The Best Thriller Selections for May
Finding the perfect thriller can be a challenge, especially when top-tier titles are scattered across various streaming platforms. To help you narrow down your search, we have curated a list of the four best thrillers available this month, ranked by their critical reception on Rotten Tomatoes. This selection ranges from intense survival dramas to gritty crime sagas.
4. Beast (Netflix)
What begins as an attempt at a family bonding trip turns into a fight for survival. Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) takes his two daughters, Meredith and Norah, to an African game reserve to reconnect with their roots and visit an old family friend, Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley). However, their arrival coincides with the presence of a lethal, man-killing lion roaming the territory.
«The creature is vicious and cunning, and Nate has to find some way to overcome it, or else there won’t be anyone left to bury him or his family when the lion comes for them,» as described in the premise of the film.
3. Highest 2 Lowest (Apple TV)
Directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington, this crime thriller follows David King, a legendary music industry figure and former co-founder of Stackin’ Hits Records. Driven by nostalgia, King attempts to liquidate his assets to buy back the company he sold years ago.
His plans are derailed when, on the very day of the deal, his son Trey is kidnapped. The kidnappers demand a ransom that threatens to destroy King’s ambitions and his future.
2. Caught Stealing (Netflix)
Darren Aronofsky’s latest feature blends crime thrills with dark comedy. The story centers on Hank Thompson (Austin Butler), an ordinary man whose life unravels after he agrees to watch his neighbor's cat. This simple favor makes him a target for dangerous mobsters hunting for his neighbor, Russ Miner (Matt Smith).
As Hank and his girlfriend, Yvonne (Zoë Kravitz), find themselves caught in a violent web, they realize they are being hunted not only by criminals but also by a corrupt detective, Elise Roman (Regina King), who is desperate to recover Russ’s hidden fortune.
1. Crime 101 (Prime Video)
Chris Hemsworth stars as Mike, a highly skilled jewel thief who prides himself on meticulous planning and avoiding casualties. After a recent heist goes awry, a shaken Mike decides to retire. However, his fence, Money (Nick Nolte), secretly hires a volatile psychopath named Ormon (Barry Keoghan) to finish the job.
While Mike attempts to pursue a relationship with a woman named Maya (Monica Barbaro), he finds himself pressured from multiple sides: the relentless Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) is closing in, and a mysterious insurance broker, Sharon Combs (Halle Berry), enters his orbit. With tensions rising, Mike struggles to figure out who can truly be trusted.