In the year 2013 & 2012 a few good thriller movies made, and will make our best movies of 2013 & 2012 lists by country. Here we have put the very best psychological thrillers and action thrillers together. Europe and the UK (not just Scandinavia) have produced some excellent ones that are now out on DVD or running in the cinema in 2013. Next to series they can also make great films in this genre. From the classic police detectives to more surprising plots.
Best New Thriller movies of 2013 – Europe’s suspense and action thrillers
Among all the country releases we are anticipating this year there are quite a lot of psychological and suspense thrillers. Here we have made a selection of the very best thrillers of 2013 – for the others you should visit our New movies of 2013 section.
New British thriller movie of 2013 by Danny Boyle with James McAvoy – Trance
Trance hit theatres in the middle of March 2013, and was immediately well received. We were expecting nothing different – everything Danny Boyle seems to touch lately turns into gold. Recent success in a variety of different genre movies (Slumdog Millionaire, 127 hours) proves he is a multi-talented director. One of the most popular filmmakers at the moment. Trance is an engaging crime thriller movie with James McAvoy about an art auctioneer who receives help from a hypnotherapist to recover a lost painting.
A Swedish psychological thriller for in April 2013: Den som soker
Den som Soker (English title: Crestfallen) is a new Swedish psychological thriller film that will be what the suspense fans are looking for. After the huge success of the Stieg Larsson books and films (both Swedish and American), eyes are on Scandinavian countries for upcoming thrillers. Another one to look out for is the Danish film version of the acclaimed detective tv show ‘The Killing’. Coming back to Sweden, the Swedish director Nicolas Winding Refn of 2011′s best Hollywood movie ‘Drive’ is releasing a crime thriller called ‘Only God Forgives’ with Ryan Gosling in May 2013.
Spain comes with the blockbuster ‘Los ultimos dias’
An adventure thriller about a post-apocalyptic tale. It has the making of a popular with its big budget and (for many people) appealing story. We have already discussed it extensively in our New Action movies of 2013 – Suspense movies from Europe
Other notable European projects:
French director Louis Leterrier, after helping produce French movies, is now making it big in the US. Next to the popular Transporter Movies and The Hulk, he is now making a very anticipated Hollywood Thriller called ‘Now You See Me’.
Top 5 best thriller movies of 2012 from European soil
Of course not every country has produced a good thriller movie this year. We have selected five films that fit the thriller genre. The countries that have produced them are England, Spain, Denmark, The Netherlands and Germany. If there is a national detective thriller that you feel should be be mentioned, please do so in the comment section. We have made a selection through pre-selection so we are bound to have missed one or two gems here and there.
The American-Spanish produced drama thriller ‘The Impossible’
This actually is more of an American production, but it has a very European vibe about it. It is directed by the talented Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona who in 2009 had great success with the suspense thriller/horror the Orphanage. In this flick British Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts play a family being struck by one of the most desastrous natural catastrophes of our time – The 2004 Tsunami. The film will be released in American cinema’s in October 2012.
A Danish psychological detective thriller movie of 2012 – Those who Kill (also a series)
Based on the rather successful tv series that goes by the same name. In the Danish series we follow a female detective who gets help from a psychologist in solving murder cases. Not just normal murders, they are a special unit that deals only with serial killers. All the episodes are very suspenseful, but we feel the movie does not quite do the same. It is nonetheless an interesting film for the psychological thriller fan.
The English/British action thriller by Ralph Fiennes – Corolianus
‘A banished roman hero, Coriolanus, will attempt by making alliance with his greatest enemy to destroy Rome.’ It sounds rather spectacular and over the top, and perhaps that is somewhat the case. Nevertheless, the film has been received rather well, and it seems that Ralph Fiennes is not just a brilliant actor, but also a decent director. It has for instance been nominated for a BAFTA award. This thriller also made it to our best British (UK) movies of 2012.
Dutch classic-type thriller film by Dick Maas – Quiz
Perhaps not the best of all films, but definitely an action type thriller in the purest form. The story is simple, but yet pretty appealing. The Dutch director Dick Maas is not know for being subtle or elegant. And there is no need for it either. What you see is what you. The same is true for this movie that is about a gameshow host who suddenly sees the roles in the game being turned around. Unfortunately for him the rules have also changed a little The life of his wife and daughter is at stake.