Squid Game has only been out for just over a month and has already become an instant hit, making it harder to find someone who hasn't watched it than someone who has. What started off as a seemingly run-of-the-mill survival-horror soon became a dark, unsettling, and truly gripping psychological drama, with characters that hooked it's viewers and wouldn't let go.
With Squid Game taking the world by storm, spawning countless memes and TikToks since it's release, now is as good a time as any to introduce fans of the hit Netflix show to similarly gripping and intense movies that are sure to please while they eagerly await Season 2.
Battle Royale (2000)
Based on the 1999 novel by Koushun Takami, this brutal Japanese movie was one of the first of its kind, predating The Hunger Games by twelve years and exceeding it in its depiction of pure violence. The movie is set in Japan in the near-future and follows a group of high-schoolers who are forced, by the Japanese government, to fight to the death in the annual Battle Royale.
The Battle Royale is the result of the government passing the "BR ACT" in an attempt to combat juvenile delinquency following a national recession. A truly terrifying, over-the-top rollercoaster of action and violence, this is definitely a must-watch.
As The Gods Will (2014)
This adaptation of a manga series of the same name is a Japanese horror movie directed by Takashi Miike. The movie follows a young video game-obsessed student who one day, while at school, finds himself thrust into playing a game of "Statues," or "Red Light, Green Light," the punishment for which is death.
The striking similarities to Squid Game do not end there, with the remainder of this supernatural horror featuring unforgettable death-games and characters that will cause even more empathy due to their age and circumstance. Mixing Squid Games' hold-your-breath moments and some genuine supernatural horror, this is a perfect movie for fans looking to scratch the itch that Squid Game has left.
Circle (2015)
Circle is an American science-fiction, psychological thriller and horror that starts as it means to carry on: intense. Fifty strangers wake to find themselves all standing in a circle in a dark room, the only light being the smaller red lights each of them is standing on.
Not only is someone killed if they move, every two minutes someone is killed regardless. Inspired by 1957's 12 Angry Men, this movie taps into the human survival instinct, and shows that "eat-or-be-eaten" isn't necessarily the best mindset to have when faced with such an evil and tortuous situation.
Nerve (2016)
2016's techno-thriller, Nerve, stars Emma Roberts and Dave Franco as two "players" of a new online game, similar to truth or dare, that others can join as fellow players or pay to be "watchers."
What starts as simple dares, like kissing a stranger, soon evolves into a nightmarish take on the terrifying possibilities of social media and doesn't let up while it takes its viewers on a non-stop ride to the thrilling finale. Different to Squid Game in it's almost cyber-punk setting, this movie is still undoubtedly the Squid Game of the social-media generation.
The Purge (2013)
Unlike the numerous sequels it has spawned since its release in 2013, The Purge focuses more on those not playing the game, and makes for a claustrophobic, panic-inducing journey into the world of the people wanting to play such horrific games, rather than being forced to, and those they choose to be the casualties of such heinous games.
Set in the not-so-distant future, The Purge follows a family as they set out to survive the annual Purge, a night in which all crimes are legal, including murder. The Purge's characters are believable, and the fantastic performances from Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey only add to this, creating a truly terrifying experience.
Escape Room (2019)
Escape Room follows six people, all of which have narrowly avoided death in the past, as they successfully solve an initial puzzle, thus resulting in their invitation to take part in an escape room with a $10,000 reward for the winner.
Initially taking the chance for various different personal reasons, the players soon find out that the escape room is much more immersive that they had originally anticipated. Similar to Saw in it's dark atmosphere and the incredibly tense, nail-biting pacing, once the viewer is in the room with these six strangers it is not long until they're on the edge of their seats and watching the traps through their hands.
Cube (1997)
This independent sci-fi horror has gained something of a cult following since its 1997 release, and while the dialogue is something of a let-down, the premise and execution certainly make up for this. Five strangers awaken in a metal room shaped like a cube, and with the help of someone who knows more about the facility, they attempt to navigate their way out.
It doesn't take long for them to realize that on every side of their cube is another cube, and so on. With mathematical equations and physical strength put to the test in order to move from rom to room, and their estimate that the whole building is, in fact, made up of 17,576 rooms, this movie proves to be both an entertaining and terrifying watch.
The Tournament (2009)
This British movie features an ensemble cast including Robert Carlyle, Kelly Hu and Ving Rhames. The premise is simple: every seven to ten years "The Tournament" takes place, a last-man-standing fight to the death that was created by the wealthy as a form of entertainment for them to watch and bet on.
With the prize being $10 million, and "The Tournament" being so gruesome and dangerous, this means that those who volunteer and the hardest, craziest, and most evil people in the world. What makes for tough contestants also makes for highly entertaining viewing, and with standout performances from Kelly Hu and Ving Rhames, this action-packed, non-stop action thriller is not just a fun watch, but also something that touches on society and it's billionaires' idea of "fun."
The Condemned (2007)
Starring Stone Cold Steve Austin and actually produced by WWE Films, this hyper-violent and cheesy movie is certainly not an Oscar-winner, but stands its ground as a worth-while watch that delivers not only in laughs, whether intended or not, but also over-the-top action sequences that are just too fun to pass up.
The movie follows ten condemned criminals as they are all given the chance of freedom in the form of a brutal game that will be watched by millions around the world. A simple premise, a simple movie, but an insanely fun watch.
The Running Man (1987)
Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic dystopian sci-fi movie is based on a book by Stephen King, released under his pseudonym Richard Bachman, and follows Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger) as he is persuaded to join The Running Man, a new game show that is broadcast to millions, by it's maniacal creator.
Set in Los Angeles, The Running Man ticks numerous boxes when looking for a truly great movie to watch. It's an 80's, action, sci-fi, dystopian thriller starring Arnie in his prime, what more could anyone want? However this movie also touches on what life will be like in (then-future) 2017, and in some cases it's predictions are accurate, and it's take on television and society are thought-provoking enough to make this more than your average action movie.