Detective movies have always captured the audience’s attention with their remarkable storyline and added mystery and the unique illusion of depth. These detective movies are unbelievably hard to solve and aim to strike at something buried deep inside our souls.
The thriller and suspense force its viewers to remain glued to the screen till the very end of the movie. The high cinematic style and satisfying plot twist act as a treat to its faithful viewers.
So, if you have been trying to find some of the most famous detective movies, here is a list of the 20 best detective movies to make your holiday season much more thrilling.
20. Brick
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Writer: Rian Johnson
- Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Nora Zehetner, Noah Fleiss, Matt O’Leary
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Brick is one of the best detective films and a classic noir movie that follows the life of a lonely high school student named Brendan Frye after parting ways with her girlfriend.
He later discovers that his ex-girlfriend has been missing, and there is no way to reach her. He decides to take the matter into his own hands and investigate the mysterious case.
Brick is a jaw-dropping movie that will undoubtedly make you fall in love with the mystery genre. The suspense and thrilling cinematic style are reasons you need to watch the film as soon as possible.
19. The French Connection
- Director: William Friedkin
- Writer: Ernest Tidyman
- Cast: Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco
- IMDb Rating: 7.7
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This crime thriller revolves around two narcotics detectives, Popeye and Buddy Russo, investigating a heroin smuggling case in Marseilles, France. But capturing the guilty seems like an impossible task in this detective film.
The iconic car chase scene in this cop criminal thriller movie is still wholeheartedly remembered by people even though this movie turned fifty years old. This is one of those classics that will never grow old.
18. The Big Sleep
- Director: Howard Hawks
- Writer: Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep)
- Cast: Humphrey Bogart; Lauren Bacall; Martha Vickers; Dorothy Malone
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Big Sleep is a thrilling detective tale about a private detective who takes up a mysterious case where a wealthy family is blackmailed by a man named Arthur Geiger.
The case gets further tangled when Arthur is found dead in mysterious circumstances, leaving the detective’s life upside down. This is a perfect movie to satisfy all your suspense cravings.
17. Insomnia
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Writer: Hillary Seitz
- Cast: Al Pacino; Robin Williams; Hilary Swank; Maura Tierney; Martin Donovan
- IMDb Rating: 7.2
- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This 2002 psychological thriller drama film follows a police detective who goes to Alaska to investigate a murder case of a teenage girl. His mental health gets affected when the prime suspect plays a psychological game with him.
This is one of the best detective films with a thrilling cinematic style and well-crafted characters. This is one of the most fantastic detective stories in history.
16. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
- Director: David Fincher
- Writer: Steven Zaillian
- Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer
- IMDb Rating: 7.8
- Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo follows Mikael Blomkvist, who takes the help of an advanced hacker to solve the mystery of a woman who has been missing for the last fourth years.
What’s more interesting about this movie is that the film creators made the character of Rooney Mara look exactly like what was described in the book. This movie, with unexpected twists and turns, was phenomenal in every possible way.
15. Chinatown
- Director: Roman Polanski
- Writer: Robert Towne
- Cast: Jack Nicholson; Faye Dunaway; John Hillerman; Perry Lopez; Burt Young
- IMDb Rating: 8.2
- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This detective movie is an intriguing tale about a detective who is hired to investigate adultery based in the city of Los Angeles. But as the case unfolds, he finds himself caught in the shackles of murder, corruption, and deceit.
If you haven’t watched this thrilling movie yet, you are seriously missing out on a significant storyline. The film received massive success in the theatres and is regarded as one of the greatest films ever.
14. Memento
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Writer: Christopher Nolan
- Cast: Guy Pearce; Carrie-Anne Moss; Joe Pantoliano
- IMDb Rating: 8.4
- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Memento is based on an insurance investigator who suffers from a severe disorder called anterograde amnesia.
He finds the killer of his wife with the help of notes and tattoos. Memento is a moving film that you can watch countless times and it will be more entertaining every single time. This movie is nothing but a masterpiece.
13. Knives Out
- Director: Rian Johnson
- Writer: Rian Johnson
- Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis
- IMDb Rating: 7.9
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Knives Out is a thrilling detective film about a detective who investigates the case of a famous crime novelist who was mysteriously murdered on his 85th birthday.
The brilliant star cast, especially Daniel and Chris Evans played their characters perfectly.
Knives Out is one of the greatest murder mysteries ever made. The audience jumped joyfully when they realized Craig and Chris Evans were working together in this movie. People will cherish this old-school murder mystery for many more years to come.
12. Zodiac
- Director: David Fincher
- Writer: Robert Graysmith (Zodiac and Zodiac Unmasked)
- Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox
- IMDb Rating: 7.7
- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Zodiac is a fascinating detective movie that revolves around a cartoonist who is determined to unravel the identity of a zodiac killer by using his unique puzzle-solving skills.
The intriguing plot twists and intriguing cinematic style are some of the reasons why you need to watch this movie. This movie is based on Robert Graysmith’s book of the same name.
11. Rear Window
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
- Writer: John Michael Hayes
- Cast: James Stewart; Grace Kelly; Wendell Corey; Thelma Ritter; Raymond Burr
- IMDb Rating: 8.5
- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
Rear Window is about a professional photographer who is asked to stay in his home to restore his broken leg.
He monitors the neighbors because he is bored of sitting ideally all day without doing anything. He later finds out a shocking truth about his neighborhood.
10. The Third Man
- Director: Carol Reed
- Writer: Graham Greene
- Cast: Joseph Cotten; Alida Valli; Orson Welles; Trevor Howard
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Third Man is a popular thriller that follows a man who investigates the death of his childhood friend and unravels a massive corruption happening after World War II in Vienna.
This is one of the finest movies ever created. It has the best of everything ranging from the script, directing, cinematography, acting, and music. It also has some of the most heart-touching scenes making you cry your eyes out.
It is saddening how the creators stopped making movies like this masterpiece. The performances of all the cast members are going to blow your mind.
9. Prisoners
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Writer: Aaron Guzikowski
- Cast: Hugh Jackman; Jake Gyllenhaal; Viola Davis; Maria Bello
- IMDb Rating: 8.1
- Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime, Netflix
This 2013 crime thriller movie follows a man named Keller Dover, who is tired of police inefficiency in finding his daughter and her friend. He makes a bold decision to find his daughter all by himself.
He has to find his daughter while risking his own life. The brilliant performances of Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman made this movie one of the best thriller movies of all time. It is such an honor to witness them together on-screen.
This movie brings out a unique perspective to its viewers and makes it stand out from the rest of the crime thriller movies.
8. The Maltese Falcon
- Director: John Huston
- Writer: John Huston
- Cast: Humphrey Bogart; Mary Astor; Gladys George; Peter Lorre; Barton
- IMDb Rating: 8
- Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
The Maltese Falcon is a popular noir classic that follows a private detective named Sam Spade, who gets his life in danger while investigating a mysterious sculpture. This movie is nothing more than an explosive.
This movie has a unique storyline, thrilling twists and turns, and the best cinematography. You need to pay attention to the film. Otherwise, you will miss out on a significant detail.
The complex yet entertaining plotline of The Maltese Falcon makes it a must-watch thriller movie. This is undoubtedly the best movie in the noir genre. We are glad this movie exists!
7. Blade Runner 2049
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Writer: Hampton Fancher
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks
- IMDb Rating: 8
- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Blade Runner 2049 is a moving story about a former blade runner who went missing three decades ago and still hasn’t been found. A noble officer searches him along with the Los Angeles Police Force.
Every scene in this movie is staggering and a pure work of art. You will watch the film while continuously appreciating the direction, the unique cinematic style, and the jaw-dropping storyline.
People will reach this movie for many more years to come. It is not just a movie; it is a work of art.
6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Writer: Gary K. Wolf (Who Censored Roger Rabbit??)
- Cast: Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer, Stubby Kaye
- IMDb Rating: 7.7
- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video, Disney Plus Hotstar
If you want to watch a cartoon fantasy series, then we have just the movie for you. This movie revolves around Toon Roger, who believes that his wife is having an affair with a man named Marvin.
He hires a famous detective named Eddie Valiant, who helps him with the case. The story forward with Marvin being found dead, leaving Roger the prime suspect.
This is one of the most well-written cartoon movies, added with excitement and suspense.
5. L.A. Confidential
- Director: Curtis Hanson
- Writer: James Ellroy (L.A. Confidential)
- Cast: Kevin Spacey; Russell Crowe; Guy Pearce; James Cromwell
- IMDb Rating: 8.2
- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
L.A. Confidential is a neo-noir film about three detectives investigating a series of homicides. At the same time, the suspects and proofs lead to corruption in their department. This is one of the most compelling movies in the crime-drama genre.
This timeless classic will never stop entertaining people with its spectacular storyline, well-written characters, and mind-blowing twists and turns to make you realize that this is the most incredible gem of the mystery genre.
This movie has everything you could expect from a masterpiece. We are sure we can never grow tired of repeatedly watching this crime thriller.
4. Se7en
- Director: David Fincher
- Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker
- Cast: Brad Pitt; Morgan Freeman; Gwyneth Paltrow; John C. McGinley
- IMDb Rating: 8.6
- Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
- Streaming Platform: Prime Video
Se7en is a thrilling detective movie about two detectives investigating a killer who uses seven deadly sins to kill people. Se7en is one of history’s most well-thought-out and dark, creative masterpieces.
The epic star cast, including Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, made this movie worthwhile. This movie has a sufficient dose of horror and is surprisingly violent for all the horror genre enthusiasts out there.
It has been 26 years of this movie but it it is still one of the best detective thriller films ever.
3. The Silence of The Lambs
- Director: Jonathan Demme
- Writer: Ted Tally
- Cast: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine
- IMDb Rating: 8.6
- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime
This is a famous murder mystery that revolves around a psychotic serial killer named Hannibal Lecter, who helps an FBI agent solve the case of another deadly killer who is targeting female victims.
The Silence of the Lambs is a major engrossing film that truly shines in its fabulous star cast, thrilling storyline, and unique thriller cinematic style.
What fascinates us as an audience is that Anthony Hopkins had limited screen timing in the movie but still won the Best Actor award for his impactful performance. Thirty years of this movie, it is still one of the greatest psychological thriller-horror movies of all time.
2. Sherlock Holmes
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Writer: Lionel Wigram; Michael Robert Johnson
- Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law; Rachel McAdams; Mark Strong; Eddie Marsan
- IMDb Rating: 7.6
- Rotten Tomatoes: 69%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Sherlock Holmes revolves around a famed detective named Sherlock Holmes and his partner Watson who investigates a serial killer named Blackwood. They come across a shocking truth after he is sentenced to death.
This iconic movie’s outstanding star cast, including Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, was extraordinary.
Even though twelve years have passed, mystery genre lovers couldn’t stop holding on to this movie because of the mystery and suspense it carries within itself. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most legendary mystery thriller movies ever.
1. Blind Detective
- Director: Johnnie To
- Writer: Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai
- Cast: Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Guo Tao, Gao Yuanyuan
- IMDb Rating: 6.4
- Rotten Tomatoes: 55%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime
Blind Detective is a story about a detective who is pressured to leave his job after turning blind. He is forced to solve cold cases to make a living. Later a rookie officer recognizes his unique presence of mind and offers to solve issues with her.
This film offers great chemistry between the main leads and superb acting skills. This is an innovative as well as a highly intriguing movie.
The mystery added to this romantic comedy makes this movie more and more entertaining.
Conclusion:
We all must have heard the name Sherlock Holmes since we opened our eyes, and that’s how we were introduced to the world of the mystery thriller genre.
It is wild how people are still obsessed with this legendary figure who solves cases and offers the most suspenseful plotlines in the industry.
Some prime detective films include The Secret of the Lambs, Sherlock Holmes, Se7en, The French Connection, Blade Runner, and many others.
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