Netflix is a hub for unique selections to appeal to any audience, including those looking for entertaining R-rated films. Some viewers are happy to rewatch shows and movies they’ve seen before, but plenty are on the hunt for unpredictable experiences to keep them on their toes. The streaming service offers a variety of options, whether someone is looking for drama, horror, or an intense thriller that is anything but straightforward.
These movies are definitely geared toward mature audiences, featuring all the ingredients that could earn a project an R-rating. Violence, foul language, and nudity often abound, but these twisty narratives have plenty of shock value beyond their MPA restriction. These Netflix selections feature detective stories, sci-fi social commentary, revenge, and even time travel, offering an eclectic array of unpredictable movies that are available on the streaming service.
‘Clinical’ (2017)
Clinical is a psychological thriller that follows a psychiatrist attempting to recover after a violent attack, leading her to become overly invested in a new patient. Because the protagonist’s trauma causes hallucinations and the film’s narrative weaves between the past and present, her memory becomes unreliable. The movie also embraces horror elements, especially in the third act, when Clinical takes a sharp shift in tone.
The thriller delivers several twists, shocking viewers and prompting them to reframe the story. Clinical is even the type of movie that rewards rewatching, as knowing how it ends adds a layer of understanding to the story, often elucidating moments with new or deeper meaning. The film’s intensity may not be for the faint of heart, but Clinical proves hard to figure out, yet rewarding in its payoff.
‘It’s What’s Inside’ (2024)
The premise of It’s What’s Inside is easier to grasp than all the genres it hits, as it is a frantic, high-concept sci-fi thriller and dark comedy. While that seems like a wide swath of genres, it expertly crafts it all into a psychological nightmare that keeps viewers guessing. The setup is simple enough: a group of friends gathering for a party before a wedding. However, one friend brings a device that allows their minds to swap bodies, and chaos ensues.
As the characters begin to jump from body to body, the actors do an impeccable job of portraying each personality, leaving viewers often guessing who is who. Betrayals are exposed, grievances are aired, and hidden jealousies come to light, with the friends’ time with the device feeling as much like therapy as it does intensely uncomfortable body horror. It’s What’s Inside is like a terrifying shell game where the outcome feels truly unpredictable.
‘Shimmer Lake’ (2017)
Shimmer Lake is a crime thriller with darkly comedic elements at play throughout the puzzling case. Rather than delivering a mystery that then needs to be solved, Shimmer Lake plays out in reverse-chronological order. Much like Christopher Nolan’s Memento, the movie starts with the end of the case, with the events playing out backwards through the week until they reach the beginning.
The story follows a small-town sheriff investigating a bank heist gone wrong, with the film’s structure lending unique reveals to the twisty neo-noir investigation. The shifting perspectives and complex structure present a puzzle for audiences to piece together as they watch, with great reveals often coming from the characters who can ultimately be trusted. Those looking for a movie akin to the Coen Brothers’ Fargo won’t be disappointed by Shimmer Lake.
‘Do Revenge’ (2022)
Do Revenge presents itself as a dark high school comedy, playing on tropes audiences know all too well while embracing true thriller elements. Drea is the popular girl, with Eleanor being the shy new girl who feels awkwardly out of place. The two form an alliance to get revenge on each other’s bullies, seeing them set about fulfilling the title’s promise. However, there’s far more going on that Do Revenge doesn’t reveal until late in the movie.
As the story progresses, their schemes grow darker, and loyalties are tested when things begin to go wrong. Do Revenge hides brilliant reveals, turning what could have been a simple high school film into an expertly layered work of deception. From the aesthetics to the casting, Do Revenge hides a darkly satisfying exploration of consequences and accountability.
‘What Happened to Monday’ (2017)
What Happened to Monday is the exact question this twisty, high-concept sci-fi action thriller sets about answering. The movie takes place in a world where families are limited to one child due to overpopulation. This decree creates the ultimate problem for identical septuplets, who are all played by Noomi Rapace. To hide the fact that there are seven of them, each assumes one identity, named after a day of the week, and that day is when she goes outside and lives life under that name.
This plan works for quite some time, until Monday suddenly doesn’t return. While the sisters are initially terrified and unsure what to do, they choose to venture out, attempting to continue their routine while investigating the disappearance. Audiences will enjoy the suspenseful mystery, with What Happened to Monday ratcheting up the tension, even once it answers the titular question. There is plenty of action, and Rapace delivers several stellar performances, but not many will see through the thriller’s plot early on.
‘In the Shadow of the Moon’ (2019)
In the Shadow of the Moon is not a great title, but it is a fantastically underrated detective thriller that weaves an impossible narrative. The movie stands out thanks to its distinct sci-fi elements, as the action and mystery at its heart also involve time travel. This also isn’t a story about a quickly wrapped-up case, with a series of murders becoming a lifelong obsession for the detective investigating them. The killer strikes only every nine years, which aligns with specific lunar cycles, and uses a unique device that leaves a distinct mark on the victims.
In the Shadow of the Moon isn’t a continuous narrative. The film shows the detective only during the years when the killer strikes, forcing the audience to piece together his life between those periods, including the state of his family and his career. Beyond the film’s uniquely complex plot, the more details that come to light about the case, the more shocking it becomes. The finale delivers the answers viewers will be demanding, but it also feels hauntingly original, with twists that couldn’t be guessed beforehand.
‘Apostle’ (2018)
Apostle is unpredictable for several reasons. The supernatural folk horror film begins with a simple setup that sees a man travel to a remote island in search of his missing sister, offering many elements reminiscent of genre entries like 1973’s The Wicker Man. His search puts him in conflict with a religious cult. Tensions steadily rise, culminating in sudden, graphic violence driven by fanaticism.
What begins as a suspenseful mystery takes horrifying turns into fantastical areas, presenting a darker outcome than the premise may imply. The visceral and psychological terror running through the heart of Apostle can be intense for those who aren’t regular genre fans. Still, the twists and turns the story takes may be worth pushing through, as the finale becomes visually unforgettable.
‘The Perfection’ (2018)
The Perfection, like many unpredictable films, is out to dupe the audience. The premise is built on structural deception, as it initially appears to be a movie about jealousy and revenge among music prodigies. Yet, the truth is far darker than even its horror genre would imply. The movie uses unique framing, often showing the same events from different perspectives, giving the audience new insight. This distinct structure also sees the characters shifting in the viewer’s perception, reframing the movie every time.
The Perfection is a horror film with some intensely violent and shocking moments, even venturing into body horror at times. Still, the intense thriller shifts throughout its runtime, keeping viewers on their toes, as the menacing rivalry spirals into a heinous third act that could only have been conjured by its writer. The Perfection is bold, and the twists may well be seared into everyone’s mind afterward.
‘They Cloned Tyrone’ (2023)
They Cloned Tyrone is a mix of darkly comedic satire and sci-fi social commentary. It’s a grim day for Tyrone when he is killed. The twist is that he reappears the following day as if nothing had happened, sparking an investigation that uncovers a secret cloning plot. The movie follows a drug dealer, a pimp, and a sex worker as they unravel a bizarre conspiracy centered on their neighborhood.
While the title gives away that Tyrone has been cloned, the reasons for it are truly odd, with the conspiracy reaching far higher than they could have realized. The characters are meant to look intentionally anachronistic, with the movie embracing a Blaxploitation style that elevates the sinister yet astute commentary running through the satirical thriller.
‘The Babysitter’ (2017)
The Babysitter is a horror-comedy built to subvert genre tropes, making it unpredictable at every turn. The movie follows a familiar horror setup: a babysitter in charge of a young teen when things go awry. To spice up the concept, it turns out the babysitter is part of the unfolding evil plot. She and a group of eccentric high school archetypes form a burgeoning cult with a book of spells and plan to kill the child she was meant to watch as part of a sick ritual.
As the kids fight back against their babysitter, the movie makes every effort to keep the audience continuously thrilled with shocking reveals and bloody violence. There’s plenty of humor to keep the laughs rolling, with stellar performances that fuel the twisted story. Beyond the initial subversion, The Babysitter continually bucks convention, ensuring viewers won’t know what to expect next.