Menace II Society
1993 · TMDB 7.5/10 · 926 votes
A young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Curated by SceneIt · United States
Tense Movies
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 2026-08-04 · Ratings from TMDB
How we chose these titles
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.
Stir of Echoes
1999 · TMDB 6.7/10 · 1,374 votes
After being hypnotized by his sister-in-law, Tom Witzky begins seeing haunting visions of a girl's ghost and a mystery begins to unfold around her. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Andromeda Strain
1971 · TMDB 7.0/10 · 818 votes
When virtually all of the residents of Piedmont, New Mexico are found dead after the return to Earth of a space satellite, the head of the US Air Force's Project Scoop declares an emergency. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Blood Red Sky
2021 · TMDB 6.8/10 · 1,745 votes
A woman with a mysterious illness is forced into action when a group of terrorists attempt to hijack a transatlantic overnight flight. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Barton Fink
1991 · TMDB 7.5/10 · 1,911 votes
A renowned New York playwright is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Black and Blue
2019 · TMDB 6.8/10 · 991 votes
Rookie cop Alicia West, an Army veteran, inadvertently captures the murder of a young drug dealer on her body cam. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
M
1931 · TMDB 8.1/10 · 2,501 votes
In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
She Rides Shotgun
2025 · TMDB 7.0/10 · 311 votes
Newly released from prison and marked for death by unrelenting enemies, Nate must now protect his estranged 11-year-old daughter, Polly, at all costs. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Highwaymen
2019 · TMDB 6.8/10 · 2,262 votes
In 1934, Frank Hamer and Manny Gault, two former Texas Rangers, are commissioned to put an end to the wave of vicious crimes perpetrated by Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, a notorious duo of infamous robbers and cold-blooded killers who nevertheless are worshiped by the public. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Naruto Shippuden the Movie: Blood Prison
2011 · TMDB 7.3/10 · 705 votes
After his capture for attempted assassination of the Raikage, leader of Kumogakure, as well as killing Jōnin from Kirigakure and Iwagakure, Naruto is imprisoned in Hōzukijou: A criminal containment facility known as the Blood Prison. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Dark Water
2002 · TMDB 6.8/10 · 732 votes
A woman in the midst of an unpleasant divorce moves to an eerie apartment building with her young daughter. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Guard
2011 · TMDB 7.0/10 · 1,427 votes
When a small-town Irish cop with a crass personality is partnered with a straight-laced FBI agent to bust an international drug-trafficking ring, they must settle their differences in order to take down a dangerous gang. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Red Joan
2018 · TMDB 6.6/10 · 398 votes
London, England, May 2000. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Shutter
2004 · TMDB 7.3/10 · 1,429 votes
When Jane and Tun run over a girl in a car accident, they speed away immediately from the crime scene. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Brawl in Cell Block 99
2017 · TMDB 7.0/10 · 1,606 votes
After working as a drug courier and getting into a brutal shootout with police, a former boxer finds himself at the mercy of his enemies as they force him to instigate violent acts that turn the prison he resides in into a battleground. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Official Secrets
2019 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 1,130 votes
The true story of British intelligence whistleblower Katharine Gun who—prior to the 2003 Iraq invasion—leaked a top-secret NSA memo exposing a joint US-UK illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
U Turn
1997 · TMDB 6.6/10 · 825 votes
When a desperate man’s car breaks down in a bizarre desert town while evading vengeful bookies, he becomes entangled in a dangerous love triangle. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
The Killing
1956 · TMDB 7.6/10 · 1,739 votes
Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Noroi: The Curse
2005 · TMDB 6.9/10 · 443 votes
A documentary filmmaker explores seemingly unrelated paranormal incidents connected by the legend of an ancient demon. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.
Straw Dogs
1971 · TMDB 7.2/10 · 1,081 votes
David Sumner, a mild-mannered academic from the United States, marries Amy, an Englishwoman. This title fits the list's theme and selection thresholds.