Rotten Tomatoes is often a great tool to use for deciding whether or not to watch a movie.
This November, Watch With Us is using it to rank five of the best thriller movies you can watch on streaming. Sometimes critics and audiences can get ratings wrong — that’s why it’s important to form opinions for yourself.
Our picks include the Robert Pattinson-led crime odyssey Good Time and the prequel to The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon.
Of course, don’t let any ratings dissuade you. Check out all five films and see where they fall on your personal Tomatometer.
5 Best Thrillers to Watch on Streaming, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes Score (October 2025)
5. ‘Red Dragon’ (2002)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 69 percent
Before Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) asked Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) whether the lambs had stopped screaming, ex-FBI Agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) was wrapped up in a case involving the notorious cannibal. Having since left the bureau after almost losing his life in the process of trying to catch Lecter, Graham is drawn back to him when the FBI struggles to catch a new serial killer. Graham must get inside Lecter’s head to track the elusive “Tooth Fairy” killer (Ralph Fiennes), forcing Graham to confront his past.
While not as awards-worthy as its predecessor, Red Dragon is still a fun, pulpy crime thriller that expands upon the lore of The Silence of the Lambs (and is directly adapted from the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris, which predated The Silence of the Lambs novel). Fiennes, Norton and Philip Seymour Hoffman give powerhouse performances in an incredibly atmospheric movie that builds tension and dread.
Stream Red Dragon now on Netflix.
4. ‘You Were Never Really Here’ (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89 percent
Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) is a ruthless mercenary who specializes in rescuing trafficked young women. He is hired by a wealthy politician to find his missing teenage daughter, who has been taken by a human trafficking ring in New York City. Traumatized by a violent upbringing with his abusive father, Joe endures flashbacks of the abuse and is plagued by suicidal thoughts. As Joe searches for the girl, he uncovers a string of corruption and conspiracy, as his violent visions increasingly spin out of control.
In a commanding turn from Joaquin Phoenix, You Were Never Really Here is a bleak, powerful thriller that keeps viewers in a taut vice for the entire ninety-minute runtime. Stylish and slick, Lynne Ramsay’s uncompromising direction elevates the hitman movie even further as it focuses more on the dark psychology of the hitman himself than on the hit he’s been hired to carry out.
Stream You Were Never Really Here now on Amazon Prime Video.
3. ‘Good Time’ (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91 percent
Small-time criminal Connie (Robert Pattinson) and his developmentally disabled brother Nick (Benny Safdie) botch a bank robbery, with Nick ending up caught by the police and placed in custody at Riker’s Island. In a daunting nighttime odyssey throughout New York City, Connie stops at nothing to free his brother from jail while evading his own arrest. Desperate and degenerate, Connie consorts with criminals, authorities and those unfortunate enough to get in his way.
This high-octane thrill ride is like a never-ending anxiety attack — but somehow, you can’t stop watching. Featuring a career-high performance from Pattinson, Good Time is not just superbly acted between Pattinson and the eclectic cast of actors and non-actors, but also visually stunning and confidently directed, unique in the type of gritty texture that is a staple of the Safdie brothers’ directorial work.
Stream Good Time now on HBO Max.
2. ‘Le Samouraï’ (1967)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 92 percent
Meticulous hitman Jef Costello (the late Alain Delon) carries out the flawless hit of a nightclub owner, but discovers that his crime has been witnessed by the club’s piano player, Valérie (Cathy Rosier). Jef is brought in by the police alongside several other suspects, but no witness, including the piano player, can properly identify him. Still, the cops are not convinced of Jef’s innocence and continue to follow him. But not only does Jef have the fuzz on his tail, his employer now views him as a liability, and he wants Jef out of commission for good.
This French-language neo-noir uses a minimalist aesthetic to impactful effect, creating an atmospheric and absorbing crime story with stylish direction and an unforgettably cool performance from Delon. The movie went on to be highly influential, with the aloof, detached character of Jef Costello in particular being drawn from in several movies by directors including Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Mann, Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.
Stream Le Samouraï now on HBO Max.
1. ‘Chinatown’ (1974)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98 percent
You may have heard the line “Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown” before, a line so iconic that it’s practically been divorced from its source material. But it’s imperative you check out the neo-noir classic that the line comes from, a movie that endures as one of the greatest of all time and features what is easily among the top five best performances ever from Jack Nicholson. With an Academy Award-winning screenplay written by Robert Towne, Chinatown is an engrossing and lurid mystery about power, greed and the futility of justice.
Chinatown follows private detective Jake Gittes (Nicholson), hired by a woman named Evelyn Mulwray (the late Diane Ladd) to investigate and follow her husband. Jake initially believes hers to be a cut-and-dry infidelity case, but things take a turn when he discovers the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway). Then, Mr. Mulwray suddenly turns up dead, and Jake is sent hurtling down a dark path of corruption through the seedy underbelly of 1930s Los Angeles.
Stream Chinatown now on Paramount+.
To be considered “the best,” these films and series can be visually engaging, intellectually stimulating or simply just fun to watch, but the one trait they must have is that they are all, in some way, entertaining. We then check which platform they are streaming on and how you can access them as a subscriber. No algorithm nonsense or paid endorsements here — our recommendations are based purely on our love and interest for the films and shows we love.
