Ranking Cinema's Greatest Thrillers From Hollywood's Golden Decade

Hollywood's first decade of the new millennium produced some of cinema's most gripping psychological thrillers. Directors like Christopher Nolan and David Fincher crafted stories that challenged audiences while delivering pure entertainment. The era gave us everything from superhero epics to foreign masterpieces that still influence filmmakers today.

Crime Sagas and Psychological Warfare

Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" brought together Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jack Nicholson in a brutal cat-and-mouse game. The 2006 film follows an undercover cop and a police informant as they try to expose each other while infiltrating an Irish crime organization. Scorsese finally won his first directing Oscar for this violent, fast-paced thriller that earned $291mn worldwide.

Alfonso Cuarón's "Children of Men" painted a terrifying picture of humanity's future. Set in a world where no children have been born for 18 years, the film follows a man protecting the first pregnant woman in nearly two decades. The movie's single-take action sequences created an intensity that few films have matched since its 2006 release.

Superhero Stories and Serial Killer Hunts

"The Dark Knight" transformed comic book movies forever. Christopher Nolan's 2008 masterpiece featured Heath Ledger's haunting final performance as the Joker, a role that earned him a posthumous Oscar. Christian Bale's Batman faced his greatest challenge while the film explored themes of chaos versus order. The movie grossed over $1bn and proved superhero films could be serious art.

David Fincher's "Zodiac" took a different approach to the serial killer genre. Instead of focusing on gore, the 2007 film examined the obsession that consumed investigators hunting the infamous Zodiac Killer. Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo delivered career-defining performances in this slow-burn procedural that remains unsolved in real life.

International Masterworks

South Korea contributed two of the decade's finest thrillers. Bong Joon-ho's "Memories of Murder" followed bumbling detectives investigating a series of brutal crimes in the 1980s. The film balanced dark comedy with genuine horror, creating a unique tone that would later influence "Parasite."

Park Chan-wook's "Oldboy" shocked audiences with its revenge story about a man imprisoned for 15 years without explanation. The film's hallway fight scene became legendary, but its devastating twist ending cemented its status as a classic. The movie inspired an American remake but the original remains unmatched.

Mind-Bending Narratives

Christopher Nolan's "Memento" launched the director's career with its backwards storytelling structure. Guy Pearce played a man with short-term memory loss hunting his wife's killer. The film's innovative narrative forced viewers to experience the protagonist's confusion firsthand.

"The Prestige" capped off the decade's thriller offerings with another Nolan puzzle. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale played rival magicians whose competition spirals into dangerous obsession. The film's multiple twists and turns made it a perfect example of the era's love for complex storytelling that rewarded multiple viewings.