The best thrillers to watch on Netflix in April

Greetings, Polygon readers!

April is finally upon us and spring is in full swing, with a month full of exciting theater premieres ahead. This weekend, Civil warthe new dystopian drama of Ex Machina director Alex Garland starring Kirsten Dunst, opens in theaters, while recent releases such as The first omen And Monkey man continue to attract audiences.

If you’re looking for thrills from the comfort of your own home, don’t worry: we’ve scoured the Netflix library again to bring you the best thrillers to watch this April. This month’s selections include an overlooked classic Blow out And Mission Impossible director Brian De Palma, a dark revenge thriller starring Quantum of Solace‘s Olga Kurylenko, and a pulse-pounding African spy thriller about a former assassin fighting to reclaim his life.

Editor’s Choice: Body Double

Director: Brian DePalma
Form: Craig Wasson, Gregg Henry, Melanie Griffith

No name was more synonymous with thrillers in the ’80s than Brian De Palma. The director behind critically acclaimed films like Blow out And Dressed to kill gained a reputation at the time for its penchant for graphic violence, evocative cinematography and sharp satire of Hollywood artifice, all of which are present in this 1984 film starring Craig Wasson and Melanie Griffith.

Doppelgänger follows the story of Jake Sully (Wasson), a down-and-out actor struggling with claustrophobia who, after losing a job and splitting up with his girlfriend, is offered a job in the Hollywood Hills. Jake becomes fixated on Gloria Revelle (Deborah Shelton), a neighbor whose beauty inadvertently attracts the attention of another admirer with sinister intentions. In an attempt to warn Gloria of this potential threat, Jake becomes entangled in a web of lies and deceit that only an unlikely ally in the form of a porn actress named Holly Body (Griffith) can hope to help him untangle.

Doppelgänger is a lurid and thoroughly brilliant erotic thriller that explores the depths of Hollywood’s voyeuristic obsessions to devastating effect. Although the film was panned during its initial release, it has become a cult favorite among audiences for its satirical melodrama, deft editing, and Melanie Griffith’s stellar performance. If you’re okay with a fair share of nudity in your thrillers, this is an absolute must-watch. —Toussaint Egan

Sentinelle

Image: Netflix

Director: Julien Leclercq
Form: Olga Kurylenko, Marilyn Lima, Michel Nabokoff

At the end of last month, Netflix released a new adaptation of the legendary nail-biting thriller Wages of fear. I came in with high expectations, as a fan of both director Julien Leclercq and star Alban Lenoir. The film was ultimately quite disappointing (especially compared to the original and William Friedkin’s adaptation, Wizard), but it’s a good excuse to recommend one of Leclercq’s better previous efforts (my favorite of his, 2015 The crewunfortunately it is no longer on Netflix).

Starring the always reliable Olga Kurylenko, who has been a fixture in solid direct-to-video action thrillers this decade. Sentinelle is a dark revenge thriller with a meager running time of 80 minutes. Unlike the new one Wages of fearThis film is constantly exciting and paints a complex picture of the main character, a traumatized soldier (Kurylenko) who returns home and wants revenge on the men who attacked her sister. Her confident lead performance commands the camera in every scene, and the film’s close-quarters action is tense and thrilling. —Piet Volk

Heart of the hunter

Image: Netflix

Director: Mandla Walter Dube
Form: Bonko Khoza, Connie Ferguson, Masasa Mbangeni

South African director Mandla Walter Dube had a mild Netflix hit two years ago in the headline-grabbing thriller Silverton Siege. He is being followed Heart of the hunter, a solid little thriller about an ex-assassin (Bonko Khoza) who retires after his old life comes back to haunt him. It’s a simple conspiracy/revenge thriller that doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it’s a solid film with strong leading performances and part of an ongoing effort by Netflix to expand its offerings from South Africa. —PV