Hypnotic Thrillers To Watch Next
Hypnotic is the latest thriller on Netflix, using the idea of hypnotherapy with a simple whodunit premise. If you’ve finished watching this one, you may be itching for more of the same. Well, fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle with our top 10 picks. Of course for all the movies we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full review. So without further ado, we present 10 movies to check out when you’ve finished watching Hypnotic!
Get Out
Get Out follows the story of Chris Washington who’s invited to his girlfriend’s parent’s house for the first time. Worried they may not accept him as a black guy in a white neighbourhood, he quickly discovers things aren’t what they seem. With a thin layer of foreshadowing and a lot of racial tension early on, the film builds up nicely to its explosive finale. Get Out’s story plays on its racial themes well with some genuinely creepy scenes that complement its play on inequality and racism. Whilst Get Out never reaches the scary side of horror, it plays out more like a thriller and viewing it as such makes for a much more enjoyable watch.
Gothika
Gothika is a psychological horror that leans into its mystery and thriller elements rather than horror. Despite its so/so ending, Gothika is a pretty decent chiller. The story centers on Dr Miranda Grey, a psychiatrist who works in the mental institution sector of a penitentiary. After a horrific car accident, Miranda wakes up to find herself an inmate, having been accused of killing her husband. The only trouble is, she has no memory of the incident. It’s not perfect, and the film perhaps takes itself a little too seriously, but it’s a fun ride while it lasts.
What Lies Beneath
What Lies Beneath is a creepy and slow-paced horror/thriller boasting some well-placed jump scares and a nice twist at the end. The couple in question are that of Norman and Claire Spencer, who are happily married but for a terrible secret being kept. When Claire begins seeing ghostly images and hearing strange voices around her home, this secret starts to seep out as Norman suspects it’s his wife’s imagination… until the images become real. With a slow build-up, the second half bursts into life as jump scares, thrilling reveals and some eerie segments combine to make this a thriller that still stands up 20 years later.
Memento
Another Nolan classic, Memento is a story that plays out in reverse. This isn’t just a gimmick though, and instead the movie works beautifully by playing on this concept time and again. The main protagonist of the piece has a severe case of short term memory loss and as the movie progresses, we shift further backwards through time to uncover exactly what’s going on. With the end already known, it’s left up to us to work out why this incident has occurred. With black and white segments along with colour being used to show time played out in both directions, Memento is a stunning achievement and an excellent movie that’ll keep you guessing until the end.
Perfect Stranger
Perfect Stranger is one of the divisive entries on this list, but it’s undeniably similar to Hypnotic in terms of set-up and execution. The story revolves around a journalist called Rowena Price who goes undercover to investigative shady businessman Harrison Hill. Posing as one of his temps, she enters into a game of cat and mouse, determined to oust him as the killer. This is a simple enough whodunit but that simplicity should please fans of Hypnotic.
Shutter Island
Shutter Island is a film you can only watch once – but it’s one heck of a trip. This perfectly atmospheric and moody psychological drama grips you from the opening minute to the closing credits. The story takes place in 1954 with a US Marshal, Teddy Daniels, investigating the disappearance of a murderer who has escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. To give much more away would be a disservice to this gem of a film. If you haven’t seen it already, Shutter Island is well worth a watch.
The Hypnotized
2004’s The Hypnotized is a Korean movie that tells a creepy story featuring hypnosis and obsession. The story centers on a psychiatrist who fails to help a patient during her stay in hospital. Help soon turns to obsession when she’s discharged, as this psychiatrist seeks this young woman on the outside and uses hypnosis to have his wicked way with her. This psychological thriller has some great visuals and the acting is pretty good all round too.
Jacob’s Ladder
Speaking of heady trips, Jacob’s Ladder is a psychologically charged experience that’s easily one of the more unsettling movies on this list. Mourning his dead child, the movie revolves around haunted Vietnam War Vet Jacob, who tries to uncover his past while suffering from a severe case of dissociation. As he dives deeper into his own subconscious, Jacob struggles to distinguish the different between the waking and dream world, leading to a mesmerizing and scary story to follow.
The Hypnotist
The Hypnotized is another movie that centers on the use of hypnotism, this time coming straight out of Sweden. In its simplest form, this movie centers on a detective who pairs himself with a famous psychologist on a case involving a traumatized young witness to a crime. It’s perhaps a little cliched and doesn’t quite use its hypnotism trope as much as it could, but it’s a solid thriller nonetheless.
Cure (1997)
Cure is an underrated gem from the 90’s, and a beautifully written picture from start to finish. The story depicts a gruesome series of murders sweeping across Tokyo. The only connection between them is a bloody X carved into the neck of each victim. Detective Takabe and psychologist Sakuma are the pair called in to try and untangle this mess, centering on a strange man who seems too be the only link to all of this. Nicely paced and with a surprisingly good hypnotism hook, Cure is a must-watch for fans of Hypnotic. So there we have it, our 10 Movie picks to keep you busy after watching Hypnotic! What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
Feel free to check out more movie recommendations here!
