10 Most Intense Thrillers From The Last Decade

Prepare yourself for the most suspense-filled movies from the last 10 years.

Prisoners Jake Gyllenhaal Paul Dano
Summit Entertainment

Although the last decade of film has been ruled by superhero movies, there's also been plenty of outstanding thrillers to keep fans on tenterhooks. While it might seem like your local cinema is populated by the likes of Iron Man, Batman and Wonder Woman, if you look past those you'll see that this particular genre is flourishing.

From lauded and highly successful directors such as Denis Villeneuve and Christopher Nolan, to lesser known, yet equally as talented, auteurs like Jeremy Saulnier and Lynne Ramsay, these individuals have managed to create some of the best thrillers of the last 10 years.

That being said, there have been plenty of films that have failed to meet expectations. That's why we've watched some of the best that have been released and ranked them so you can avoid the duds. There will definitely be some that you already know of, but also plenty that you might've missed that deserve to be on your watchlist.

If thrillers are your thing, then this list of the best of the best is exactly what you need in your life. Now, let's begin...

10. Blue Ruin

Prisoners Jake Gyllenhaal Paul Dano
Picturehouse Entertainment

The first of two films directed by Jeremy Saulnier to be on this list, Blue Ruin is a dark, gritty and smart revenge flick that goes far beyond what's expected of it. Although there's plenty of violence, it's the realism and plot that really drives this movie forward.

The film features the impressive Macon Blair as Dwight Evans, a beach bum who prefers to be left alone and seemingly has no family or friends. However, once he's told that the person who murdered his parents 20 years prior is going to be released from prison, Evans decides that he needs retribution. Although his need for vengeance goes to plan, everything else goes downhill for him from there.

The great thing about this film is that Dwight is not some former CIA agent or Navy Seal. He's just a normal dude with no real combat experience, but with a drive to make sure his enemies receive their comeuppance. Blair does a fantastically realistic job of not only showing how far his character is willing to go to deliver justice, but to also show the genuine fear he has at being clearly in over his head.

While Blue Ruin might've gone under your radar, it's definitely one you should put on your list of movies to watch.

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Co-host of The Ill-Informed Podcast, jiu-jitsu fiend, MMA lover, movie fan, anime nerd, music snob.