Summary

• Dive into a thrilling journey with Prime's selection of psychological thrillers, guaranteed goosebumps & top-notch performances.
• Explore themes of deceit, delusion, and horror as characters navigate twisted and frightening paths in captivating films.
• Uncover dark secrets, intricate plots, and unexpected twists in engaging movies that leave viewers on the edge until the ultimate reveal.

The best psychological thrillers on Amazon Prime include a strong mix of original content and both old and new theatrical releases. The focus of a psychological thriller is to take viewers into the lives of people terrorized by an often unseen force, and often, the movie is never what it seems. Twists and turns are a mainstay in this genre, with characters on thrilling and frightening journeys out of their comfort zones, usually leaving the audience on the edge of their seats until the last ultimate reveal.

Because of their demand, streaming services offer many quality movies that explore psychological stories of deceit, delusion, and unfathomable situations. Prime Video has a fantastic line-up of psychological thrillers to stream, the best encompassing a wide range of films from various decades. From the more horrific to the criminal underworld side of the equation, these thriller movies are all but guaranteed to give the viewer goosebumps thanks to smart scares and top-notch performances.

25 The Dark Half (1993)

Starring Timothy Hutton

The Dark Half is a psychological thriller by two masters of horror. The movie is based on a short story by Stephen King, directed by Night of the Living Dead director George A. Romero. The story was a personal one from King, as he wrote it in response to quitting writing under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. In this movie, a literary author named Thad Beaumont also wrote murder mysteries as George Stark. However, when he tries to kill the pseudonym, George comes to life and wants to take over Thad's life.

Timothy Hutton stars as Thad Beaumont and George Stark, while Michael Rooker is King regular Sheriff Alan Pangborn and Amy Madigan is Liz Beaumont. The movie garnered mixed reviews when it was released, with praise going to Hutton's double performance as the hero and villain of the story. It is a horror movie, as expected from King and Romero, but it is also a psychological study of one man trying to kill off his darker half at any cost necessary.

24 Girl On The Third Floor (2019)

Starring CM Punk

WWE superstar CM Punk took on an acting role in the 2019 horror thriller Girl on the Third Floor. The movie is part supernatural ghost story about a vengeful spirit and part psychological thriller about a broken man. Punk plays Don, a man who buys an old house and plans to remodel it for him and his pregnant wife Liz to live in. However, what Don doesn't know is that a malevolent spirit lives in the house and that spirit's past trauma will tempt Don and eventually destroy his life.

Girl on the Third Floor came out in the middle of the Me-Too Movement and plays strongly in those themes.

Girl on the Third Floor came out in the middle of the #MeToo Movement and plays strongly in those themes. The movie follows the downfall of Don, but the real hero here is his pregnant wife Liz, who has to figure out how to save herself and her baby when her husband fails them both. The movie received mostly positive reviews when released, and while it was originally a Netflix release, it has since moved to Amazon Prime Video.

23 Goodnight Mommy (2022)

Starring Naomi Watts

Goodnight Mommy was a 2022 Amazon Prime Video original movie. The movie is a remake of a 2014 Austrian movie of the same name. Naomi Watts stars as an unnamed Mother whose twin sons, Elias and Lukas, come to live with her after staying with their father since a divorce. However, when the boys arrive, their Mother is wearing bandages wrapped around her face following cosmetic surgery. However, when one of her sons decides it isn't their real mother under the wraps, things take a horrific turn.

The movie received mixed reviews, with many comparing it unfavorably to the original Austrian version. However, Watts is great in her role as the masked Mother who is attempting to convince her boys that she is who she claims to be. The children also give strong performances and the entire movie has a lingering sense of dread throughout, so much so that it makes the tragedy at the end hit even harder than if it had gone full-on with the violence and torture of the original movie.

22 Who You Think I Am (2019)

Starring Juliette Binoche

Who You Think I Am is a French-Belgian psychological drama thriller about a woman named Claire who is married with two sons, but is having an affair with a much younger man. When that younger man distances himself from her, she calls and can only reach his roommate. As a result, she decides to create a fake online persona and starts a cybersexual affair with his roommate under a fake name. This leads to tragedy, but not everything is as it seems when it comes to Claire.

Who You Think I Am premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival

The story is told through flashbacks as Claire undergoes psychotherapy sessions with Dr. Bormans and soon he realizes there is something wrong with her story, and he sets out to discover the truth. The movie received mostly positive reviews, and while some critics said it requires a lot more attention based on its dense plot, it is all worth it in the end. Who You Think I Am premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival and Juliette Binoche received acclaim for her performance.

21 Elephant Song (2014)

Starring Bruce Greenwood & Xavier Dolan

Premiering in 2014 at the Toronto International Film Festival, Bruce Greenwood stars as Dr. Toby Greene, a psychiatrist sucked into mind games with an institutionalized patient named Michael. The patient is intelligent and has sucked Dr. Greene into his stories. The doctor wants to learn why the previous doctor, Dr. Lawrence, disappeared. Michael offers the truth, but only after leading Dr. Greene through a labyrinth tale that ends in tragedy.

Elephant Song is an engaging back-and-forth psychological thriller, with viewers never sure where the story might be leading until the big twist at the end. It is supported by a great cast, with Carrie-Anne Moss, Colm Feore, and Catherine Keener joining Greenwood. Nicolas Billon won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and director Charles Binamé earned a nomination for Best Canadian Feature Film at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

20 Chained (2012)

Starring Vincent D'Onofrio & Eamon Farren

Chained is a psychological thriller on Prime Video that was released in 2012 about a serial killer who kidnapped the child of a victim and raised him to follow in his footsteps. Vincent D'Onofrio stars as Bob, a serial killer who murders a young woman named Sarah and imprisons her son, whom he nicknames Rabbit. He forces Rabbit to clean up after his murder scenes and eventually forces him to choose new victims, with the goal of turning him into his successor, but Rabbit might have other plans.

Chained premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

Chained premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival and ended as a DTV release in 2012. The critical reaction was polarizing, but the biggest complaints came from the movie's ending, which seemed rushed and abrupt. Despite those complaints, the movie still has a 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is above average for a movie with this much violence and disturbing scenery, one that is sure to entertain horror fans but might be a bit much for mainstream audiences.

19 The Lie (2020)

Starring Peter Sarsgaard & Joey King

The Lie is an Amazon Prime Video original movie, a psychological thriller about a lie that gets out of control. Joey King stars as Kayla, a teenage daughter of a divorced father named Jay (Peter Sarsgaard). When he is taking Kayla to her ballet retreat, they pick up her friend Britney to give her a ride. When the girls ask to go to the bathroom in the woods on the way, Jay pulls over, but soon Kayla runs back and says that Britney fell from a cliff. When Jay can't find the body, one disaster leads to another.

With a title like The Lie, this movie promises that things are not as they seem. However, this results in a terrifying series of events that destroys everyone's lives by The Lie's end. Released as part of the Welcome to Blumhouse film series, The Lie received mixed reviews, but it remains a tight thriller that shows what happens when a lie grows out of control. King's performance is a highlight, and while the ending might not shock veteran horror fans, it is a compelling conclusion that leaves viewers thinking.

18 All The Old Knives (2022)

Starring Chris Pine & Thandiwe Newton

Chris Pine is Harry, a CIA operative sent to find out if Thandiwe Newton's Celia was the mole.

All the Old Knives is an original psychological thriller on Amazon Prime released for the service in 2022. It is the tale of an old CIA operation gone wrong and the search for the team member who betrayed his fellow Americans. Chris Pine is Harry, a CIA operative sent to find out if Thandiwe Newton's Celia was the mole. However, the two were also former lovers, making the investigation take on a whole new aspect. This makes their meeting and the All the Old Knives ending sting even more.

What makes this such a good psychological thriller movie is that it has multiple unreliable narrators, and either of the heroes could end up switching sides by the end. The movie earned mixed to positive reviews, with praise going to its dialogue-driven plot, and the homage to spy movies from the past. Evans and Newton also received praise for their performances in the movie. They are joined by some big names, including Laurence Fishburne and Jonathan Pryce.

17 The Little Things (2021)

Starring Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, & Rami Malek

The Little Things is a psychological thriller that seemed to fly under the radar when it was released.

The Little Things is a psychological thriller that seemed to fly under the radar when it was released. The movie has a great cast, with Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, and Rami Malek, but it was released theatrically during the lockdown in the pandemic and also hit Max at the same time. As a result, it remains a movie few people still talk about as it arrived during a flood of straight-to-streaming releases during the pandemic, many of which were buried, but it deserves a watch.

Directed by John Lee Hancock, the movie features two detectives (Washington and Malek) investigating a string of murders, which leads them to one man (Leto). Despite mixed reviews, many critics praised the cast and the throwback thriller storyline. Jared Leto received the highest praise as the possible killer, holding his own against Denzel Washington. Leto earned a Golden Globes nomination for his performance and another nomination from the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

16 Bones And All (2022)

Starring Taylor Russell & Timothée Chalamet

Based on the book by Camille DeAngelis, Bones and All is a disturbing psychological thriller that stars Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet as two young cannibals who fall in love as they take a road trip across America. The movie seems to take place in a world where cannibalism is slightly normalized as a condition that people face. However, as a love story, it is a unique and disturbing look at a couple struggling, and failing, to fit in normally in a world where what they do is considered monstrous.

One problem with the movie was that it was compared unfavorably to the book, which remains a bestseller and critically acclaimed work. However, despite this, the movie sits at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes thanks to its handling of the love story despite a very disturbing setting. The movie was a box office flop but received several awards nominations, including three from the Independent Spirit Awards. It also won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival.

15 The Machinist (2004)

Starring Christian Bale

The Machinist is a psychological thriller that is mostly known for the major body transformation of star Christian Bale.

The Machinist is a psychological thriller that is mostly known for the major body transformation of star Christian Bale. Bale dropped to a dangerously low weight for this role, eating one apple, one cup of coffee, and water as his daily diet. The movie itself is about a man (Bale) who works as a machinist and struggles with paranoia after he goes a full year without sleeping. He begins to see things that aren't there and starts to believe that people are following and pose a danger to him.

While it wasn't a huge box office success, it was critically praised and has become a cult classic. The movie has a positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, sitting at 77%, with an even higher 83% audience score. Bale received praise, not only for his body transformation but also for his performance as a man who is always looking over his shoulder and drowning in a feeling of paranoia. The movie remains one of Bale's more nuanced performances in an otherwise great career.

14 Knock At The Cabin (2023)

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Knock at the Cabin is an M. Night Shyamalan movie based on the horror novel by Paul Tremblay. While a horror movie, this is more of a psychological thriller, as four strangers show up at a cabin where two men and their adopted daughter are vacationing. These four people then explain the end of the world is underway, and unless one member of the family sacrifices themselves, it will all end. However, the small family has to find a way out, while deciding if their lives are worth risking the world.

The movie received positive reviews and kept Shyamalan's rebound intact, while also making a small profit at the box office. There were some complaints about the ending as the movie changes things from Tremblay's novel, and Shyamalan decided to offer a definitive ending to the tragedy in the finale. Tremblay left things up in the air about what might have happened in the end. The movie is not as violent as it could have been, but it remains an interesting character study with some great acting.

13 Coherence (2013)

Starring Nicholas Brendon

One of the best psychological thrillers on Amazon Prime with a very small-scale sci-fi twist, Coherence revolves around a group of old friends meeting for dinner on the evening a comet visibly passes overhead. Throughout the bizarre evening, they realize that the comet's passing has resulted in an inexplicable phenomenon, opening up the fabric of their reality and casting them into a night of confusion and doubt. This makes the movie a confusing tale, but one worth watching.

The improvisational nature of most scenes makes the movie a real exploration of a fascinating sci-fi idea in which the characters quite literally become their own worst enemies. Critics loved the movie, and it sits at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, certified fresh, with an 81% audience score. The movie received praise for its low-budget filmmaking, while never skimping on the story or its character development. It also picked up several festival awards throughout its time on the circuit.

12 The Wall (2017)

Starring John Cena & Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Aaron Taylor-Johnson and John Cena star in this minimalist Iraq war movie from director Doug Liman about a soldier pinned down by an enemy sniper with only a small wall for protection. Most of the movie revolves around the conversations between the soldier and the unseen sniper over the radio, with mind games abounding. This allows for not only a great psychological thriller but also an intense drama as one man tries to outlast and survive a seemingly unstoppable enemy.

The Wall received mixed to positive reviews from critics, but it was only a minor success when it was released in theaters, barely making more than its budget at the box office. The movie rests heavily on Aaron Taylor-Johnson's shoulders. His performance successfully sells the intensity of the situation and the brutality of the conflict, making it one of the best psychological thrillers on Amazon Prime. The ending is also a shocking moment and one that hits the viewers hard with the brutality of war.

11 You Were Never Really Here (2018)

Starring Joaquin Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix stars in this violent and unusually intimate psychological thriller that is an interesting precursor to Phoenix's Oscar-winning lead performance in Joker. Phoenix is Joe, a traumatized mercenary who specializes in rescuing trafficked girls. What makes him so intriguing is that he is just as brutal, if not more so, than the kidnappers themselves, which is only balanced by the crimes of the men that he kills. A politician hires him to find his daughter and kill everyone involved as violently as possible.

This job pushes Joe into a dangerous headspace for himself and everyone around him. Filled with odd visual and sound design choices to place the audience into the mind of the film's troubled main character as they delve into rescuing a young girl trapped within a dark political conspiracy involving human trafficking. Its dark sense of humor and unconventional emotionality make it an unpredictable and engaging ride. The movie earned eight BAFTA nominations, winning two.

10 We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)

Starring Tilda Swinton

We Need To Talk About Kevin is based on the 2003 novel written by Lionel Shriver and focuses on the lives of Eva Khatchadourian and her children. Her son, Kevin, is difficult and distant. As he grows up, he starts to act out, and alarming incidents begin to happen, such as his sister Celia getting seriously injured. As a teenager, he commits a heinous crime, leaving his mother agonizing over her role in his development and her culpability for his crimes.

Though there isn’t a resolution to his behavior, the story is always intriguing and often boldly explores under-discussed feelings around parenthood. Tilda Swinton received critical acclaim as a mother who has to come to terms with the fact her son Kevin (Ezra Miller) was the latest in a long line of school shooters. Lynne Ramsay won Best Director at the BAFTAs and Swinton was nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and BAFTAs.

9 Delicatessen (1991)

Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeanet

The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where a butcher owns an apartment building in France.

Delicatessen is a science fiction psychological thriller that also doubles as a black comedy by Jean-Pierre Jeanet. The movie takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where a butcher owns an apartment building in France. The building never has a handyman because the butcher is always killing them, butchering them, and selling them as food. However, things go wrong when his latest target falls in love with the butcher's daughter, and nothing will ever be the same.

Fans who only know Jeunet from Amelie and Alien Resurrection should check this out to see what he is capable of when he really lets go with his ideas and storylines. When released in North America, Terry Gilliam added his name to the movie as "presented by," and the movie shares much in common with Gilliam's more eclectic movie releases. Delicatessen received positive reviews and won several awards, including at the Cesar Awards and European Film Awards.

8 The Handmaiden (2016)

Directed by Park Chan-wook

Park Chan-wook became a fan-favorite director in the United States thanks to the crossover popularity of his intense thriller, Oldboy. However, he has many more great movies under his belt other than that one. The Handmaiden might rank as Park Chan-wook's best movie, as it tells the story of a pickpocket who attempts to seduce an elite Japanese woman with the intent to steal her inheritance. The movie is a psychological thriller that received universal acclaim.

There are several twists and turns in this film, but it is the tale of two women escaping the dominating patriarchy engulfing them that carries it to high levels. Critics certified it fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96% score. It also finished in several best-of lists for critics at the end of the year. It competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Ryu Seong-hui won the Vulcan Award there for his work as the production designer.

7 Charade (1963)

Starring Audrey Hepburn & Cary Grant

Stanley Donen (Singin' in the Rain) directed an odd film in 1963 that combined screwball comedy with the touch of a psychological thriller when he made Charade. It is often confused as an Alfred Hitchcock movie thanks to star Cary Grant and its suspense and mysterious storyline. Audrey Hepburn is Reggie, an expatriate who learns her estranged husband was partially responsible for the theft of $250,000 of gold treasure.

While three men start to stalk Reggie, believing she knows where the money is, a new man in her life is there to help her, but he might not be who he claims to be. The movie remains one of Audrey Hepburn's best movies in her illustrious career, and she won a BAFTA for her performance as Reggie. It also earned an Oscar nomination for the song "CHarade" by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer. The Library of Congress added Charade to the National Film Registry in 2022.

6 The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

Directed By John Frankenheimer

One of the best psychological thrillers in cinema history is the original The Manchurian Candidate from 1962. Directed by John Frankenheimer, the movie is based on the book of the same name about a man who returns from the Korean War after being captured and brainwashed by the communists. What he doesn't know is that he is part of a giant conspiracy by communists who infiltrated the political parties and planned to overthrow the United States government through an assassination.

The movie garnered two Oscar nominations and Angela Lansbury won a Golden Globe for her performance. Jonathan Demme remade the movie in 2004 with Denzel Washington and Liev Schreiber in the lead roles, and Meryl Streep taking on the Lansbury role. It was a good film but didn't quite match up to the Frankenheimer original. The Library of Congress selected The Manchurian Candidate for the National Film Registry in 1994, recognizing it for its excellence.