Mystery Thrillers That'll Keep You Guessing

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Mystery thrillers are always good fun for a certain type of audience because as you’re watching if you’re like me, you’re trying to figure it all out before the protagonist. Sometimes we’ll succeed, other times we’ll fail. We always have fun though, as long as the film itself is a decent watch, and this is what we’re here for, so here are some mystery thrillers that’ll keep you guessing…

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Knives Out (2019)

A star-studded cast of a film, this mystery thriller follows the investigation of Daniel Craig’s detective as he tries to figure out the potential murderer of the family’s patriarch. Full of twists and turns, family angst, and an incredibly enjoyable villainous turn from Chris Evans, Knives Out is not only a decent film, but one that just as you’ve figured it out, it turns everything on its head again.

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Prisoners (2013)

Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Jackman, and Paul Dano dominate every single scene they’re in, helping the film’s longer runtime feel like a snippet. It makes it difficult for us, the audience, to actively root for Jackman’s protagonist as a father pushed to the limits to find his kidnapped son, but at the same time make it all relatable to a degree. You’ll spend the entire film not particularly sure who’s to blame, or if it was this guy or another completely, and it’ll be over two hours of your life well spent.

The Prestige (2006)

Another Jackman film, this time starring alongside Christian Bale, The Prestige is a tale of two magicians, and the rivalry between them. Desperate to be the best he can be in his field, we follow Jackman down a terrible rabbit hole, through tricks, reprehensible actions, and more.

Rear Window (1954)

A significant part of pop culture at this point, Rear Window has been parodied, referenced, and even plagiarized in a lesser form with Disturbia. The story of a professional photographer laid up with a broken leg, he spends his time spying on his neighbors before discovering some terrible secrets.

The Bone Collector (1999)

Denzel Washington stars as the quadriplegic Lincoln Rhyme, a now-retired detective asked to work as a consultant on the case of a particularly terrifying new serial killer. Tense, brutal, and genuinely impressive with some of the ways it portrays the serial killer, this is one that you’ll want to watch preferably alone and without any lights.

Se7en (1995)

Similar in theme to The Bone Collector, but obviously made four years prior, Se7en has Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman put in two powerhouse performances as the detectives trailing the bloody mess left behind by a serial killer. The killer picks his victims and murders them in a way that can be linked to one of the seven sins, and this is another film where the ending has made it’s way into pop culture, even for those who haven’t seen it.

The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

One of the best mystery thrillers you could spend your time watching, Anthony Hopkins starts his tenure off as the polite cannibal Hannibal Lecter in spectacular fashion. On-screen for only twenty-four minutes of the two-hour film, he steals every scene, and you can’t help being transfixed by him. Add to that the story of a serial killer kidnapping and killing women for his own warped needs, and it’s easy to see why some thirty years later this is still the best mystery thriller we have.

So that’s some of the best mystery thrillers cinema has to offer us, but there are countless more. What else would you have added?

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