Got a hankering for a great thriller? Tony Stamp has you covered, with this formidable list of the best thrillers available on NEON.
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* Best new movies & TV series on NEON
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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.
The Bourne Identity (2002)
WATCH ON NEONDoug Liman’s original instalment of the Bourne franchise cemented Matt Damon as an action star, and filmed action scenes in such a way that the Bond franchise had to correct course. Having director Tony Gilroy adapting Robert Ludlum means the script is a cut above the action dross of the time, giving a certain blockbuster British spy a run for his money.
Burn After Reading (2008)
WATCH ON NEONThe Coen brothers’ CIA-themed farce was thought to be on the lower side of their output on release, but in hindsight this thoroughly nihilistic snapshot of an incompetent agency seems about right, if not prescient. The film satirises spy thrillers with glee, supported by wonderfully buffoonish turns from Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Frances McDormand.
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)
WATCH ON NEONThe final film from legendary director William Friedkin is a pressure cooker legal thriller exploring the mental acuity of Keifer Sutherland’s Commander Queeg. It’s intentionally stagey, with heightened performances and deliberately vague character motivations. Friedkin was a master of human observation.
Civil War (2023)
WATCH ON NEONSubject to relentless discourse about its believability upon release, Alex Garland’s fourth film as director asks its audience to forget about sides, and look instead at the human cost of conflict. Kirsten Dunst gets a welcomely textured role, and Jesse Plemons turns up to steal the whole movie in a single scene. It’s a frequently tense trip through a fractured America, and if you’re left wondering what the point was, well, that’s the point.
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.
Force of Nature: The Dry 2 (2023)
WATCH ON NEONEric Bana brings the sort of soulful gravitas you expect from his dramatic roles to this sequel to 2020’s The Dry, playing a detective investigating a case tied to his past. That’s not an uncommon setup for a mystery, but director Robert Connolly keeps things unpredictable.
Get Out (2017)
WATCH ON NEONTight as a drum all the way though, from concept to script to screen, Jordan Peele’s debut was an instant sensation, thanks largely to the way it conveys a tricky idea through massively entertaining (and often terrifying) storytelling. The director knew exactly what he wanted to say, and after honing his chops through years of sketch comedy, delivered it with verve.
Gravity (2012)
WATCH ON NEONAlfonso Cuarón’s thrill ride through space pairs his love of immersive long takes with meticulous visual effects, resulting in a truly white knuckle movie. Much of the film features Sandra Bullock’s astronaut being flung around the atmosphere like a rag doll, but the moments when Cuarón gets intimate, sometimes placing his camera inside her helmet, are the ones that stick.
Holy Spider (2022)
WATCH ON NEONIf you’re familiar with the work of Ali Abbasi, you’ll know he doesn’t pull punches. This true story of a serial killer at large in Iran circa 2000 is particularly tough stuff. Led by an urgent performance from Zar Amir Ebrahimi, and weaving in a larger political point over its runtime, it’s a hard but ultimately rewarding watch.
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.
In the Line of Fire (1993)
WATCH ON NEONClint Eastwood’s secret service agent is pitted against a maniacally unhinged John Malkovich, who toys with old mate Clinty after announcing his plan to assassinate the president. Action and suspense sequences are directed with aplomb, and the performances are intensely entertaining, sprinkled with salty dialogue.
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.
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.
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.
The Prestige (2007)
WATCH ON NEONThis story of Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman’s duelling magicians ripples out in a myriad of unexpected ways (including a cameo from David Bowie as Nikola Tesla!). Christopher Nolan lay out the movie’s tricksy structure at its start, and it’s one applicable to all his work—a revealing look at the master storyteller’s approach.
A Quiet Place (2018)
WATCH ON NEONIt felt unexpected that John Krasinski, best-known for starring in the US version of The Office, would turn out to be an effective horror helmer. And perhaps not a shock that, in interviews following this film’s release, he admitted he wasn’t a fan of the genre and had to catch up. The results speak for themselves, an escalation of tense set pieces pitting nasty aliens against humans desperately trying to keep things hushed.
Reality (2023)
WATCH ON NEONBased on the FBI transcript of Reality Winner’s interrogation at her home, this increasingly intense film provides a fascinating insight into the way these things play out. It has a surreal kind of tension, due to the real-life dialogue feeling weirdly clunky in a movie, and its three leads’ inability to say what they’re actually thinking.
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.
The Talented Mr Ripley (1999)
WATCH ON NEONThe sunkissed Italian coast provided a beautifully scenic background for this Patricia Highsmith adaptation, helmed by Anthony Minghella in his typically handsome style. Matt Damon has never been better at playing schemers than here, worming his way into Jude law and Gwyneth Paltrow’s good graces—then wreaking havoc.
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.
