Best American Thriller Movies of 2025: Mystery, Twists, and Mind Games
Everyone loves a good mystery thriller—especially when a movie is packed with suspense, unexpected twists, and mind-bending games. Filmmakers never stop pushing their creativity to deliver fresh, exciting stories that keep us on the edge of our seats. After watching and analyzing countless films, we’ve put together a list of the Best American Thriller Movies of 2025 just for you, our amazing audience.
If you’re looking for the top thrillers that have just hit the screens, you’ve come to the right place. We hope you enjoy the picks — now, let’s dive in!
Here is the list of 2025’s best American thriller movies:
1. Flight Risk
Directed by Mel Gibson and starring Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, and Topher Grace, Flight Risk is a tense, action-packed thriller that takes you on a gripping journey through the rugged Alaskan wilderness. The story follows pilot Daryl Booth (Wahlberg), who is tasked with transporting Deputy U.S. Marshal Madolyn Harris (Dockery) and a fugitive named Winston (Grace) to Anchorage, where Winston is set to testify against a powerful crime family.
What starts as a routine flight quickly spirals into a deadly game of trust and survival. As the plane cuts through the icy skies, Madolyn realizes that the pilot she’s relying on isn’t who he seems—he’s actually a hitman sent to silence Winston before he can testify. With the radio broken and danger closing in, Madolyn must take control of the plane and protect Winston at all costs, all while navigating the perilous Alaskan terrain and uncovering shocking betrayals within her own ranks.
2. Companion
Companion is a smart, suspenseful sci-fi thriller that takes a seemingly simple weekend getaway into a chilling exploration of control, identity, and the dark side of technology. Directed and written by Drew Hancock, the film stars Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid as Iris and Josh, a couple whose weekend retreat with friends at a remote cabin quickly unravels when a shocking truth comes to light—one of the guests is actually a companion robot.
Sophie Thatcher delivers a standout performance as Iris, a character who initially appears sweet and shy but soon reveals a complex struggle with her own identity and autonomy. Jack Quaid plays Josh, her boyfriend, whose controlling and entitled nature adds layers of tension and emotional conflict to the story. The supporting cast, including Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, and Harvey Guillén, enrich the narrative with their own intriguing dynamics.
3. Last Breath
Last Breath is a survival thriller based on the true story of Chris Lemons, a deep-sea diver who faced near-certain death 300 feet below the North Sea. It is also a remake of the 2019 documentary. It follows a team of saturation divers working to maintain underwater gas lines off the coast of Scotland when a catastrophic accident leaves Lemons stranded with his oxygen supply cut off.
Last Breath stars Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, and Cliff Curtis. Itstands out for its stunning underwater cinematography and authentic depiction of saturation diving life—spending weeks living in pressurized chambers and working in one of the most hostile environments on Earth. The film’s lean, focused storytelling lets the incredible true events speak for themselves without over-dramatization.
Released in 2025, Last Breath is a must-watch for fans of survival thrillers and true stories of human endurance. It’s a powerful reminder of the courage and determination that can emerge even in the darkest, most desperate moments.
4. Black Bag
Black Bag is a spy thriller that delves into themes of trust, betrayal, and loyalty. The film stars Michael Fassbender as George Woodhouse, a British intelligence officer tasked with investigating a list of suspected traitors within the agency. To his shock, one of the suspects is his own wife, Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. As George digs deeper, the lines between personal and professional blur, leading to tense confrontations and psychological mind games that keep viewers guessing until the very end.
Critics praised the film for its sharp performances and Soderbergh’s stylish direction, highlighting the chemistry between Fassbender and Blanchett as a standout element. Despite the acclaim, Black Bag struggled at the box office, underperforming compared to expectations. Still, it remains a compelling watch for fans of espionage thrillers who appreciate complex characters and a plot filled with twists and emotional stakes.
5. Locked
Locked is an intense English-language remake of the 2019 Argentine action film 4×4. Directed by David Yarovesky, the film stars Bill Skarsgård as a young, reckless thief who finds himself trapped inside a heavily fortified car.
The mysterious owner, played by Anthony Hopkins, has rigged the vehicle to imprison the thief, aiming to teach him a harsh lesson about the consequences of his criminal lifestyle. As the thief struggles to escape, the film explores themes of justice, survival, and morality in a high-stakes, claustrophobic setting. Critics have praised Locked for its gripping tension, strong performances, and clever premise.
6. A Working Man
A Working Man tells the story of Levon Cade (Jason Statham), a former British Royal Marine who has left his military past behind to work as a construction foreman and focus on being a good father to his daughter. Haunted by the suicide of his wife and struggling for custody of his child, Levon tries to build a quiet life in Chicago. But when the teenage daughter of his boss suddenly disappears, Levon is pulled back into the dangerous world he thought he’d left behind, using his lethal skills to track down the kidnappers and confront a ruthless Russian mafia involved in human trafficking.
The film blends intense action with emotional stakes, as Levon battles not only criminals but also his own inner demons. Critics have noted that while the plot follows familiar action-thriller tropes, Statham’s performance as a determined and skilled protector anchors the story. A Working Man explores themes of loyalty, redemption, and the fight to protect family, delivering plenty of high-octane sequences for fans of the genre. Though the story is familiar, the film’s gritty tone and Statham’s presence make it a solid addition to the modern action thriller lineup.
7. The Amateur
The Amateur is based on Robert Littell’s 1981 novel, previously adapted into a Canadian film of the same name. The movie stars Rami Malek, who also serves as a producer, alongside Rachel Brosnahan, Caitríona Balfe, Michael Stuhlbarg, Holt McCallany, Julianne Nicholson, and Laurence Fishburne.
The story follows a brilliant CIA decoder whose life is shattered when his wife is killed in a terrorist attack in London. Frustrated by his agency’s refusal to take decisive action, he decides to go rogue and seek justice on his own terms.
8. Drop
Drop is a tense thriller directed by Christopher Landon that follows Violet Gates (Meghann Fahy), a widowed mother who’s finally ready to start dating again. On her first date in years at a chic Chicago restaurant, Violet’s night takes a terrifying turn when she begins receiving anonymous threatening messages on her phone.
These “Digi-Drops” escalate from harmless memes to chilling commands, revealing that her sister and young son have been taken hostage by a masked gunman. Forced to obey the mysterious sender’s demands, Violet must navigate a deadly game of survival while trying to protect her family and maintain the facade of a normal date.
9. Havoc
Havoc is a gritty action thriller starring Tom Hardy as Walker, a worn-down detective caught in the middle of a violent power struggle. When a drug deal spirals out of control, Walker is forced to navigate the dangerous criminal underworld to rescue the estranged son of a corrupt politician. As he digs deeper, he uncovers a tangled web of corruption involving crooked cops, ruthless gangsters, and political players, all threatening to tear the city apart.
Directed and written by Gareth Evans, Havoc delivers relentless, brutal action sequences that keep the tension high from start to finish. Hardy’s portrayal of a man haunted by his past and desperate for redemption adds emotional weight to the chaos. The film, which premiered on Netflix, has been praised for its raw energy and intense fight choreography, even as its complex plot can sometimes feel overwhelming. Fans of hard-hitting crime dramas will find plenty to grip onto in this dark, violent ride.
10. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
It is the eighth installment in the Mission: Impossible series, starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt. Following the events of Dead Reckoning Part One (2023), Ethan and his IMF team race against time to stop a rogue AI known as The Entity, which has corrupted cyberspace and manipulated global information to sow chaos and incite a doomsday cult. The stakes escalate as The Entity gains control over nuclear arsenals worldwide, threatening humanity with unprecedented destruction.
We will continue to update our Best American Thrillers of 2025 list as more films release throughout the year, bringing you the latest and greatest in suspense and intrigue. Stay tuned for fresh additions and in-depth coverage of the top thrillers movies.