Of the various genres that have seen success in film over the years, few have been as succinctly emblematic of their era as the enigmatic thriller. Being able to tap into the heightened sense of anxiety and tension as characters traverse various high-stakes scenarios has always made for exhilarating cinematic experiences, with the genre evolving a multitude of times according to the trends of the generation. A handful of perfect thrillers have so effectively displayed these notions of nail-biting excitement, includingMandVertigo.
However, even more interesting than the thrillers that managed to do everything right without a single flaw are those that, while still exceptional, have a single flaw stopping them from reaching perfection. It’s certainly easier for a film to make one mistake than to make no mistakes at all, and a film can still largely be praised and enjoyed despite its singular flaw; yet, these shortcomings still make for an interesting topic of discussion. Whether they’re modern films that will assuredly become modern classics in time or tried-and-true classics that have had their flaws exposed with time,the thriller genre has many of these almost-perfect gems.
15’Paprika' (2006)
Directed by Satoshi Kon
While the medium of animation rarely sees itself delving into the intricate depths of thrillers,Paprikais one of the greatest exceptions to this norm, brilliantly using the capabilities of animation for its exceptional thriller story. The film follows an ongoing battle taking place against a mysterious “dream terrorist” who has been causing widespread nightmares after stealing a device that allows them to share their dreams. It becomes up to research psychologist Dr. Atsuko Chiba and a shared personality that lives inside Chiba’s mind known as Paprika to stop these treacherous dreams.
While many are quick to labelPaprikaas simply the anime film that has a similar premise toInceptionand released years before, it does a disservice to the mastery and psychedelic strengths of the film as a whole. Thevisuals are a brilliant sight to behold, elevating the tension and stakes of the thriller into a place that very few animated movies have ever come close to creating. The only issue of the film is that, with all the focus on its visuals and style,the core characters at the center of it all can come across as bland and underwhelming by comparison.
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14’Pig' (2021)
Directed by Michael Sarnoski
One of the most critically acclaimed indie films of recent years anda modern highlight of Nicolas Cage’s career,Pigsees Cage as a lonesome truffle hunter living alone in the Oregonian wilderness alongside his trusted truffle pig. When his beloved animal companion is suddenly kidnapped, he must return to his past in the city of Portland in search of his friend. He is also accompanied by Amir (Alex Wolff), a young and inexperienced supplier who usually purchases truffles to sell to high-end restaurants.
While its premise would have one assume thatPigis an action-packed revenge story where Cage destroys everyone in his path to save his pig, akin to something likeTaken, the truth is much more unexpected and unique.Pigis built upon the strengths of emotion and the humanity of its characters, allowing its brilliant performances to do the talking with its somber story of acceptance and grief. Its singular issue is thatso much of the film is reliant on subtext and symbolismthat the actual story can get relatively uninteresting for viewers.
13’Bound' (1996)
Directed by Lilly and Lana Wachowski
While the Wachowski sisters are most commonly recognized and beloved for their work onThe Matrixtrilogy, their directorial debut,Bound, proves to be just as effective if not more so than their more popular works. The film follows the story of Corky (Gina Gershon), a tough female ex-convict working on an apartment renovation in a Chicago building, who has her life changed after meeting the couple next door, Caesar and Violet. While Caesar (Joe Pantoliano) is a paranoid mobster, Violet (Jennifer Tilly) is a deeply seductive and alluring presence that Corky is immediately attracted to.
Boundwas deeply ahead of its time with its twist and transformation from a classic erotic thriller into one that more directly dealt with LGBTQ+ themes and cut away the more problematic aspects of the trope’s roots. Much like with the Wachowskis' other films, the abundance of style and flair is the clear highlight of the film, with exceptional camerawork and pitch-perfect pacing adding to the energy. The clear detractor that stopsBoundfrom being a 90s masterpiece is thatits relatively simplistic plot takes a bit too long before truly kicking it into high gear in the second act.
12’American Psycho' (2000)
Directed by Mary Harron
American Psychois one of the most acclaimed and divisive films of its era, yet continuing to provide a striking and undeniable vision that has aged like a fine wine since its release. The film follows the perspective of Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), a wealthy New York investment executive who, despite his luxurious lifestyle, can only feel whole through his alternate lifestyle of murder and violence. As he attempts to hide this side of himself from his co-workers and friends, the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur.
There is a lot to love aboutAmerican Psycho, from its inquisitive and topical satire to its endless amount of quotable lines and memorable kills, creating an experience that has only grown in popularity and cult classic status over the years. While the film will surely continue to amass a following in the decades to come, there still stands a singular point of missed potential that has left some viewers sour and confused. The film features many plot points and threads, yet one recurring point is the character of detective Donald Kimball (Willem Dafoe), who, despite repeated moments with Bateman,never gets a real payoff during the film.
American Psycho
11’The Usual Suspects' (1995)
Directed by Bryan Singer
One of the most iconic and beloved crime thrillers of the 90s,The Usual Suspectsis largely beloved forits legendary twist ending, yet the film at the center still lives up to its exceptional reputation. The film follows a small-time con man Verbal (Kevin Spacey) being questioned to tell his side of a massacre and fire on a ship docked at the Los Angeles Port, with him being one of only two survivors. Verbal relays the story of the mysterious Keyser Söze, who controlled a group of criminals to commit the crime from behind the shadows.
With so much conversation aboutThe Usual Suspectsrevolving around its twist, few forget just how compact and effective of a thriller the rest of the film is, perfectly building up its tension and providing great mystery throughout. The film is largely touted as a masterpiece of crime mystery films, yet its single flaw comes from its choice of focus when it comes to characters. Despite its vast supporting cast and mystery concept,several of the seemingly important side characters are often sidelined and not given enough focus to flesh out the story.
The Usual Suspects
10’Caché' (2005)
Directed by Michael Haneke
One of the greatest cinematic examples of how less can be more,Cachéis a technical marvel and an exercise in precise and calculated patience, taking a slow and methodical approach to its masterful storytelling. The film is a French psychological thriller that follows a couple continuously terrorized by a series of anonymous tapes placed on their front porch, featuring disturbing and haunting videos of their home. As they attempt to get to the bottom of who is behind these tapes, they end up going into the dark truths of their past.
Acclaimed director Michael Hanekehas had a hand in numerous powerful experiences through his filmography, yetCachéstill stands as one of his highest achievements, creating a sense of dread and tension through the slightest touch and the smallest of details. It’s a film that will choose to sit in silence and the ramifications of its story for maximum impact, creating darkness and distrust in a way few films have ever accomplished before. Its only real issue is thatit takes a good while before everything falls into place, but those able to sit with it will be fully enamored by the end.
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9’Sin City' (2005)
Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller
Largely touted as one of the most effective and stylish adaptations of a classic graphic novel,Sin Cityperfectly captures the grit and rough edges ofFrank Miller’s original comic seamlessly to the big screen. The film acts as an anthology, following a collection of different stories each taking place in the corrupt and criminal-infested town of Sin City. The stories range from a crooked cop attempting to protect a woman from a serial killer to a private investigator caught in an ongoing street war to an ex-convict embarking on a revenge-fueled rampage.
Sin Cityhas some of the slickest visual style and exceptional tone that a thriller can provide, with exceptional immersion into the dark underbelly of the world it creates while only providing a slight glimpse into its occurrences. Each story adds something to the overall experience and weight of the entire package, with many standout sequences further elevated by its top-notch directing. The one issue that stops the film from being a masterpiece is its pacing, as it finds itself growing tiring and overwhelming at an over 2-hour runtime, especially when its stories are split into multiple parts.
8’Double Indemnity' (1944)
Directed by Billy Wilder
Double Indemnityis a quintessential and iconic neo-noirsthat helped cement the classic conventions and style of noir filmmaking for decades to come with its timeless and effective storytelling. The film follows a scandalous plot conceived by alluring rich woman Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), who convinces insurance agent Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) to help her murder her husband so that they can live comfortable lives off of the accidental death claim.
The noir thriller to end all noir thrillers,Double Indemnityis a quintessential first chapter for the subgenre that the vast majority of others would find inspiration and legacy from in the years to come. Its character dynamics and story haven’t aged a day, still working wonders with a duo of electric performances helping the film still hold up compared to flashier modern thrillers. The only true issue that the film faces is its pacing, which, as a relic of 1940s filmmaking styles,takes too long to get going and also lingers for too longafter its iconic climax.
Double Indemnity
7’Prisoners' (2013)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve
One of the most beloved and acclaimed filmsby director Denis Villeneuve,Prisonersmakes the most of its A-list ensemble cast to create a gripping and high-stakes crime thriller. The film follows broken father Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), who, after the police arrest and release a suspect in the abduction of his daughter and another young girl, decides to go out and take matters into his own hands to save them. Dover faces numerous obstacles and unexpected faces on his quest for justice, going to extreme lengths in the name of protecting his family.
While the film follows a similar premise to other classic abduction thrillers of the 21st century, its execution has helped makePrisonerssuch a critical success and one of the defining thrillers of the 2010s. The film takes a more subtle and layered approach to the proceedings, giving depth and nuance to its characters and focusing on the inherent humanist struggles at play as opposed to direct action. Still,Jackman’s lead performance is relatively one-notecompared to other characters and can grow tiring as the film goes on.
6’Sorcerer' (1977)
Directed by William Friedkin
Easily one of the greatest and most well-aged action-thrillers the ’70s had to offer,Sorcererwas initiallya box office failuredue to releasing near the same time asStar Wars; eventually, it was re-evaluated and considered one of the best films of the era. The film follows a group of four men, each from different parts of the globe and each hiding from the darkness of their pasts, as they come together in a remote South American town to risk their lives transporting gallons of unstable nitroglycerin across the jungle.
One of the quintessential aspects of thrillers that have made them a tried and true staple of cinema is their ability to unnerve and stress audiences, keeping them at the edge of their seat through pure filmmaking prowess.Sorcereris easily one of the best when it comes to this skill, with a high-stakes mission that could go wrong at any time, relaying this minuscule margin of error near-perfectly to the audience. However, one issue that faces the film is its originality, as many were quick to point out that the film is almostan exact remake of the French thriller classic,The Wages of Fear.
