From Alfred Hitchcock to David Fincher , the thriller genre has undergone a batch of changes , evolving from simple third act twists to psychological open - terminate conclusions . Noir , social satire , horror , sci - fi ; filmmakers over the years have attempted to immingle many genre together with that of the thriller , making it one of the most accessible and pop literary genre in cinema today .

While auteurs likeDavid Fincherand Martin Scorsese created several absorbing thrillers after the 2000s , the only visionary directors that are being see in this list either began their calling or feel their bounteous break in the 21stcentury .

The Safdie Brothers

Josh and Bennie Safdie have write and directed only two film as of now , but they have establish a stylemark panache with both of these modern classic . Their work include the neon - themedGood Timestarring a invariably experimental Robert Pattinson , and the fast - pace black comedyUncut Gemsthat served as a rejoinder fomite forAdam Sandler .

The Safdie Brothers ’ films are increasingly piquant and interactional , get behind viewers into all their adrenaline - fuel comedy and drama . Their characters are perpetually ungratified in spare-time activity of a sealed end , a fact give by speedy editing , shaky filming , and loud , toot music .

Bong Joon-ho

South Korean maestroBong Joon - hohas been in recent newsworthiness after mark three Oscars for his social thrillerParasite , which also became the first non - English film to win a Best Picture Oscar . But he has been   in the game since the early 2000s . His debutBarking Dogs Never Bitemight be remember only by die - backbreaking fans , but he attained with child popularity afterMemories of Murder , an investigative account of South Korea ’s first caseful of in series killings .

BeforeParasite , he followed up his   discovery with monster films likeThe HostandOkja , the sci - fi dystopian thrillerSnowpiercer , and the revenge dramaMother . His film might be thematically different from each other , but he always ensures there ’s some commentary of social inequality present in his kit and caboodle .

Lynne Ramsay

Lynne Ramsay began her career in the late 90s with critically - acclaimed drama that unfortunately had little to no cinematic release .   However , the Scotswoman succeed over new lover with her 2011 psychological thrillerWe demand To Talk About Kevin . The film displayed Tilda Swinton ’s acting prowess to the fullest while introduce the human race to Ezra Miller . Miller stars as a tumultuous child who has give   inexplicable   horrors . The thriller attempts to understand how his female parent would face up these revulsion in complex ways .

Ramsay ’s follow - up wasYou Were Never Really Here , a slow - burning offence thriller starringJoaquin Phoenixin one of his most emotionally - drive roles .

Darren Aronofsky

His debutPimight have received a limited loss , butDarren Aronofskyruled the first two decades of the 21stcentury , turning into an undefeated titan of the psychological thriller genre . One of his earliest thrillers , Requiem For A Dream , was a disturbingly real yet move portrayal of individual   get serious substance abuse job .

Black Swanmight be considered as his magnum opus , as it has all the classic Aronofsky tropes to get into the haunting psyche of the admirer . The tale of an obsessively ambitious ballerina blend dreamlike repulsion with psychological thriller elements . Even his extremely polarizing adjustment of the Bible , Mother!,functions as an forward-looking thriller .

Paul Greengrass

Doug Liman ushered in a cinematic epoch for the amnesiac special federal agent Jason Bourne withThe Bourne Identity . But Paul Greengrass ’ vision with the undercover agent thriller sequelsThe Bourne UltimatumandThe Bourne Supremacytook the dealership to raw altitude . The movie find out a considerable improvement in their multi - layered plots , elaborate action sequence , and precarious - cam cinematography .

Greengrass has dominate the skill of building unfeigned , tangible - time stress , as can be seen fromUnited 93that detailed the efforts of passengers campaign off highjacker on the day of 9/11.Captain Phillipsis another tangible - life dramatisation that attempt to understand the accent that a shipping crew undergoes while being raided by Somalian pirates , who themselves are desperate under their circumstances .

Taylor Sheridan

Taylor Sheridan had been an player inSons of Anarchyand write the screenplays   for thrillers likeSicario . He has just two directorial credits under his name , but both have been massively herald . nether region or High Wateris sic in rural Texas whileWind Rivertakes place in a snow-white Wyoming Reservation . Both setting are unlike , but the feeling of purdah in a switch American landscape is always looming .

Sheridan is observe for incorporating social undertones link up to racism while humanizing his troubled lineament .   Due to their atmospherical brilliance , both his movie serve as well - written neo - Western thrillers .

Asghar Farhadi

Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi is mostly cognize for his two Oscar - come through dramas , A SeparationandThe Salesman .   At first glance , both motion-picture show would just seem like realistic human dramas but they are in fact , paced like a thriller .

A Separationdeals with a divorced span dealing with a fount of assault on a maid in which the divorcee married man is blamed . threatening on intense dialogue , the motion picture functions as an effective legal thriller . Unlike other thriller directors , Farhadi does n’t keep any surprising third - act eddy . The suspense is instead revealed through elusive cues . The same style of filmmaking can be see inThe Salesman , an Iranian adaptation of Arthur Miller ’s playThe dying of a Salesman .

Denis Villeneuve

WithArrivalandBlade Runner 2049,Denis Villeneuvehas demonstrate himself as one of the most influential sci - fi director working today . However , he has delivered some memorable thrillers too , with his English debutPrisonersthat rotate around a typeface of snatch and the extent to which the abducted tike ’s father goes to essay justice .

Sicariois another compelling thriller about Mexican drug trust and American law enforcers seek to stop them . Both plastic film are driven   by an threatening secret and deeply layer portrayals of both overconfident and negatively charged characters .

Chad Stahelski

American stuntman Chad Stahelski plant himself as a manager withJohn Wick(which he co - direct with David Leitch ) and its two sequels . TheJohn Wicktrilogy is arguably the finest action thriller serial in current times , catapult its head manKeanu Reevesback in the mainstream .

Reeves star as the titular hitman who ’s thrust out of retirement after his pet dog is   defeat . There ’s no looking back from then onward , as Wick undergoes a roller coaster drive of endless violence all over the world as he gets entangle with a conference of assassins . Stahelski ’s experience with stunt piece of work display , as he orchestrates some gamey - ending hand - to - helping hand combats and vehicle chases , offering visceral shudder to the viewers .

Park Chan-wook

The hyperviolent retaliation thrillerOldboymight be Park Chan - wook ’s most pop project , with it still influencing pop refinement today . But the South Korean director and former film critic has had several New - Clarence Shepard Day Jr. religious cult thriller in his filmography , let in the psychological thrillerThe Handmaiden .

The theater director has a enthrallment with themes of retribution , as can be discover fromSympathy for Mr. VengeanceandLady Vengeance . His films share with the philosophy of ethics , marked by choreographed action , traumatized characters , and a whole good deal of gore .

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Paul Greengrass, Bong Joon-ho, and Lynne Ramsay

The Safdie Brothers on the Uncut Gems set

Bong Joon Ho Parasite

Lynne Ramsay

Darren Aronofsky

Bourne duo Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon

Taylor Sheridan

Filmmaker Asghar Farhadi on The Salesman set

Denis Villeneuve Camera

Chad Stahelski

Director Park Chan-wook standing in front of a statue

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