10 Highly Underrated 2000s Thrillers That Need More Love

Following in the footsteps of 20th century genre standouts, including The Sixth Sense, Sevenand The Silence of the LambsThe decade following the start of the new millennium saw the release of some of cinema’s best thrillers. The first ten years of the new century saw many films that have achieved status as some of the most influential and celebrated thrillers of all time, with titles such as The prestige and Those who left receiving rave reviews from fans and critics for its impressive quality.

Much like the series of forgotten thrillers from the 1990s, the The 2000s also saw the debut of several highly underrated thrillers, contentiously overshadowed by the exploits of the genre’s biggest hits. Sadly, despite a long list of incredible performances, electrifying premises, and unforgettable twists to choose from, many of these underrated names have faded into cinematic obscurity over the years, failing to receive the love they deserve from film fans. Given the glowing critical reception associated with many of these films, it’s truly baffling that these tours are underrated offerings.

10

Basic (2003)

Directed by John McTiernan

The second collaboration between Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta since the two appeared together in Quentin Tarantino’s film pulp Fiction, 2003 Basic bombed at the box office and received a largely negative critical response. Chronicling a DEA agent’s investigation into a series of deaths during an Army training exercise, John McTiernan’s picture was panned by critics, who highlighted the film’s overly convoluted plot structure as the prime suspect behind the film’s critical failures. of the film.

Despite the film’s string of negative reviews, a re-examination reveals that Basic is controversially a severely underrated thriller. The acting on display is excellent for the most part, with Giovanni Ribisi notably delivering a memorable performance in a supporting role. Viewers will either love or hate the variety of twists that Basic has to offer, but if they can put aside the shaky script writing, there’s an enjoyable thriller at the heart of McTiernan’s film.

9

Enough (2002)

Directed by Michael Apted

At first glance, there isn’t much about Michael Apted Enough who screams”criminally underrated thriller“. Depicting the story of an abused wife who reaches her breaking point and fights against her abusive husband, the Jennifer Lopez-led film received largely negative reviews and produced a disappointing commercial return at the box office upon release in 2002.

However, despite He arrives Lacking commercial and critical success, the film also fared better upon critical reexamination. Lopez’s lead performance is very understated, with the actress delivering a visceral, grounded bow to bring her survivor character to life in a moving way. Enough It’s decidedly not an easy watch, given the film’s tense subject matter, but Lopez’s evocative work is enough to earn Apted’s film more love. than it has historically received.

8

Triangle (2009)

Directed byChristopher Smith

A mind-bending psychological thriller with a healthy dose of full-on horror, Triangle deftly juggles both genres to produce an excellent and nerve-wracking ride. Partially inspired by the story of the Greek mythological figure Sisyphus, Christopher Smith’s film finds a group trapped on an abandoned ocean liner after a boat trip gone wrong, where they soon begin to suspect they are being pursued by a mysterious antagonist.

Complemented by a strong lead performance from Melissa George, the intricate plot, nail-biting scenarios and TriangleThe film’s incomprehensible ending makes for top-notch suspense viewing. Unfortunately, the film bombed at the box office, with low financial returns likely playing a key factor in how quickly Smith’s film faded into obscurity. Despite this regrettable situation, Triangle remains a top-notch genre offering from the 2000s that is long overdue for audiences to appreciate.

7

Exam (2009)

Directed by Stuart Hazeldine

A notoriously underrated piece of British cinema, Stuart Hazeldine Exam unfolds like an episode of The Apprentice filmed against the backdrop of a Black Mirror universe. The film sees eight finalists for a prestigious job opening, tasked with answering a final question to secure the position. Locked in a room together until they can figure out the answer, things soon get worse as chaos unfolds between the candidates.

An ingenious psychological thriller that leads to a stressful feeling of claustrophobia, Exam utilizes its unique premise and tense setting to maximum effect. While it could be argued that the film’s conclusion veers into predictable territory, there is more than enough entertainment on offer to keep fans glued to the screen and make this a worthwhile viewing experience.

6

Phone Booth (2002)

Directed by Joel Schumacher

Led by a visceral performance from Colin Farrell and an extremely menacing vocal performance from Kiefer Sutherland Phone booth may reduce most viewers to nervous puddles by the time the credits roll. Joel Schumacher’s psychological thriller finds Farrell’s character, Stuart Shephard, trapped in the film’s titular phone booth by a mysterious executioner. It is revealed that Sutherland’s unnamed antagonist has Stuart in the crosshairs of a sniper rifle; Farrell’s prosecution must follow all his instructions or he will receive a bullet to the head.

Despite its current status as a critical darling and awards magnet, Phone booth remains one of Colin Farrell’s least known and underrated films. This is even more surprising given the fact that the film was a box office success and received positive reviews upon release. While Phone booth The premise and characters may seem severely limited at first glance, this intensely acted thriller remains an unsung diamond in the rough for the genre.

5

Insomnia (2002)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Arguably the least prominent, but not the worst Christopher Nolan film, Insomnia is a criminally underrated piece of cinema. A remake of a 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, the film features a star-studded cast including Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank. Nolan’s pic follows the aftermath of a shooting committed by Pacino’s detective Will Dormer, who finds himself blackmailed by a mysterious killer after accidentally shooting his partner during an arrest gone wrong.

Carried away by powerful performances from Pacino and Williams, Insomnia is a psychological thriller that crackles with macabre intensity from the first scene. Nolan himself chose Insomnia as his most underrated work, and the director’s dedication to doing justice to the original story is evident in every frame of the film (via Nolan’s variations by Tom Shone). Given the excellent quality of the work on display and the film’s positive reviews, it’s surprising that this tense thriller is one of the most underrated genre offerings of the 2000s.

4

Red Eyes (2005)

Directed by Wes Craven

A tense psychological thriller from A Nightmare on Elm Street director Wes Craven, Red eye remains one of the late great filmmaker’s most underrated works. Rachel McAdams plays the lead role of Lisa Reisart, a young woman who finds herself involved in a murder plot aboard a red-eye flight to Miami, with the Oppenheimer Winner of Best Leading Actor playing his antagonistic role as terrorist Jackson Rippner.

Red eye is an adrenaline-pumping ride from start to finish, earning rave reviews and a respectable box office return. Despite this, the film has fallen into relative obscurity over the years, a disappointing status quo given Red eyes electrifying quality. McAdams is excellent, but her co-star is particularly notable; Cillian Murphy gives one of his best performances as Rippner, lending menacing authenticity to one of his scariest characters to date.

3

Lake Eden (2008)

Directed by James Watkins

A British thriller with touches of horror, Lake Eden It’s a harrowing cinematic experience. James Watkins’ 2008 film stars Kelly Reilly and Michael Fassbender as a young couple on vacation in the British countryside, only to find themselves lost and chased into the woods by a gang of teenage killers after a fight between the groups. became violent. Featuring one of the most heartbreaking movie endings of all time, Lake Eden It is decidedly not for the faint of heart.

A relentlessly provocative thriller that pulls no punches, Watkins’ film radiates authenticity in the scariest way imaginable. Given the everyday nature of the film’s setting and characters, the film feels terrifyingly relatable, which makes it all the more disturbing. Lake Eden It may be the kind of film that leaves viewers clutching their knees to their chests in fear as the credits roll, but it’s an absolutely top-notch thriller; something that should have already been appreciated by devoted fans of the genre.

2

Layer Cake (2004)

Directed by Matthew Vaughan

A year before Daniel Craig first donned the tuxedo and Walther PPK belonging to a certain fictional secret agent named James Bond, the Englishman starred in one of the most underrated thriller films of the 2000s. Given Craig’s explosion in popularity following his debut as 007, it’s no surprise that his work in Matthew Vaughn’s excellent thriller film Layer cake often goes unnoticed.

Chronicling the turbulent existence of an unidentified London cocaine dealer, Layer cake features a series of glorious performances from an enviable cast to complement Craig’s refined performance in the title role. Oozing style and polished talent in every frame, Vaughn’s film flows seamlessly from sequence to sequence, courtesy of a stylish script and excellent cinematography. Layer cake remains one of the most underappreciated thriller offerings of the entire 21st century, let alone the 2000s.

1

Warranty (2004)

Directed by Michael Mann

One of Warm up director Michael Mann’s most impressive works, Guarantee is an absolute masterpiece of a thriller. Featuring two of Hollywood’s biggest hits, with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in the lead roles, Mann’s film chronicles a taxi driver’s desperate attempts to survive the following night. he discovers that his latest case is a killer who commits a series of murders in Los Angeles. Surprisingly, there is simply nothing bad to say about Guarantee.

Cruise and Foxx are absolutely riveting in their lead roles as hitman Vincent and taxi driver Max, respectively, with the latter earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Mann’s typically assured directorial style and signature visuals complement his leads’ impressive efforts to produce a neo-noir masterpiece. An almost perfect thriller film, Guarantee is contentiously the most underrated genre of the 2000s and one that desperately needs more love from mainstream cinema fans.