The anticipated release of Knives Out 2 has left many viewers rewatching the popular mystery movie Knives Out as they seek out slightly darker movies to stimulate their brains and give them a thrill that will cure their burning excitement. Knives Out was a compelling murder mystery with twists, and the sequel could potentially provide more, maybe even raising questions instead of answering them.
Knives Out may have been a mystery, but many fans have been on the search for other thrillers that stir up similar complex questions, especially after the successful releases of The Weekend Away and Deep Water. These thriller movies are guaranteed to leave viewers with just as many questions as Knives Out.
Old (2021)
Old was a welcomed addition to the M.Night Shyamalan universe and placed fans in the middle of the action through its use of forced proximity on an isolated beach that looked like a dream but haunted fans like a nightmare. The movie's use of an enclosed space creates a claustrophobic feeling that was intensified by the characters' lack of phone signal, medical help, and an exit.
With each character's death, viewers were left to work out what the hidden connection between each beach-goer was and who was going to be next to fall victim to the beach's curse. The continued threat of death and illness led to many fans attempting to connect the dots and work out what point the movie was trying to make, ultimately resulting in a satisfying plot twist that some clever fans had almost worked out.
Us (2019)
Jordan Peele has a reputation for creating horror movies that have a unique premise, and Us is another movie that challenges the usual thriller viewers see in movie theaters. This idiosyncratic flick plays on the typical family structure by utilizing the idea of lookalikes in red jumpsuits to present fans with an intricate and cleverly executed plot.
The movie's employment of doppelgängers encourages viewers to have a keen eye as many of the scenes see their counterparts under attack from their lookalikes, but Us proves to excel past predictable gimmicks. It continuously throws viewers into the unknown as they try to grasp Adelaide's connection to the little girl in the funhouse. Its complex nature resulted in many questions raised about the significance of the red jumpsuit as they also attempted to map the small indifferences between the Wilson family and their doppelgängers.
Fight Club (1999)
The first rule of Fight Club is to not talk about Fight Club, but after the movie's release in 1999, that's all viewers have been able to do. This drama-thriller follows Tyler as he seeks something new and exciting away from the corporate job that is sucking the life out of him, but his need for action soon becomes much more.
The movie is an enigma in itself, with its symbolic references to capitalism that viewers are encouraged to interpret in their own way. Fight Club's narrative is almost of a dual structure that continuously hints at a dreamlike plot, blurring the lines between what is real and what isn't. The final twist contained a powerful message about power and greed, which only impacted fans fully once they understood the true meaning of Fight Club and what can be learned from it.
Split (2016)
Split contains one of the best movie plot twists of the last decade and ultimately satisfies viewers who became invested in Casey's desire to escape her kidnapper. This mind-bending thriller offers viewers a unique story where three teenagers are kept hostage by Kevin who had dissociative identity disorder.
Due to the changing personas of Kevin holding such a prominent role within the movie, some viewers created their own character reference forms to map each of his personas' traits. Whilst Kevin's appearance often changes to fit the criteria of the person he has become, there are many moments within the film where viewers have to refer to their notes in a bid to understand which side of Kevin they are currently seeing and essentially what he is capable of, making Split one of the most complex thrillers to date.
American Psycho (2000)
American Psycho is considered a favorite among movie buffs due to its intricately written script, Christian Bale's stellar performance, and its ability to leave fans with a series of unanswered questions. Patrick Bateman seems like a well-put-together working man, but his clean-cut image soon gets replaced when he reveals his true self (or so fans think).
At first, it seems as though the movie follows a typical thriller structure, but in the final few scenes, American Psycho becomes one of the most complicated films to understand due to its enigmatic ending that stirred up a lot of conversation. The film's plot twist was so confusing that many fans have rewatched it multiple times with a notebook in hand as they attempt to uncover clues as to whether Patrick's killing sprees are real.
Searching (2018)
Searching is one movie that entices its viewers through unique gimmicks that challenge the typical thriller viewers are used to seeing. The movie follows David through his computer screen as he desperately searches for information about his daughter Margot's disappearance.
The movie's digital format allows viewers an insight into Margot's use of social media and encourages them to draw up their own conclusions based on the online clues they find. Searching's unusual film style added a unique element that intensified the movie's twists by highlighting just how easy it is to hide things online, adding a complex component that evolved into fans having their own detective board littered with clues.
The Girl On The Train (2016)
The Girl On The Train is another highly successful book-to-movie adaptation that proved to be just as chilling onscreen as on the page. The movie tells the story of Rachel, who becomes enamored with a couple she passes every morning on her daily commute but soon finds herself wrapped up in a missing person case.
The movie deals with many serious topics, including alcoholism which prompts viewers to question the validity of Rachel. By employing an unreliable narrator, the thriller plays with viewers' ability to suss out the truth amid Rachel's blackouts and the gaslighting she undergoes, resulting in many viewers creating their own detailed accounts of each character's whereabouts and flaws.
Gone Girl (2014)
Gone Girl made waves as it followed the disappearance of Amy Dunne, who turns out to be one of the best onscreen femme fatales. The movie sends viewers on a series of twists and turns as they see Amy's initial plan unfold when her 'doting' husband becomes the media's villain.
This fiery flick encouraged viewers to keep up by making notes on each suspicion that arose, as well as, every act Amy carried out to tarnish Nick's image of a 'worried' husband. The movie's twists and turns were endless, making it a seriously great thriller that saw viewers become attached to each character, whilst also attempting to keep up with the intricacies of the movie's plot.
Shutter Island (2010)
There are many questions fans continue to ask about Shutter Island even today, with the movie deemed one of the most enigmatic in cinematic history. Shutter Island entices fans from the offset by being a master of suspense and creating mystery around why the two men have been sent to the remote island to investigate a disappearance.
Shutter Island's final curveball has become one of the most spoken about movie endings to date, resulting in many people rewatching this twisty thriller to identify the hidden clues that could eventually aid them in understanding the movie's complicated final twist.
Memento (2000)
Memento was a clever addition to the world of cinema and has since held a long reign for being a favorite among thriller fans. The mind-bending movie follows Leonard, who tries to hunt down his wife's potential killer as he suffers from Amnesia. By employing an unreliable narrative, Memento cleverly invites fans to work alongside Leonard and make notes on his behalf.
However, viewers found that the movie's complex nature also required them to make their own notes to understand its nonlinear structure. Memento essentially begins at the very end of Leonard's story and therefore tells the story backward, resulting in fans having to watch it more than once to understand its complex but intriguing time structure.