Got a hankering for a great thriller? Tony Stamp has you covered, with this formidable list of the best thrillers available on NEON.
See also
* Best new movies & TV series on NEON
* All new streaming movies & series
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
Watch on NEONA triple-hander starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, and John Gallagher Jr., in which the former awakes in a bunker and is told that America has been attacked, and they need to stay put. Much of the film’s tension comes from Winstead trying to figure out if this is true, or if Goodman has other motivations keeping her and Gallagher Jr. as willing guests, the movie wringing this premise for all it’s worth till its last moments.
All the Money in the World (2017)
Watch on NEONMost famous for being the movie where Ridley Scott, then in his late 70s, reshot all of Kevin Spacey’s scenes, replacing him with Christopher Plummer (following allegations against the former) in just eight days, but there’s more to recommend here, including Scott’s famously lush visual sense, and a pleasingly convoluted (based in real life) storyline. Mark Wahlberg is a plank of wood but Michelle Williams is excellent as always.
Body Double (1984)
Watch on NEONBrian De Palma took plotlines from some of Hitchcock’s best and dialled up the voyeurism, delivering one of the 1980s silliest, most self-reflexive erotic thrillers. Gleefully over the top, it sees Craig Wasson hopelessly outmatched against the sinister forces he stumbles across, going so far in his pursuit of the mysterious Holly Body, (Melanie Griffith), that he manages to get cast opposite her in a remarkably elaborate porn film. De Palma’s knack for this type of lunacy has yet to be matched.
Equalizer 3 (2023)
Watch on NEONThe most surprising thing about the third instalment of Denzel Washington’s action-thriller franchise, once again helmed by Antoine Fuqua, is how gorgeous it often looks, thanks in part to its location in the Italian countryside. The second is that it might be the series’ best entry, turning on a dime from wholesome tranquillity to borderline horror movie thrills whenever Denzel is required to equalise some dudes.
Inside (2023)
Watch on NeonNot many actors can carry a movie as its (almost) sole on screen presence, but Willem Dafoe is certainly one of them. Playing an art thief who becomes trapped in a Manhattan penthouse, the veteran star is left to fend for himself as his luxurious surroundings become a brutal prison. Escape attempts, starvation and madness ensue, the results of each playing out over the well-worn canvas of Dafoe’s face.
The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019)
Watch on NEONDocumentarian Alex Gibney has helmed many great examples of the form, fixing his lens on tricky topics like scientology and Enron, and for this 2019 film tackled the improbable story of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, who became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. Following the downfall of her empire, The Inventor unfolds with the pulse of a thriller, and provides a look into the psychology of committing fraud on an enormous scale.
John Wick (2014)
Watch on NEONThe sequels are superb but the original is still the best: a compact actioner that remade Keanu into a grizzled killing machine and provided tantalising hints of the worldbuilding to come. He’d been practising martial arts onscreen for years but this really upped the ante, combining his lanky athleticism with about a million perfectly executed headshots.
Knock at the Cabin (2023)
WATCH ON NEONIf, like me, you’re a fan of M Night Shyamalan’s pivot toward immaculately filmed schlock, then you’ll love this apocalyptic parable, more violent that his usual outings and definitely more nihilistic. As usual there’s totally committed performances—none better than Dave Bautista, playing a soft-spoken creep.
The Lady From Shanghai (1947)
Watch on NeonOrson Welles’ 1947 noir was considered a disaster on its release, the director forgoing his credit after disagreeing with post-production choices imposed by the studio. Its reputation has increased markedly over time though: Welles’ innovative camera work still impresses, as does the iconic final scene in a hall of mirrors, and the film’s multiple plot threads cohere into a satisfyingly-resolved mystery thriller.
Marlowe (2022)
Watch on NEONPerhaps not the masterpiece you’d hope for from acclaimed director Neil Jordan, teaming with Liam Neeson to play Raymond Chandler’s famous creation, private detective Phillip Marlowe, but there are mild thrills to be had, particularly if you’re fond of film-noir machinations. Jordan stacks the deck with a healthy roster of character actors for Neeson to bounce off, from Danny Huston to Colm Meaney, not to mention screen legend Jessica Lange.
Missing (2023)
Watch on NEONA standalone sequel to Searching, the screenlife movie starring John Cho, this takes a similar premise (hunting for clues about a disappearance, presented on computer and phone screens), and ramps it up to absurdly enjoyable levels. This time it’s Storm Reid trying to track down her missing mom, a device-bound journey through multiple countries and government agencies, with a denouement I’ll wager you won’t predict.
Mission Impossible: Fallout (2018)
Watch on NEONThe absolute high point of Tom Cruise’s partnership with writer-director Chris McQuarrie, and the Mission Impossible films in general. The pair mastered their stunts-first, story-second approach, concocting a dizzyingly propulsive chainlink of set-pieces: HALO drop into Paris; nightclub-bathroom fight, foot chase across London, before a series of double, triple, and quadruple crosses propels the team to Kashmir, and an ensuing helicopter chase through scenic New Zealand vistas.
River Wild (2023)
Watch on NEONA remake of the pretty-good 1994 original which shuffles the parts while retaining its “rafting trip gone wrong” premise. This time the stakes are more personal, subbing in an estranged brother and sister instead of a married couple, and adding a childhood friend to the mix. Real life partners Adam Brody and Leighton Meester are compelling leads, but the most surprising turn comes from former Saturday Night Live cast member Taran Killam, heavily bearded and fully dramatic.
Secret in Their Eyes (2015)
Watch on NEONA remake of the Argentinian original, this twisty 2015 thriller boasts a heavyweight cast, lead by Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman, and Chiwetel Ejiofor, playing a trio of law enforcement officials investigating the murder of Roberts’ daughter. A suspect is related to an ongoing terrorism probe, complicating an already personal case, and providing plenty of heavy material for the trio of great actors.
Unseen (2023)
Watch on NEONEmily is stalked by her ex-boyfriend in the woods, and after breaking her glasses, needs help to escape her pursuer. That comes in the form of gas station clerk Sam, who functions as Emily’s eyes, both beset by problems while trying to navigate to safety. It’s an original premise with two sympathetic leads, and enough suspense to satisfy thrillhounds over a scant 76 minutes.
Wild Things (1998)
Watch on NEONIn 1998 the director of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer took a stab at the erotic thriller genre, assembling the unlikely cast of Neve Campbell, Matt Dillon, Denise Richards, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Murray, and produced something remarkably self-aware, and thoroughly entertaining. Deliciously convoluted, delightfully sordid, with enough twists to make Shyamalan blush, it’s the finest type of elevated trash.
This guide is regularly updated to reflect changes in NEON’s catalogue. For a list of capsule reviews that have been removed from this page because they are no longer available on the platform, visit here.
