One of the most common genres to hit theater and television screens is the thriller. Between the popular Hollywood thrillers and the low-budget independent efforts, the market is being flooded with thrillers. With so much to choose from, it can be hard to pick out the films that are actually worthwhile.
Fortunately, the year 2015 gave audiences a wide variety of quality thriller genre fare. To help narrow things down a little further, here are ten of the best thriller films to be released in 2015.
The Stanford Prison Experiment
The Stanford Prison Experiment is a docudrama that reveals the true story about an experiment conducted in 1971. The brainchild of psychology professor Philip Zimbardo, the experiment saw a group of students from Stanford University take on the roles of guards and prisoners in a mock prison setting. What followed was six horrible days as students were abused and suffered psychological trauma.
This chilling thriller was praised by critics for its illuminating depiction of these events. Under the direction of Kyle Patrick Alvarez, The Stanford Prison Experiment is a psychological thriller that powerfully poses ethical questions with its gripping imagery.
A Most Violent Year
A Most Violent Year is a crime drama about an immigrant who is struggling to build his business because his trucks are being hijacked during one of the most violent years in New York City's history. Faced with great loss, he must find a way to fight to preserve his business and his family.
This slow burn thriller was praised for its direction under the supervision of J.C. Chandor and for the performances of Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain, who play the lead roles. Dark and thought-provoking, A Most Violent Year was a critical darling that ought not to be overlooked.
Bridge Of Spies
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Bridge of Spies follows a lawyer who is tasked with defending a Soviet spy during the Cold War. Despite the thankless nature of the job, he throws himself into the case in an effort to ensure his client gets a fair day in court.
Featuring a solid performance by Tom Hanks as the film's protagonist, Bridge of Spies marks another success in Spielberg's career. Its heart and character-driven narrative make it a one of a kind spy thriller.
Slow West
Slow West is a western about a young man on a mission to find the woman he loves. His only companion is a mysterious bounty hunter named Silas who he hires as his bodyguard.
The first and only feature film to the name of writer-director John Maclean, Slow West surprised critics with its tense, fast-paced storyline. Critics also praised the performances of the film's cast, which includes talent such as Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, and Ben Mendelsohn. With such quality behind it, Slow West is a non-stop thrill ride.
Sicario
Sicario follows an FBI agent who is assigned to a special task force that is spearheading the war on drugs. As she becomes more and more involved in the team's operations, however, she starts to question the ethics of its leaders' tactics.
Critics and audiences alike adored this film. Its perfect blend of character driven drama and tense action set pieces made for a satisfying experience at the theaters and solidified director Denis Villeneuve as one of the great directors working in Hollywood today.
Ex Machina
Ex Machina tells the story of computer programmer who gets the opportunity of a lifetime when he is offered the chance to come to a retreat in the mountains hosted by the CEO of the company he works for. When he gets there, however, he finds himself caught in the middle of an experiment involving artificial intelligence.
Smart and simple, this sci-fi thriller wowed audiences and critics when it debuted. Its decision to lean more heavily on its story, characters, and ideas than on visual spectacle made it stand out from other films in the sci-fi genre while also beautifully merging that genre with the thriller genre.
Room
Based on a book by Emma Donoghue (who also penned the screenplay), Room is about a woman and her son who are trapped inside a small room. As her son grows older, the mother realizes she must find a way for them to escape their captivity. However, returning to the new world proves to be a greater challenge than she thought.
Featuring an Academy Award winning performance from star Brie Larson, Room deals with the psychological trauma that comes with living a life of captivity. Critics described it as a story which is both rewarding and heartbreaking. Room is not only a great thriller because of the tension its premise creates, but also because of the raw emotion it is infused with.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation
The fifth film in the Tom Cruise-starring franchise, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation saw IMF agent Ethan Hunt go on the run when his pursuit of the criminal organization known as the Syndicate causes him to be disavowed by the United States government.
Rogue Nation continued the success of the franchise with a globe trotting thrill ride. Featuring more of the series's signature outlandish stunts and suspenseful filmmaking, this film gave audiences an action packed thriller that fans and critics alike found to be rewarding.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Mad Max: Fury Road follows the titular character as he finds himself caught in the middle of a prolonged car chase between the villainous Immortan Joe and the rogue Furiosa who is trying to help Joe's "brides" escape their master.
Directed by George Miller and starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron as the leads, Fury Road revived the Mad Max franchise with an adventure that wowed audiences with its practical effects and beautiful cinematography. This suspenseful roller coaster of a film satisfied fans and left them anxious for more.
It Follows
It Follows is a horror thriller about a high school student who, after having sex with her boyfriend, realizes there is a supernatural entity trying to kill her. She enlists the help of her friends to escape the waking nightmare her life has become.
It Follows was a critical and commercial success. Critics praised it for its originality and frightening execution. Well-written and well-directed, this movie is perfect for fans who like some good scares in their thrillers.