that will enthral fans of suspense flicks.
A tour de force performance, masterful direction and a tight plotline made these movies the best examples of suspense thrillers. Be sure to keep all your binge snacks ready because this is going to be an intense ride.
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These are some of the best suspense films on Amazon Prime Video
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IMDb rating: 8.6
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine
Synopsis: Clarice Starling (Foster) is a top student at the FBI’s training academy who has been tasked with interviewing imprisoned psychopath Dr Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins) to get insights into an ongoing serial killer case. As Clarice starts meeting Hannibal in the prison, a thrilling series of psychological games ensues.
About the film: One of the best thrillers of all time, The Silence of the Lambs is based on Thomas Harris’ 1988 novel of the same name.
Awards won: The film won Best Picture at the 1992 Oscars. Hopkins won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Foster won Best Actress in a Leading Role, Demme won Best Director and Ted Tally bagged the award for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published.
IMDb rating: 8.6
Directed by: David Fincher
Cast: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey, Gwyneth Paltrow
Synopsis: Two homicide detectives, veteran William Somerset (Freeman) and rookie David Mills (Brad Pitt), track down a serial killer named John Doe (Spacey), who chooses his victims based on the seven deadly sins. Suspense and mystery deepen with each grisly dead body. While William studies the details of the seven sins to get to the next target, David wants to get into John’s psyche to understand the workings of his mind. But, time is running out.
Awards won: Spacey won Best Supporting Actor at the 1996 Critics Choice. It was nominated for Best Screenplay – Original at the 1996 BAFTA Awards and Best Film Editing at the year’s Academy Awards.
Image: Courtesy Seven/ IMDb
IMDb rating: 8.5
Directed by: Bryan Singer
Cast: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Pollak
Synopsis: After a truck hijack, five criminals are wrongly taken into custody. They plan revenge for their wrongful detention, and just when they think the plan is successful, the men find themselves trapped in the game plan of an elusive criminal mastermind, Keyser Söse. Payback time ends in a massive explosion on a ship, killing nearly everyone, but Roger ‘Verbal’ Kint (Spacey) survives and reveals a thrilling tale. But one question keeps looming on everyone’s mind — who is Keyser Söse?
Awards won: Spacey won the 1996 Oscar for Best Actor In a Supporting Role, and Christopher McQuarrie won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
Image: Courtesy The Usual Suspects/ © 1995 – MGM, Inc./ IMDb
IMDb rating: 8.5
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr
Synopsis: After professional newspaper photographer LB “Jeff” Jefferies (Stewart) broke his leg, he spends his time looking out of the rear window of his New York apartment. He suspects one of his neighbours, Lors Thorwald (Burr), has murdered his wife. He takes the help of his girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Kelly) and visiting nurse Stella (Ritter) to get to the bottom of the matter.
About the film: One of the best thriller movies of all time, Rear Window has characteristic Hitchcock themes — rising nail-biting mystery, intense suspense and strong female characters.
Awards won: Rear Window won Best Motion Picture at the 1995 Edgar Allan Poe Awards. It was nominated for four Oscars and a BAFTA Award as well.
IMDb rating: 8.5
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo
Synopsis: Two prominent magicians, Robert Angier (Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Bale), become staunch rivals when a stage illusion goes wrong, killing Robert’s wife, Julia McCullough (Perabo). As they gain fame, these two men are pitted against each other. They not only engage in a battle of wits but also in a campaign to tarnish each other’s reputation. When Alfred performs a successful trick, Robert becomes obsessed with disclosing his competitor’s secret, with tragic consequences.
About the film: The Prestige is based on the 1995 Christopher Priest novel of the same name.
Awards won: The film was nominated for two Oscars at the 2007 Academy Awards.
IMDb rating: 8.5
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavis
Synopsis: A frustrated Marion Crane (Leigh) finds it difficult to begin a new life with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (Gavis). One day, she steals USD 40,000 from her employer, elopes with the money and checks into Bates Motel in a remote location. There, she meets the motel’s proprietor, Norman Bates (Perkins), who lives with his dominating mother. But, she quickly realises that she may have made a grave mistake by choosing this lodging.
Awards won: Leigh won Best Supporting Actress at the 1961 Golden Globes. The film was nominated for four Oscars in 1961 and is one of the best suspense movies on Amazon Prime Video.
IMDb rating: 8.4
Directed by: Park Chan-wook
Cast: Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jung, Yoon Jin-seo
Synopsis: Oh Dae-su (Choi) is a drunkard Seoul resident. One night, after a bout of drinking, Oh is abducted from the streets and kept in a locked room. Devoid of windows and only a television for company, he is regularly fed and sedated by unknown kidnappers. When he is mysteriously released after 15 years, Oh is provoked to track down the faceless people.
Awards won: Oldboy was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prize of the Jury in 2004. It was also nominated for the Palme d’Or at the same event.
Image: Courtesy Oldboy/ IMDb
IMDb rating: 8.5
Directed by: Bong Joon-ho
Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Jang Hye-jin, Choi Woo-sik, Park So-dam
Synopsis: The Kim family, comprising parents Chung-sook (Jang) and Ki-taek (Song), and young adult son Ki-woo (Choi) and daughter Ki-jung (Park), live in an insect-infested dilapidated basement in a shabby Seoul neighbourhood. A whirlwind of tragic events follows when Ki-woo takes up a high-paying job as a tutor at the rich Park family. Soon, the Kims begin to secretly live off the Parks, and a class war ensues. Will anyone emerge victorious in this struggle?
About the film: Parasite thwarts the conventional norms of a suspense movie and banks on elements of tragicomedy to raise the thriller factor. The Guardian quotes Bong saying, “a comedy without clowns, a tragedy without villains” to describe the film.
Awards won: Parasite won Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Achievement in Directing, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film at the 2020 Oscars. It also bagged the Palme d’Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
IMDb rating: 8.2
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Emily Mortimer, Ben Kingsley
Synopsis: US Marshal Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and his partner Chuck Aule (Ruffalo) are sent to look into the disappearance of Rachel Solando (Mortimer) from Boston’s Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital, a high-security mental asylum. As he begins to have a strong lead in the investigation, Teddy unearths sinister plans and unethical practices of the hospital. Mind-boggling plot twists and rising commotion of clues make him confront his own evils.
About the film: The nail-biting psychological suspense film is based on Dennis Lehane’s 2003 novel of the same name.
IMDb rating: 8.2
Directed by: John Carpenter
Cast: Kurt Russell, A. Wilford Brimley, Keith David, T.K. Carter, David Clennon
Synopsis: A team of US research scientists in Antarctica are disturbed by a group of Norwegians chasing and trying to kill a sledge dog. Although the dog survives and is taken in by the American team, the scientists soon start fending for their lives as they discover something ‘alien’ concerning the dog.
Image: Courtesy the Thing/ IMDb
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(Hero and feature: Image: Courtesy Shutter Island/ IMDb)
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia India
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-Which are the best suspense movies?
Some of the best suspense movies on Amazon Prime Video include Shutter Island, The Thing, Oldboy, Psycho, Rear Window and The Usual Suspects.
-Which suspense thriller movies should I watch on Amazon Prime Video?
If you are looking for a good suspense movie on Amazon Prime Video, do add Shutter Island, Inception, Psycho, Oldboy, Rear Window and The Usual Suspects to your watchlist.
-Which movie has the highest views on Amazon Prime Video?
The Godfather (1972), Schindler’s List (1993), The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and Fight Club (1999) are among the most-watched films on Amazon Prime Video.
