After Alice (1999)
Clairvoyant/Serial Killer Thriller
Kiefer Sutherland is a detective investigating a serial killer who finds he is having clairvoyant dreams. A fairly routine thriller on all counts.
Serial Killer Thrillers
The serial killer thriller is a phenomenon that began in the 1990s. On screen prior to this, there had been plenty of psychos that would be characterised as serial killers – these are listed under Psychos and Serial Killers. Before the 1990s, depiction of movie psychos were dominated by Psycho (1960) and the gender-conflicted, split personality of Norman Bates where the psychology never became more complicated than that.
The term ‘serial killer’ did not enter cinematic language until it was popularised by the massive success of The Silence of the Lambs (1991). This created a new breed of thriller that placed a focus on detection using methods drawn from the FBI Behavioural Science Unit’s analysis of killers’ psychological patterns.
These were detective stories that showed law enforcement tracking killers deducing their psychological patterns in terms of forensic analysis and created the new detective character of the forensic profiler. This in turn led to a series of forensic detective tv series throughout the 2000s in the wake of the huge success of CSI: Crime Scene Investigators (2000-15).
Alex Cross (2012)
Serial Killer Thriller
Reboot of James Patterson’s criminal profiler books makes the mistake of hiring an action director. Tyler Perry lacks the genius mental agility Morgan Freeman previously brought to the role but Matthew Fox does crazy well
Angel Dust (1994)
Japanese Serial Killer Thriller
A Japanese variation on The Silence of the Lambs that is one of the better copies. Made with a cool, composed fascination and some original twists
Antibodies (2005)
German Serial Killer Thriller
German serial killer thriller that owes more than a small debt of inspiration to The Silence of the Lambs. That said, it also does its own interesting and original thing
The Bone Collector (1999)
Serial Killer Thriller
Serial killer thriller with Denzel Washington as Jeffrey Deaver’s quadriplegic profiler Lincoln Rhyme and Anjelina Jolie as a rookie cop who becomes his aide
Bone Daddy (1998)
Serial Killer Thriller
One of the serial killer thrillers made following The Silence of the Lambs. Rutger Hauer is a medical examiner who publishes a book about an unsolved serial killer case only to bring the killer out of retirement
The Calling (2014)
Serial Killer Thriller
Modest serial killer thriller – imagine one of the numerous Silence of the Lambs copies crossbred with Fargo. The film’s quiet pace soon segues into an absorbing thriller plot, while Christopher Heyerdahl gives a fine performance as the killer
Cold Blood: The Last Hurrah (2007)
Serial Killer Thriller
The fifth and final of the Cold Blood films, brings Matthew Kelly’s serial killer back but still lacks the gripping tension of the first two films
Cold Blood (2005-2006)
Serial Killer Thriller
One of the best copies of The Silence of the Lambs, a British tv mini-series in which police must seek the help of imprisoned serial killer Matthew Kelly, who delivers a great performance in the role
Complicity (2000)
Serial Killer Thriller
A so-so adaptation of an Iain Banks novel featuring Jonny Lee Miller as a crusading journalist who becomes involved in the hunt for a serial killer who is tied to his own past
Copycat (1995)
Serial Killer Thriller
Strong and effective serial killer thriller that was overlooked by the success of the same year’s much more high profile Se7en. Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter give excellent performances in a finely tuned script
The Crimson Rivers (2000)
Serial Killer Thriller/Secret Eugenics Program
A strong well-made French thriller that comes with the influence of Se7en involving murders on a mountainside glacier and a secretive boarding school with ties back to the Nazi era
Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse (2003)
Biblical End Times Serial Killer Thriller
Luc Besson scripted sequel to the serial killer thriller The Crimson Rivers. However, in director Olivier Dahan’s hands, this emerges as a empty-headed series of shock images and random action scenes
Cut Off (2018)
Forensic Thriller
Gripping German forensic psychology thriller that starts with one of the most memorable hooks in recent years where a pathologist autopsies a body only to find his daughter’s name and cellphone number embedded in its head
Director’s Cut (2016)
Meta-Fiction/Film Gets Invaded by a Psycho Fan
A mind-bogglingly meta film that starts out as a regular crime thriller before it gets invaded and taken over by psycho fan Penn Jillette who abducts the star and is determined to write himself in as the hero
DNA (2004)
Forensic Psycho-Thriller
Forensic thriller in which Tom Conti is a CSI who discovers evidence that he might have conducted a series of killings while in a fugue state
The Factory (2012)
Serial Killer Thriller
A Dark Horse Entertainment film that traipses through a tired serial killer plot that comes out resembling a weak episode of CSI before a frankly unbelievable twist ending
H (2002)
South Korean Serial Killer Thriller
A South Korean copy of The Silence of the Lambs where detectives find that a serial killer imprisoned in a cell is somehow causing others to continue his trail of killings
Hangman (2000)
Serial Killer Thriller
A serial killer thriller with Lou Diamond Phillips as a detective investigating a killer who challenges the police to games of hangman
Hangman (2017)
Serial Killer Thriller
A dreary revival of the 1990s serial killer thriller. The surprise for a work that has no ambition beyond cable filler is that it has attracted a name like Al Pacino who mugs and showboats through the worst performance of his career
Hannibal (2001)
The Silence of the Lambs Sequel
The immediate sequel to The Silence of the Lambs. Anthony Hopkins is back but Jodie Foster is not. Ridley Scott takes the director’s chair and creates a slick film but it lacks the compulsive grip the original held
Horsemen (2009)
Serial Killer Thriller
Serial killer thriller that brims with much Biblical imagery about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and passes through assorted increasingly improbable twists without much affect
The Invisible Guardian (2017)
Spanish Serial Killer Thriller
The first in a trilogy of Spanish detective thrillers adapted from Dolores Redondo concerning ritual child killings, a serial killer and a local Bigfoot type creature lurking in the background
Kiss the Girls (1997)
Serial Killer Thriller
The first film adapted from James Patterson’s books about forensic profiler Alex Cross, featuring standout performances from Morgan Freeman (cast as Cross) and Ashley Judd
Longlegs (2024)
Serial Killer Thriller
Osgood Perkins has been a director on the rise in recent years. This was his fourth film where he makes a serial killer thriller featuring a verrrry weird Nicolas Cage in the title role
Manhunter (1986)
Hannibal Lecter Film
The very first Hannibal Lecter film. Under Michael Mann, this comes with a stylistic flourish very different to what the films became when Anthony Hopkins took the role
Messiah (2001)
Serial Killer Thriller
A strong and worthwhile serial killer thriller mini-series from the BBC with a killer targeting victims with the names and professions of the apostles
Mindhunters (2004)
Serial Killer Thriller
Serial killer thriller from the perpetually terrible Renny Harlin. A variant on Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians, it promptly collapses into ludicrous plotting and an even more ridiculous string of deaths
Monster Party (2018)
Support Group for Serial Killers
This has an interesting premise where a trio of house burglars break into a mansion during a dinner party only to stumble into a support group for serial killers
Murder By Numbers (2002)
Forensic Psychology Thriller
Thriller with Sandra Bullock as a burned-out detective investigating two teenagers who have decided to commit a murder as an experiment in amorality
Perfect Prey (1998)
Serial Killer Thriller
When the Bough Breaks was one of the better 1990s serial killer thrillers; though it didn’t need it, this is a sequel, albeit with a completely different cast. While the original was clever, this falls into drawing too much from The Silence of the Lambs, the inspiration behind both films
Postmortem (1998)
Serial Killer Thriller
Albert Pyun jumps aboard the post The Silence of the Lambs serial killer thriller fad with a routine that has Charlie Sheen as a writer in Glasgow being taunted by the killer he wrote a book about
The Prophet’s Game (1999)
Serial Killer Thriller
Dennis Hopper plays a retired detective brought in to hunt a serial killer who targets victims via a campus game
Red Dragon (2002)
Hannibal Lecter Prequel
Following the success of the Hannibal Lecter films, Dino de Laurentiis smartly repackaged Thomas Harris’s earlier novel as a Hannibal Lecter prequel
Red Team (2000)
Rogue FBI Serial Killer-Hunting Team
Serial killer thriller about an FBI team who realise they are hunting a killer who targets other serial killers
Resurrection (1999)
Serial Killer Thriller
Quite reasonable serial killer thriller, undeniably influenced by Se7en, with Christopher Lambert tracking a killer who believes he can resurrect Christ
The Ritual Killer (2023)
Ritual Killings
A film that stands much in the shadow of Se7en and the serial killer thriller with Morgan Freeman tracking a ritual African killer
Se7en (1995)
Serial Killer Thriller
Classic serial killer film from David Fincher, a superb effort from the casting to a script that seems weighted by the moral ills of the 20th Century to the unforgettable twist ending
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Serial Killer Thriller
This caught on in a big way with the public, created a fascination with serial killers and forensic psychology and was nominated for a host of awards. Personally, one finds it one of the more overrated films of modern vintage
Slaughter of the Innocents (1993)
Serial Killer Thriller
Reasonable copy of The Silence of the Lambs with Scott Glenn as an FBI agent tracking a killer obsessed with Noah’s Ark
The Snowman (2017)
Norwegian Serial Killer Thriller
International production based on a series of books about a Norwegian detective. This flopped badly and was called confusing. Mostly, it is a serial killer thriller that fails to hold you gripped with its unfoldings
Solace (2015)
Clairvoyance Thriller
This was intriguingly once planned as a Se7en sequel but I felt uninspired as it seems just another clairvoyant murder mystery. On the other hand, it is grippingly well written and has some great performances. With the introduction of a rival clairvoyant halfway through, it however becomes something amazing
Suspect Zero (2004)
Serial Killer Thriller
Serial killer thriller with Aaron Eckhart on the trail of an ambiguous Ben Kingsley. This offers some interesting twists but fails in the core issue of developing it into an absorbing thriller plot
Taking Lives (2004)
Serial Killer Thriller
Serial killer thriller with Angelina Jolie as an FBI profiler tracking a killer in Montreal and becoming involved with suspect Ethan Hawke. The plot falls apart in some shabby twists
Tattoo (2002)
German Serial Killer Thriller
German thriller in which an investigating detective is drawn into an underground world where people are being killed by collectors for their tattoos
Tell Me Something (1999)
Korean Serial Killer Thriller
Essentially a South Korean version of Se7en with police tracking a killer dumping severed body parts around the city, all of which lead to a mystery woman
Thr3e (2006)
Christian Serial Killer Thriller
Quite evidently modelled on Se7en even to the lookalike title, this is the novelty of a Christian serial killer thriller. The results are quite strange to say the least
Twisted (2004)
Serial Killer Thriller
Disappointing Philip Kaufman thriller where detective Ashley Judd finds she is dealing with a serial killer who is obsessed with her
WΔZ (2007)
Serial Killer Thriller
Serial killer thriller that eventually emerges as I Spit on Your Grave reimagined as a police procedural. Much effort is made to portray a grim urban environment but little to engage as a thriller, although Selma Blair owns the show as the avenged woman in the latter third
When the Bough Breaks (1994)
Serial Killer Thriller
Strong and absorbing serial killer thriller with Ally Walker tracking a killer who severs children’s hands