10 Near-Perfect Thriller Movies With One Fatal Flaw

Truly perfect movies are rare, and most people only consider a few films to be exceptional. Everyone has different tastes – what one person loves, another might dislike. This is especially true for thrillers, which need to be exciting and believable at the same time, a difficult balance to strike.

These ten films are all excellent, and it’s understandable why fans have such high expectations. While they often take risks with creative and unusual storytelling, they also need compelling characters to keep viewers invested. However, a few choices in these movies prevent them from being truly perfect.

‘Dragged Across Concrete’ (2018)

Summit Entertainment

S. Craig Zahler has quickly gained recognition for his intense crime thrillers, and Dragged Across Concrete is a prime example. The film follows two flawed police detectives, Brett Ridgeman (Mel Gibson) and Anthony Lurasetti (Vince Vaughn), in a dark and realistic story filled with suspense and compelling characters. As multiple groups pursue stolen money, the movie builds tension and features moments of striking, stylized violence.

Zahler’s films often touch on political themes, and this one is no different. A particular scene feels awkward – when Detective Ridgeman is scolded, he launches into a lengthy, preachy rant that sounds like a social media post rather than dialogue in a movie. While the thriller is otherwise brilliantly made, this over-the-top monologue is jarring and pulls you out of the story. The detective’s views are already clear through his actions and conversations, making the speech unnecessary and distracting.

‘Trap’ (2024)

Warner Bros.

M. Night Shyamalan often sparks debate with his films, but he’s consistently good at crafting compelling stories from extraordinary situations. His latest, Trap, follows serial killer Cooper Adams (Josh Hartnett) who brings his daughter to a concert by her idol, Lady Raven. What seems like a normal outing quickly turns into a carefully planned trap, and the film explores how the police knew he’d be there, yet didn’t know his identity. Even with some unbelievable twists, Shyamalan manages to keep the story engaging and suspenseful.

A truly great popcorn thriller needs to ask viewers to suspend disbelief as things get crazy at the end. Unfortunately, this movie goes too far, becoming ridiculous after the concert scene. The biggest problem is Cooper’s arrest: the police inexplicably let a dangerous serial killer show a moment of kindness by righting a fallen bike, which he then uses to escape. This final twist is so unrealistic that it’s more unintentionally funny than thrilling.

‘The Game’ (1997)

PolyGram Films

I was absolutely gripped from the start of David Fincher’s thriller! It centers around Nicholas Van Orton, played by Michael Douglas, a really successful banker, who receives this strange ‘game’ as a gift from his brother, Conrad (Sean Penn). What starts as a seemingly psychological experience quickly spirals out of control, with increasingly dangerous and violent events forcing Douglas’s character to fight for survival. Fincher really knows how to build suspense; the way he portrays the unraveling of this wealthy man’s life, the constant paranoia, and the relentless tension is just masterful.

Look, I love getting lost in a good movie, and usually I don’t sweat the small stuff when it comes to plot holes. But with Fincher’s The Game, the ending asks a little too much of the audience. Honestly, there are just so many things that don’t add up! Van Orton jumping off that building, letting his brother seemingly die, and even his connection with Christina… none of it feels earned within the idea of this company building a custom experience for him. The twist itself isn’t bad, but the real problem was that everyone immediately started picking apart every single scene, trying to see how it all fit together. It became more about solving a puzzle than enjoying the ride.

‘Killer Joe’ (2011)

LD Entertainment

Director William Friedkin is skilled at blending shocking scenes with compelling drama, frequently using the shock value to explore deeper themes about people and society. His film Killer Joe follows the disturbing consequences of a man, Chris Smith (Emile Hirsch), hiring a hitman – the unforgettable Killer Joe, played by Matthew McConaughey – and using his daughter, Dottie (Juno Temple), as a guarantee. The film delves into the darker aspects of human behavior, but is sometimes remembered more for its intense and graphic scenes than its psychological depth.

The chicken wing scene isn’t cleverly done – it’s simply unpleasant and excessive. It doesn’t reveal anything new about Joe’s character, but rather shows him indulging in behavior we’ve already seen. Using humiliation as a form of violence is difficult to pull off in film, and other movies have handled it more effectively. In the end, any attempt to find deeper meaning in the scene falls flat because of how shocking and direct it is.

‘Heat’ (1995)

Warner Bros.

Michael Mann’s film Heat is famous for bringing together two acting greats: Al Pacino as LAPD detective Vincent Hanna and Robert De Niro as professional thief Neil McCauley. The movie depicts the unavoidable conflict between these two men, who come from very different worlds, as they face off during a string of robberies in Los Angeles. Heat is celebrated for its realistic approach to police work, its well-developed characters, and its thrilling action sequences.

Despite being a nearly flawless film, the romantic relationships in Heat feel somewhat weak and unnatural. While Amy Brenneman and Diane Venora deliver solid performances as the partners of the main characters, their roles aren’t fleshed out enough. Eady, in particular, seems to exist solely to add emotional depth to McCauley’s character. This feels like a lost chance to elevate an already great movie, as exploring these characters more fully could have made it even more impactful.

‘Shutter Island’ (2010)

Parmaount Pictures

Do you remember when movies loved to hide clues that would eventually reveal a twist ending? Films like Memento, Black Swan, Fight Club, and The Sixth Sense all used this technique to create suspense, but it’s become less common now. Shutter Island is a good example of a movie that relied on this approach too much, making the twist feel predictable.

The film is beautifully made, with a remarkable performance by DiCaprio, and it skillfully reveals its story. However, the movie relies too heavily on symbolism and clues, which become distracting. This is especially noticeable on repeat viewings, as the film becomes bogged down in explanation during its final act, diminishing its overall impact.

‘Heretic’ (2024)

A24

Heretic has a straightforward but gripping premise: two Mormon missionaries become stuck in a house with Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), an intriguing older man who both questions their faith and subjects them to terrifying experiences. Hugh Grant delivers a memorable performance as a truly unsettling villain, and the film expertly mixes horror and suspense with gradual reveals and surprising twists.

While initially promising, Heretic ultimately suffers from being overly focused on its own ideas and confusing shock value with genuine suspense. It often presents a simplistic and deliberately unclear portrayal of religion, feeling as though it was written by someone deeply entrenched in online atheist communities. This becomes repetitive and exhausting as the film progresses. Had it exercised more restraint – beyond the clever plot twists and Hugh Grant’s strong performance – Heretic could have been a truly excellent horror-thriller.

‘Cape Fear'(1991)

Universal Pictures

Martin Scorsese’s remake of Cape Fear is widely considered one of the best remakes ever made. Updating the 1962 original, Scorsese created a darker, more intense thriller. The film centers on Sam Bowden (Nick Nolte), a lawyer, and his family, who are relentlessly harassed by Max Cady (Robert De Niro), a vengeful ex-convict. Featuring a powerful performance from De Niro and a uniquely suspenseful atmosphere reminiscent of Hitchcock, the movie has become a classic.

Honestly, as much as I love Cape Fear, I think it would’ve been even stronger if they hadn’t pushed Max Cady’s ability to survive quite so far. It’s not that he shouldn’t be resilient, but when he shrugs off being drowned, beaten, and stabbed, it starts to feel less like a chilling thriller and more like a cartoon. It kind of dulls the impact of what he represents as a character. He becomes this unstoppable force, which is great for a slasher movie, but it doesn’t quite fit the serious, psychological tone they were going for.

‘The Lovely Bones’ (2009)

Paramount Pictures

Peter Jackson explored the crime thriller genre with his well-received film, The Lovely Bones. The movie focuses on the murder of young Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) and how her father, Jack (Mark Wahlberg), seeks revenge against the killer, George Harvey (Stanley Tucci).

Tucci delivers a surprisingly complex and unsettling portrayal of evil, and Saoirse Ronan is perfectly cast, bringing a real emotional core to her role. While Wahlberg is usually a strong actor, this isn’t one of his best performances. He doesn’t quite capture the emotional weight needed to play a father grieving his daughter, and this flatness from an otherwise excellent cast prevents the film from fully reaching its potential.

‘The Taking of Pelham One Two Three’ (1974)

United Artists

When a New York City subway train is hijacked, Lieutenant Zachary Garber, portrayed by Walter Matthau, finds his day spiraling into crisis. As the situation escalates and becomes politically charged, Garber and his team race against time to either capture the hostage-taker or deliver the ransom. The Taking of Pelham One Two Three realistically depicts 1970s New York and offers a gripping, authentic police story that was highly praised and became very influential upon its release.

The film is a gripping, immersive thriller, but unfortunately, some attempts at humor disrupt its serious atmosphere. These jokes don’t quite work and, instead of relieving tension, feel unnecessary. The ending also feels a bit too neat and tidy, almost like a joke, which doesn’t quite fit the otherwise well-made thriller.

2025-12-19 05:07