Psychological thrillers are the best - movie list

Psychological thrillers are extremely attractive to the viewer. This genre of cinema is famous for its incredible storylines and unpredictable ending. It is almost impossible to predict the development of the scenario. Sometimes, the victim turns into a criminal, and the killer is not guilty of anything. The tension increases with every minute of the film, and you have to use maximum attention to catch all the important nuances. We offer a list of the best psychological thrillers to choose how to tickle your nerves tonight.

The best psychological thrillers with a bad ending

Alfred Hitchcock once noted that a happy ending to a film may not be necessary.

If the plot is exciting, then the audience can agree even with a bad ending.

Here is one of such films that do not leave hope for his protagonist "Shutter Island" (2010 year). Rachel Solando, convicted of the murder of her three children, escapes from a psychiatric hospital for criminals who have committed the most heinous crimes. Two law enforcement officials are sent to the island where this hospital is located to investigate this amazing case. In the room in which the missing woman was kept there is a mysterious note. And one of the patients in the notebook of investigator Teddy Daniels writes the word “Run.”

Suddenly a hurricane rises, which causes violent behavior of prisoners in the hospital of psychopathic criminals, they organize a riot. It is impossible to escape from the island, there is a storm in the sea. Teddy Daniels rescues his partner by taking him to the cemetery. And he explains to him that he is actually looking here for the maniac who once killed his wife Dolores.

With a good ending

The traditional Hollywood happy ending is perhaps typical of many psychological thrillers.

A happy rescue at the last moment is almost a prerequisite for the popularity of the film.

It is known that, for the sake of this principle, even famous classic plots were remade by Hollywood screenwriters. For example, the film The Brothers Karamazov, contrary to Russian literature, ended very happily.

For example, a beautiful and exciting love story. Starring Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderos. Film "Temptation" with a vivid plot, boiling passions, beautifully shot erotic scenes. The action takes place in the 19th century, the rich, beautiful and noble owner of the coffee plantation, Senor Vargas, decided to marry. He found for himself by correspondence the beautiful well-mannered bride Julia, having seen that with his own eyes, he simply marveled at her beauty and got married that very day.

However, in reality, the young wife was not at all such a decent lady, but rather a cunning swindler who pretends to be another girl who was brutally murdered. Fearing to be exposed, she leaves Vargas with his money. The loving and infuriated lord goes in search of his treacherous lover, who has already managed to seduce another victim.

With an unexpected denouement - a list of the best

Unpredictability is one of the important conditions not only for the plot of the psychological thriller, but also for its ending.

When it is impossible to predict how the exciting story will end, how the protagonist will come out of this difficult situation. The viewer must remain in suspense until the very last minutes of the film.

Here are the thrillers with an unexpected ending list of the best:

• “Before I Fall Asleep” - a film shot in 2013 based on the book of S. Watson, starring Nicole Kidman. It tells of a woman who lost her memory after experiencing psychological trauma. Every day she wakes up, starting her life from scratch. He is watching yesterday’s video, which she makes every night. This video helps her to understand who she is, to remember the events of her life and yesterday. She must remember what happened to her that day when she lost her memory. Thanks to her video diary, the woman finds some clues and begins to seriously suspect her loving husband of having committed the atrocities.
• “The Illusion of Flight” - a bright detective of 2005 with Jodie Foster in the title role. A young widow with a small daughter gets on a plane, unaware that this flight will be the most painful and terrible in her life. The tired woman falls asleep in the chair for a short while, and when she opens her eyes, her six-year-old daughter is nowhere to be found. And even the crew commander doubts that she boarded the plane with the girl. In fact, the terrorist group, in order to carry out its dirty deed, decided to make this woman a front man in his crime. And only amazing courage, endurance, powerful maternal instinct helped the young woman to accomplish the incredible.
• "Sixth Sense" - this very famous thriller is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. It was filmed in 1999. Starring Bruce Willis, and that says a lot. Child psychologist Malcolm Crow once worked with a complex patient Vincent Gray. Many years passed, the child grew up, but did not get rid of his psychopathy. One night, he invades his former doctor’s house and shoots him, and then commits suicide. The tragedy seriously affected the doctor himself, he is looking for a clue to this strange behavior of his former patient. And then a new little patient appears with the exact same diagnosis as Vincent Gray.
• "Seven" - an exciting film that until the very end does not distract from the screen with its famously twisted plot. Two detectives are investigating a series of murders that are dedicated to the seven deadly sins.A certain John Doe devotes each murder to one of the sins. He prepares his crimes extraordinarily carefully. One after another, murders follow: “gluttony” - dead fat man, “greed” - the lawyer becomes a victim.
• Detectives almost reveal the crime when it comes to the symbol of the next sin - "idleness." Therefore, the maniac is in a hurry and commits new murders one after another: “lust”, “pride”. But suddenly he makes a confession, forcing the police to make a deal with him. He decides to show the place where he buried the corpses. However, two more mortal sins remained on the list of the crazy killer - "envy" and "anger." Who will be the victim?
• Fight Club 1999, starring Brad Pitt. Tormented by the boredom of everyday life and insomnia, the insignificant clerk wants to escape from the eternal run in the circle of dull life. He accidentally meets a bright personality - soap seller Tyler Darden. This strange type professes a vicious, but therefore insanely attractive philosophy. He believes that the main thing in life is self-destruction, and not creation and improvement.

After some time, these two guys, who don’t know how and where to throw out their power and strength, violently fight among themselves in the parking lot near the local bar. And, unexpectedly, they get unspeakable pleasure from this rather cruel pastime. Moreover, they find like-minded and even associates among other men and organize a mysterious Fight Club, which is gaining great popularity in a certain social environment. However, events are growing, and in the finale all the members of this strange society will face the incredible. They could not even imagine what their very interesting hobby would lead to.

Mystical

Ghosts, mysterious murders, ominous otherworldly creatures and people with extraordinary psychic abilities - these are the usual set of components for a good mystical thriller. Mysticism is always attractive for its sophisticated fantasy, bordering, sometimes, with crazy and nightmare dreams of a sick imagination. However, there are really magnificent mystical thrillers in their philosophical depth, which are undoubtedly considered the pearls of world cinema.

• Devil's Advocate is a truly iconic film that has become a classic of the genre. Starring the unrivaled Al Pacino, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. A talented young lawyer John Milton successfully copes with the most “failed” cases. He literally pulls his charges out of charge, finding original solutions. One day he is offered a good position in a well-known law firm in New York. This is a serious career, a bright future, John Milton agrees with pleasure. However, it turns out that he will have to defend the rights of not only rich people, but become a lawyer for the devil himself and promote his interests in the world of people.
• “Room 1408” - this film is based on the wonderful story of Stephen King. This is a great example of not only the mystical thriller, but also horror. Here, reality is so bizarrely intertwined with the fantasies and feelings of a young talented writer that it is impossible to separate where fiction and where is reality. Pretty famous writer, who always tried to debunk the existence of the otherworldly in his stories, decided to go to the end. He settled in a hotel room, in which a whole series of strange suicides of various people occurred. He neglected the hotel employee’s warning that something was amiss in room 1408, intending to expose another urban myth. He has to survive a completely terrible night.
• "Sleepy Hollow" is one of the best mystical thrillers, the main role here is played by the magnificent Johnny Depp. His hero, detective Ikabord Crane, must uncover a series of obscure and violent crimes in a distant village, which has long been called Sleepy Hollow.He is trying to solve the problem from the point of view of rationalism and science. However, he has a completely different task to deal with violently raging otherworldly forces.

The best of Russian cinema

Russian cinema is developing successfully, in recent years a lot of films have been shot, which should be given attention. Their popularity is determined, first of all, by life circumstances close to our viewer, an entourage close to reality and very familiar characters.

The best psychological thrillers of Russian production:

• “Fan” - the film was shot in 1999. A thirteen-year-old girl lives with her mother after her parents divorce. She wants to help her mother, finds a part-time job in the mail. The post office workers relish with horror the details of the crimes of the maniac who is terrorizing their city. A group of hooligans unexpectedly attacks a girl returning home in the evening. She is saved by a strange man who covers his face. The heroine is sure that her savior is the same maniac.
• "Brownie" from 2008. The writer of quite popular tabloid novels Anton Prachenko witnessed the crime. A terrible criminal named Brownie brutally kills two people in front of him. This inspires the young writer to a new detective novel.
• "Collector" is a 2016 film. Starring Russian cinema star Konstantin Khabensky. His hero named Arthur works as a collector. He is the highest professional in his field and communicates only with very wealthy clients. Arthur never applies methods of physical impact on debtors, but only psychological pressure. Suddenly, he himself becomes the subject of pursuit of collectors. At his disposal is only a night to save himself.

New psychological thrillers 2017

2017 was a very “fruitful” year in Hollywood and not only on psychological thrillers. Each of them deserves close attention of the viewer and is good in its own way.

Most of all, the audience liked the pictures, unusually exciting, not only with their plot, but also with the powerful emotional energy:

• “Snowman” - the film was created according to the book of Yu.Nesby. The action takes place in 2004, in Oslo. Every year, on the day the first snow falls, a crazy killer maniac kidnaps wealthy married women. It is almost impossible to catch him, because a very cunning criminal carefully hides all traces of the crime.

Detective Harry Hole during the investigation establishes that the crazy maniac hides the severed heads of his victims inside the snowmen. The investigation is delayed, and very soon winter will come, the first snow will fall. Harry Hole must hurry to save the life of the future victim.

• “The Game of Gerald” is one of the best films, the plot is based on the novel by Stephen King. The couple leaves for a country house, which is located in a very secluded place. The nearest neighbors are several kilometers away. They are looking forward to the pleasure they want from erotic games.

Jesse and Gerald finally find themselves in a welcome bed. The husband puts handcuffs on his wife’s hands and rivets them to the headboard. At the time of very rough sex, Gerald suddenly dies of cardiac arrest. And Jesse remains completely alone, next to the corpse of her husband, with constrained hands. And around for many kilometers there is nobody who could help her.

• “The Killing of the Sacred Deer” is a film that breaks the veils of secrecy that the protagonist Stephen Murphy has, seemingly wonderful in all respects, a spouse and a famous cardiac surgeon. Stephen, on his own initiative, sheltered a boy left without parents in his house. And now he will have to bitterly regret it. Since now everything secret and unpleasant that the main character would like to hide from others, is gradually becoming apparent. Stephen's life becomes a real horror.

Top 10 Psychological Thrillers

• 10th place - the film of 2014 "Walk among the graves." This is a serial crime. A former drug dealer turns to a former policeman. His wife was brutally murdered - a maniac dismembered the body of the unfortunate. The investigation reveals absolutely amazing facts that are staggering in their cruelty.
• 9th place is occupied by the painting “Buried Alive”, shot in 2010. This is a movie about terrorism. A man named Paul unexpectedly woke up in a coffin. He finds a telephone in his pocket and wants to call his friends, but at that moment the bell rings. A voice with an oriental accent insists that Paul take a video on his mobile phone and send it out to his friends. Terrorists are eager to get a ransom for him. However, the hero of the film does not intend to surrender, he will desperately fight for his life.
• 8th place was given to the thriller "Disappeared" in 2014. A happy married couple intends to celebrate the fifth anniversary of their life together. They have their own family tradition - the wife always prepares a surprise for her beloved man on such a day. He leaves cute notes so that he can find the gift hidden in the house. However, this time the husband finds a complete rout in the house and traces of blood. And the notes left by the wife do not testify in favor of the husband. He understands that this is a vile re-enactment of the murder of which he is accused, but in spite of everything, he is trying to get to the bottom of the truth.
• 7th place belongs to one of the best psychotrillers of 2002 “24 hours”. The Hickey couple are professional criminals. They kidnap people for money. However, this time, besides a large sum, their goal is revenge. Some time ago, their daughter died due to the negligence of a certain doctor. Now they have stolen a daughter from a man whom they consider guilty of the death of their child. Only 24 hours is at the disposal of the baby's parents to save her.
• 6th place is occupied by practically the best thriller of 1991 "In bed with the enemy." Pleasant woman Laura marries for love. However, her young husband Martin turns out to be a maniac who likes to beat women half to death, which Laura is convinced immediately after the wedding. Having staged her death, she flees from her maniac husband. After some time, he meets another man who, in the end, begins to trust. However, happiness was short-lived. Ex-husband Martin, finding out that his Laura is not dead at all, opens her “hunting season”.
• 5th place rightfully belongs to the 1999 film "With wide open eyes." He deservedly received the Venice Festival Award. The plot is based on a rather strange relationship between two spouses - Bill and Alice Harward. They are too keen on their erotic dreams, which lead them too far.
• 4th place - a rather remarkable film from 2000 “Remember”. Leonard Shelby has a strange disease - amnesia. He forgets everything that happened to him 15 minutes ago. However, he remembers everything that was before the injury, as a result of which he fell ill. He knows that his wife is killed and is trying to find the criminal. Leonardo makes friends - Teddy and Natalie, who want to help him. Nevertheless, you should not trust them at all.
• 3rd place - the picture "Anxious call", shot in 2013. Rescue Service employee Jordan receives a call from a girl who is left alone in the house where the killer maniac is wandering. The police went to the call, Jordan provides psychological assistance to the child by phone. However, the call is suddenly interrupted. Jordan calls back the number from which the call came, and thereby involuntarily gives out the location of the hidden girl. The police arrive at the crime scene too late, the girl can not be found. After some time, the rescue service again receives a call from the teenager Casey, who was stolen by the same criminal and is trying to take him away in the trunk of the car. Jordan sets off on the trail of a killer.
• 2nd place - a 2006 French-made film, Don't Tell Anyone. Eight years ago, a criminal is attacking a couple.A woman dies, and her husband Alexander Beck remains alive. The police find new evidence in this case, and Alexander is convinced that his wife is alive. However, the suspicion falls on Monsieur Beck himself, so he escapes from the house and hurries on a date, which was supposedly assigned to him by the previously dead wife of Margot.
• 1st place - the best psychological thriller of all time, Silence of the Lambs, filmed in 1991 based on the novel by T. Harris. This film won five Oscars at once. FBI agent Clarissa Sterling is investigating a series of murders that a maniac commits. Since the offender is a mentally unstable person, Clarissa meets in a psychiatric hospital with another maniac, former psychology doctor Hannibal Lecturer, where he is held for cannibalism. He agrees to take part in the investigation, but sets the condition to tell some of the details of her personal life. Clarissa talks about the memories of her childhood, which once seriously injured her. Thanks to the hints of Hannibal Lector, she goes on the trail of the killer.