Some movies are just so suspenseful and thrilling that they can keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time, even if they’re not actually scary. If you’re in the mood to watch a movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat with anticipation, try one of these top Hollywood suspense thriller movies, listed in no particular order.
1) The Game (1997)
This Hollywood suspense thriller movie, which is based on Neil Strauss’s autobiography, The Game: Penetrating a Secret Society of Pickup Artists, follows Sean Penn as he falls into a game with seduction specialists. He soon finds himself manipulating people for money, women, and fame. The game quickly becomes addictive, but is it worth losing his family? (Rated R)
2) The Usual Suspects (1995)
There’s no argument that The Usual Suspects is a Hollywood suspense thriller movie. The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and stars Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro, and Stephen Baldwin. When five career criminals are hauled in for questioning about a boat hijacking in New York Harbor, they run into a crafty detective and turn on each other to save themselves. Only one will remain alive by the end of their interrogation… but who?
3) Triangle (2009)
Directed by Christopher Smith, Triangle is a mystery thriller that involves three friends’ disappearance at sea during a yacht trip off Bermuda. The movie follows their spouses in an attempt to understand what happened on that fateful trip, revealing startling truths as they go along. If you’re looking for top Hollywood suspense thriller movies that don’t have much action but will make your heart race, Triangle it is.
4) Vertigo (1958)
Director Alfred Hitchcock and actor James Stewart star in Vertigo, a Hollywood suspense thriller movie that brings moviegoers on a winding story of love, death, and deception. In one of his most memorable roles, Stewart stars as John Scottie Ferguson, an ex-cop who develops acrophobia after suffering from a serious fall while pursuing a criminal.
5) Gone Girl (2014)
The newest Hollywood suspense thriller movie that has been getting so much buzz is Gone Girl (2014). The movie is based on a 2012 novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn. If you haven’t read or watched it yet, you’re missing out on one of Hollywood’s most popular mystery movies. The R-rated thriller stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as Nick and Amy Dunne, a seemingly normal couple who live in Missouri.
6) Se7en (1995)
This is not only a classic Hollywood suspense movie but also one of the top most suspenseful films ever made. Directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, Se7en follows two detectives on a hunt for a serial killer who leaves cryptic messages based on each deadly sin. What makes it so great: Se7en has many twists that keep you in suspense until the end.
7) Shutter Island (2010)
If you’re a fan of Hollywood suspense thriller movies, then Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island is one you have to watch. It has it all: murder, mystery, and heart-pounding action sequences.
8) Fight Club (1999)
When it comes to Hollywood suspense thriller movies, how can we miss this cult classic? I personally think everyone should see Fight Club at least once in their life, no matter what genre of film you prefer. This story is about an insomniac office worker who creates a fight club as a way to vent his frustrations. His idea catches on and soon he’s looking for new members. He meets a charismatic soap maker named Tyler Durden and they form an underground club where men can fight each other without consequences or interruptions from society. It ends up being more than they bargained for, however… Tyler begins to push the protagonist into the person he wishes he could be. Eventually, the two merge, and everything starts to spiral out of control. Afterward, the protagonist learns that he’s not alone in feeling the need for a release but that we all are stuck in this rat race called life. The movie has its fair share of violent scenes which make it so gripping that you’ll watch until your eyes go dry. Hollywood suspense thriller movie fans will love this one!
9) Zodiac (2007)
Directed by David Fincher, Zodiac is one of those Hollywood suspense thriller movies that blends a real-life event (the mystery surrounding a string of serial killings that occurred in California) with both genre tropes and stylistic innovation. The killer here—codenamed Zodiac—is never identified, instead of serving as an uncanny bogeyman (part Jason Voorhees, part Norman Bates) throughout an otherwise well-made crime thriller.
10) Prisoners (2013)
When Keller Dover’s daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and pressure mounts. But just how far will he go to protect his family? If you’re looking for a pulse-pounding, Hollywood suspense thriller movie with an unexpected twist at every turn, Prisoners is for you. This film was nominated for several Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Editing.
