The best thrillers to watch on Netflix in August 2023

Completely satisfied August, Polygon readers.

We’re getting near the tip of summer time (and summer time films), however that additionally means we’re getting near the tip of the post-Barbenheimer drought on the field workplace. However there’s no drought at residence, with loads of enjoyable films to select from, all from the consolation of your sofa.

Every month, we spotlight 5 nice thrillers you possibly can watch proper now on Netflix. This month, now we have a brand new Netflix unique, a film not too long ago added to Netflix, a film related to a number of upcoming releases, and a few under-the-radar picks to assist fill out your queue.

Listed below are our 5 picks this month. Take pleasure in!

Coronary heart of Stone

Photograph: Robert Viglasky/Netflix

12 months: 2023
Run time: 2h 2m
Director: Tom Harper
Forged: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt

It’d be comprehensible if you happen to entered Netflix’s newest motion blockbuster with some skepticism. The massive-budget choices Purple Discover and The Grey Man have been absolute slogs, and star Gal Gadot has been in a rut, with Surprise Lady 1984 and Purple Discover each taking away a lot of the shine from the primary Surprise Lady.

However Coronary heart of Stone is definitely a reasonably enjoyable, globe-trotting spy thriller! It’s Gadot’s finest efficiency since Surprise Lady, because the film’s premise performs into her strengths. Gadot is Rachel Stone, a extremely expert particular agent posing because the quiet tech specialist for an MI6 crew. The position permits Gadot to draw back from the banter-heavy scripts she’s been tasked with not too long ago, and leans on her abilities as a display screen fighter.

It’s the motion that basically makes Coronary heart of Stone a enjoyable spy thriller. The film opted for extra grounded, reality-based motion as a substitute of over-the-top CG spectacle, and it actually works. The stunts are massive, the explosions are plentiful (and impactful), and it has the most effective automobile chase scenes of the 12 months.

Ben & Jody

Picture: Netflix

12 months: 2022
Run time: 1h 54m
Director: Angga Dwimas Sasongko
Forged: Chicco Jerikho, Rio Dewanto, Yayan Ruhian

Summer time is a superb time for hard-hitting motion and hanging out along with your bros within the nice open air. Ben & Jody has loads of each.

Certainly one of many stellar current Indonesian motion films (all of which appear to characteristic the prolific and dependable Yayan Ruhian), Ben & Jody follows two mates who be a part of forces with oppressed villagers to take down a gaggle of violent loggers looking for to steal their land. It has robust motion sequences, however the film is carried by the connection between its two titular characters, who will cease at nothing to help one another.

The One

Picture: Columbia Footage/Everett Assortment

12 months: 2001
Run time: 1h 27m
Director: James Wong
Forged: Jet Li, Jet Li, Jet Li, Jet Li, Jet Li, Carla Gugino, Delroy Lindo, Jason Statham

Hollywood has been contaminated with Multiversal Insanity. Every thing All over the place All at As soon as received the entire Oscars abruptly, Throughout the Spider-Verse is now out on VOD, and the MCU and DC universe have each dipped their toes within the multiverse water. However few can match the unbridled thrills of the Jet Li motion automobile The One.

In The One, Jet Li performs many alternative Jets Li. There’s a Canadian Jet Li. A Rastafarian Jet Li. An evil Jet Li. A cop Jet Li. The evil Jet Li is touring between universes, killing each Jet Li he comes throughout, as a result of it offers him extra energy. It’s right down to the ultimate good Jet Li to cease him.

If all these causes weren’t sufficient, take a better take a look at the picture above. That’s Jason Statham! With hair! Sure, multiversal films aren’t the one present relevance for The One; it’s Meg 2 season, too.

Come for Jet Li kicking people out of the air like soccer balls, keep for the early-2000s nu metallic soundtrack.

The Quick and the Livid: Tokyo Drift

Picture: Common/Everett Assortment

12 months: 2006
Run time: 1h 44m
Director: Justin Lin
Forged: Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Bow Wow

Sure, we’re stretching the definition of “thriller” right here. However the Quick and Livid collection presents many thrills, and for my cash, there’s no higher entry than Tokyo Drift.

Unfairly maligned due to how totally different it was to others within the franchise, Tokyo Drift options one of the best precise racing within the franchise. Director Justin Lin brings essentially the most out of the colourful colours of the Tokyo nightlife, giving the film a singular tone in a franchise that has since gotten larger, but in addition extra inflexible in its view of what it may be. Additionally, the legendary Sonny freaking Chiba is on this one! You’ll be able to’t get that a lot better than that.

And a enjoyable reality so that you can impress your folks at events: Opposite to fashionable perception, Tokyo Drift isn’t the debut for Sung Kang’s Han Lue character. That really got here all the best way again in 2002, in Lin’s masterful coming-of-age film Higher Luck Tomorrow. When Lin was employed for Tokyo Drift, he determined to deliver the character again, and the remaining was franchise historical past.

Day Shift

Photograph: Parrish Lewis/Netflix

12 months: 2022
Run time: 1h 53m
Director: J.J. Perry
Forged: Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Snoop Dogg

Day Shift is a pleasant style hybrid and a throwback to a bygone period of medium-budget moviemaking. Jamie Foxx performs a vampire hunter on the outs along with his union, and he’s searching for a giant rating… however is paired with an incompetent desk jockey (Dave Franco).

The film is the directorial debut of legendary stuntman and battle choreographer J.J. Perry, who brings some freaky new actions to vampires because of contortionists and creative digicam methods. And that makes it much more related to look at this month: This week’s massive launch on the field workplace is the campy vampire thriller The Final Voyage of the Demeter, and Perry shot the motion on the upcoming DC film Blue Beetle.