Netflix has always been loaded with engaging detective movies. Detective movies have always been exciting, giving audiences some of the most riveting, suspenseful, and thought-provoking films ever made. Detectives come in many shapes and sizes, but the best detective movies truly challenge the audience, not only to understand the narrative, but to change the way it thinks in some way as well.
Netflix's revolving door of detective movies always keeps the streaming service stocked with films that both provide entertainment and challenge viewers, and these 5 films are the best Netflix currently has to offer in that esteemed category.
1. Shutter Island (2010)
IMDb RATING: 8.2/10
Shutter Island is a 2010 American detective film directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted by Laeta Kalogridis, based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Deputy U.S. Marshal Edward "Teddy" Daniels, who is investigating a psychiatric facility on Shutter Island after one of the patients goes missing. Mark Ruffalo plays his partner and fellow deputy marshal, Ben Kingsley plays the facility's lead psychiatrist, Max von Sydow plays a German doctor, and Michelle Williams plays Daniels' wife.
Shutter Island is a classical tale starring Leonardo Di Caprio as a detective who tries to solve a mystery – but with a mind bending twist.
Shutter Island received generally positive reviews from critics, was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the top ten films of 2010, and grossed $295 million worldwide. Shutter Island was released alongside The Ghost Writer, and with $41 million finished first at the box office and gave Scorsese his highest-grossing box office opening to-date. The film remained at #1 in its second weekend, with $22.2 million. It grossed worldwide $294,805,697 and became Scorsese's second highest-grossing film worldwide.
2. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
IMDb RATING: 7.1/10
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a 2022 American film written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as master detective Benoit Blanc as he takes on a new case revolving around tech billionaire Miles Bron and his closest friends. The ensemble cast also includes Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a star studded film with Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, and Kate Hudson concerned with the death of a billionaire.
The National Board of Review named Glass Onion as one of the top ten films of 2022. The film received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 95th Academy Awards, and received numerous other accolades.
Netflix did not release any box office numbers for the film. Deadline Hollywood reported that the film made an estimated $2–2.5 million on its first day, which led to estimates being raised to as much as $12.3 million. The Hollywood Reporter later reported that the film went on to debut with an estimated $13.1 million over the five-day weekend, which would be the best-performing theatrical release for Netflix, and third for the weekend had Netflix officially released box office numbers.
3. Raat Akeli Hai (2020)
IMDb RATING: 7.2/10
Raat Akeli Hai is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language film directed by Honey Trehan. Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte, Shweta Tripathi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Shivani Raghuvanshi, Nishant Dahiya, Gyanendra Tripathi, Ila Arun, Swanand Kirkire, Nitesh Kumar Tiwari and Aditya Srivastava, the film follows a small-town cop who is summoned to investigate the death of an elderly family member. Raat Akeli Hai was released on Netflix on 31 July 2020. The film received critical acclaim for its performances and direction. Nawazuddin Siddiqui earned a Best Actor award at the Filmfare OTT Awards while the film also won Best Film at the ceremony. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 10 critics' reviews are positive, with an average high rating.
4. The Good Nurse (2022)
IMDb RATING: 6.8/10
The Good Nurse is a 2022 American film starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne, about the serial killer Charles Cullen and the fellow nurse who suspects him. The film is based on the 2013 true-crime book of the same name by Charles Graeber. It is directed by Tobias Lindholm and written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns. The film also stars Nnamdi Asomugha, Kim Dickens, and Noah Emmerich.
The Good Nurse had its world premiere at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2022, and was released in select theaters on October 19, before streaming on Netflix on October 26, 2022. The film received positive reviews from critics, with particular praise towards Redmayne's performance for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
The Good Nurse was the most-viewed film on Netflix on October 27, 2022, the day after its release. In its first week, it debuted at number one on Netflix's Top 10 with 68.31 million viewing hours with it being Top 10 in 93 countries. The next week, it dropped to second, behind Enola Holmes 2, having received 36.78 million viewing hours.
5. Enola Holmes (2020)
IMDb RATING: 6.6/10
Enola Holmes is a 2020 detective film starring Millie Bobby Brown as the title character, the teenage sister of the already famous Victorian-era detective Sherlock Holmes. The film is directed by Harry Bradbeer from a screenplay by Jack Thorne that adapts the first novel in The Enola Holmes Mysteries series by Nancy Springer. In the film, Enola travels to London to find her missing mother but ends up on a thrilling adventure, pairing up with a runaway lord as they attempt to solve a mystery that threatens the entire country. In addition to Brown, the film also stars Sam Claflin, Henry Cavill, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Enola Holmes was released on September 23, 2020. The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised Brown's performance. It became one of the most-watched original Netflix film releases, with an estimated 76 million households watching the film over its first four weeks. A sequel, Enola Holmes 2, was released on Netflix on November 4, 2022.
In April 2020, Netflix picked up the worldwide distribution rights to the film due to the COVID-19 pandemic, except for in China. It was digitally released on September 23, 2020. To promote the film in the United Kingdom, Netflix installed a series of statues of famous sisters next to existing statues of their famous brothers.
Summary
Grab your detective hat, settle into your favorite armchair, and let Netflix transport you into a world of mystery and suspense. With these top-notch detective movies at your fingertips, you’re in for a thrilling and immersive cinematic experience. Get ready to embark on a journey of clues, twists, and revelations as you uncover the secrets that lie within the best detective movies on Netflix.
Watch more:
Thanks for reading this article!