10 heart-stopping thrillers to watch this autumn

We balance out the season’s newest releases with some golden oldies so that you can consider your seasonal watching inspo sorted.

Sometimes there’s just no better way to spend your evening than curled up on the sofa with a good movie.

Now the nights are getting that little bit darker, a cosy night in with a good drink, some freshly made popcorn and our fluffy socks is well and truly our kind of vibe.

And by a ‘good movie’, we mean a heart-in-your-mouth, juicy thriller, (ok, so maybe it’s less of a ‘cosy’ night in, as these will probably have you on the edge of your seat). But there’s nothing better than when a film grips you from start to finish, where you really have no clue which way the action is going to go.

Which is why we’ve chosen 10 heart-stopping thrillers that are available on various streaming platforms to keep you entertained this autumn. We’ve found something for everyone, whether it’s an action thrillers to get the heart pumping or psychological thrillers to really get your brain in gear.

And don’t think they’re all just your big name blockbusters, either – we’ve got more than a few hidden gems based on real life events or even comedy thrillers that may just surprise you.

The Gray Man

Netflix

Did someone say Ryan Gosling?! Count us in.

The Barbie movie star is also making (comparatively less) waves in The Grey Man on Netflix right now, starring as shadowy CIA agent, Six, who finds a price on his head after discovering some deeply disturbing and incriminating agency secrets.

He is soon hunted across the globe by a sociopathic former colleague (Chris Evans) who puts a bounty on his head – meaning every assassin the world over starts tracking him down, too. Perhaps with the help of fellow operative Ana de Armas will Six survive…

Directed by the Russo brothers (of Avengers and Captain America fame) expect plenty of juicy action sequences and high-octane stunts in this solid action thriller.

Speed

Disney+

An oldie but a goodie, Speed is an action classic from the ‘90s that starts the forever-young duo Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock (when they were actually young).

For those of you who don’t already know the story, let us bring you up to… well, you know. LAPD Officer Jack Traven faces the biggest challenge of his life when he discovers a terrorist (played by the late, great Dennis Hopper) has placed a bomb on a bus full of unsuspecting commuters (including Sandy B), rigging it to explode if the vehicle travels less than 50mph.

It’s up to Jack to find a way on board and passenger Annie to take control until he gets there so that, together, they can try to disarm the bomb before it’s too late.

The Good Nurse

Netflix

While she’s battling a serious health condition, overstretched ICU nurse Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain) uncovers her co-worker Charles Cullen’s (Eddie Redmayne) darkest secrets and unmasks one of the most sinister serial killers of all time.

This film is actually based on true events in which Cullen was employed as a nurse and killed at least 29 people (maybe more) between the 1990s and 2000s.

Promising to have you on the edge of your seats from start to finish, Eddie Redmayne gives one of the most totally unnerving portrayals of a serial killer we’ve seen on screen to date.

Fall

Netflix

This survival thriller is not one to watch if you have a fear of heights.

In Fall, we follow two adventure-seeking friends, Shiloh (played by Virginia Gardner from Halloween) and Becky (Grace Fulton). Almost a year after having a life-altering accident which left her traumatised, Becky finally gets the courage and strength to join her best friend on a risky climbing mission – with the aim to reach the top of the B67 tower in the middle of the Mojave desert.

Of course, with this being a survival thriller, you can guess things don’t quite go to plan and the chances of making it out alive get harder and harder by the minute.

The Menu

Disney+

As you’re all well aware, we love our food here at HLN. We spend most of our time visiting some of best restaurants and local hotspots in the North East.

Not only that, but we love watching films about food, too.

And The Menu toes that beautiful, rarely-seen line between a foodie film and comedy thriller (niche, we know).

Featuring a star-studded cast that includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes and Nicholas Hoult, this dark comedic satire is set in the world of fine dining and follows guests as they travel to a remote island for the fine dining meal of their lives.

Once they arrive, their exclusive dining experience soon takes an unexpected turn.

I Care A Lot

Amazon Prime 

Gone Girl and Wheel of Time star Rosamund Pike plays bone-chilling con artist Marla Grayson here, who only cares about one thing in her life and that’s money.

Marla makes a living scamming the elderly, trapping them by becoming their legal guardian before quickly draining their assets.

However, things take a dark turn when she swindles the wrong victim, finding herself face-to-face with Roman (Peter Dinklage) – a former Russian drug trafficker with powerful mafia ties.

A Simple Favour

Amazon Prime 

Honestly, if you only watch this black comedy/crime thriller to admire how Blake Lively can literally pull off any three-piece suit known to man, then we fully support that.

Stephanie (Anna Kendrick) is a full-time, stay-at-home mom, who also happens to be a successful mummy Vlogger. When her new best friend, Emily (Blake Lively) goes missing, Stephanie soon begins an investigation – sharing updates with her fans.

However, the further she digs into the mystery, the darker the secrets she uncovers are. And the big question remains: where on earth is Emily?

Red Dot

Netflix 

This suspense drama is reportedly one of the first Netflix original films from Sweden.

We follow a couple named Nadja and David as they go on a camping trip to see the Northern Lights. However (you’ve guessed it) things don’t go as planned, as events from their past begin to haunt them here in the present. And the sense of danger and dread is only heightened by the wintry terrain and lonely locals.

Nadja and David go through hell to guarantee their survival – from being shot at to an encounter with a wild bear.

Make sure you watch it in its original language, though, as the dubbed English version seems to lose something.

The Reef

Amazon Prime 

If you’re planning a late beach holiday this year, it might be best to give this movie a miss…

When a sailboat capsizes and leaves a group of friends stranded off the Australian coast, it would seem that the only option for everyone is to swim for the shore.

Everyone, that is, apart from Warren, whose fear of sharks keeps him firmly on the hull of the wreck. And as he starts to watch his friends being hunted, it turns out he had the right idea.

The Reef is based on a true story, in which Ray Boundy was the sole survivor of a similar event which took place in the 1980s.

The Bodyguard

Amazon Prime 

We don’t care what anyone else says, The Bodyguard remains a classic action thriller in our book, (and has a killer soundtrack to match).

Former US Secret Service agent Frank (Kevin Costner) is hired to protect famous actress and singer Rachel (Whitney Houston) from an unknown stalker. But, of course, a celebrity of her stature isn’t exactly thrilled about having her freedom curtailed…

The Bodyguard really does have it all: action, suspense, romance and even plenty of Whitney’s hit songs. It’s little wonder it’s gone on to inspire one of the most successful modern stage shows, too.

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