Thriller movies often have dark, captive, and suspenseful plot narratives.
They are an amalgamation of many different genres of filmmaking.
Very seldom one finds a comedic element to them, and when comedy is used, it furthers the plot.
Thriller movies provide a great “on the edge of the seat” experience.
Ranging from fun to outright scary, Disney+ has its fair share of captivating thriller movies.
Let us take a look at some of the best thriller movies on disney+
Black Swan
Released in 2010, Black Swan stars Natalie Portman as Nina Sayers-an ambitious ballerina.
Nina gets the long-awaited opportunity to play the white swan(Princess Odette).
But soon, she finds herself turning psychotic as her role as the white swan is threatened by another girl who the director thinks is a better fit for this role.
Black swan portrays the tragic journey of Nina through her first psychotic episode.
Being a character study, black swan delves deep into the psychology of a girl under immense performance pressure.
Nina is a highly talented ballerina but also under a lot of stress.
She wants to be perfect for the role of the swan queen.
She wants to give it her all.
Clouded by a desire for acceptance and fame, she puts immense pressure on herself to perform well.
Her perfectionist nature becomes the cause of her downfall as she slowly turns more and more psychotic.
Soon Nina is consumed by her dark side, which is depicted perfectly by the visual and sound desire.
Black swan, although slow in the beginning, is a tragic character study of a mentally unstable girl mixed with an intriguing plot that triggers her psychosis.
The practical effects and cinematography all add to the suspense and thrill of the black swan.
Black Swan is one of the most critically acclaimed movies of the last decade and
Natalie Portman also earned an academy award for her performance as the black swan.
Black Swan has an IMDb score of 8/10, so make sure you give it a watch.
The Sixth Sense
Released in 1999, The Sixth Sense is a very intriguing psychological thriller movie.
It was written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who has produced film classics such as “Unbreakable in 2000 and “Split” in 2016.
Shyamalan has directed many great thriller films in his lifetime, but the one that stood the test of time is his cult classic film- The Sixth Sense.
Bruce Willis stars as Dr Malcolm Crowe, a child psychologist.
He is dealing with a patient who claims he can converse with ghosts and spirits of the dead and deceased.
The boy is frightened by the spirits that follow him and visit him with their own unresolved problems.
All of this creates an atmosphere of terror, and the film sometimes feels like a genuine horror film.
The suspense and mystery surrounding the film’s actual plot make “The Sixth Sense” a masterpiece that is still considered one of the best psychological thrillers of the 90s.
The horror elements are purely psychological.
Not relying on jumpscares, the film presents its supernatural elements in a weird way that makes you question, “What the hell is going on here?”.
Follow Dr Crowe as he tries to uncover the mystery of the boy’s supernatural abilities, only to be surprised by the conclusion.
The Lone Ranger
Release in 2013; The Lone Ranger stars Johny Depp as Tono- a Comanche warrior.
John Reid is a famous lawyer known as the lone ranger.
In the early 1900s, a boy comes across a native American in a carnival tent.
He tells the boy about his adventures with john Reid as he recalls his early days of mischief and how he and John brought down the reign of old west outlaws.
The Lone Ranger is based on the real-life story of U.S. Deputy Marshall-Bass Reeves.
Reevers was born in 1838.
It is a glorified adaptation of the original events.
The Lone ranger is indeed a fun and enjoyable film.
This Movie has a great plot, acting, action setpieces, and perfect cinematography, all packed into a compact film with a runtime of 2 hours and 29 minutes.
With an IMDb of 6.4, The lone ranger is a perfect action thriller film for all the fans of Johnny Depp.
The Finest Hours
Directed by Craig Gillespie, The Finest Hours is a fantastic action thriller starring Chris Prine (Bernie Webber) as the protagonist.
The Finest Hours is a retelling of an actual event.
It is based on the story of one of the gravest rescue attempts in coast guard history.
Four coast guars are stuck in an unforgiving storm as they struggle to rescue an oil tanker’s survivors.
The oil tanker is heavily damaged and is ripped in half.
This resulted in the crew being trapped inside.
The Finest Hours manages to be informative; at the same time, it is a fascinating watch.
The film’s first half sets up the plot immaculately, and the second half pays off big time.
The action setpieces, the cinematography, and the intriguing plot make this film a must-watch for all action thriller lovers.
With an IMDb of 6.7, The Finest Hour has slowly become a Disney classic due to its feel-good story backed up by relatable characters.
If you want to enjoy a fascinating and feel-good story filled with drama, don’t skip The Finest Hours.
The Empty Man
The Empty Man is a recent horror thriller masterpiece.
Release in 2020, The Empty Man is a supernatural film written and directed by David Prior.
If you are unfamiliar with the works of David Prior, he recently directed an episode in Guillermo del toro’s Horror anthology series- The Cabinet Of Curiosities.
The episode is also equally breathtaking as “The Empty Man”.
Within two years of its release, The Empty Man has gained a cult-like status amongst horror and thriller fans.
A supernatural Entity might be the cause of the strange and mysterious disappearances in a small midwestern town.
A capable Detective sets out to investigate the matters surrounding this small town when a young girl mysteriously disappears.
Soon he finds himself knee-deep in a plot revolving around a cult-like group trying to summon a demon from its slumber.
The Movie tries to personify our inner psychological darkness with symbolism.
In this case, the empty man is the embodiment of evil.
With an IMDb of 6.2, The Empty Man makes this list because this type of horror thriller is rarely made in Hollywood anymore.
That Darn Cat (1965)
Nothing can be better than turning back the wheels of time to visit this crime thriller comedy.
That Darn Cat follows a siamese cat that picks up a clue regarding a bank robbery.
The cat picks the clue up when a kidnapped bank clerk slips her watch around her neck.
The cat is soon followed by an FBI agent called Zeke Kelso.
Zeke leads an investigation to find the culprit using the clues left behind.
It’s a unique movie, yet it is delightful to watch and has easily stood the test of time.
If you are a cat lover, you will thoroughly enjoy this comedy thriller flick from the 60s.
Due to the plot, it’s pretty hilarious and out of the way at times, but it still manages to be very suspenseful.
If you like watching an old classic movie with your family, give That Darn Cat a try.
With an IMDb of 6.7 and an appreciable 94% rotten tomatoes score, this Movie demands your attention.
Taken 2
Liam Neeson’s second outing as a former CIA agent is a blast for fans of action-thriller movies.
Brian Millis(Liam Neeson) and his Ex-Wife are taken hostage in Albania by a relentless group.
Now it is up to his daughter (Kim) to resume them.
If you thought the first Taken film was a blast, wait till you watch this one.
Taken 2 manages to top its predecessor in almost every way.
The acting, the action sequences, and the intrigue of the plot all culminate in an exciting action thriller film you can enjoy with your friends.
Liam Neeson learned Nagasu Do(a hybrid martial arts style) for this franchise, which adds to the action sequences’ realism.
If you like 007-style mystery action movies, then you will find many things appealing in taken 2.
The Last King Of Scotland
The Last King Of Scotland is a mysterious historical drama film.
It is not based on an actual event but instead based around a novel of the same name by Giles Foden.
It follows the story of a Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) who has become a personal physician of the dictator Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker).
Amin was a powerful dictator who built his empire from the blood of his soldiers and people.
Unaware of this, the Doctor feels a sense of pride in his new position.
Soon, he realizes that Amin’s rule is filled with blood and cruelty.
But now he is stuck in the hierarchy of power and struggle,
Will he be able to escape Amin’s Rule?
Watch this historical drama to find out.
With an IMDb of 7.6, The Last King Of Solomon is an intriguing watch for diehard fans of the thriller genre.
The film delves deep into the concept of racism, colonialism, and violence; thus, it is not for the faint of heart.
Black Vs White, Master Vs Slave, Colonialism Vs rebelliousness, Concepts such as these are the meat and potato of this film.
Whitaker’s performance as the unforgiving ruler is hands down the best part of this Movie.
He put so much allure and mystery around his character that, at times, it feels like you are watching actual events in the life of real people.
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
The Book Of Secrets is a direct sequel to The National treasure starring Nicholas cage.
Just like its prequel, it is filled with historical mysteries that our protagonists are trying to uncover.
Ben, played by Nicholas Cage, discovers that his ancestor is accused of assassinating Abraham Lincon.
He is on a quest to clear out the name of his ancestor and regain their prestige and respect.
With the help of a clue that he found in a diary, Ben and his friends have found a way to reach their goal.
National Treasure: Book of Secrets is the apex of Nicholas Cage’s Acting carrier.
The plot is very involved, and many fun sequences lighten up the adventure.
Similar to its prequel, Book Of Secrets plays off the dynamics of its jam-packed star cast to deliver a fun time.
Diane Cruger, Harvel Keitel, Sean Beam, and John Voight give an outstanding performance as supporting cast.
The film is well-paced and consistently funny.
Like many other thriller films, National Treasure: Book Of Secrets becomes even better the second time you watch it.
127 Hours
One hundred twenty-seven hours is an engaging survival psychological thriller film.
It stars James Franco as the protagonist- Aron Raloston.
Aron is a self-reliant individual who believes in living life on his terms.
Since he loves adventure, one day, he decides to go on a hiking adventure in Utah without informing anyone about it.
Soon he finds himself stuck in an extremely dire situation.
He is trapped in a canyon with his arm crushed under a huge rock.
He just can’t get his hands free from the rock, and there appears to be no one around to help him.
He struggles for 127 hours and takes desperate measures to survive this ordeal.
For those who don’t know, 127 hours is based on a story about a man’s resolve to survive after a trekking accident.
The Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle was responsible for directing this remarkable true story.
Some of the Images may be too disturbing for some audiences but rest assured, the film delivers on its premise.
It’s a must-watch not only for thriller movie fans but for fans of movies in general.
The Movie depends on James Franco’s performance, and boy, does he delivers!
If you have the stomach for it, watch this masterpiece at least once in your lifetime.