Films that particularly don’t have a mystery, but every frame, backed with a shuddering background score evokes an enigma and instills a curious question in the mind of a viewer, which says; _What next?_
Find the best thriller flicks of 2016 that would leave you spellbound in this list. Here is Filmspell’s list of best international thriller movies released on 2016. List has both best of foreign thriller 2016 and best of Hollywood thriller 2016.
11. Train to Busan (Busanhaeng) – South Korea
It will be very unfair to call this Korean masterpiece a mere zombie movie. This amazing drama /thriller breaks the stereotypical script, goes off the course and yet entertains you. Train to Busan is a film that shows a zombie-virus break out in South Korea, while couple of passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan and get away from the massacre. It has those real characters who can easily be related with. It is intense, funny and comes with a lot of surprises and unexpected twists.
10. Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith (Flaskepost fra P) – Denmark
Based on the novel of Jussi Adler Olsen this is the 3rd movie of Department Q trilogy. It is a dark, pensive and absolutely flustering tale on blind faith. What happens when a psycho tries to settle his score with the religious fanatics in his own cruel and vindictive way? From gripping storyline, topnotch acting to awe-inspiring locations…..this spine chilling Scandinavian thriller is perfect in every way. One thing I can assure you, that after watching it you would definitely look for the other two movies of this trilogy!.
9. May God Forgive Us (Que Dios nos perdone) – Spain
This is a tale of two Inspectors Velarde and Alfaro who are on a mission to find a serial killer. What happens when eventually in the race against the clock they realize that neither of them is different from the killer? This magnificent film ethically portrays a time of loneliness and bitterness, violence, filth and moral decrepitude. The careful combination of technical and aesthetic elements in the backdrop of an archetypal police plot makes this movie an unforgettable thriller.
8. The Man with Thousand Faces (El hombre de las mil caras) – Spain
Based on Manuel Cerdán’s book, “The Man with Thousand Faces” is inspired by true events. It is the story of a man who fooled the entire nation. The protagonist has a mental breakdown when he realizes that he would have preferred to give priority to his family life rather than his fortune and the story highlights his unlikely approach to the thought. Beyond its moral and its political complexity, this movie shows a deep human side that echoes the current situation of many countries. This movie with its varied cast and sharp dialogues doesn’t have a single dull moment.
7. Eye in the Sky – UK
Eye in the Sky is an intense thriller, that makes you think about taking decision in turbulent times. Story of Katherine Powell who is the military officer in command of an operation in Kenya, sees her mission escalate when a girl enters the kill zone triggering an international dispute over the implications of modern warfare. Eye in the Sky is a tale of war, violence & authority, the normal human hierarchy’s commotion…. but have to decide to whether kill them instantly or wait till an innocent girl leaves the zone. It’s about a constant dilemma of the good that ends with the bad and the bad that stays with the good.
6. Don’t Breath – USA
Don’t Breathe is a quality terror flick that keeps the audience glued and intrigued from the first till last. The story of Rocky, a young woman, who yearns for a better future for herself and her sister, agrees to take part in a house robbery of an established blind man with her boyfriend Money and friend Alex. But things turn around when the blind man turns into a ‘devil’, making Rocky and her friends his latest victims and eventually they need an escape route. The film triggers every sphere of horror, from classic medley of an Old House, paranoia and the fear of dark to the feeling of Claustrophobia and panic. And with the excellent casting and background music it is a perfect watch.
5. Clash (Eshtebak) – Egypt
Clash/ Eshtebak is a highly appreciated movie that is mostly set in an 8m police van filled with people who were arrested in a political brawl. What happens when people having different sets of ideas and political views, coming from different social standards are all put up together? They discuss, quarrel and fight it out for their ideology, with a strong notion of establishing their viewpoint and subsequently often getting duped in their own qualm. Clash cements itself as an instant classic swith one of the most honest and unbiased adaptations through excellent directing and the most elite acting.
4. Our Kind of Traitor – UK
A British couple on their holiday in Marrakech befriends a charismatic Russian who turns out to be a top slevel money launderer from the underworld Russian Mafia scene. The couple gets trouble when they agree to convey a message from the mafia to the British Secret Services for a superior purpose. Revealing the dirty world of politics and country rivalries the story is intelligent, realistic and plausible, definitely a must watch. Though it has its flaws and is highly predictable, such that you can ascertain a character’s next move even in the climax, its overall compactness and espionage drama grounded to the reality make the movie worth your time.
3. Nocturnal Animals – USA
Nocturnal Animals is extraordinarily powerful, beautifully designed, captivatingly carved…. though it is bit rough at times. Many unanswered questions create a intrigued mystery that causes the film to feel imaginative but incomplete. Dark and disturbing, Nocturnal Animals is a heavily stylistic character drama. The story revolves around an art gallery owner who receives a novel manuscript from her ex-husband, and its perturbing content awakens old memories. The story telling sometimes falls apart with some unwanted prolonged plot, but essence of the movie lingers all the way.
2. The Handmaiden (Ah-ga-ssi) – South Korea
The Handmaiden is a tale of Lady Hideko, a Japanese Lady who led a secluded life along with her uncle. Two con artists plan to defraud her of her endowment by pretending to be her Handmaiden and a rich Count respectively. The movie is breathtakingly gorgeous and every constituent, from the sets, designs, costumes, to the music and the actors, the entire film was absolutely perfect. The film had lots of twists and turns those worked out pretty well because the plot propagated deftly from scene to scene. This highly captivating drama makes the audience take a chill pill, forget outguessing and have them taken by surprise. Therefore this foreign thriller is our second best choice in Filmspell list of Best thrillers 2016.
1. The Salesman (Forushande) – Iran
Finally our top selection of best thriller 2016. This movie is about an Iranian couple who are forced to leave their house and rent a new apartment, unaware of the fact that the previous tenant had been a woman of ill repute, and this eventually turns couples’ life upside down followed by series of uncanny events. The Salesman is a powerful, deep and richly layered picture that fascinates and engages the audience emotionally, though it is difficult and unpleasant at times. The actors are absolutely fantastic and the direction from Asghar Farhadi is simply brilliant. This film is so well written with potent dialogues, and the climax in its own way is a complex and thought-provoking content for the brain.
Add Comment