What are suspense’s essential elements? Suspense in movies is the apprehension and tension that viewers experience when viewing a movie. All movies strive to elicit some level of tension since that is what keeps audiences interested in the story and wondering what will happen next.
Horror and thrillers are two genres that rely significantly on suspense. While many thrillers and horror films are fast-paced, others usually use a long burn, building tension until an underlying mystery is revealed with a frequently unexpected finale. There is something to be said for taking the time to establish that tension and the delayed pleasure of suspense movies, even though modern movies are more fast-paced.
Alfred Hitchcock is widely regarded as the maestro of suspense, and seeing his films is like enrolling in a course where you learn the tricks of the trade for producing that tense cinematic atmosphere. Lighting and composition can be used by filmmakers to unbalance an audience. Tension is increased by shifting points of view and the audience’s knowledge of character affairs. As well as unsettling colour schemes and set designs, creepy music is frequently used to evoke strong feelings. Through doubt and escalating the stakes, the tale can heighten tension, while the performances can induce dread.
In their place, let’s look at some underappreciated suspense films that will have you on the edge of your seat. If you’re a cinephile, you’ve definitely already seen the stalwarts of the genre.
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A Cure for Wellness (2017)
When the board of the firm Lockhart (Dane DeHaan) works for sends a young executive named Lockhart to a mystery sanitarium in the Swiss Alps to recover the CEO Pembroke (Harry Groener), things become strange. Lockhart suffers injuries in a vehicle accident as he leaves the institution, and after being turned away by the director Volmer (Jason Isaacs) since he arrived after visiting hours, he ends up as a reluctant patient.
When Lockhart visits the sanitarium in search of Pembroke, he encounters Victoria (Celia Imrie), a patient. They talk about the aquifer the sanitarium is constructed upon, its purported therapeutic benefits, and the ominous past of the castle. Additionally, Hannah (Mia Goth), a unique young woman, who has remained at the hospital for as long as she can remember despite not using the water cure like the other patients, is introduced to him.
This eerie, anachronistic, and bizarre movie is filmmaker Gore Verbinski’s most accomplished work since the horror thriller “The Ring” from 2002. The environment lulls you into a fantasy that suddenly turns terrifying and twisted, and the art direction is amazing. You might appreciate visiting this nightmare retreat, where one is guaranteed a very odd viewing experience, according to the discrepancy between reviewer and audience scores on Metacritic.
Dark Places (2015)
Gillian Flynn, who also penned the book “Sharp Objects” and both the novel and the screenplay for “Gone Girl,” is the author of the A24 movie “Dark Places.” A lady named Libby Day, played by Charlize Theron, is unable to move past the trauma of having survived a massacre. Libby’s mother, Patty (Christina Hendricks), and two elder sisters were brutally murdered on their family farm in the middle of the night when she was eight years old. Her brother Ben was later found to be responsible for the deaths.
Lyle (Nicholas Hoult), the group’s treasurer, offers to pay Libby to do an investigation after she agrees to revisit the murder with a true-crime group out of desperation. As she progresses through Lyle’s case file, Libby speaks with witnesses about the murderous night and the arrest of Ben, who is portrayed by Tye Sheridan in flashback scenes and Corey Stoll in the present. In the course of her study, Libby raises concerns about her brother’s imprisonment and starts to see why some people think he was unfairly convicted due to rumours and a Satanic panic in their small-town community in rural Kansas.
Even though this movie bombed with spectators and critics, if you enjoy mysteries with several timelines and satisfying twist endings, it’s worth checking out. Flashbacks are used in “Dark Places” to gradually build suspense and expose a complicated plot that examines the extreme decisions people are willing to make in order to protect the ones they love. The film boasts a fantastic cast.
Dead Again (1991)
The intriguing mystery “Dead Again” centres on a character with amnesia, played by Emma Thompson, and the detective tasked with finding her identity, Mike Church (Kenneth Branagh). She travels to a past life where Roman (Branagh) and Margaret Strauss (Thompson) were passionately in love before he was found guilty of her slaying when Franklyn (Derek Jacobi), an antiques dealer who dabbles in hypnotism, offers his skills to assist determine her identity. Mike and the woman, who Mike has started calling Grace, become embroiled in a murder investigation and a love story that spans generations. Dr. Cozy Carlisle (Robin Williams), a discredited psychiatrist Mike sees, predicts that Grace will regain her memories once they figure out why Roman killed Margaret.
Kenneth Branagh’s second picture as a filmmaker, “Dead Again,” is a tribute to cinema noir. The movie was well-received by spectators and critics, garnering positive reviews on Metacritic, but since it has been out for more than 30 years, many people undoubtedly have forgotten about it. The cast as a whole is excellent. The tale, atmosphere, and photography are all incredibly tense, and the music amplifies the drama. Check out “Dead Again” if you haven’t already, and if it’s been a while since you last saw it, it’s time to see it again.
Fallen (1998)
Denzel Washington portrays John Hobbes, a homicide detective in the Warner Bros. film “Fallen,” which centres on a fresh spate of murders that resemble the methods of a serial murderer named Edgar Reese, whose execution Hobbes witnessed a day before the murders started. Initially, Hobbes and his partner (John Goodman) assume that Reese had a co-conspirator who eluded them, but as the investigation becomes more complicated, police officials speculate that the new murderer could be a copycat or even an officer.
A discredited police officer who had his medals posthumously taken away after he passed away in a bizarre gun accident decades ago is the subject of Hobbes’ research, which leads him to a long-forgotten tale. Hobbes must consider the possibility that Reese was possessed by a malicious entity, using a string of hosts to commit murders and taunt Hobbes in a demented game of cat and mouse. This possibility must be considered after finding the officer’s grown daughter and going through a number of strange experiences.
The movie received negative reviews from critics, but viewers didn’t agree, giving it a respectable rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was a costly failure with an estimated $46 million budget (according to The Wrap) and a box office take of just over $25 million. Despite this setback, the movie still features a fantastic ensemble and creates suspense through a sequence of unpleasant incidents. Checking out the surprising finale is definitely worthwhile.
Flatliners (1990)
Even though “Flatliners” stars a few of the sexiest newcomers in Hollywood, including Oliver Platt, Kiefer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, and (via Rotten Tomatoes). Despite lukewarm reviews, the movie was fairly profitable, most likely as a result of the young cast’s appeal to audiences and the pervasive advertising campaign that made use of the film’s iconic movie poster.
In an effort to learn more about what lies beyond the end of life, four medical students in Chicago agree to assist their classmate Nelson (Sutherland) in researching “near death” experiences. However, by stopping his heart and then recovering him after he experiences brain death, they start a terrifying journey with uncertain results. Following turns seeing the afterlife, self-proclaimed player Joe (Baldwin), cynical David (Bacon), and wounded researcher Rachel (Roberts) are haunted by their past traumas and unresolved remorse over the people they have mistreated.
The movie “Flatliners,” which was directed by Joel Schumacher, offers a unique take on “haunting” clichés in that individuals are haunted rather than a specific location. In order to create tension, Schumacher makes use of ominous choral music, a Frankenstein-like laboratory beneath a deserted monument, shadowy alleyways, flashbacks, and dreamlike sequences. This keeps the audience on the edge of their seats as they wonder whether this group of medical students has upset the natural order by acting as God. The discrepancy between critic and audience numbers on Metacritic says you should give this movie a chance despite the average reviews (and a bad 2017 remake).
No Exit (2022)
Following Darby (Havana Rose Liu), a young lady who escapes rehab to drive to Salt Lake City after learning her mother was sent to the hospital, is the Hulu original “No Exit.” When a little girl named Jay (Mila Harris) is discovered chained up in a van in the parking lot, Darby finds her while stranded at a rest stop with a group of strangers during a blizzard. Darby comes to the club to find out who the kidnapper is after promising to assist the girl. Darby struggles to determine who she can trust and whether she has an ally who can help her save the young child when the road is closed and there is no phone service.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, this psychological thriller is intriguing and contains a few unexpected turns. Liu is amazing as Darby, who develops into a surprising heroine and discovers hidden strength and courage when confronted with a terrible scenario that is quickly getting worse. The paranoia of the situation and the group dynamic are emphasised in “No Exit,” and the entire ensemble gives subtle, complex performances. Up until a dramatic and violent confrontation when all hell breaks free, the plot moves along at a good speed thanks to the tight storyline and short 90-minute running time.
Pacific Heights (1990)
When Patty (Melanie Griffith) and Drake (Matthew Modine) purchase their ideal house, a Victorian in San Francisco, they turn to renting out the two downstairs apartments to pay for the renovation. Their initial tenants are a friendly couple, but things quickly deteriorate when Drake rents Carter Hays (Michael Keaton) the second apartment without first performing a credit check. Before the wire transfer is completed, Carter moves in and turns their dream house into a prison.
Carter soon finds himself in a conflict with Patty and Drake since he is now covered by tenants’ rights despite never having paid anything to move in. They understand Carter might damage more than just their credit as they become involved in a legal dispute with him as tensions between Carter and Drake increase. You’ll start to worry about being a landlord and being bound by the law after watching this slow-burning thriller film.
Despite “Pacific Heights” receiving negative and positive reviews from critics, audiences adore the movie, earning it a perfect Metacritic score. It didn’t have a huge box office success, but it did make a reasonable profit. The score helps, and the movie makes advantage of intriguing camera angles and shadows to up the suspense. In contrast to Griffith and Modine, who really make you feel bad for the landlords, Keaton is horrifyingly weird in this part. You may see this underappreciated household thriller on Peacock if you haven’t already.
Sleeping with the Enemy (1991)
The story of Laura (Julia Roberts), a young lady who fakes her own death to get away from her violent and tyrannical husband Martin, is told in “Sleeping with the Enemy” (Patrick Bergin). We shortly discover that Laura, who later takes the name Sara, was preparing to flee by having her elderly mother transferred to a new nursing facility in Iowa where she would meet her.
There are delightful moments when it seems we are witnessing a romantic comedy once Sara escapes and lets her guard down, enjoying a blossoming romance with her neighbour. But these stand in stark contrast to her neurotic hypervigilance, where she is constantly concerned that Martin will discover her. Martin then shows up, ready to win her back. The tension in this domestic thriller is increased by Bergin’s eerie acting, the music, and Roberts’ unsteady performance.
Despite having garnered mixed reviews from critics, “Sleeping with the Enemy” has high audience approval ratings in Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes and performed admirably at the box office because to Roberts’ then-peaking star power. Poor critical reception may be more reflective of the fact that men critics still outweigh female critics (according to Variety) than the calibre of the movie, which is a striking portrayal of domestic abuse given the storyline’s appeal to female audiences.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233 if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence. On their website, you can also discover further resources, information, and help.
Stir of Echoes (1999)
Although “Stir of Echoes” received favourable reviews from reviewers and viewers alike on Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, it fell short of its potential at the box office. This is due to the unfortunate fact that it was released the same year as “The Sixth Sense,” making it the less well-known thriller film about humans who can see ghosts.
Illeana Douglas’ sister-in-law hypnotises Tom (Kevin Bacon), who thereafter exhibits unusual behaviour and starts seeing things. He is disturbed by the gruesome images, and he grows more upset when he learns that Samantha (Jennifer Morrison), the girl whose image he is seeing, was reported missing months earlier. When Tom and his wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe) discover that their small son Jake (Zachary David Cope) can see her as well, the mystery is made much more complicated. Tom becomes fixated on learning Samantha’s fate because he believes she is a ghost.
The entire group gives amazing performances, and Bacon is fantastic in the lead part. Despite the otherworldly components, the story is gripping and grounded in a tragic real-world event. Both the unpleasant flashes that Tom has and the music are well utilised to increase the suspense in the movie. The intriguing and underappreciated thriller “Stir of Echoes” is about common people battling with vengeful ghosts looking for retribution. The plot is sold by Bacon’s sweating desperation, and Cope’s innocent naivety is unsettling.
Stoker (2013)
India On her 18th birthday, Stoker’s (Mia Wasikowska) father Richard (Dermot Mulroney) passes away in a car accident, and Charlie (Matthew Goode), the uncle India never knew she had, shows up unannouncedly at the family estate following the devastating incident. Charlie moves in to help Evelyn, the unstable mother of India (Nicole Kidman), adjust to life as a widow. His presence creates a tense relationship within the family and reveals unpleasant family secrets from the early years of Richard and Charlie as well as their younger brother, who passed away inexplicably.
Through unnerving acting, stunning photography, and voyeuristic shifts in point of view, this movie deftly creates tension. The unsettling narrative draws you into the Stokers’ weird world of family secrets, long-held grudges, and obsession as the score creates tension and fear in the audience.
Although “Stoker” only made enough money at the box office to cover its production costs, don’t be deceived by the numbers. While “Stoker” may have received conflicting reviews from critics, its Metacritic audience rankings are substantially higher. An unsettling household thriller boiling with intolerable erotic tension is produced by acclaimed director Park Chan-wook and actor-turned-scriptwriter Wentworth Miller. In this sophisticated investigation of psychopathy, recast as a Gothic coming-of-age story, the superb ensemble provide frightening performances.
The Manor (2021)
Barbara Hershey is the star of the Amazon Studios original film “The Manor.” Judith, a vibrant retired dancer, enters a care facility in a historic mansion close to where she formerly resided with her daughter and teenage grandson after suffering a small stroke on her 70th birthday. When Judith arrives, she is worried by the “no cell phone” rule and the requirement that she be accompanied when exploring the grounds, but she grudgingly turns over her phone.
Judith experiences horrific nighttime visions that the nurses ignore as dreams, and her doctor claims that advancing dementia is to blame for the alarming rate at which her mental abilities are deteriorating. Following a botched attempt to flee, Judith is persuaded that a sinister supernatural force is keeping a core group of residents from ageing while other patients are dying at an alarming pace.
“The Manor” is for those who like Gothic horror and movies that have unsettling imagery and creatures that go bump in the night. The acting is superb, and the movie is an interesting meditation on the anxieties associated with getting older, even if it received mixed ratings from critics and viewers on Metacritic. The movie is less interested in dying and more concerned with how many old people get treated like children once they require more care than their relatives can give them. With a shocking twist finale and atmospheric Gothic horror, “The Manor” is worth seeing on Prime Video.
The Skeleton Key (2005)
Kate Hudson plays Caroline, a New Orleans-based hospice nurse who takes a new job and relocates to a dilapidated plantation home on a bayou to care for Ben Devereaux (John Hurt), a man who had a stroke. Caroline begins to doubt her beliefs in Hoodoo (folk magic) as she becomes involved in a mystery involving the estate’s violent past and the elderly residents she was hired to care for after a string of strange occurrences and underlying feelings of suspicion toward his wife, Violet Devereaux (Gena Rowlands), arise.
Caroline is urged by Jill (Joy Bryant) to quit her job and return to New Orleans. Instead, Caroline investigates the eerie attic of the plantation home while looking for knowledge on Hoodoo from practitioners there because she feels responsible for poor old Ben. Luke (Peter Sarsgaard), Devereaux’s estate lawyer, toes the line between creepy and solicitous, making the spectator question his genuineness.
Despite receiving negative reviews from critics, “The Skeleton Key” performed brilliantly at the box office and made a tiny profit thanks to the star power of the actors. It gets strong audience rankings on Metacritic. This thriller film is gloomy, atmospheric, and full of paranormal thrills. This movie explores the sins of the South while giving a stunning twist ending that is too brilliant to spoil. The storyline and the dilapidated mansion place it in the Southern Gothic style. This underrated movie is worth another watch if you like Gothic horror.
The Village (2004)
In “The Village,” which is set in a remote 19th-century village in rural Pennsylvania, the locals and the monsters that inhabit the area around Covington’s forests share a shaky understanding. The hamlet, which is sealed off from the outside world, has no access to the woods, and neither do the monsters. However, after Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) is hurt, his fiancee Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) requests permission from her father and the mayor of the town, Edward (William Hurt), to go into the woods in search of medicine to save his life. Ivy, who is blind, braves the forest and runs into the monsters that the villagers live in terror of. We discover more about the settlement and its founders as Ivy ventures farther into the perilous woods, building to an unexpected finale that left some viewers feeling duped.
Despite being a commercial success, M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” signalled a shift in popular opinion and critical reception toward the filmmaker, who had previously established his reputation with the success of “The Sixth Sense.” This chilling movie about the transfer of terror through generations merits a second viewing, even though it’s debatable whether or not M. Night Shyamalan unwittingly contributed to the backlash by teaching audiences to anticipate an unexpected surprise at the end of his movies. It boasts a fantastic cast, stunning visuals, and a scary atmosphere that will have you on the edge of your seat throughout.
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