Action thrillers with horror elements

I'm starting a new group thread because we're moving into a category that isn't strictly horror, though given the sheer amount of violence, blood, and mystery, it really feels more like an ultra-heavy thriller than your run-of-the-mill suspense flick. To give you a sense of the vibe we're aiming for, here's a prime example:

13 Sins (2014)

What starts as a broke guy answering a random phone call spirals into a bloody sea of games—starting with something as trivial as killing a fly and escalating into a dramatic conclusion unlike anything else in cinema. It’s one of those films that keeps you glued to your seat from start to finish. It stars Mark Webber alongside the legendary Ron Perlman.
I don't usually hand out high scores very easily, but I'm giving this one a solid 9/10. Once you see it, you'll understand why.
👍

The first thing that pops into my head is Carpenter's "Somebody's Watching Me," which I saw ages ago. Honestly, when it comes to movies, I’ve always found the horror scenes way more intense when they involve stuff that could actually happen in real life—rather than all that nonsense with monsters or supernatural entities.

Aliens, though it would’ve felt more like a war movie than an action flick.

Obviously Predator 1 and 2.

As for thrillers, I haven't got a clue...

Richard Wilson4 said:Aliens, though it would’ve felt more like a war movie than an action flick.

Obviously Predator 1 and 2.

As for thrillers, I haven't got a clue...

For me, it’s always been those Sci-Fi flicks.

Richard Wilson4 said:Aliens, though it would’ve felt more like a war movie than an action flick.

Obviously Predator 1 and 2.

As for thrillers, I haven't got a clue...

Actually, Aliens and Predator fall under Sci-Fi / Horror, so they don't really fit into this category.

driftingcanyon2 said:Actually, Aliens and Predator fall under Sci-Fi / Horror, so they don't really fit into this category.

But they're definitely action movies.

Underworld

Richard Wilson4 said:But they're definitely action movies.

Larry Walker24 said:Underworld

You guys aren't quite catching my drift—these are straight-up action Sci-Fi/Horror films, not just action thrillers with a few horror elements tossed in.

I'll throw in another example of an excellent film that blends action thriller vibes with some horror elements, just in case you guys need a little more inspiration.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

The movie is absolutely relentless with the violence, ranging from sexual assault to pure slaughter—it even features scenes of animals being killed on camera, which actually landed it a ban in some places. That final showdown between the natives and the besieged settlers is legendary; it belongs in the cinematic hall of fame. I'd give it an 8/10.

The Host (2020)

It’s your standard genre fare—a heavy-hitting action thriller packed with gore—that feels like a female-led version of Psych mixed with some Chinese drug smuggling. You’ve got this psychopath running a hotel in Amsterdam who butchers men "live" (there's a scene with a saw 😱) in a basement equipped with a meat grinder... I'd give it a 7/10.

I think https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11284280/ Cadaver (2020) might fit that category too. It touches on Sci-Fi since it takes place shortly after a nuclear war—maybe a month or two later—but the plot itself lacks any actual Sci-Fi elements. Still, there’s plenty of action, thriller vibes, and violence.

driftingcanyon2, what's your take on the cult classic Audition (1999) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audition_(1999_film)? It's listed as horror on IMDb, but based on the criteria you laid out, it seems like it could work. Also, the German film Schramm (1993) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108053/ might belong here, though I should warn you, it's a pretty brutal watch. Then there's the German film The Golden Glove (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7670212/, which fits your description perfectly—an extremely violent psychological action thriller.
What do you think about those?

driftingcanyon2 said:You guys aren't quite catching my drift—these are straight-up action Sci-Fi/Horror films, not just action thrillers with a few horror elements tossed in.

I'll throw in another example of an excellent film that blends action thriller vibes with some horror elements, just in case you guys need a little more inspiration.

Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

The movie is absolutely relentless with the violence, ranging from sexual assault to pure slaughter—it even features scenes of animals being killed on camera, which actually landed it a ban in some places. That final showdown between the natives and the besieged settlers is legendary; it belongs in the cinematic hall of fame. I'd give it an 8/10.

What's even the difference?

Let me throw out another example of an awesome movie that fits the "action thriller with horror elements" vibe—maybe this will help clarify things:

Nah, that was the first unofficial found footage horror flick, definitely not some action movie with horror vibes.

An action thriller... action... I mean, End of Days is basically the definition.

Noah Sanchez2 said:I think https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11284280/ Cadaver (2020) might fit that category too. It touches on Sci-Fi since it takes place shortly after a nuclear war—maybe a month or two later—but the plot itself lacks any actual Sci-Fi elements. Still, there’s plenty of action, thriller vibes, and violence.

driftingcanyon2, what's your take on the cult classic Audition (1999) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audition_(1999_film)? It's listed as horror on IMDb, but based on the criteria you laid out, it seems like it could work. Also, the German film Schramm (1993) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108053/ might belong here, though I should warn you, it's a pretty brutal watch. Then there's the German film The Golden Glove (2019) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7670212/, which fits your description perfectly—an extremely violent psychological action thriller.
What do you think about those?

Good grief, it's nothing but depraved movies. Do you have anything remotely normal? 😁
Cadaver — haven't seen it, but based on the trailer, I'd say it fits.
Audition — seen it; it's horror, so it doesn't quite fit the category.
Schramm — haven't seen it, but the trailer looks like total trash.
The Golden Glove — haven't seen it either, but from the trailer, it seems to fit. I've been meaning to watch that one for a while; thanks for the reminder. 😁

briskhound2 said:What's even the difference?

Let me throw out another example of an awesome movie that fits the "action thriller with horror elements" vibe—maybe this will help clarify things:

Nah, that was the first unofficial found footage horror flick, definitely not some action movie with horror vibes.

An action thriller... action... I mean, End of Days is basically the definition.

Take a look at the opening post for this thread.
The distinction is simply that my suggestions aren't pure horror, just movies with certain elements of it:

13 Sins - the only truly brutal moments involve a grinder and some motorcycle wire, but that doesn't make it a horror movie.

Cannibal Holocaust - it gets mislabeled as horror, but it’s actually part of the cannibal subgenre, which is more exploitation than true horror (just look at Bone Tomahawk, which is much tougher by any standard and actually qualifies as horror, unlike C. H.). The found footage segments are short and don't take up much screen time, and the only thing that feels like a horror scene is that final confrontation near the end; the film is violent and bloody, sure, but it isn't pure horror.

The Host - the main theme is basically drug smuggling, and while there are brief horror scenes in a basement, that doesn't turn the whole thing into a horror film.

driftingcanyon2 said:Good grief, it's nothing but depraved movies. Do you have anything remotely normal? 😁
Cadaver — haven't seen it, but based on the trailer, I'd say it fits.
Audition — seen it; it's horror, so it doesn't quite fit the category.
Schramm — haven't seen it, but the trailer looks like total trash.
The Golden Glove — haven't seen it either, but from the trailer, it seems to fit. I've been meaning to watch that one for a while; thanks for the reminder. 😁

I watch this kind of stuff pretty regularly, so I quickly pulled together a few titles that mostly fit the criteria. I think I nailed at least two out of four. Schramm is a deep cut—it’s got that gritty, trashy aesthetic specifically meant to mirror the protagonist's mental breakdown. I can probably think of a few more, but I'll let you know when I have a moment.

Duel, 1971, Denis Weaver
The Hitcher, 1986, Rutger Hauer

I guess *Duel* (1971) is just the best movie of its kind. Period.

And what about The Hitcher? Man, Hauer is just absolutely masterful in that role, playing this superhuman force of pure evil disguised as a hitchhiker.

Play Misty for Me, 1971, starring Clint Eastwood

I suppose I might mention Badlands. I'm guessing that would fall into this subcategory?
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt3203528/

Jack Cook7 said:Play Misty for Me, 1971, starring Clint Eastwood

I heard that bombshell actress from that movie passed away a while back...