The Best Thriller Movie From Every Decade Over The Last 100 Years

Choosing the greatest thriller from each of the last 100 years is a surprisingly tense task, much like watching the films themselves! Thrillers are one of the oldest and most enduring movie genres, alongside action and Westerns. The truly great ones combine skillful directing, strong writing, and compelling performances, drawing audiences into a story that’s just as captivating as any exciting scene.

Thrillers are a surprisingly versatile genre – they can be lighthearted and funny, or dark and intense. The 2000s saw a wealth of memorable thrillers, with directors like David Fincher consistently offering new takes on well-known stories. A truly great thriller remains gripping and suspenseful even years later.

1920s: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari

This classic psychological thriller is considered incredibly influential, shaping the look of films by directors like Tim Burton. It’s famous for its distinctive visual style and for pioneering the use of plot twists. The story centers around a doctor who uses a sleepwalking assistant named Cesare to carry out a series of murders.

Even today, nearly a hundred years after its release, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a visually stunning film. Its unsettling and dreamlike quality creates a truly claustrophobic experience, and its silent nature only enhances this effect. While it shows its age in some ways, the film’s impact on the thriller and horror genres is enormous.

1930s: Freaks

Similar to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Freaks is often considered a horror film, but it’s genuinely thrilling too. This classic film by Tod Browning centers on a trapeze artist who joins a traveling sideshow and plots to seduce and kill the group’s leader in order to inherit his money.

When the other performers discover her plan, the story doesn’t end well for her. The film Freaks was highly controversial when it came out and remains shocking even now, particularly how its main character fares. It feels like an early version of a film noir, and it’s a movie that stays with you long after you’ve seen it.

1940s: Double Indemnity

For anyone wanting to experience film noir, Double Indemnity is essential viewing. This thrilling movie by Billy Wilder tells the story of an insurance salesman, Neff (played by Fred MacMurray), who gets involved in a woman’s plot to murder her husband for the insurance money. It’s a well-known story, and many subsequent film noirs followed its example.

Double Indemnity is widely considered a classic thriller, and for good reason. Barbara Stanwyck delivers a stunning performance as a captivating and dangerous woman, and Edward G. Robinson is fantastic as the complex boss and friend of the main character. Though the story leads to a predictable conclusion, it ends with a surprisingly touching scene.

1950s: The Wages Of Fear

Henri-Georges Clouzot’s thriller centers around a dangerously tense situation: a team of men must transport highly volatile dynamite across rough terrain to extinguish a massive oil fire. Every jolt and obstacle they encounter becomes incredibly suspenseful. Essentially, the film is a harrowing and unforgettable journey with life-or-death stakes.

Though remade several times – notably as William Friedkin’s excellent Sorcerer – the original Wages of Fear remains the best. It’s a relentlessly tense film that still feels unsettling, and its core idea about risk is powerfully reinforced by the tragic ending, where the only character who succeeds financially immediately gambles it all away.

1960s: Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock took a risk with his low-budget film, Psycho, and unintentionally launched the slasher movie genre. While many of the film’s famous twists are now well-known, this 1960 thriller remains a captivating black-and-white mystery. With iconic moments like the shower scene and Bernard Herrmann’s unforgettable score, Psycho is a must-see for any thriller enthusiast.

The story is remarkably straightforward: a secretary, played by Janet Leigh, steals money and desperately runs to the unsettling Bates Motel. Hitchcock loved to surprise and shock audiences with this film – even including a shot of a flushing toilet – and that willingness to break conventions is what keeps it feeling fresh and relevant today.

1970s: Dirty Harry

The original Dirty Harry remains a powerful thriller, and it essentially started a trend of similar films. Starring Clint Eastwood as the tough, iconic detective, the movie follows his growing frustration as he hunts a dangerous serial killer.

Released in 1971, Dirty Harry is a surprisingly thoughtful and layered film that deserves more credit than it often receives. It’s what launched Clint Eastwood to superstardom, and while it’s known for its exciting action, at its heart it’s a gritty exploration of a complex character, offering no simple solutions to the problems it presents.

1980s: Dressed To Kill

Brian De Palma is heavily influenced by Alfred Hitchcock, and many of his suspenseful films, such as Blow Out, could easily be considered classics. However, Dressed to Kill stands out as his most visually striking and daring movie. It centers on Angie Dickinson’s character, a dissatisfied wife whose affair sets off a series of murders.

As a huge De Palma fan, I think he’s one of the most visually gifted directors working today, and Dressed to Kill is just stunning to look at. Okay, the plot is pretty simple, and honestly, the big twist wouldn’t fool anyone now, but it still feels like his masterpiece. And that whole scene in the art gallery, with almost no dialogue? Seriously, it might be the best thing he’s ever directed.

1990s: Heat

The 1990s gave us many great thrillers like Seven and The Usual Suspects, but Heat still stands out as the best. This film by Michael Mann is a true epic of the genre, uniquely captivating audiences by making them care about both the police officer (Al Pacino) and the thief (Robert De Niro) as their paths collide. It’s a remarkably well-made movie, overflowing with talent and quality.

The bank shootout in Heat is considered the best action sequence of the 1990s, featuring fantastic acting and establishing a blueprint for thrillers that filmmakers still follow today. The film brilliantly portrays Los Angeles as a central character, arguably better than any other movie. Despite being largely ignored by awards shows when it came out, Heat is now widely celebrated as a cinematic masterpiece.

2000s: No Country For Old Men

The Coen Brothers have made many acclaimed films, but No Country for Old Men is often considered their masterpiece. The movie follows Moss, played by Josh Brolin, after he discovers a suitcase full of cash from a drug deal. He’s then relentlessly hunted by a terrifying killer, portrayed by Javier Bardem.

This film is the Coen brothers’ take on an action movie, but it’s richer and more complex than that simple label suggests. It expertly blends intense suspense with a subtle, dark humor, largely thanks to Tommy Lee Jones’ performance as the sheriff. Ultimately, though, it’s a thought-provoking story about how uncaring the universe can be.

2010s: Sicario

The film Sicario, created by writer Taylor Sheridan and director Denis Villeneuve, became well-known for its intense story. It follows an FBI agent, played by Emily Blunt, as she gets pulled into a dangerous operation with a secretive CIA team led by Josh Brolin. The movie cleverly avoids typical action movie clichés, and although Blunt’s character seems central, the story isn’t actually about her.

Though a dark and intense thriller exploring the complicated world of the drug war and the questionable ethics of those fighting it, Sicario is also incredibly engaging. Director Denis Villeneuve crafts some truly stunning scenes – the freeway shootout being a prime example – and Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro all deliver fantastic performances. Unfortunately, the 2018 sequel didn’t quite live up to the power of the original.

2026-03-29 19:01