Some people love to laugh, others love a good cry, but everyone loves a good thrill during a movie. The thriller is quite a far-reaching genre. Essentially, you can toss any descriptor — political, erotic, science fiction — in front of it, and it falls under the same umbrella. Regardless of the type of thriller you seek, what’s universal is the desire for your adrenaline to pump.
With so many thrillers out there to choose from, Prime Video has an array of titles primed for you to peruse. Now, if you’re still struggling to find a title to watch, we have four movies that are destined to thrill you. From Academy Award-nominated films to a classic from the early 2000s, these four titles are perfect options, especially if you’re hoping to catch every nominated film this year prior to Oscar night.
1
‘Burn After Reading’ (2008)
Not every thriller has to be solely dark — it can also be dark through comedy. That’s exactly what Burn After Reading is. Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, the espionage thriller follows recently jobless CIA analyst Osborne Cox (John Malkovich), whose misplaced memoirs are found by a pair of dimwitted gym employees, Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt). When they mistake the memoirs for classified government documents, they undergo a series of misadventures in an attempt to profit from their find. With a stacked ensemble that includes George Clooney, J.K. Simmons, and Tilda Swinton, Burn After Reading is the hit film you forgot about but totally want to explore again.
What’s so brilliant about this film is how unafraid everyone is to satirize the characters’ stupidity and the perceived competence of the government, suggesting that the world is chaotic, random, and run by narcissistic, self-absorbed people. Life imitates art, right? The sad part, though, is the fact that the characters learn absolutely nothing in the end. If anything, that reflects our current reality, too. Nevertheless, Burn After Reading is a worthy watch.
2
‘Drop’ (2025)
If you’ve already reservations about dating, absolutely do not watch Drop. If you’re willing to brave it for an enthralling thrill, Drop is a must-watch. Directed by Christopher Landon and written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach, the film follows Violet (Meghann Fahy), a widow who, on her first date at a restaurant with a charming man, Henry (Brandon Sklenar), has a pleasant evening thatturns into a living nightmare. Violet then receives anonymous, menacing AirDrops on her phone from a mysterious hooded figure. Held at gunpoint by this hidden assailant, she is forced to follow instructions and kill Henry, or her young son Toby (Jacob Robinson) and sister Jen (Violett Beane) will be killed.
The film is built like a classic Hollywood thriller. Drop uses clever modern advancements to serve as the film’s brilliant twists and turns. While many are familiar with Fahy from The White Lotus, in Drop, she proved she’s more than ready and capable to be a movie star. While you may find the premise a tad far-fetched, even borderline camp, it’s still anchored by genuine emotion. Drop is a crisp film that deserved much more attention.
3
‘Saltburn’ (2023)
Before Jacob Elordi dazzled as the Creature in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, audiences were completely taken by him in another critically praised masterpiece, Saltburn. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, the dark satire follows Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) as he becomes entangled with wealthy, aristocratic classmate Felix Catton (Elordi) and is invited to spend a decadent summer at his family’s sprawling estate, Saltburn, where Oliver manipulates his way into the family’s lives with increasingly sinister and shocking results. A brilliant study about obsession, desire, and class, Saltburn was more than a memeable film; it was a thrilling gothic horror dissertation on privilege, desire, and the predatory nature beneath surface charm.
At this point, the big final twist shouldn’t need to be kept a secret any longer, but spoilers: it’s exceptional. If you have seen the film prior, it’s certainly worth watching to see if you can pick up on Oliver’s scent as the narrative drifts on. The uncovering of secrets, the exploitation of emotions, and the ease with which one individual’s perception of others can be manipulated are simply remarkable. Essentially the 21st-century version of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Saltburn will go down in history as a film that launched careers. Aside from a brilliant film, we also got the resurgence of “Murder on the Dancefloor.”
4
‘Sinners’ (2025)
Horror films deserve a seat at the Academy Award table. Well, Sinners is not only sitting at the head, but it’s also made history with the most nominations ever. A genuine masterpiece, Ryan Coogler’s sensational and sensual thriller set in the Mississippi Delta in 1932 follows twin brothers who return to their hometown, where they are confronted by a supernatural evil. Crafting a specific vision of the Jim Crow South, the Smokestack Twins, played by Michael B. Jordan, made the juke joint jump before terror reigned. Blending period drama with supernatural elements, Coogler explores themes of racism, generational trauma, culture, and music in a way no film had quite done before.
Coogler was able to subvert the vampire story to craft a brilliant and remarkable piece of cinema using light and darkness. It’s only when the light arrives that the darkness inside can be revealed. Where Sinners flourishes is through its usage of music. Essentially a character of its own, the universality of song and the evolution of sound play a major role in tying the entire piece together. Music unites a wide-ranging group of people from different backgrounds, yet Coogler subverts that, using it to tear the community to shreds. Sinners also became proof that original blockbusters are needed now more than ever.
