Curated by SceneIt · United States
This SceneIt list helps you quickly choose thrillers with sustained tension and strong audience response. Results are selected for the United States and balance audience response with practical watchability.
Updated 2026-08-03 · Ratings from TMDB
We rank eligible titles using TMDB audience ratings, vote confidence, relevance to the theme, and current popularity. Ratings can change as new votes are added.
2002 · TMDB 6.7/10 · 5,912 votes
Former Special Forces officer Frank Martin will deliver anything to anyone for the right price, and his no-questions-asked policy puts him in high demand. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2009 · TMDB 6.7/10 · 7,406 votes
Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is recruited by the Vatican to investigate the apparent return of the Illuminati – a secret, underground organization – after four cardinals are kidnapped on the night of the papal conclave. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
1988 · TMDB 7.3/10 · 3,546 votes
A lone drifter stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2024 · TMDB 6.8/10 · 3,078 votes
As storm season intensifies, the paths of former storm chaser Kate Carter and reckless social-media superstar Tyler Owens collide when terrifying phenomena never seen before are unleashed. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2014 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 3,512 votes
Four couples gather for dinner the night a mysterious and powerful comet passes overhead. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2016 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 1,484 votes
In the fourth installment of the fighting franchise, Boyka is shooting for the big leagues when an accidental death in the ring makes him question everything he stands for. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2021 · TMDB 6.8/10 · 1,196 votes
A young couple is pushed to the limits of sanity as they attempt to be reunited amid the chaos of a pandemic outbreak. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2004 · TMDB 6.6/10 · 8,997 votes
After paleoclimatologist Jack Hall is largely ignored by UN officials when presenting his environmental concerns about the beginning of a new Ice Age, his research proves true when a superstorm develops, setting off catastrophic natural disasters throughout the world. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
1986 · TMDB 7.6/10 · 3,878 votes
The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2000 · TMDB 7.3/10 · 3,890 votes
In the future, the Japanese government captures a class of ninth-grade students and forces them to kill each other under the revolutionary "Battle Royale" act. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2019 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 5,474 votes
A charismatic New York City jeweler always on the lookout for the next big score makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2013 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 16,495 votes
Dr Ryan Stone, an engineer on her first space mission, and Matt Kowalski, an astronaut on his final expedition, have to survive in space after they are hit by debris while spacewalking. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2012 · TMDB 6.9/10 · 6,126 votes
True-crime writer Ellison Oswalt is in a slump; he hasn't had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
1997 · TMDB 7.8/10 · 5,634 votes
Three detectives in the corrupt and brutal L.A. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
1988 · TMDB 7.1/10 · 2,218 votes
An American Army Major goes AWOL to Hong Kong for an outlawed martial arts contest called the Kumite. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2021 · TMDB 6.7/10 · 5,127 votes
As a collection of history's worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2020 · TMDB 7.1/10 · 6,365 votes
When Cecilia's abusive ex takes his own life and leaves her his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
1958 · TMDB 8.1/10 · 6,414 votes
A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
2002 · TMDB 6.7/10 · 6,421 votes
A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
1985 · TMDB 6.7/10 · 3,195 votes
John Matrix, the former leader of a special commando strike force that always got the toughest jobs done, is forced back into action when his young daughter is kidnapped. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.