Of the various genres that have seen success in film over the years, few have been as succinctly emblematic of their era as the enigmatic thriller. Being able to tap into the heightened sense of anxiety and tension as characters traverse various high-stakes scenarios has always made for exhilarating cinematic experiences, with the genre evolving a multitude of times according to the trends of the generation. A handful of perfect thrillers have so effectively displayed these notions of nail-biting excitement, including M and Vertigo.
However, even more interesting than the thrillers that managed to do everything right without a single flaw are those that, while still exceptional, have a single flaw stopping them from reaching perfection. It’s certainly easier for a film to make one mistake than to make no mistakes at all, and a film can still largely be praised and enjoyed despite its singular flaw; yet, these shortcomings still make for an interesting topic of discussion. Whether they’re modern films that will assuredly become modern classics in time or tried-and-true classics that have had their flaws exposed with time, the thriller genre has many of these almost-perfect gems.
They are:
- Se7en (1995)
- Oldboy (2003)
- Uncut Gems (2019)
- Oppenheimer (2023)
- Sorcerer (1977)
- Prisoners (2013)
- Double Indemnity (1944)
- Caché (2005)
- American Psycho (2000)
- Pig (2021)
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Hitchcock doesn’t get a single nod on a list of perfect thriller movies?
Rear 🪟 for me has to go on this list
Hitch gets a nod in the opening paragraph.
Hitchcock doesn’t get a single nod on a list of perfect thriller movies?
I imagine he would, that’s not what this list is about, it’s for almost perfect thrillers. That said, although it might start a fee arguments, some of Hitchcock’s films might also make this list.
Sorcerer is a remake of The Wages of Fear by Clouzot.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wages_of_Fear
The Wages of Fear was critically hailed upon its original release. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote, “The excitement derives entirely from the awareness of nitroglycerine and the gingerly, breathless handling of it. You sit there waiting for the theatre to explode.”[3] The film was also a hit with the public, selling 6,944,306 tickets in France where it was the fourth highest earning film of the year.[4][5]
In 1982, Pauline Kael called it “an existential thriller—the most original and shocking French melodrama of the 50s. … When you can be blown up at any moment only a fool believes that character determines fate. … If this isn’t a parable of man’s position in the modern world, it’s at least an illustration of it. … The violence … is used to force a vision of human existence.”[6] In 1992, Roger Ebert stated that “The film’s extended suspense sequences deserve a place among the great stretches of cinema.”[7] Leonard Maltin awarded the film 3+1⁄2 out of 4 stars, calling it a “marvelously gritty and extremely suspenseful epic”.[8] In 2010, the film was ranked No. 9 in Empire’s “The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema.”[9] The website Rotten Tomatoes reported that 100% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 47 reviews, with a weighted average of 8.90/10. Its critics consensus reads: “An existential suspense classic, The Wages of Fear blends nonstop suspense with biting satire; its influence is still being felt on today’s thrillers.”[10] Metacritic reports a score of 85 out of 100 based on 15 critic reviews, indicating “universal acclaim”.[11]
The British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan was strongly influenced by The Wages of Fear for his film Dunkirk.[12]
While I agree with the list, Uncut Gems is not the definitive proof that Adam Sandler can handle dramatic roles, that was provided 17 years prior to UG in Punch Drunk Love.
Really, really tried to watch Uncut Gems, but A) Adam Sandler and B) those fucking weird yank Uncanny-valley white teeth plus C) Adam’s fairly prominent teeth just made it unwatchable for me
I’ve probably missed a few good films
Agreed. Sandler just…wasn’t it for me in that movie. I could only finish it now if it was on in the background while I was doing something else.
That’s tricky criteria (and highly subjective), I may have to ponder that one.
I’ve not seen Uncut Gems and I keep meaning to.
You really should. It’s very good
Pig was far better than it had any right to be.
I’ve seen 1, 2, 4, and 9. So many I still have to see!
check out uncut gems, one of sandler’s best performances. maybe his best actually
