20 intense thrillers with a twisted plot

Partner in crime

Thriller, drama, crime.
USA, 2004.
Duration: 120 minutes
IMDb: 7, 6.

A hired killer joins the usual taxi driver Max Durochet. The poor guy is forced to carry him around the city from one victim to another. You can't just run away: the killer ties the driver's hands to the steering wheel, and attempts to call for help fail. Max has only a few hours to come up with an escape plan.

The charming killer was played by Tom Cruise. It's unusual to see an actor as a bad guy. In addition, the picture was ranked 27th in the list of the best thrillers according to IMDb.

Seven

Thriller, drama, detective.
USA, 1995.
Duration: 127 minutes
IMDb: 8, 6.

Detective Somerset has been working his last days at the police station, awaiting retirement. Just at this time, the ambitious detective Mills is transferred to him, and a series of brutal murders takes place in the city. The police chief thinks they have nothing in common, but Somerset finds a connection and begins an investigation.

David Fincher directed the intense, noir-style thriller that gained public fame and became a cult hit. On IMDb, the picture is in 22nd place in the list of 250 popular films.

Shutter Island

Thriller, detective, drama.
USA, 2009.
Duration: 138 minutes
IMDb: 8, 1.

The US Marshal and his partner are sent to the island to investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for insane criminals. Detectives become hostages of circumstances, and the case takes an unpredictable turn.

The plot of Martin Scorsese's film is twisted in such a way that your brain will shut off after the ending for a long time to think things over.

Cloverfield, 10

Thriller, fantasy, horror.
USA, 2016.
Duration: 103 minutes
IMDb: 7, 2.

The film takes place in the same world as Monster. Michelle wakes up in the basement of the man who saved her during a chemical attack. He tells the story that you cannot live outside the shelter. The legend sounds quite convincing, but over time, Michelle begins to doubt his sincerity.

The game

Thriller, drama, detective.
USA, 1997.
Duration: 129 minutes
IMDb: 7, 8.

Another cult film by David Fincher. Nicholas Van Orton, a successful businessman from San Francisco, is losing his passion for life. His father committed suicide at 48. So Nicholas's life is coming to this date. On his birthday, he receives a ticket to the "Game", which is supposed to bring back the taste for life. And so it happens: Nicholas dreams of ending the game alive.

Remember

Thriller, detective, drama.
USA, 2000.
Duration: 113 minutes
IMDb: 8, 5.

The protagonist Leonard Shelby tries to find his wife's killer, but has problems with short-term memory. He remembers what happened before the murder, but forgets the events that happened 15 minutes ago. Because of this, Leonard is forced to constantly leave himself prompts and even get tattoos so as not to forget anything.

Saw

Thriller, detective.
USA, 2004.
Duration: 103 minutes
IMDb: 7, 6.

Two men wake up in a small room. They are chained to a pipe, and between them lies a dead man with a pistol in his hands. It soon becomes clear that the family of one of them will soon be killed. To prevent this, you need to free yourself from the shackles by sawing off your leg with a saw, and kill your fellow in misfortune.

Of the entire franchise, only the first film was distinctive, with its own philosophy. That is why they fell in love with him, and the picture itself, with a budget of 1 million dollars, grossed the box office 50 times more.

With eyes wide shut

Thriller, drama, detective.
UK, USA, 1999.
Duration: 159 minutes
IMDb: 7, 4.

A dark and even a little creepy film by Stanley Kubrick tells the story of Dr. Bill Harford. His family seems happy and carefree. But in reality, only jealousy and unsatisfied desires remained in the relationship with his wife.

Harford asks an old friend to take him to a private party where the world's elite gathers. Events take such a turn that the doctor dreams of returning to his boring life as soon as possible.

Driver

Thriller, drama.
Spain, 2003.
Duration: 97 minutes
IMDb: 7, 7.

Trevor Resnick hasn't slept for a year. He looks like a revived skeleton, and his mind is on the verge of madness. The nightmares that tormented him all this time are getting worse, and Trevor can no longer distinguish between dream and reality.

Disappeared

Thriller, drama, crime.
USA, 2014.
Duration: 149 minutes
IMDb: 8, 1.

Nick's wife disappears without a trace on their fifth wedding anniversary. All suspicions fall on her husband when unpleasant details of family life are revealed. Nick tries to find at least some evidence proving his innocence, but in vain. He can only watch how his life collapses.

Captive

Thriller, drama, detective.
USA, 2013.
Duration: 153 minutes
IMDb: 8, 1.

Two six-year-old girls disappear. The police have only one lead - a van parked next to the house. The father of one of the girls cannot look at the inaction of the authorities and takes matters into his own hands. The question is how far he can go to find and punish the killer.

Identification

Thriller, detective.
USA, 2003.
Duration: 91 minutes
IMDb: 7, 3.

Due to the rain, a group of people are trapped in an old roadside motel with no connection. After a while, the travelers begin to die one by one. Everyone is under suspicion.

The mystery is in his eyes

Thriller, drama, detective.
Argentina, Spain, 2009.
Duration: 129 minutes
IMDb: 8, 2.

The film is set in 1974. Two detectives are investigating the murder of a woman. They find the criminal and put him in jail. A year later, one of the policemen sees a convicted murderer among the bodyguards of a respected official.

The film won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Other

Horror, thriller, detective.
Spain, USA, 2001.
Duration: 104 minutes
IMDb: 7, 6.

Grace moves with her children to the mansion. There she is waiting for her husband from the war. Grace hires a servant and sets strict rules. Her children cannot stand light, so the curtains must be drawn. However, the new employees do not consider it necessary to fulfill the will of the hostess.

Away

Thriller, detective, horror.
Japan, USA, 2017.
Duration: 104 minutes
IMDb: 7, 7.

The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Director, Best Actor, Best Film and Best Screenplay. And she could have received all four statuettes quite deservedly, if not for serious competitors.

The girl invites the young photographer to meet her family. Relatives live far from the bustling city and throw parties for wealthy friends. Sounds good until the main character finds out what they are actually doing.

Mother

Drama, thriller.
USA, 2017.
Duration: 121 minutes
IMDb: 6, 7.

Darren Aronofsky's film was shrouded in mystery. The trailers didn't talk about anything. And after watching it, it's hard to explain what kind of picture it is. "Mother!" - a film about everything. Here we have religious symbolism, vanity, and the theme of love. One thing is for sure: the picture keeps you in suspense from start to finish.

Misery

Thriller, drama, horror.
USA, 1990.
Duration: 107 minutes
IMDb: 7, 8.

The life of the famous writer Paul Sheldon is saved by a woman who turns out to be a big fan of his novels. She nurses the poor fellow, but when Sheldon is ready to get back on his feet and go home, the savior turns into a cruel tyrant.

Black Swan

Thriller, drama.
USA, 2010.
Duration: 103 minutes
IMDb: 8, 0.

Nina Sayers had the chance to star in the acclaimed production of Swan Lake. She has been preparing for this all her life, and when a competitor appears, Nina starts to get nervous.

Of course, a short synopsis will not reflect even a fraction of the meaning that Darren Aronofsky put into the picture. The director reveals many aspects of personality and flirts with secret desires that everyone has.

Invisible guest

Thriller, detective.
Spain, 2016.
Duration: 106 minutes
IMDb: 8, 1.

Successful businessman Adrian Dory is accused of murdering his mistress. This is a delicate matter, because Adrian has a family who knows nothing about his adventures. To get away with it, he hires Virginia Goodman - the best specialist in complex matters. Adrian is under house arrest, so a lawyer comes to him to think over a strategy for the defense and save the accused.

It seems to be a simple story, but the director constantly leads the viewer by the nose. As soon as you begin to understand what's what, how in the next scene your theory collapses like a house of cards.

Do not tell anyone

Thriller, drama, detective.
France, 2006.
Duration: 131 minutes
IMDb: 7, 5.

Alexander Beck cannot recover from the death of his wife. The killer was found, but he admitted all crimes except the last one. The police still found circumstantial evidence and put him in jail. Eight years later, new leads appear in the case, the investigation is resumed, and Beck at this moment receives a letter from his dead wife.