10 Best Intense Movies on Netflix

Netflix has revolutionized the way we watch movies. For better or worse, the streaming giant ushered in the age of digital streaming, handing us virtually unlimited options to watch from the comfort of our homes. Although dozens of copycat platforms have emerged over the years, Netflix continues to reign supreme as the most dominant streaming service. The technological titan reportedly closed out 2024 with roughly 300 million subscribers across the globe. Netflix offers various categories that subscribers can peruse to find the perfect movie for that night.

Horror, comedy, drama, biopics, award-winners, blockbusters — Netflix has them all. But if you’re looking for a selection of intense films — well, that’s technically not a category on Netflix. But don’t worry, Movieweb’s got you covered. Are you in the mood for something that’ll get your heart racing and your blood pumping? Then check out these 10 intense films currently available on Netflix.

10

‘Dunkirk’ (2017)

Christopher Nolan has directed many great movies. Dunkirk is the acclaimed filmmaker’s World War II epic, capturing the historic rescue of over 300,000 Allied soldiers trapped in the north of France. Dunkirk is filled with action-packed battle sequences and harrowing moments that underscore the intense nature of war.

In typical Nolan fashion, the movie unfolds in a non-linear format. We follow several different timelines and characters that all dramatically converge in the movie’s epic finale. A critical and box office success, Dunkirk is regarded as one of the best war movies of the 2000s.

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9

‘Leave the World Behind’ (2023)

From the visionary creator of Mr. Robot comes the Netflix original film and sci-fi thriller, Leave the World Behind. Here, a family’s getaway to a luxurious rental home takes a dark turn when the homeowners unexpectedly appear at their doorstep.

Unlike other sci-fi films, Leave the World Behind captures the beginning stages of an apocalypse. We join the main characters in their confusion and terror as the apocalypse slowly takes hold of the world. Cyberattacks gradually take out their technology, leaving them in a dark and uncertain place that’s frightening to behold.

8

‘Boy Erased’ (2018)

Boy Erased

Release Date

November 2, 2018

Runtime

114 minutes

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Boy Erased is a biographical drama that captures a closeted young man’s experience at a conversion therapy program, designed to turn him from a homosexual into a heterosexual. It’s based on the experiences of Garrard Conley and is adapted from his memoir of the same name.

Boy Erased isn’t intense in the same way as other entries on our list; there are no heart-pounding action scenes or startling jump scares. Rather, the film’s intensity stems from its controversial subject matter and from its characters’ prejudiced views of homosexuality. Between unaccepting parents and cruel facility directors, Boy Erased highlights the physical, mental, and emotional abuse endured by closeted teens, making this potentially a hard watch for any modern viewers.

7

‘Bird Box’ (2018)

Bird Box

Release Date

December 13, 2018

Runtime

124 minutes

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Bird Box is the Netflix original film that had everyone talking back in 2018. Based on the 2014 novel by Josh Malerman, it captures a post-apocalyptic world that’s been ravaged by mysterious creatures. One look at these deadly entities, and the viewer either descends into madness or is forced to commit suicide.

It’s a heart-pounding ride as you follow Malorie (Sandra Bullock) and her two unnamed children, blindfolded, through the vacant world, trying to survive the creatures and find a community of survivors. The flashback sequence where the monsters first appear is particularly jarring, as chaos unfolds around our characters and people spontaneously commit suicide. Every time the monsters appear, you find yourself on the edge of your seat, absolutely terrified– and you never even see what the creatures look like.

6

‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)

Godzilla Minus One

4
/5

Release Date

November 3, 2023

Runtime

124 minutes

Director

Takashi Yamazaki

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  Ryunosuke Kamiki

  Koichi Shikishima

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  Minami Hamabe

  Noriko Oishi

Godzilla Minus One is the latest installment in Toho’s long-running Godzilla franchise. This Japanese epic brings the iconic monster back to its early roots. It’s not an antihero who takes on other creatures and aids humanity. Rather, Godzilla is a vicious monster who wreaks havoc and causes mass destruction in post-World War II Japan. Godzilla is truly terrifying in this film — as it should be.

The scene where Godzilla chases multiple Japanese ships across the ocean will have your heart pounding against your chest. It’s so intense that you’ll almost feel like you’re on board with the passengers, running for your life. Godzilla Minus One was a huge commercial and critical success. A sequel is reportedly in development.

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5

‘Smile’ (2022)

Smile

Release Date

September 30, 2022

Runtime

115 minutes

Director

Parker Finn

After witnessing a patient commit suicide in an unusual manner, a therapist becomes tormented by harrowing visions and strangers with eerie, nonsensical grins. Smile is one of the best horror films of the 2020s. This movie is pure nightmare fuel, packed with jump scares, graphic violence, and disturbing suicides.

Just when you think you know what’s happening, Smile takes an unexpected turn that makes your jaw drop to the floor. It also features one of the most alluring and haunting antagonists in recent memory, as well as a finale that’s far from a happy ending. Viewer beware — you may want to leave the lights on at night after watching this one.

4

‘Psycho’ (1960)

Psycho

Release Date

September 8, 1960

Runtime

109 minutes

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Based on the eponymous novel by Robert Bloch, Psycho captures the aftermath of a murder at the iconic Bates Motel, which is owned by a strange, reclusive man and his overbearing mother.

Modern viewers might not find this 1960 classic that intense, especially when compared to contemporary slasher films. But at the time of its release, Psycho was the most frightening movie to ever grace the silver screen. Its iconic shower scene reportedly made movie-goers faint or leave the theater due to its shocking violence. Psycho is now known as Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece and is one of the most influential horror films ever made.

3

‘American Sniper’ (2014)

American Sniper is a biographical war film about US Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) and his role in the Iraqi War. Directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper is filled with intense, nail-biting battle sequences. We often find ourselves on rooftops, waiting with bated breath as Chris targets and shoots down his opponents from afar.

The intensity of this film doesn’t end on the battlefield. It also follows Chris back home, where he must now deal with the psychological effects of war. From beginning to end, American Sniper underscores the brutal nature of war, as well as its traumatic aftermath for any soldiers who are fortunate enough to return home.

2

‘Parasite’ (2019)

Parasite

Release Date

May 30, 2019

Runtime

133 minutes

Director

Bong Joon Ho

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  Lee Sun-kyun

  Park Dong-ik

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Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning film Parasite is constantly taking you in unexpected directions. What starts off as a black comedy soon morphs into something else entirely.

Parasite follows the impoverished Kim family, who pose as unrelated workers and trick the wealthy Park family into hiring them as house servants. The Kims take advantage of the Parks’ luxurious lifestyle — but as it turns out, they’re not the only ones. The drama gets turned up real fast from there, resulting in a shocking, bloody climax and an intense, heart-pounding finale that you won’t soon forget.

1

‘The Passion of the Christ’ (2004)

Few films are as intense as Mel Gibson’s 2004 film, The Passion of the Christ. This biblical epic captures the arrest, torture, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Jim Caviezel) in shockingly gruesome detail. It showcases the horrors that Jesus endured in a way that no religious film had ever done before.

The Passion of the Christ attracted controversy for its graphic content. It’s violent, it’s bloody, it’s brutal. The film’s intensity will make you want to cover your eyes, while its magnificence urges you to keep watching through the cracks between your fingers. Mel Gibson is reportedly working on a sequel, The Resurrection of the Christ, though there’s no release date at this time.