Given thatSteven Spielberghas made such a wide variety of movies over 50+ years, it’s hard to summarize his filmography with a few choice words and even harder with just a couple genres.Spielberg is behind many sci-fi classics, grounded dramas, the occasional comedy, war films, and some of the all-time best action/adventures.
Many of his greatest movies could also be defined as thrillers, even if many can be placed into other genres. The following movies can all be counted among Spielberg’s best thrillers; some also function as historical dramas, science-fiction movies, or even war films. Nevertheless, they’re all ranked below, starting with the good and ending with the greatest.
9’The Post' (2017)
The Postshouldn’t be thought of in too negative a light because it’s still a more than competent movie and tells an important story, doing it a decent amount of justice. It revolves around journalists at The Washington Post trying to publish the Pentagon Papers, which contained evidence that the U.S. government had lied about aspects of its involvement in the Vietnam War. The Papers were important in furthering the public’s negative attitude toward the conflict.
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In dramatizing this true life story, it’s easy to admire the film.The Posthas a great cast led byTom HanksandMeryl Streep, two actors incapable of turning in bad performances. If judged as a thriller (and it’s a stretch to do so in the first place),The Postdoesn’t really work; it’ll make you raise a few eyebrows and comment on the quality of its acting, but no one’s going to fall out of their seat in excitement watching this one.
8’Bridge of Spies' (2015)
In some ways,Bridge of Spiesfeels comparable toThe Post, and it’s fitting that Spielberg made both within a couple of years.Bridge of Spiesdramatizes a real-life event concerning a tense prisoner exchange between the Soviet Union and the U.S., as the former has taken a U.S. pilot captive, and the latter has a convicted Soviet spy.
Bridge of Spiesis amongthe best political thrillers of the 21st century, but it’s not the best thriller in Spielberg’s filmography. It’s very much a slow burn, and as polished as it is, it can sometimes feel a bit dry and safe. It’s unlikely to be the kind of movie anyone can consider bad, but some thrill-seekers might want a little more out of it. Indeed, its only extraordinary element isMark Rylance’s Oscar-winning performance.
7’The Lost World: Jurassic Park' (1997)
No one’s going to callThe Lost World: Jurassic Parkone of the all-time great sci-fi movies, but it does kind of get a bad rap. It had big shoes to fill, being the sequel to an iconic, ground-breaking film, but it’ll still satisfy those seeking dinosaur-related action, thrills, and scares. It also promotesJeff Goldblumto a leading role, and who doesn’t love Goldblum?
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Its attempts to top the first movie don’t always succeed, but it’s still a great deal of fun to see humans trying their best to survive against various dinosaurs. It’s probably the second-best entry in the now long-running franchise, and though naysayers make some good critiques, people who are particularly fond of monster movies can probably hand-wave most.
6’War of the Worlds' (2005)
Watching the 1950s version ofWar in the Worldsin the 21st century is a fairly breezy affair. The movie is a lot more fun than scary, even if it probably unnerved viewers 70 years ago. Modern-day sci-fi fans will also feel pleasantly removed from the infamousWar of the Worldsradio broadcast back in 1938, orchestrated byOrson Welles, which apparentlyhad listeners truly worried.
It makes sense that Steven Spielberg sought to update the story and make it tense/scary for modern audiences, especially by including severalharrowing scenes reminiscent of 9/11.War of the Worldsisn’t his most consistent film, but Spielberg was mostly successful in delivering a riveting thriller featuring some seriously unnerving stuff, especially considering its PG-13 rating.
5’Duel' (1971)
Steven Spielberg’s first feature film was actually a TV movie, but it’s a cut above the vast majority of 1970s made-for-TV affairs.Duelis among Spielberg’s simplest movies, revolving around one man traveling across the Californian desert, angering a tanker driver, and finding himself in a fight for his life.
The film’s just under 90 minutes long and plays like one extended road rage incident: a large vehicle relentlessly pursuing a much smaller one. It’s about as basic as thrillers get, but its simplicity is its greatest strength. Spielberg’s budgets and ambitions grew post-Duel, but the film remains easy to watch, and audiences won’t have a problem getting sucked into its tense plot.
4’Munich' (2005)
WhereThe PostandBridge of Spiesfaltered a little,Munichsucceeds as a tense, gripping thriller based on real-life events. Based on the 1972 Olympic Games terrorist attacks that killed 11 Israeli athletes,Munichconcerns a group of agents assigned to hunt down those responsible for the murders.
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Munichasks difficult questions about law and justice concerning terrorism. It can be analyzed alongside the political climate of the early 2000s, much like how Spielberg’sWar of the Worldshas 9/11 parallels.Munichis also notable for being one of the director’s darkest movies, and though it’s not an easy watch, it is a riveting one.
3’Minority Report' (2002)
Ranking among the best movies of 2002,Minority Reportsees Steven Spielberg remarkably blending the science fiction and thriller genres. Set in the future,Minority Reportexplores a genuinely fascinating concept featuring technology that predicts when somebody will commit a crime. They’re subsequently charged and considered guilty, even though no crime has been committed.
It explores the flaws inherent within such a concept, examining themes of guilt, justice, innocence, and the dangers of unchecked law enforcement.Minority Reportis among Spielberg’s most thought-provoking films; thankfully, for those who are more concerned with thrills, it never forgets to stay exciting.
2’Jurassic Park' (1993)
1997’sThe Lost Worldmight be a pretty solid sequel, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the originalJurassic Park. This classic adventure/sci-fi/thriller movie is up there with some ofthe best films of the 1990sand involves various characters forced to fight for their lives after genetically recreated dinosaurs are let loose on a secluded island, causing havoc and immense danger.
Jurassic Parkis an unapologetically crowd-pleasing blockbuster, but few directors have been able to please crowds and bust blocks as effectively as Spielberg. It’s ceaselessly entertaining and outright timeless, thanks to its cutting-edge special effects, great pacing, wonderful music, and memorable characters.
1’Jaws' (1975)
Just asJurassic Parkstands out as one of the best 1990s blockbusters,Jawsisa similarly legendary 1970s movieand one of the two earliest examples of the modern blockbuster - the other beingStar Wars. Instead of dinosaurs, the threat here is a giant shark targeting a seaside town. The film follows three men who set out on a dangerous mission to find the shark and take it out before it can kill again.
Jawsis so straightforward it might sound a little dull or predictable. However, Spielberg’s rich, tense, effective filmmaking is ridiculously exciting and suspenseful, no matter how often fans watch it.Jawsis everything a thriller should be, standing as Spielberg’s best and a landmark entry into the ever-reliable and hugely popular genre.
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