7 Best Hollywood Thrillers on Netflix and Prime Video: From Bird Box to The Platform

Looking for a gripping thriller for your next movie night? Thrillers keep you on edge with suspense, unexpected twists, and intense action. Unlike horror, which mainly aims to scare, thrillers keep your heart racing with tension and unpredictability. From psychological mind games to high-stakes survival stories, these seven Hollywood thrillers on Netflix and Prime Video are worth your time.

Bird Box (2018)

• Cast: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, Sarah Paulson, John Malkovich, Machine Gun Kelly
• Director: Susanne Bier
• Language: English
• Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Horror
• Release date: 14 December 2018

Based on the 2014 novel, Bird Box follows Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock) as she navigates a world where unseen entities cause mass suicides. Malorie guides two children down a river blindfolded, while flashbacks show her early struggles and encounters with allies and strangers, including Tom (Trevante Rhodes) and Olympia (Danielle Macdonald). The suspense builds as the characters must survive without seeing the mysterious threat.

The Occupant (2020)

• Cast: Javier Gutiérrez, Ruth Díaz, Mario Casas, Bruna Cusí, Iris Vallés
• Director: David Pastor, Àlex Pastor
• Language: Spanish
• Genre: Thriller, Psychological
• Release date: March 25, 2020

Javier Muñoz (Javier Gutiérrez) is a former advertising executive who loses his job and luxurious home. Forced to move into a smaller apartment, Javier becomes obsessed with the new occupants of his old home, Tomás (Mario Casas) and his family. What begins as harmless curiosity turns into dangerous scheming. “They’re four walls, Javier. That’s it,” his wife Marga tells him, but Javier cannot let go.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

• Cast: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr., Bradley Cooper
• Director: Dan Trachtenberg
• Language: English
• Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Psychological
• Release date: March 11, 2016

Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up in a bunker after a car accident, chained and told the outside world is poisonous. Her captor, Howard (John Goodman), insists she stay inside with him and Emmett (John Gallagher Jr.). As Michelle adapts, she uncovers hints that Howard may not be truthful about the dangers outside. The tense, minimalist plot makes this film a standout psychological thriller.

You Were Never Really Here (2018)

• Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Judith Roberts, Ekaterina Samsonov, John Doman, Alessandro Nivola
• Director: Lynne Ramsay
• Language: English
• Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama
• Release date: April 6, 2018

Joaquin Phoenix stars as Joe, a war veteran with PTSD who rescues girls from the sex trade. A routine mission goes wrong, plunging him into danger. Director Lynne Ramsay focuses on Joe’s fractured psyche, using abrupt visuals to represent his trauma. The result is a dark, emotionally gripping thriller that highlights the personal toll of violence and rescue work.

The Platform (2019)

• Cast: Iván Massagué, Zorion Eguileor
• Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
• Language: Spanish
• Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Horror
• Release date: September 6, 2019

Goreng (Iván Massagué) wakes up in a vertical prison called The Pit, where food is delivered from top floors to bottom, leaving little for those below. He learns about survival and human greed alongside his cellmate, Trimagasi (Zorion Eguileor). The film’s intense social commentary on inequality is paired with gripping suspense, making it a thriller you won’t forget.

Coherence (2013)

• Cast: Emily Foxler, Maury Sterling, Nicholas Brendon, Lorene Scafaria
• Director: James Ward Byrkit
• Language: English
• Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Mystery
• Release date: 25 June 2014

During a dinner party, a comet passes overhead, causing eight friends to encounter identical versions of themselves across the street. Tension and paranoia escalate as the group struggles to determine reality from illusion. Byrkit’s understated approach keeps the pressure mounting, creating a unique and immersive thriller experience.

Watcher (2022)

• Cast: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman
• Director: Chloe Okuno
• Language: English
• Genre: Thriller, Mystery
• Release date: 3 June 2022

Julia (Maika Monroe) moves to Bucharest with her husband, Francis (Karl Glusman). When she notices a man watching her, her paranoia grows, especially after learning a serial killer is targeting young women. Watcher focuses on isolation and suspicion in a new city, keeping viewers guessing about who can be trusted.

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