Best French Thriller Movies
This page is updated regularly. Subscribe, so you don't miss new recommendations. The list of "Best French Thriller Movies" contains films with the following parameters. Style: suspenseful, suspense, tense, psychological, realistic and serious. Plot: murder, death, dialogue, storytelling, twists and turns, violence, brutality, vengeance, betrayal and flashback. Genre: Thriller, Drama and Crime. Country: France, USA and UK.
Best French Thriller Movies
TOP Movies: 36th Precinct (2004), Anna (2019), 127 Hours (2010), Spider (2002), The Day of the Jackal (1973), Deterrence (1999), The Purge: Election Year (2016), State of Play (2009), DogMan (2023), From Paris with Love (2010), Miss Sloane (2016), U Turn (1997), Swimming Pool (2003), Das Boot - The Director's Cut (1981), Lemming (2005), The Page Turner (2006), Munich (2005), The House That Jack Built (2018), Monsieur Hire (1989), Revenge (2017).
List of Best Movies
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 111 min.
Story:
The Film takes place in Paris, where two cops are competing for the vacant seat of chief of police while in the middle of a search for a gang of violent thieves. The movie is directed by Olivier Marchal, a former police officer who spent 12 years ...
Style:
tense, realistic, disturbing, rough, suspenseful ...
Audience:
boys' night, manly
Plot:
vengeance, violence, twists and turns, gang, rivalry, organized crime, police corruption, investigation, dirty cop, justice, nudity, police ...
Time:
year 2004, 21st century
Place:
france, paris france, europe, rio de janeiro
Is relevant?
107K
Genre: Action, Thriller
Country: France, USA, Canada, Russia, Serbia, Guadeloupe
Duration: 118 min.
Story:
Beneath Anna Poliatova's striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of the world's most feared government assassins.
Style:
suspense, action thriller, satanic, period piece, captivating ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
female spy, female assassin, spy, female protagonist, female agent, cia agent, one woman army, murder, double agent, russian spy, assassin, female killer ...
Time:
2010s, year 2019, 90s, 80s, year 1985 ...
Place:
paris france, moscow russia, russia, bahamas, milan italy ...
Is relevant?
422K
Genre: Biography, Drama
Country: UK, USA, France
Duration: 94 min.
Story:
The true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston's remarkable adventure to save himself after a fallen boulder crashes on his arm and traps him in an isolated canyon in Utah.
Style:
suspense, unusual plot structure, inspirational, intense, breathtaking ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
survival, isolation, trapped, mountain, wilderness, canyon, courage, alone, desert, trap, loneliness, life & death ...
Time:
year 2010, 2010s, 20th century, 2000s, year 2003 ...
Place:
utah, usa
Is relevant?
43K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Canada, UK
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
A mentally disturbed man takes residence in a halfway house. His mind gradually slips back into the realm created by his illness, where he replays a key part of his childhood.
Style:
disturbing, psychological, surreal, cerebral, bleak ...
Plot:
schizophrenia, mental illness, childhood trauma, murder, haunted by the past, paranoia, mental patient, misfit, macabre, psychopath, twists and turns, mental health ...
Time:
2000s, 1950s, year 2002, 50s, 21st century
Place:
london, europe, england, east end london, united kingdom ...
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: UK, France
Duration: 143 min.
Story:
An international assassin known as ‘The Jackal’ is employed by disgruntled French generals to kill President Charles de Gaulle, with a dedicated gendarme on the assassin's trail.
Style:
political thriller, suspenseful, political, exciting, intense ...
Plot:
conspiracy, hitman, terrorism, assassin, police investigation, spy thriller, politics, assassination plot, serial killer, assassination attempt, espionage, french president ...
Time:
year 1963, 20th century, 60s, year 1973, 70s
Place:
paris france, france, algeria, europe, big ben london ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: France, USA
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
The President of the United States must deal with an international military crisis while confined to a Colorado diner during a freak snowstorm.
Style:
tense, suspenseful, independent film, talky, serious ...
Plot:
nuclear war, nuclear bomb, nuclear, politics, nuclear threat, diner, president, snow, usa politics, government, politician, nuclear explosion ...
Time:
future, year 1999, near future, 2000s, year 2008 ...
Place:
iraq, colorado, usa, baghdad iraq, korea ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Two years after choosing not to kill the man who killed his son, former police sergeant Leo Barnes has become head of security for Senator Charlene Roan, the front runner in the next Presidential election due to her vow to eliminate the Purge. On ...
Style:
brutal, suspense, intense, psychological, bloody ...
Audience:
teens, adult
Plot:
politics, vigilante, revenge, gunfight, election, death, murder, violence, distopia, survival, brutality, vengeance ...
Time:
near future, year 2016, 2010s
Place:
washington d.c., florida
Is relevant?
166K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, France, USA
Duration: 127 min.
Story:
Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's ...
Style:
political thriller, clever, political, suspenseful, suspense ...
Plot:
political conspiracy, conspiracy, journalism, corruption, journalist, investigation, reporter, murder, congress, espionage, world politics, assassination ...
Time:
year 2009, 2000s, 70s, 21st century
Place:
usa, washington d.c.
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
22K
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France, USA
Duration: 115 min.
Story:
A boy, bruised by life, finds his salvation through the love of his dogs.
Plot:
dog, singing, father son relationship, boy dog relationship, gang, police, love, brother brother relationship, blood, abusive father, religious fanatic, drag queen ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Country: France, UK, USA
Duration: 92 min.
Story:
James Reese has a good job as an ambassador's aid in France, but his real passion is a side gig, working in a minor role in the CIA. He would love to be a full-fledged agent and can't believe his luck when he lands an assignment with ...
Style:
entertaining, intense, semi serious, suspenseful, exciting ...
Audience:
chick flick, manly, boys' night, girls' night, adult
Plot:
cia, spy, undercover, terrorism, twists and turns, heroic mission, chase, embassy, one man army, partner, danger, cia agent ...
Time:
year 2010, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
paris france, france, europe, pakistan
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama
Country: UK, France, Canada, USA
Duration: 132 min.
Story:
An ambitious lobbyist faces off against the powerful gun lobby in an attempt to pass gun control legislation.
Style:
political, suspense, clever, tense, intellectual ...
Plot:
lobbyist, twists and turns, politics, career woman, determination, strong female lead, courtroom, female protagonist, lawyer, strong female character, world politics, business ...
Time:
year 2016, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
washington d.c., oregon, colorado, new hampshire, michigan ...
Is relevant?
57K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: France, USA
Duration: 125 min.
Story:
When Bobby's car breaks down in the desert while on the run from some of the bookies who have already taken two of his fingers, he becomes trapped in the nearby small town where the people are stranger than anyone he's encountered. After ...
Style:
neo noir, sexy, dark comedy, road movie, disturbing ...
Plot:
small town, femme fatale, desert, rough sex, outdoor sex, on the run, wilderness, incest, murder, drifter, betrayal, sex crime ...
Time:
year 1997, 20th century, 90s
Place:
arizona, persia, usa, phoenix arizona, las vegas
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: France, UK
Duration: 102 min.
Story:
In the middle of this amusing thriller is a relationship between two different types of females, one is a well know British author and the other is a sex-crazed French teen. The two get into some relationship trouble while living together in this ...
Style:
sexy, sensual, ambiguous ending, art house, suspense ...
Audience:
girls' night, teens, pre-teens, adult
Plot:
twists and turns, obsession, swimming pool, swimming, murder, writers, voyeurism, sex, frenchwoman, lust, murder mystery, self discovery ...
Time:
year 2003, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
france, cote d'azur, europe, south of france, london ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, War
Country: West Germany
Duration: 149 min.
Story:
A German submarine hunts allied ships during the Second World War, but it soon becomes the hunted. The crew tries to survive below the surface, while stretching both the boat and themselves to their limits.
Style:
epic, suspense, atmospheric, realistic, factual ...
Plot:
submarine, world war two, naval battle, navy, military, ocean, war, nazi, survival, sea, courage, ship captain ...
Time:
year 1941, 20th century, 1940s, year 1942, year 1981
Place:
germany, atlantic ocean, mediterranean sea
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
After the death of his boss's wife, a young engineer faces the sudden psychological metamorphosis of his own wife, seemingly possessed by the soul of the deceased...
Style:
serious, suspenseful, atmospheric, disturbing, psychological thriller ...
Plot:
extramarital affair, housewife, cuckolded husband, suburbs, infidelity, suicide, love affair, dishonesty, couple relations, couples, suburban life, estranged couple ...
Place:
south of france
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Music, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 85 min.
Story:
Mélanie Prouvost, a ten-year-old butcher's daughter, is a gifted pianist. That is why she and her parents decide that she sit for the Conservatory entrance exam. Although Mélanie is very likely to be admitted, she unfortunately gets ...
Style:
suspense, serious, psychological, tense, realistic ...
Plot:
revenge, older woman younger woman relationship, lesbian, music, piano, lgbtq, lesbian subtext, musician, family relations, classical music, audition, vengeance ...
Time:
year 2006, 21st century
Place:
france
Is relevant?
252K
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller
Country: France, Canada, USA
Duration: 164 min.
Story:
During the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, eleven Israeli athletes are taken hostage and murdered by a Palestinian terrorist group known as Black September. In retaliation, the Israeli government recruits a group of Mossad agents to track down and ...
Style:
political, intense, brutal, political thriller, suspense ...
Audience:
boys' night
Plot:
terrorism, espionage, assassination, mossad, vengeance, judaism, politics, terrorist, vigilante, revenge, spy, murder ...
Time:
70s, year 2005, 20th century, 2000s, year 1972
Place:
israel, middle east, palestine, germany, europe ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror
Country: Denmark, France, Sweden, Germany, Belgium, Tunisia
Duration: 152 min.
Story:
A depiction of a serial killer's 12 years' worth of murders and how it shaped his prime intelligence.
Style:
scary, psychological, suspenseful, suspense, bleak ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
serial killer, psychopath, sadism, cruelty, psychopath as protagonist, sadistic psychopath, maniac, disturbed individual, murder, extreme violence, photograph, hunting ...
Time:
2010s, 70s, 80s
Place:
berlin germany, washington d.c.
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 81 min.
Story:
A French man spies on a lovely younger woman across the way. When he's spotted by the woman shortly after being questioned by the police about a local murder, the man simple life becomes more complicated.
Style:
sexy, neo noir, suspenseful, psychological, detective ...
Plot:
voyeurism, older man younger woman romance, voyeur, peeping tom, femme fatale, false accusation, amateur detective, investigation, murder, serial killer, secret relationship, brothel ...
Time:
80s, year 1989
Place:
france
Is relevant?
Genre: Action, Crime, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 98 min.
Story:
Paris. 1830. In the heart of the town, Vidocq, a famous detective, disappeared as he fights the Alchemist, an assassin that he has been pursuing for a few months. His young biographer, Etienne Boisset, decides to have revenge on Vidocq's death ...
Style:
suspenseful, surreal, atmospheric, detective, stylized ...
Plot:
serial killer, steampunk, investigation, alchemist, female nudity, who done it, alchemy, murder, danger, vengeance, eternal youth, mirror ...
Time:
19th century, 1830s, 1800s, victorian era
Place:
france, paris france, europe
Is relevant?
64K
Genre: Action, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Country: France, Belgium
Duration: 108 min.
Story:
Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend which is suddenly disrupted when his friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip. Tension mounts in the house until the situation abruptly — and viciously — intensifies, ...
Style:
suspense, sexy, tense, bloody, minimal cast ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
revenge, rape, survival, female protagonist, rape and revenge, female vigilante, manhunt, strong female character, brutality, desert, danger, chase ...
Time:
2010s
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: France, USA
Duration: 147 min.
Story:
After a car wreck on the winding Mulholland Drive renders a woman amnesic, she and a perky Hollywood-hopeful search for clues and answers across Los Angeles in a twisting venture beyond dreams and reality.
Style:
surreal, psychological, neo noir, art house, disturbing ...
Audience:
date night, adult
Plot:
surrealism, twists and turns, amnesia, lesbian, obsession, dream, alternate reality, parallel universe, hollywood, filmmaking, lesbian sex, nightmare ...
Time:
2000s, year 2001, 20th century, future, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, persia, usa, california, mulholland drive
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 104 min.
Story:
A struggling writer finds a shortcut to fame, but a blackmailer threatens to ruin his perfect life.
Style:
serious, suspenseful, realistic, captivating, suspense ...
Plot:
fall in love, writers, desire for fame, writer's life, hidden identity, love and romance, plagiarism, young man, artists and showbiz, cons and scams, blackmail, hallucination ...
Time:
year 2015, 21st century
Place:
france, algeria
Is relevant?
Related movie lists
Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 89 min.
Story:
In Paris, the international police force and the Russian mafia are chasing Anthony Zimmer, an intelligent man responsible for laundry of dirty money in France. Zimmer had extensive plastic surgery, and his new face and voice are completely unknown. ...
Style:
clever, tense, suspenseful, rough, surprise ending ...
Plot:
femme fatale, mafia, money laundering, mistaken identity, manhunt, master criminal, mysterious character, life turned upside down, dishonesty, mind game, manipulation, bait ...
Time:
year 2005, 21st century
Place:
nice france, somalia, paris france, france, europe ...
Is relevant?
19K
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: France, Belgium
Duration: 129 min.
Story:
Matthieu is a young and talented black box analyst on a mission to solve the reason behind the deadly crash of a brand new aircraft. Yet, when the case is closed by authorities, Matthieu cannot help but sense there is something wrong with the ...
Style:
psychological, captivating, suspenseful, crime thriller, suspense
Plot:
airport, plane crash, airplane, investigation, air disaster, missing person, problem, forensics, uncover truth, crash, die, airplane crash ...
Time:
2020s
Place:
france, paris france
Is relevant?
238K
Genre: Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: UK, Luxembourg, USA
Duration: 124 min.
Story:
Match Point is Woody Allen’s satire of the British High Society and the ambition of a young tennis instructor to enter into it. Yet when he must decide between two women - one assuring him his place in high society, and the other that would bring ...
Style:
sexy, romantic, psychological, talky, erotic ...
Audience:
chick flick
Plot:
infidelity, love triangle, couples, lust, sex, seduction, adultery, passionate interest, murder, destructive relationship, fatal attraction, love and romance ...
Time:
year 2005, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
london, europe, england, united kingdom, ireland ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Malta, France, UK
Duration: 149 min.
Story:
When the curator of the Louvre is found murdered in the famed museum's hallowed halls, Harvard professor, Robert Langdon and cryptographer, Sophie Neve must untangle a deadly web of deceit involving the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
Style:
exciting, intellectual, suspenseful, suspense, clever ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick, family friendly, girls' night, adult
Plot:
conspiracy, treasure hunt, holy grail, religion, twists and turns, investigation, christianity, ancient mystery, riddles and clues, secrets, secret society, conspiracy theory ...
Time:
year 2006, 2000s, 1st century, 21st century
Place:
london, italy, europe, paris france, england ...
Is relevant?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: West Germany, Italy, France
Duration: 130 min.
Story:
14th-century Franciscan monk William of Baskerville and his young novice arrive at a conference to find that several monks have been murdered under mysterious circumstances. To solve the crimes, William must rise up against the Church's ...
Style:
intellectual, psychological, gloomy, suspenseful, clever ...
Plot:
clergy, medieval, investigation, monastery, monk, whodunit, uncover truth, murder mystery, murder, ancient, religion, riddles and clues ...
Time:
middle ages, medieval times, 14th century, ancient times, year 1986
Place:
europe, france, south of france, italy, canada
Is relevant?
161K
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 97 min.
Story:
Events over the course of one traumatic night in Paris unfold in reverse-chronological order as the beautiful Alex is brutally raped and beaten by a stranger in the underpass. Her boyfriend and ex-lover take matters into their own hands by hiring ...
Style:
art house, sexy, bleak, disturbing, harsh ...
Audience:
adult
Plot:
rape, sexual abuse, revenge, violence, violent, sadism, rape and revenge, sexualized violence, brutality, anal rape, sexual perversion, rape victim ...
Time:
year 2002, turn of the century, year 2003, 2000s, 21st century
Place:
paris france, france, europe
Is relevant?
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Country: Denmark, USA, Belgium
Duration: 117 min.
Story:
When aspiring model Jesse moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.
Style:
art house, sexy, disturbing, dark, psychological ...
Audience:
teens, chick flick
Plot:
fashion, teenage girl, cannibalism, model, beauty, lesbian, obsession, jealousy, murder, rivalry, fashion model, surrealism ...
Time:
year 2016, 2010s, 21st century
Place:
los angeles, california, pasadena california
Is relevant?
