The 12 Biggest Hidden Gem Thrillers Of 2023 So Far

We're not even halfway through 2023 yet and the year in film is already stacked with wild must-watches and incredible blockbusters. From the return of Keanu Reeves as John Wick for a fourth chapter full of eye-widening action to Ghostface slashing up the big screen once again in "Scream VI," a lot of movies this year have caused fans to flock to the theaters. Recently, "Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3" hit theaters to end the box office reign of "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and deliver a highly emotional closing chapter for the beloved Marvel team. There are even more high-profile franchises and original releases set to continue this year. Yet, there are already some gems that might've slipped by audiences — specifically films that are total thrill rides.

Thrillers can be easy crowd pleasers for the incredible twists and turns they provide as well as the slow-burning suspense that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat. From bizarre yet compelling visions from rising directors to some sly unexpected sequels, plenty of great thrillers have hit theaters and streaming in 2023, but they weren't all marketed as well as they could be, and some got lost in the shadows of bigger releases. These are 2023 thrillers that deserve a bigger audience.

Anyone that's seen director Brandon Cronenberg's previous films "Antiviral" and "Possessor" know that he's a modern master of sickeningly twisted thrills. His latest, "Infinity Pool," takes viewers on a luxury vacation that takes a sinister turn after struggling writer James (Alexander Skarsgård) gets the death penalty when he accidentally kills a man with his car while driving late at night with his wife (Cleopatra Coleman). To avoid execution, James is given the option to clone himself and send the clone to die in his place. It's a choice that continually haunts James and causes him to spiral into a depraved criminal underworld that pushes him to his limits. 

Cronenberg typically manages to concoct highly compelling premises that deliver gross thrills and chills. "Infinity Pool" is no different, as it takes viewers on an unpredictable dive into carnage and psychological thrills that'll constantly leave them shocked. There are plenty of moments that'll leave viewers tense with fear and disturbed by James' journey. Plus, there's nothing more unnerving than Mia Goth's crazed performance and the body horror that lives up to the Cronenberg name. "Infinity Pool" might've slipped past wider audiences since it comes from indie powerhouse NEON, but that doesn't mean that the incredible crime thrills and gripping horrors should be ignored.

Blumhouse started 2023 off strong with the highly entertaining "M3GAN" and then followed it up with another gem of a thriller called "Unseen" — which got shoved straight to VOD with little marketing. The film follows store clerk Sam (Jolene Purdy) as she, through a video call, guides her half-blind friend Emily (Midori Francis) through the woods as she runs from her homicidal ex-boyfriend Charlie (Michael Patrick Lane). 

"Unseen" features a simple yet extremely engaging modern thriller premise that takes some jaw-dropping twists and turns for both women. Viewers will love how the film lets them get to know Sam and Emily as it immerses them deeper into their perspective and the performances from Purdy and Francis are top notch. Along with telling a superb character-driven story, "Unseen" features a lot of unnerving thrills that'll keep audiences hooked through every second of Emily's attempts to escape Charlie's crazed grasp and Sam dealing with intense work stresses. It's an incredibly well-executed film that utilizes its breezy under-90-minute runtime flawlessly and showcases some great direction from Yoko Okumura. Sure, "M3GAN" is a blast, but Blumhouse missed out on a potential hit in "Unseen" and has left it to be a hidden gem audiences will be excited to find. 

Not every thriller needs to provide tense moments or chilling turns to be a highly engaging ride and Guy Ritchie's criminally underseen "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre" proves that. The film follows a star-studded team of spies looking to stop a plan that could cause worldwide destruction. "Operation Fortune" is essentially Ritchie's take on James Bond spy adventures and it makes for a hilariously fun time. 

Ritchie's signature style of comedy works perfectly in creating some very funny and engaging moments from the highly talented cast made up of stars like Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Hugh Grant, and Cary Elwes. The action is fast and fierce thanks to Statham leading the charge and the film features no shortage of wild gunfights and thrilling chases. The final action sequence literally lets Statham off the leash and it's incredibly epic. Plus, the film contains piles of pure spy fun. Based on the film's poor box-office performance, "Operation Fortune" clearly wasn't on a lot of radars but is more than worthy of a watch.

The way things worked out, Guy Ritchie released two hidden gem thrillers in 2023, with "The Covenant" being his most recent criminally under-watched effort. The film is set during the War in Afghanistan and follows Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim) as they form a strong bond that helps them survive against the Taliban's growing shadow. Along with Gyllenhaal and Salim delivering great performances, Ritchie helms some incredibly suspenseful firefights.

Viewers will be left hanging on the edge of their seats through all the close-calls and unsettling suspense of John and Ahmed trying to evade the Taliban — the tension literally becomes palpable at times. John and Ahmed's brushes with death will have viewers shaking with intensity throughout and there are some explosive gunfights that have some bloody and brutal conclusions. The entire last act is a true fight for survival and purely satisfying in how it thrills audiences. "The Covenant" arguably got overshadowed by the breakout success of "Evil Dead Rise," but that simply means that Ritchie has a killer double feature full of amazing lesser-known thrills with "Operation Fortune" and "The Covenant."

It's no surprise that an international thriller on Netflix can get overlooked by most since the streamer's marketing tends to leave a lot of its content stuck in the shadows. But that doesn't mean that subscribers should miss out on "Kill Boksoon," a very fun South Korean assassin thriller. The film follows single mother assassin Gil Bok-soon (Jeon Do-yeon) whose life and flawless success rate is put into jeopardy when she finds herself in a kill-or-be-killed conflict. Director Sung-hyun Byun shows some great prowess in crafting thrilling and engaging action sequences that aren't afraid to spill some blood and keep you hooked on every moment. Whether it's through brutal hand-to-hand combat or a variety of weapons, the titular assassin absolutely makes her mark on viewers. 

"Kill Boksoon" also has a great cast of characters with distinct personalities and a slow-growing conflict that elicits those slow-burn tensions that shock viewers when things come to a head. It's a shame that movies like "Kill Boksoon" can easily get lost in the shuffle on Netflix. But now there's a hidden gem thriller just waiting on Netflix for subscribers to jump into. 

Since it was just kind of dropped onto Netflix without much marketing and got lost in a sea of content, fans of the BBC One show "Luther" might not realize that a film continuation called "The Fallen Sun" hit the streaming service. The film sees Idris Elba reprise his role as disgraced detective John Luther as he tries to right the wrongs of his past and capture the serial killer who continues to haunt him. Elba returning this role will definitely feel satisfying for fans and be a good way for newcomers to be introduced to one of the actor's most iconic roles. "The Fallen Sun" provides viewers a very solid serial killer hunt with some good twists and turns that'll hook you more into its thrilling narrative and keep you guessing at how things will end.

The film also features some good supporting performances from Andy Serkis and Cynthia Erivo and sees Elba deliver a crowd-pleasing performance that adds to the film's thrills and action. There's rarely a moment to catch your breath and "The Fallen Sun" isn't afraid to be brutal. Whether you're a longtime "Luther" fan or someone looking to get a taste for what it's all about, "The Fallen Sun" is a thriller worth laying eyes on.