Best '90s thriller movies

By most accounts, the '90s were an excellent time for movies of all kinds—but thriller fans in particular had plenty of nailbiting films to enjoy. The decade produced the likes of "Misery," "Single White Female," and "The Sixth Sense," among numerous others.

Many of these movies have made such a lasting impact on pop culture that sequels and reboots continue to premiere today. The most recent sequel to the 1997 film "I Know What You Did Last Summer" came out in July 2025 under the same title as the original (though the new movie received far less positive reviews). And, in July 2025, Amazon MGM Studios' United Artists announced that a reboot of the 1992 erotic thriller "Basic Instinct" is now in the works.

In honor of the decade's many iconic releases, Stacker compiled a list of the best '90s thriller movies of all time based on our own Stacker score, a weighted index split evenly between IMDb user rating and Metascore. To qualify, the film had to have thriller as one of its genres on IMDb, have a Metascore, and have at least 5,000 IMDb user votes. Ties were broken by votes.

OMDb

1 / 50

#50. Cure (1997)

- Director: Kiyoshi Kurosawa
- Stacker score: 85.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 70
- Runtime: 111 minutes

OMDb

2 / 50

#49. The Crying Game (1992)

- Director: Neil Jordan
- Stacker score: 85.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.2
- Metascore: 90
- Runtime: 112 minutes

OMDb

3 / 50

#48. Following (1998)

- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Stacker score: 85.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 60
- Runtime: 69 minutes

OMDb

4 / 50

#47. The Devil's Advocate (1997)

- Director: Taylor Hackford
- Stacker score: 85.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 60
- Runtime: 144 minutes

OMDb

5 / 50

#46. Lost Highway (1997)

- Director: David Lynch
- Stacker score: 85.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 52
- Runtime: 134 minutes

OMDb

6 / 50

#45. Contact (1997)

- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Stacker score: 85.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 150 minutes

OMDb

7 / 50

#44. Face/Off (1997)

- Director: John Woo
- Stacker score: 85.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 138 minutes

OMDb

8 / 50

#43. The Boondock Saints (1999)

- Director: Troy Duffy
- Stacker score: 86.1
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 44
- Runtime: 108 minutes

OMDb

9 / 50

#42. Jackie Brown (1997)

- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Stacker score: 86.1
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 154 minutes

OMDb

10 / 50

#41. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

- Director: Peter Jackson
- Stacker score: 86.3
- IMDb user rating: 7.3
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 99 minutes

OMDb

11 / 50

#40. Falling Down (1993)

- Director: Joel Schumacher
- Stacker score: 86.3
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 56
- Runtime: 113 minutes

OMDb

12 / 50

#39. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

- Director: Anthony Minghella
- Stacker score: 86.3
- IMDb user rating: 7.4
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 139 minutes

OMDb

13 / 50

#38. Primal Fear (1996)

- Director: Gregory Hoblit
- Stacker score: 86.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 47
- Runtime: 129 minutes

OMDb

14 / 50

#37. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Stacker score: 86.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 159 minutes

OMDb

15 / 50

#36. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

- Director: John McTiernan
- Stacker score: 86.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 58
- Runtime: 128 minutes

OMDb

16 / 50

#35. Funny Games (1997)

- Director: Michael Haneke
- Stacker score: 86.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 108 minutes

OMDb

17 / 50

#34. A Perfect World (1993)

- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Stacker score: 86.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 138 minutes

OMDb

18 / 50

#33. The Crow (1994)

- Director: Alex Proyas
- Stacker score: 86.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 102 minutes

OMDb

19 / 50

#32. Sonatine (1993)

- Director: Takeshi Kitano
- Stacker score: 87.1
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 73
- Runtime: 94 minutes

OMDb

20 / 50

#31. Menace II Society (1993)

- Director: Albert Hughes
- Stacker score: 87.4
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 97 minutes

OMDb

21 / 50

#30. Dark City (1998)

- Director: Alex Proyas
- Stacker score: 87.4
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 100 minutes

OMDb

22 / 50

#29. Europa (1991)

- Director: Lars von Trier
- Stacker score: 87.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 112 minutes

OMDb

23 / 50

#28. Barton Fink (1991)

- Director: Joel Coen
- Stacker score: 87.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 69
- Runtime: 116 minutes

OMDb

24 / 50

#27. Fresh (1994)

- Director: Boaz Yakin
- Stacker score: 87.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 81
- Runtime: 114 minutes

OMDb

25 / 50

#26. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

- Director: Jonathan Frakes
- Stacker score: 87.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.6
- Metascore: 71
- Runtime: 111 minutes

OMDb

26 / 50

#25. The Game (1997)

- Director: David Fincher
- Stacker score: 87.9
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 61
- Runtime: 129 minutes

OMDb

27 / 50

#24. A Simple Plan (1998)

- Director: Sam Raimi
- Stacker score: 88.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 82
- Runtime: 121 minutes

OMDb

28 / 50

#23. A Few Good Men (1992)

- Director: Rob Reiner
- Stacker score: 88.0
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 62
- Runtime: 138 minutes

OMDb

29 / 50

#22. The Player (1992)

- Director: Robert Altman
- Stacker score: 88.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.5
- Metascore: 86
- Runtime: 124 minutes

OMDb

30 / 50

#21. Miller's Crossing (1990)

- Director: Joel Coen
- Stacker score: 88.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 66
- Runtime: 115 minutes

OMDb

31 / 50

#20. Gattaca (1997)

- Director: Andrew Niccol
- Stacker score: 89.3
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 106 minutes

OMDb

32 / 50

#19. Run Lola Run (1998)

- Director: Tom Tykwer
- Stacker score: 89.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.7
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 80 minutes

OMDb

33 / 50

#18. True Romance (1993)

- Director: Tony Scott
- Stacker score: 89.8
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 59
- Runtime: 119 minutes

OMDb

34 / 50

#17. Misery (1990)

- Director: Rob Reiner
- Stacker score: 90.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 75
- Runtime: 107 minutes

OMDb

35 / 50

#16. Carlito's Way (1993)

- Director: Brian De Palma
- Stacker score: 90.5
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 65
- Runtime: 144 minutes

OMDb

36 / 50

#15. The Insider (1999)

- Director: Michael Mann
- Stacker score: 91.4
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 84
- Runtime: 157 minutes

OMDb

37 / 50

#14. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

- Director: Mamoru Oshii
- Stacker score: 91.6
- IMDb user rating: 7.9
- Metascore: 76
- Runtime: 83 minutes

OMDb

38 / 50

#13. Perfect Blue (1997)

- Director: Satoshi Kon
- Stacker score: 91.7
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 67
- Runtime: 81 minutes

OMDb

39 / 50

#12. The Fugitive (1993)

- Director: Andrew Davis
- Stacker score: 91.7
- IMDb user rating: 7.8
- Metascore: 87
- Runtime: 130 minutes

OMDb

40 / 50

#11. JFK (1991)

- Director: Oliver Stone
- Stacker score: 92.3
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 72
- Runtime: 189 minutes

OMDb

41 / 50

#10. 12 Monkeys (1995)

- Director: Terry Gilliam
- Stacker score: 92.5
- IMDb user rating: 8.0
- Metascore: 74
- Runtime: 129 minutes

OMDb

42 / 50

#9. The Sixth Sense (1999)

- Director: M. Night Shyamalan
- Stacker score: 93.5
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 107 minutes

OMDb

43 / 50

#8. Jurassic Park (1993)

- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stacker score: 94.0
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 68
- Runtime: 127 minutes

OMDb

44 / 50

#7. Fargo (1996)

- Director: Joel Coen
- Stacker score: 94.7
- IMDb user rating: 8.1
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 98 minutes

OMDb

45 / 50

#6. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Stacker score: 96.2
- IMDb user rating: 8.3
- Metascore: 79
- Runtime: 99 minutes

OMDb

46 / 50

#5. L.A. Confidential (1997)

- Director: Curtis Hanson
- Stacker score: 96.3
- IMDb user rating: 8.2
- Metascore: 90
- Runtime: 138 minutes

OMDb

47 / 50

#4. Léon: The Professional (1994)

- Director: Luc Besson
- Stacker score: 96.7
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Metascore: 64
- Runtime: 110 minutes

OMDb

48 / 50

#3. Se7en (1995)

- Director: David Fincher
- Stacker score: 97.9
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Metascore: 65
- Runtime: 127 minutes

OMDb

49 / 50

#2. The Usual Suspects (1995)

- Director: Bryan Singer
- Stacker score: 98.1
- IMDb user rating: 8.5
- Metascore: 77
- Runtime: 106 minutes

OMDb

50 / 50

#1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

- Director: Jonathan Demme
- Stacker score: 100.0
- IMDb user rating: 8.6
- Metascore: 85
- Runtime: 118 minutes

Best '90s thriller movies

#50. Cure (1997)

#49. The Crying Game (1992)

#48. Following (1998)

#47. The Devil's Advocate (1997)

#46. Lost Highway (1997)

#45. Contact (1997)

#44. Face/Off (1997)

#43. The Boondock Saints (1999)

#42. Jackie Brown (1997)

#41. Heavenly Creatures (1994)

#40. Falling Down (1993)

#39. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

#38. Primal Fear (1996)

#37. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

#36. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

#35. Funny Games (1997)

#34. A Perfect World (1993)

#33. The Crow (1994)

#32. Sonatine (1993)

#31. Menace II Society (1993)

#30. Dark City (1998)

#29. Europa (1991)

#28. Barton Fink (1991)

#27. Fresh (1994)

#26. Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

#25. The Game (1997)

#24. A Simple Plan (1998)

#23. A Few Good Men (1992)

#22. The Player (1992)

#21. Miller's Crossing (1990)

#20. Gattaca (1997)

#19. Run Lola Run (1998)

#18. True Romance (1993)

#17. Misery (1990)

#16. Carlito's Way (1993)

#15. The Insider (1999)

#14. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

#13. Perfect Blue (1997)

#12. The Fugitive (1993)

#11. JFK (1991)

#10. 12 Monkeys (1995)

#9. The Sixth Sense (1999)

#8. Jurassic Park (1993)

#7. Fargo (1996)

#6. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

#5. L.A. Confidential (1997)

#4. Léon: The Professional (1994)

#3. Se7en (1995)

#2. The Usual Suspects (1995)

#1. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

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