ThePrime Videocatalog has been growing steadily over the years, not just allowing hungry streamers to consume their favorites on repeat but also filling it with lesser-known nuggets of gold that deserve more praise. That goes even more for thepsychological thrillergenre, which is often overshadowed by the immense horror umbrella that tends to get the spotlight when folks search for something to give them the good kind of goosebumps.
So, it’s time to put you onto the good stuff — the underground cult classic stuff. Here are the most underrated psychological thriller movies on Prime Video right now. For more recommendations, check out our list of the bestpsychological thriller movies,psychological thriller shows, and bestmoviesandshowsacross all genres on Prime Video.
Disclaimer: These movies are available on US Prime Video.
‘Coherence’ (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 7.2/10
FilmmakerJames Ward Byrkitsteps out of his usual partnership withGore Verbinskito make his directorial debut in this haunting tale of shifting realities.Coherenceis an intimate thriller that takes place at a dinner party between eight friends on the night of a mysterious comet that is said to cause unnatural effects. The film has a deliberate low-budget feel that gives it an almost nostalgic home video style, which enhances the eerie vibes once the mystery pops off. It feels like a disservice to tell you any more than that, but I will say that the cast really makes the premise work, especiallyEmily FoxlerandMaury Sterling, who feel the most like the leads of this ensemble.
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‘Dark Nature’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes: 72% | IMDb: 4.4/10
Dark Nature
The second directorial debut we have for you is by Canadian filmmakerBerkley Brady, who presents a nightmare of fear and paranoia starringHannah Emily Anderson(The Purge).Dark Natureis a creature feature with supernatural elements that seems to dip its toe into the metaphorical as it follows five women on a backpacking trip led by a trauma therapist into the deep Canadian forest. Similar to films likeThe Babadook, the biggest source of fear is rooted in trauma as each woman relives their worst moments through wild nightmares and hallucinations that plague them as they attempt to work through their past abuses.
‘Synchronic’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 78% | IMDb: 6.2/10
Synchronic
Anthony MackieandJamie Dornanstar in this time-bending psychedelic journey through themulti-film universe created byJustin BensonandAaron Moorhead.Synchronicfeels like the moviesLimitlessandPrimerslammed into each other and fused into a whole new entity. The story follows Mackie and Dornan as two paramedics who keep encounteringvictims of a strange drugthat allows users to phase through time — a discovery they make when one of them gets exposed to it through an accidental needle prick. Once this film starts rolling, it is a non-stop thrill ride through different eras, crippling grief, and a gripping mystery.
‘MK Ultra’ (2022)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 5.0/10
Dramatizing the real-life mind control experiments conducted by the CIA in the 60s,MK Ultrais a tense affair written and directed by a former member of Intelligence Operations for the US,Joseph Sorrentino. The story focuses on this clandestine division of American law enforcement as they dance around the lines of ethics by testing psychedelics and custom substance cocktails on human subjects to alter their behavior.Anson Mountis a true chameleon as he takes on the role of a reluctant psychiatrist who gets recruited to the program based on his work with LSD. This period thriller has the same vibe as the hit seriesMindhunterwhile shining a light on the horrific human rights violations our government is capable of enacting.
‘Buried’ (2010)
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% | IMDb: 7.0/10
Deadpoolfans can fight me on this, butBuriedis one ofRyan Reynolds’best performances of his whole career. Reynolds acts his butt off as the only character on screen for the entire runtime, as this claustrophobic survival thriller takes placeinside a coffin buried undergroundthat his character must escape using only his phone and whatever is in his pockets. DirectorRodrigo Cortéscreates an absolutely harrowing experience as he puts the audience in the same cramped space as the protagonist, using only natural lighting sources to emphasize the crushing solitude and darkness that comes with being buried alive.
‘True Fiction’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 5.0/10
True Fiction
Written and directed byBraden Croft,True Fictionis a Canadian thriller that slashes its way into a bit of horror by slowly evolving into acabin in the woods nightmare. The story follows a young aspiring writer, played bySara Garcia, who gets an exclusive invitation to the remote home of her favorite author. Unfortunately, he decides he is done writing horror, instead choosing to create his own. The film homages many classic thrillers of the past, especially that ofStephen King, while presenting a story full of twists and turns that will keep even the most experienced viewers guessing.
‘Perfect Enemy’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 5.5/10
A Perfect Enemy
Based on the Belgian novelbyAmélie Nothomb,Perfect Enemyis an unsettling game of cat-and-mouse that wraps the viewer around its finger before it strikes hard with a wild ending. The film surrounds the odd encounters of a famous architect (Tomasz Kot), who is confronted by a strange young woman (Athena Strates). She tries to blackmail him with a crime he says he didn’t do, but as she appears more and more in his life, their connection starts to unfold in disastrous ways. The story is reminiscent of thrillers likeThe Killing of a Sacred Deer, where a successful man has to grapple with a deadly piece of his past with no options to escape unscathed.
‘Black Box’ (2020)
Rotten Tomatoes: 72% | IMDb: 6.2/10
Co-written and directed byEmmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.in his debut feature film,Black Boxfeels like a cross betweenEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindand an episode ofBlack Mirroras it explores a fringe technology resembling VR that can restore memories. StarringMamoudou Athie(Kinds of Kindness) andPhylicia Rashad(Creed III), the story follows a single father who undergoes an experimental treatment after he lost his wife in a car crash that also damaged the memory centers in his brain. You wouldn’t know this was Osei-Kuffour’s first big film, as the direction of both the performances and visuals are outstanding and captivating, perfectly capturing the fear of one’s mind betraying them and the horror of that making you lose who you once were.
