2022 was a great year for the world of cinema. One particular area that did especially well was the realm of intense thriller movies. From dark superhero thrillers likeThe Batmanto fun and original thrillers likeDon’t Worry Darling, there are a lot of different options to look at.
With stories full of huge climaxes, spiraling characters, subliminal plot messages, and psychological warfare at play, you won’t be disappointed with the best thrillers of 2022.As another year comes to an end, it’s time to look back on the winning thriller achievements that dominated viewers' screens in 2022, big and small.
Director: Anthony Hayes
A nomad (Zac Efron) traveling through the desert in the not-too-distant future finds the biggest gold nugget ever unearthed. While waiting for his companion to come back (he isn’t even sure if he will come back), he must protect it from thieves in the face of difficult circumstances and ferocious dogs.
Goldis a suspenseful thriller about greed and the extent individuals would go to make themselves wealthy.It is set against the backdrop of a huge, exceptional, and merciless landscape. Additionally,Zac Efron’s arresting performancemanages to showcase his true talent as an actor with his amazing lead role. It is, unfortunately, the best part of this movie, which has been criticized for being formulaic and for having an uninteresting plot.
Watch on Hulu
14’Deep Water'
Director: Adrian Lyne
Well-to-do husband Vic Van Allen (Ben Affleck) attempts to save himself from a messy divorce by allowing his wife, Melinda (Ana de Armas), to have countless affairs as long as she doesn’t abandon their family. However, when one of her former lovers disappears, Melinda is forced to look at her husband as the prime suspect.
Deep Water’s main characters are deeply unlikeable, which is the point. In this story, there is no good guy, even though they both look meticulously perfect on the outside. The realist approach adopted gives the film a rawness and immediacy that overshadows its weaknesses and keeps the audience riveted from the talks to the sex scenes.Deep Wateris an erotic thrillerthat takes some big swings and often misses, but fans of the genre may find it worth watching.
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Set in a world where experimenting on prisoners is legal,Spiderheaddepicts a state-of-the-art penitentiary where the test subjects are volunteers who hope to reduce their time. The reputable Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth) leads these experiments, and soon, two inmates – Jeff (Miles Teller) and Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett) – begin to uncover disturbing truths about the “research” they’re part of.
Directed byJoseph Kosinski,Spiderheadhad exciting marketing for its intriguing premise, but it ultimately failed in the execution.Hemsworth’s performance as a cunning villainhere may offer something worth watching to his fans, despite the film never exactly hitting any memorable notes.
Spiderhead
Watch on Netflix
12’Windfall'
Director: Charlie McDowell
When a conceited software billionaire (Jesse Plemons) and his wife (Lily Collins) show up for a last-minute trip, the burglary of his empty vacation property turns sour. Without contacting the police, the CEO consents to give the robber some money and move on. However, things start to get increasingly worse for the burglar (Jason Segal), wife, and husband.
The entirety of the movie is set in a luxurious villa, allowing the viewer to seeWindfallperformed like a neat three-part play in luxury.The film begins with a comedic start, however, it ultimately becomes more intense as Plemons' character gets increasingly angered at the situation. With the thematic subtext of class disparity and economic abandonment within the story,Windfallis a great example of a classic home invasion thriller.
Director: Alex Garland
After a tragedy, Harper goes to the country to get some much-needed isolation, but as she arrives, her discomfort with the town’s leering and uncannily similar males evolves into a fully formed nightmare. Something evil has awoken in the surrounding forest.
Thriller fans love a film that isn’t afraid to push boundaries, or better yet, has a lack of any at all, andMen(despite being one of2022’s most divisive films) fits that criteria. With no illusions about how abuse persists through the ages, takes on various forms, and is ultimately so challenging to manage,Jessie Buckley gives a superb performance in a film that makes you feel uneasy all the time.
Watch on Showtime
10’Watcher'
Director: Chloe Okuno
Chloe Okunodelivers a strong directorial debut with 2022’sWatcher, a gripping psychological thriller centered on a young actor who moves to a bustling city with a serial killer on the loose. When she begins to notice a stranger watching her from the other side of the street, she’s forced to find ways to protect herself.
Despite not bringing the typical twisty surprises audiences expect from the genre,Watcherstill stands out forMaika Monroe’s fantastic performance as the protagonist Julia.Capturing the fear and anxiety that many women feel in urban settings, Julia’s story makesWatcherworth watching for fans of the genre.
9’Don’t Worry Darling'
Director: Olivia Wilde
In the 1950s, Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles) reside in Victory, a picture-perfect town in the American desert. The men engaged in a top-secret project leave every day to an off-limits headquarters. The wives get to enjoy the splendor, luxury, and excess of their supposedly ideal paradise while their husbands are away. Alice can’t help but wonder why she’s in Victory as holes in her perfect existence start to show, revealing glimpses of something evil hiding beneath the surface.
Exceeding the public’s expectations – for better or for worse –Don’t Worry Darlingincludes a great direction and acting performance from Olivia Wilde and an amazing lead role debut for Styles.Styles manages to keep up with themultitalented Pugh in a leading roleas the two create a beautiful story full of love, lies, and suspense.
Don’t Worry Darling
Watch on Max
Director: Scott Mann
In the survival thrillerFall, best friends Becky Connor (Grace Caroline Currey) and Shiloh Hunter (Virginia Gardner) attempt to heal past wounds and rekindle their love for adventure by climbing a 2,000-foot abandoned radio tower. However, right before they reach the top, they find themselves stuck with minimal supplies and no way to call for help.
Fallis a vertigo-inducing film that has plenty of the expected thrills that come from watching people survive at that height.It manages to offer a little more with a somewhatpredictable but still fun twistthat gives a totally different perspective.
Watch on Starz
7’The Stranger'
Director: Thomas M. Wright
Two strangers become close friends. This is a dream come true for Henry Teague (Sean Harris), who has spent his entire life working physically demanding jobs. Mark (Joel Edgerton), a new buddy of his, ends up being his ally and savior. But neither of them is what they seem to be, and they each have secrets that might destroy them. Meanwhile, one of the biggest police operations in the country is closing in.
A captivating true story,The Strangeris about one of Australia’s massive real-life manhunts for the killer of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe, One of the most noticeable things about thisgripping and rewatchable thrilleris how even though the tone may change throughout the film, the choke hold thatThe Strangerhas on audiences never lets up.
Director: Mimi Cave
In the horror thriller directed byMimi Cave, Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) has been growing increasingly frustrated with dating apps and modern dating in general. This is why she’s pleasantly surprised to meet the enchanting Steve (Sebastian Stan) at a grocery store, and the two of them go on a date. Their next romantic getaway shocks Noa in an unexpected way, though, as Steve is hiding a peculiar taste.
A witty commentary on modern romance,Freshoffers a satire mixed with humor, love, and gore.Its greatest strength is undeniably the palpablechemistry between Jones and Stan, who engage in a bizarre and upsetting dance that’s bloodier than most budding romances.
After quitting dating apps, a woman meets the supposedly perfect man and accepts his invitation to a romantic weekend getaway, only to find that her new paramour has been hiding some unusual appetites.
