Can’t get enough of thriller, mystery, and psychological movies? To be fairly honest, neither can we. And if you are a mystery-lover surely you have seen the blockbuster hit Seven (stylized as Se7en). The highly engrossing 1995 movie follows two detectives – a young quick-witted recruit and a veteran about to retire – as they hunt and chase a serial killer who has been murdering people based on the seven deadly sins inspired by Dante’s “The Divine Comedy”. As they race against time to apprehend the killer they soon come to realize that things are much more diabolical than meets the eye.
David Fincher’s Seven is a gritty, in-your-face crime story that does not shy away from showing you how inhumanity has taken root in society. This is one of those movies where even though you strictly condemn the heinous acts of the perpetrator, you understand where he is coming from.
We understand why it might be a little tough to get back to watching any movie after experiencing a masterpiece such as this. So, we have prepared a list of movies that will excite you, disturb you, absorb you, and leave you thinking for days after, just like Seven did.
Here is our list of top 10 movies like Seven:
The Silence Of Lambs
Available on Amazon Prime | Netflix
We figured the perfect way to begin this listicle would be to name the OG movie that paved the way for mainstream psychological thrillers and mysteries. Jonathan Demme’s pièce de résistance The Silence of the Lambs follows the investigation of Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), an FBI agent who seeks the help of the notorious psychotic killer, Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in a bid to capture another serial killer infamously known as “Buffalo Bill” (Ted Levine) responsible for abducting and claiming the lives of multiple women.
The movie made Hannibal Lecter one of the most feared and celebrated icons of the century although he had only a few minutes of screen time to his name. Anthony Hopkins even went on to win the Academy Award for best actor for his portrayal.
Needless to say, the movie also nagged the best picture at the scars. If you are looking for a movie that is bold, grim and terrifying and yet keeps you engrossed till the end credits roll in, you’re in for a treat with The Silence of the Lambs. We promise it will get under your skin (excuse the pun).
Zodiac
Available on Amazon Prime | Netflix
David Fincher is someone who could do no wrong and he proves it again and again, this time in his adaptation of the infamous unsolved murders of the notorious Zodiac Killer.
Professional cartoonist Robert Graysmith cannot keep his mind off the elusive Zodiac Killer. With no real detective skills in his belt, he uses his impressive puzzle-solving skills to disclose the identity of the killer.
With a star power that could put many movies to shame, Zodiac gives a no holds barred insight into the grisly murders of the 1960s and 70s by the serial killer who went by the name of Zodiac and left letters and clues in his wake.
But before you embark upon this bone-chilling 2hr 42 min ride it might be worth mentioning that you never get a satisfying conclusion with this one. Which makes it all the more sinister if anything.
The Usual Suspects
Available on Amazon Prime | Netflix
The basis of any noteworthy psychological thriller or mystery is its plot twist. Many directors have tried to pull off the perfect twist and yet all they did was fail magnificently. Either the denouement would be too obvious or the twist would just leave the story with numerous holes. Only a handful of movies have managed to accomplish the perfect twist and most notable one would have to be Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects.
Five criminals meet during a routine police line-up where they instantly click. Upon release, they plan to pull a daring heist that involves emeralds worth millions.
The 90s was a great decade for movies and The Usual Suspects is an indisputable gem of this era. Although the effect of the twist ending will be dulled with your first view, you will be almost sure to come back to this movie time and again.
The delicious unfolding of the narrative, the lies, the twists, the eerie and suggestive background score, and Kevin Spacey’s impeccable portrayal of Verbal Kint are some of the many factors that keep you coming back to the movie. An unmissable cult classic that will leave you begging for more.
Gone Girl
Based on author Gillian Flynn’s bestseller novel of the same name, Movies like Gone Girl is undoubtedly one of the best psychological thrillers to happen to us in modern cinema.
Another masterpiece by David Fincher, Gone Girl follows the story of a Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), a person who suddenly finds himself at the heart of every media coverage issue when his wife Anne Dunne (Rosamund Pike) disappears on the day of their fifth wedding anniversary. As Nick tries to get to the bottom of his wife’s sudden disappearance, he finds himself more perplexed than ever and his façade slowly slipping.
It’s never an easy task to turn a page-turner into the movie of the year but David Fincher does the adaptation justice in more ways than one. Intelligently crafted, Gone Girl’s 2hr 29 mins flies by in a head-spinning daze and leaves you with realizations that remain etched in your memory for days.
Available on Amazon Prime | Netflix
Primal Fear
Courtroom dramas are highly enjoyed by the audience. Why? Maybe because we are well aware of the nature and intricacies of the crime committed, we are presented with a criminal who potentially committed the crime and it’s us who get on a journey to reach the correct verdict. Primal Fear precisely takes you on this very journey.
Aron Stampler (Edward Norton), a demure and nervous-looking archer boy finds himself accused of brutally slaughtering a high priest. As Stampler is found smeared in blood and fleeing the scene of said crime, the media, police, and the public cannot hope for a more suited suspect. Things take a drastic turn when a famed lawyer, Martin Vail decides to take up Stampler’s case believing his innocence.
Primal Fear is a smart psychological thriller that delves deep into the human mind while investigating the dark side of every human being. This movie is concrete proof that no matter how much Edward Norton is celebrated as an actor, he is still underrated. Richard Gere is easy on the eye with his charming personality and air of intellect. A must watch for every mystery fanatic, Primal Fear promises to keep you on your toes start to finish.
Available on Amazon Prime
Fight Club
Available on Amazon Prime
Easily one of the best movies made and another of David Fincher’s gems, Fight Club is a movie that has a lot to convey and does so beautifully and tragically. The story follows the life of the narrator (Edward Norton) as he is in a bid to turn his life around frustrated with his 9 to 5 job and capitalist way of life.
Coupled with a reckless and intrepid soap salesman, Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), he opens an underground fight club that soon takes to new sinister heights.
Fight Club is an unmatched experience and we promise you that you will never see another movie of such likeness. As you dive deep into the world of Fight Club, you experience mayhem, madness, insecurities, violence and by the end of the movie, you’re questioning the very purpose of life. For those of you dream big and in bright colors,
for those who are bold in the face of adversity and for those who see society as a crippling machine that continues to take the best of us, Fight Club is a must-watch. We have all heard our friends, colleagues, and relatives talk about incidents, books, places that have shaped their lives; Fight Club is something that has the power to bring about significant changes to yours.
Related: Movies like Fight Club
The Sixth Sense
Let’s get real for a while. We love horror. And no, we don’t mean screaming nuns with bad make-up and raggedy dolls in pigtails. We relish the bone-chilling tension of facing the unknown and unseen, the telltale ominous music that leads to a startling and horrific discovery and the feeling of unease that you just can’t seem to shake free of after watching a psychological horror. And M. Night Shyamalan’s Sixth Sense promises to be all that and more.
Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a soft-spoken, compassionate child psychologist starts treating a young, nervous boy who discloses that he can see and communicate with wandering unhappy spirits.
Instead of disregarding the little boy’s confessions as illogical or unfounded, Malcolm proceeds to explore a world he becomes increasingly attached to till he comes to a revelation that shocks him to the very core.
A horror movie like no other, Sixth Sense lets you settle in, in a grim atmosphere and heightens the tension continuously with plays of mirror and shadows, creepy music that sets just the right tone and an air-tight plot that will have you reeling. A must-watch for horror and thriller enthusiasts, Sixth Sense will keep you coming back to dig further into the story.
Available on Amazon Prime | Netflix
Prisoners
Every cinephile is well aware that if Jake Gyllenhaal is starring in a mystery movie, things are about to get disturbingly creepy and Prisoner is no different.
Keller Drover‘s (Hugh Jackman) daughter and her friend has vanished into thin air and there is not a trace of them to be found. Enraged by the police and assigned detective’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) slow progress, Drover decides to take matters into his own hand. Panicked, helpless and desperate as close as Drover comes to finding the truth, the closer he comes to risking it all.
Despite a storyline that requires immediate and instantaneous action, Prisoners is a slow burn movie that takes its own sweet time to reveal its innermost secrets. This calm, cold, and calculated movie goes on for much too long for an abduction movie and yet manages to keep you glued to your screen. Despite being a twisted tale, Prisoners never enjoyed much popularity which is exactly why you will enjoy this underrated gem all the more.
Available on Amazon Prime
Kalifornia
Before Brad Pitt struck gold in Seven, there was Kalifornia. Never heard of it? We wouldn’t be surprised. But is it worth a watch? Hell yes! Two ambitious journalists set out to learn the way of and advance their research on serial killers. In a chance encounter, they find themselves hitchhiking with strangers only to later learn one of them is a serial killer.
With an interesting plot and impeccable acting, it’s a shame Kalifornia is as underrated as it is. For those of you who are tired of watching only commercialized cinema, Kalifornia will make for a refreshing watch. Sometimes violent and always clever, the movie will perplex you and puzzle you and leave you distraught for days.
Available on Amazon Prime
Fracture
Its common knowledge that Anthony Hopkins will shine through in every movie and no one can pull off sinister roles with quite as much elegance as him. And yet Ryan Gosling easily holds his own in this twisted tale of crime.
Upon learning of his young wife’s infidelity, Ted Crawford (Anthony Hopkins) attempts to murder her. Once arrested for the murder, Ted maintains that he is innocent well-aware that all clues point towards him. Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling), a cocky and successful young district attorney takes the case assuming it be an open and shut case. But as he locks horns with Ted in court, who chooses to be his own lawyer, he soon realizes that he is trapped in a cat and mouse game that is proving to be more dangerous by the minute.
Fracture is the sort of movie you easily overlook based on the belief that this is a plot that has been overdone by Hollywood and the two actors just don’t seem to complement one another. You couldn’t be more wrong. If you want to watch a movie that lets you play the detective too, there’s no alternative to Fracture.
Available on Netflix
Conclusions
Now that you have the perfect list of thriller movies much like Seven, to dive deep into, get that bowl of popcorn ready, call in your closest friend and make a movie night out of it. We promise you, the company will help. Happy Watching!