Moviegoers love to be on the edge of their seats, but don't always want what the horror genre offers to achieve it. Fortunately, thriller films can offer that looming sense of unease in an environment that is more like a drama. And some of the best thrillers are streaming right now on Amazon Prime Video.

The streaming service features hundreds of amazing films from almost every genre, but even when finding a great thriller to watch, the selection can seem daunting. Of all the many independent, hidden gems and classic thrillers to showcase, here are some of the best choices available to stream right now at no additional charge. These thrillers vary between traditional and psychological thrillers, but are all entertaining.

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Jaws

Jaws

When it comes to true thrills, there's no better place to start than Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic, Jaws. The film centers around a police chief tasked with finding and eliminating a man-eating shark that is terrorizing a small New England community. But as the town's mayor actively opposes the Chief's request to close the beaches, the body count continues to rise. In addition, the film is a masterclass at building tension without actually showing a full shot of the shark until the third act. Thanks to the tension born from Jaws, a whole generation of moviegoers were afraid to go in the water.

Black Box (2020)

Black Box is a 2020 psychological thriller by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. that tells the story of Nolan Wright, a man who suffers amnesia after surviving a car crash. To help regain his memories, Wright undergoes an experimental procedure to awaken his memories called the "Black Box." While in his subconscious, he begins to unravel a mystery about himself that takes the form of a contorted, faceless figure. Wright's uncertainty about the type of man he really is plays on the fear of a person never fully knowing what they are capable of. Black Box is a clever thriller for people looking for something that isn't like the norm.

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Phone Booth

Phone Booth is a 2002 film directed by the late Joel Schumacher that shows the ugly side of truth. It follows a man who is forced to admit his affair to his wife or suffer the consequences, all from a phone booth. The movie has a simple plot that allows its lead, Colin Farrell, to show his range, starting as a man who feels he's on top of the world and ending with someone broken and facing his true self. However, the caller is no hero, as he takes one life and threatens the main character's wife and mistress in the process. The entire film sets up and pays off each of its thrills, making it a perfect addition to this list.

Take Shelter

Take Shelter is a 2011 film by Jeff Nichols that follows a man named Curtis, who suffers from apocalyptic visions of a storm on the horizon. He tries his best to keep his family safe by building a massive tornado shelter under his property but draws strange looks from his friends and loved ones. It's revealed that his family has paranoid schizophrenia, leading the viewer to question whether the storm is real or just the beginnings of a psychotic break. The movie shows how fear and uncertainty can affect a person and how far someone will go to protect their family. Take Shelter is a tension-filled experience that owns its thrills until the final frame.

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Unstoppable

Tony Scott's Unstoppable is the ultimate man against machine film as seasoned railroad engineer (Denzel Washington) and new conductor (Chris Pine) are tasked with stopping a runaway locomotive carrying highly volatile chemicals. The movie is loosely based on true events but showcases how people can come together in a crisis to avoid an even more dangerous outcome. The film also builds its stakes by ensuring there is more than enough time to empathize with its heroes and root for them as they put their lives at risk to save countless more. Unstoppable is a great thriller that shows how even the most difficult feats can be overcome through teamwork.

Vertigo

Alfred Hitchcock also goes by the title of the "master of suspense." It is an apt description and a testament to his contributions to the thriller genre. Vertigo is one of the best examples of this, as the James Stewart-led film explores the ideas of obsession and how it can often be disorienting, like vertigo. Its story follows a police detective forced into early retirement after a case leads him to develop acrophobia and vertigo. He's tasked with following a woman, but he quickly realizes how deep the mystery really is. Vertigo is an unpredictable and classic thriller that deserves a view.

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Zodiac

Following the success of Fight Club, director David Fincher continued his career until fate led him to another thriller, Zodiac. The film follows the search that took place in the 1960s and 70s for the Zodiac Killer, which has since been one of America's biggest unsolved cases. Fincher expertly crafts the tension and endless wild goose chases that each investigator encounters while trying to decipher the mystery of the Zodiac. All the while, the movie also shows the brutality of the killer as the murder spree continues.  While the ending is common knowledge, the film makes viewers want the investigators to succeed as each murder amplifies the urge to catch the killer.

Crimson Tide

crimson tide

Most military movies often center around real historical events or massive action pieces that showcase the horrors of war and the heroes that fight in it. But Tony Scott's Crimson Tide is nothing like that. The film follows Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter and his new position as the second-in-command of a nuclear submarine. When the sub receives incomplete orders to fire missiles on Russia, Hunter goes against his Captain's orders. The film is a real-life look at Schrödinger's Cat and how two types of people react to serious decisions. The stellar acting from Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman makes each scene a nail-biter as viewers question who is in the right.

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