BBC’s “Luther” has already overpowered viewers with its jam-packed actions and thrilling escapades. After a huge response from the audience, the show has brought back Luther, in the trench coat, again on screen with “Luther: The Fallen Sun,” directed by Jamie Payne. This movie has a whole independent plot with a fresh start, which can easily be deciphered by new fans. The film opens with Luther imprisoned for his deeds in the final season of BBC; from fever pitch to terrible decisions, it is unconventional chaos. There is always a suspicious secret about Idris Elba that has never been figured out in movies, and that is probably the prime potency of this psychologically unrestricted genre. Written by Neil Cross, the movie presents DCI John Luther as he breaks out of incarceration to interrogate a killing spree and meets masochistic murderer Robey (Andy Serkis). If you got a thrill from this dark flick, we have pigeonholed a list of mysterious crime thrillers that will stimulate all your nerve cells.
The Raven (2012)
The movie dates back to the 1840s and is about a well-known writer, Edgar Allen Poe, who was found dead on October 7, at the age of 40. He was an acute drug addict, and in this febrile thriller, attempts have been made by the director, James McTeigue, to relate Poe’s death to jerry-built murder plots from various crime novels. The movie portrays Poe (played by John Cusack) as a boastful personality who loved to blow his own trumpet to get acknowledgement. He finally gets that, although not in the tone he wanted, when a psychological serial killer starts emulating his novel ideas for the murder. He gets dragged into the investigation when the inspector, Luke Evans, who happens to be familiar with Poe’s novels, is able to recall the connection between the murder plot and his book. These instances keep recurring and ultimately taking a soft turn when Emily (a young girl played by Alice Eve) gets kidnapped, who also happens to be the love of his life. This forces Poe to take the challenge at a personal level, scavenge through his novel plots to predict the killer, and finally save his love’s life at the cost of his own.
Taken (2008)
“Taken” is one such intense family thriller, which incorporates fatherly love with tints of jaw-dropping suspense carefully woven together to keep one glued to the seat over the entire runtime. The movie unfolds itself with a soft tone, wherein Bryan (an ex-CIA officer, played by Liam Neeson) strives to build a better relationship with his 17-year-old daughter Kim, who lives with her mother, and his ex-wife, Lenore. It starts with a mental juxtaposition where he has to choose between fatherly concerns and the urge to get closer to her daughter when Kim asks him for his permission to visit Paris with her friend Amanda. He finally gives in to the softer side, keeping aside his perturbations, but little did he know his concerns were actually about to come true. The movie turns into a series of suspense and tension once Kim and Amanda reach Paris, where they get tricked and kidnapped by a young stranger who shares the taxi with them. Kim stands out as being an extraordinarily smart girl who was able to signal some clues to her father just the moment she was dragged. Withholding the feeble clues and all these uncertainties, Bryan travels to Paris and, using his ex-CIA skills, excavates further clues to finally go down to the roots and save his daughter from the syndicate, ending the suspense on a happy note.
The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
“The Pale Blue Eye” is such a movie that will keep you seated with bated breath owing to its deceptive plot and roller coaster of emotions. The movie entails an alcoholic detective, Landor, who is entrusted by the military to investigate the hanging of a cadet who had his heart cut out. Two more similar instances happen, and Landor eventually teams up with Edgar (another cadet) to solve the mystery. The plot progresses to mislead the viewers by connecting the murder to a black magic plot until the sudden swerve at the very last second when Edgar reveals Landor to be the actual murderer.
The movie ends on a soft note as a solemn father avenges the death of his own daughter, and the excellent performance by Christian Bale leads the act to a classic cult.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Arguably one of the best dark crime thrillers ever made, Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” manages to comprehend itself as a bona fide adult superhero movie anyone would cherish watching. It surpasses the conventional good vs. evil plots to create an aura that forces the viewers into a dilemma. Batman is considered a vigilante by the common mass, the cause of every ruckus, and the Joker (played by Heath Ledger), the psychopath, is hailed as a pioneer for freedom. Amidst all this commotion in Gotham City, a multi-billionaire masks himself (Batman) as the savior and battles against all crimes to pursue the legacy of his father. The movie could never have been so engaging without the excellent star cast, in which everyone was pitch-perfect in their roles. Special accolades goes to Heath Ledger, who won the Academy Award posthumously in 2009 for his legacy role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
Shooter (2007)
“Shooter” earns its place as a perfect action thriller, with subtle plot twists and intense suspense, making it one of the best movies of its kind. The movie revolves around top marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger, who left the military after a mission went haywire and concealed himself in solitude. He eventually gets approached by some government officials, owing to his extraordinary skills, to aid them in impeding a plan against the assassination of the president. The retired but devoted patriot hesitantly agrees to help, but little did he know it was a setup. As the plot progresses, we see that he gets betrayed and becomes a national target for the murder of the archbishop. Instead of fleeing, he stands up against the corrupt and, with the support of Nick (an FBI agent), brings forth their heinous crimes, ultimately finishing them off in style once they escape the law.
The Hard Way (2019)
Directed by Keoni Waxman, “The Hard Way” is an action-packed film starring Michael Jai White (Payne), Randy Couture, Madalina Anea, and Luke Goss. With quite a familiar plot, the movie contains enough actions to keep viewers intrigued throughout. Along with countless smackdowns, Michael Jai White is a tough guy who will team up with two allies to take revenge for his dead brother, Cody, in Romania. The things you want to get rid of are what follow you the most, and that is what happens to all the muscular characters. This movie is not as robust as “Luther: The Fallen Sun,” but it is a sharp movie with drug dealing, smuggling, a knife fight, and an unexpected confidence level to solve the dynamite-like murder mystery.
V For Vendetta (2005)
The movie borrows its resemblance to the very incident that happened on the eve of November 5, 1905, when Guy Fawkes made a failed attempt to bring down the parliament to restore the Catholic monarchy in England. Emulating his mask and his style, V tries to bring forth the current scenario of fascist dictatorship to the public and single-handedly bring them down for a free England, which promises not only security but also personal freedom. V has been portrayed as a more badass version of John Wick, who pertains to a series of destruction and murder, using them as gimmicks to involve the common masses in his support. The movie begins with V saving Evey (Natalie Portman) from being raped by a few policemen, who remained a constant supporter of V throughout the entire movie. Throughout the entire movie, the director slowly reveals the inhumane political games and how V avenges them all to finally bring forth the showdown. In the end, he successfully recreates the Gunpowder plot, but this time being able to bring down the parliament along with him, keeping his identity intact for the viewers.
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