Action thrillers, crime thrillers, legal thrillers, and even erotic thrillers are just a few of the many subgenres that fall under the umbrella of the current genre. But some of the most well-known movies of all time, such as The Silence of the Lambs (1991) and Mulholland Drive (2001), are classified as psychological thrillers. No books of that calibre or name value—indeed, to really hammer the point home, anything by Alfred Hitchcock—qualify for this list.
Many of these directors should without a doubt be recognised as masters of the psychological thriller subgenre thanks to their acute eyes for camerawork, extensive understandings of pacing, and widespread attention to the art of establishing suspense. Additionally, there are several outstanding psychological thrillers from nations like South Korea; two examples are The Handmaiden (2016) and Burning (2018). They won’t be chosen because, naturally, since they are foreign films, American audiences will watch them less frequently than those made in English. After all of that, here are the ten greatest underappreciated psychological thrillers of all time.
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Dead Ringers (1988)
Jeremy Irons played twin gynaecologists in this David Cronenberg-helmed film, which also featured other actors. And even though most of you may be familiar with that director from his work in the body horror genre, he was hard at work on Dead Ringers (1988) to create a glaringly underappreciated psychological thriller. Having said said, it’s important to note that this is only really disregarded from a more contemporary perspective.
See, even though Dead Ringers received excellent reviews from critics upon release, film didn’t exactly gross millions of dollars at the global box office or anything. Additionally, it hasn’t exactly maintained its prominence in the present era. However, its quality has seemed to improve over time, making it one of the most unappreciated games of this kind ever.
Enemy (2013)
The final installment in the series, directed by Denis Villeneuve, also features Jake Gyllenhaal in a dual role, as one of his characters, professor Adam Bell, discovers a startling resemblance between himself and Anthony Clair, who is, of course, also Gyllenhaal. But it also has Mélanie Laurent, whose performance is equally underappreciated as the whole thing.
Another psychological thriller where the premise almost sells itself is this one. After reading the synopsis, if you weren’t at all fascinated, it might not be for you, just as it wasn’t for many audiences, including both fans who bought tickets and critics who offered their opinions. But ultimately, that’s what propels Enemy (2013) to the third spot on this list.
Frailty (2001)
This is an example of a project that is nearly no longer underestimated because of how long it has been regarded as such. It was produced, directed, and starred Bill Paxton. It’s one of those movies that should sell itself based on the premise alone; psychological thrillers are a subgenre that fits the bill. Frailty (2001) is a film about a parent who believes he has been selected by God to slay demonic beings that are hiding out on earth as people.
He enlists the assistance of his two sons in the killing, creating an obviously twisted story that will captivate most spectators from beginning to end. And it’s also important to note how much there is to write home about from a technical perspective in this regard, especially with a strong supporting cast that includes actors like Matthew McConaughey and Powers Boothe. But it’s preferable if you investigate it yourself.
Hard Candy (2005)
Hard Candy (2005) has deep themes for a movie of such a gruesome nature, and almost every turn of its sinister and exhilarating plot hits home on an emotional level. It has deliberate camerawork that moves slowly, which seems appropriate for a movie that somewhat centres on that theme. But it also features outstanding performances from everyone who was involved, with natural dialogue and real development on top of that.
The fact that movie was released less than two years before Juno (2007), which really made Elliott Page a household name in Hollywood, may not be helpful in terms of popularity. The film received mixed reviews from critics as well, which was unjustified in retrospect. Additionally, viewers somewhat passed over the movie despite it having a respectable box office performance given the amount of its budget. In the end, Hard Candy should unquestionably receive more adoration because it is the greatest underappreciated psychological thriller ever created.
Insomnia (2002)
Starting off with Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia (2002), an absolute titan of the business both critically and commercially, which also has a huge name value for its cast. Detective Will Dormer, played by Al Pacino, squares off against Walter Finch, a writer for young adults. Those who watched this will definitely remember Robin Williams’ unforgettable portrayal of the latter, who is usually cast in humorous parts.
And despite the product’s underappreciation in the present day, it is more well-known than the bulk of the products on the list. In reality, it received favourable reviews from reviewers after its debut and even performed admirably at the box office. Although it’s undoubtedly the best movie of the lot, it ended up being ranked number twelve because of its name recognition.
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
This psychological thriller, which was written and directed by Tom Ford, is also comfily categorised as a neo-noir movie. Nocturnal Animals (2016), which also stars Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal, received generally favourable reviews from critics despite its strong performances and overall storyline. Additionally, despite having a $23 million budget, it only generated $33 million at the global box office. Over time, audiences have changed, but no one paid attention to this when it first came out.
It centres on the aforementioned actors as a previous couple, a writer named Edward (Gyllenhaal) and an art gallery owner named Susan (Adams). This entry won’t contain any spoilers, save from the fact that the former is reading the latter’s most recent draught. Due to its underappreciation, you should watch it with an open mind, relax, and take in the performances.
Obsession (1976)
Brian De Palma, who is no stranger to underappreciated films, released Obsession (1976) to respectable box office results but failed to garner much attention from reviewers. The film opens with an eerie score by Bernard Hermann, who was posthumously nominated for an Oscar. This score immediately establishes the mood for the entire endeavour. The adversaries in particular set the overall plot’s pace almost as swiftly as the characters do.
It centres on a New Orleans businessman whose wife and daughter were abducted and later died after a failed attempt to rescue them. Right away, this is a superb neo-noir thriller, and after those opening scenes, the plot takes a psychological turn. No matter how much time has passed since its publication, it unquestionably merits further attention. If you haven’t already, check it out.
One Hour Photo (2002)
Oddly enough, a movie from the same year as the previous entry enters at number eleven. One Hour Photo (2002) stands out more because, like Insomnia, Robin Williams defies typecasting to a certain extent. He portrays a photo technician who, after years of service to a family, develops an odd kind of obsession with them.
The end effect was a psychological thrill rush that lasted from the opening titles to the final one. When the movie first came out, reviews were actually rather positive, and it also performed well at the box office. It probably would have been ranked higher on this list of underappreciated psychological thrillers if it weren’t for those figures.
Take Shelter (2011)
Take Shelter (2011), starring Michael Shannon as a husband and father who starts having apocalyptic visions, was mostly overlooked by viewers despite excellent reviews from critics. Even still, it didn’t exactly receive the public attention it deserved when it was first released. It literally only generated $5 million in box office receipts, barely covering its $4.75 million production cost.
Which is strange given that it was directed by Jeff Nichols, who also authored the script, and includes Jessica Chastain as the aforementioned character’s wife. And while that specific director may not be as well-known as most on this list, Chastain is undoubtedly one of the hottest actresses of her generation. It’s unfortunate that she and Shannon weren’t featured in the underappreciated psychological thriller at hand.
The Brave One (2007)
Even among the most ardent moviegoers, the name of the filmmaker Neil Jordan may not immediately spring to mind, but you’ll definitely recall his earlier films like The Crying Game (1992) and Interview With a Vampire (1994). Particularly the latter has a lot of name value now, and they received a few nominations at their respective Academy Awards ceremonies. In fact, The Crying Game took home the prize for Best Original Screenplay.
But more than a decade later, with The Brave One (2007), Jordan created his most undervalued work to date. It stars Jodie Foster in the lead role, who, as usual and for what it’s worth, left critics speechless; nonetheless, it also stars actors like Terrance Howard and Zo Kravitz. It’s unclear how this one is still evading everyone’s attention.
The Game (1997)
This David Fincher-directed thriller fan favourite went unnoticed by the general audience probably because it came out in between two of the director’s most well-known works, Se7en (1995) and Fight Club (1999). And if The Game (1997) may have been somewhat overshadowed by those two subgenre classics, Fincher’s illustrious career should nearly speak for itself in this regard.
There is a strong case to be made that David Fincher has never delivered a subpar movie after making his directorial debut with Alien 3 in 1992; to put it mildly, some of his films are simply more overlooked than others. It’s simply outrageous that more viewers haven’t enjoyed this surreal trip of an investment banker (Michael Douglass), whose life is turned upside down by a birthday gift from his brother. That’s only a generalised summary, but it’s best if you see it all for yourself.
The Machinist (2004)
Although it has a lot of supporters and admirers, you won’t find this psychological thriller on any list of the best ones. It didn’t exactly generate much buzz when it first came out either. But virtually only because of Christian Bale’s performance, it enters the list. He’s a method actor, of course, and The Machinist (2004) may be the most well-known example of that fact.
To accurately depict Trevor Reznik, the protagonist of the movie in question, who within the plot has lost so much weight due to his inability to sleep and the mental illnesses that occurred as a direct result thereof, Bale reduced his weight from 173 pounds to 110 pounds (approximately). This has the makings of a psychological thriller, and Bale’s methodical portrayal received near-universal acclaim. With The Machinist, he and director Brad Anderson brought a specific, unsettling vision to life, and it still works just as well today.
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