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Sam Raimi’s recent release, Don’t Move, makes its steady way toward becoming one of the best survival thrillers in recent memory. The movie adds a twist to the cat-and-mouse chase, taking its horror to unexplored heights. Although the presence of a serial killer is often enough to send chills down the spine of most audiences, Don’t Move’s failing female body verges into true nightmare territory. Having been injected with a paralytic, the final girl’ becomes doomed to the will of her attacker.
For those who enjoyed watching Iris's blood-curdling efforts to escape her perpetrator, it's worth noting that several other films also offer adrenaline-pumping narratives with a twist. Leading the Don’t Move’s cast, actress Kelsey Asbille elevates a suicidal woman into a female rage icon, able to convey so much with the littlest breath. Building toward Don’t Move’s ending, Iris’ inner force proves a resourceful adversary against an otherwise experienced killer. Like Raimi’s thriller, the movies on this list are set mostly in one location, star protagonists who are achingly limited, and have a time-pressure element that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
10 The Call
Halle Berry And Abigail Breslin Team Up Against A Twisted Serial Killer
The Call is a thriller directed by Brad Anderson, starring Halle Berry as a veteran 911 operator. When she receives a call from a kidnapped teenager, played by Abigail Breslin, she takes it upon herself to ensure the girl's safe return. The suspenseful storyline highlights the intense responsibilities and quick decision-making required in emergency response situations.
Director Brad Anderson
Release Date March 15, 2013
Studio(s) TriStar Pictures , WWE Studios , Troika Pictures , Stage 6 Films , Amasia Entertainment
Writers Richard D'Ovidio , Nicole D'Ovidio , Jon Bokenkamp
Runtime 94 Minutes
One of the best emergency dispatch movies, The Call will have you sharing Jordan’s desperation as she urges an abducted teen to keep fighting. Similar to Don’t Move, a serial killer intends to drive to a secluded place where he kills his victims without being noticed. The young protagonist, played by Abigail Breslin, is trapped within the trunk of his car, secretly on a call with 911, but overall powerless to escape her fate.
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Halle Berry’s tortured veteran operator perfectly pairs with Breslin’s affecting panic, turning their heavily emotional interactions into thriller gold. Jordan’s strong voice gives Casey a second body and the clarity she needs to beat her kidnapper. For those who liked Don’t Move’s raging female protagonist, The Call offers two great female leads. This thriller's ending is worth the wait, offering a satisfying final twist.
9 See For Me
82% Rotten Tomatoes Score For This Low Budget Success
See For Me (2022) is a thriller directed by Randall Okita. It follows Sophie, a blind house sitter played by Skyler Davenport, who must rely on the help of a new app and its operator to survive when three criminals attempt to break into the house. As the situation escalates, Sophie discovers new ways to turn her disability into an advantage.
Director Randall Okita
Release Date January 7, 2022
Writers Tommy Gushue , Adam Yorke
Runtime 92 minutes
A home invasion horror movie that feels like a mix between The Call and Hush, See For Me sees a young woman (Skyler Davenport) who is visually impaired putting up a fight against a group of men. Offering a nice twist to the emergency dispatch genre, See For Me’s protagonist uses a disability service that connects her with an army veteran. It is another great adrenaline-filled female pairing, as Kelly has to become Sophie’s eyes, carrying the responsibility to keep her alive and safe.
The movie takes every chance to exploit the cat-and-mouse chase between the limited girl and their group of invaders, subverting expected clichés and offering many chilling twists. Its low budget doesn’t deter the movie’s success but actually augments it. See For You accomplishes more with less, similar to Sam Raimi’s Don’t Move.
8 Alone
A Family Man Is The Creepiest Serial Killer
Alone is a thriller film released in 2020, directed by John Hyams. The movie follows Jessica, portrayed by Jules Willcox, as she escapes from the city to cope with a recent tragedy. She finds herself being pursued by a relentless predator in the pacific northwest wilderness, leading to a tense struggle for survival.
Director John Hyams
Release Date September 18, 2020
Studio(s) Mill House Motion Pictures , Paperclip Ltd. , XYZ Films
Distributor(s) Magnet Releasing
Writers Mattias Olsson
Cast Jules Willcox , Marc Menchaca , Anthony Heald
Runtime 98 Minutes
For those wanting a story with the same beats as Don’t Move, John Hyams’s survival thriller is just the thing. Like Raimi’s movie, Alone follows a mourning woman who is stalked by a charming family man who turns out to be a serial killer. The film delivers non-stop tension as Jessica (Jules Wilcox) proves quite resourceful in her efforts to escape the cold-blooded man. Alone’s setting is the most similar to Don’t Move, with the action taking place in the wilderness, the open road, and an enclosed claustrophobic space.
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Actor Marc Menchaca's (Ozark) performance as the family man gone murderous echoes Finn Wittrock’s Don’t Move character, while offering a distinct and bone-chilling killer. Despite its poor 2020 theatrical reception, Alone reached Netflix’s top 10 in 2024, quickly showcasing its thrilling suspense and gaining a 93% Rotten Tomatoes Score. The movie crescendos toward its final confrontation, and successfully pays off.
7 The Descent
A Feminist Claustrophobic Terror with 87% RTS
The Descent is a horror film that follows a group of thrill-seeking friends who find themselves fractured after one of them loses their husband and daughter in a car accident. Attempting to rejuvenate her friend Sarah and bring her back to the group, Juno convinces her to follow her and their friends to a mysterious cave system they find in the mountains. However, when they find themselves traped with no way out, she reveals she took them to an uncharted region with no chance of rescue, hoping to give them the adventure of the life time. Angry, fearful, and low on supplies, the group travels further into the caves only to discover they're not alone.
Director Neil Marshall
Release Date August 4, 2006
Studio(s) Lionsgate
Writers Neil Marshall
Runtime 99 minutes
The Descent might appear very different from Don’t Move, but it has the same claustrophobic horror — except it’s ten times worse. Featuring an all-female cast, the movie follows a group of friends who venture deep into treacherous caves. Although The Descent also includes stalking and deadly creatures, audiences agree that its hardest and most unbearable terrors come from the suffocating entrapment of small passages and the obscure unknown of the underground.
Similarly to Don’t Move’s claustrophobic body horror, the protagonists’ bodies feel frail against the heavy weight of underground rocks and dirt. Additionally, the girls’ limited vision betrays their efforts to battle a perverse darkness that promises to swallow them whole. A 2005 movie, The Descent has become a horror cult classic, popular also for its great portrayal of female friendships which become the shining light amidst the terror.
6 Ready Or Not
Playing Hide-And-Seek Never Felt More Dangerous
In Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett's 2019 black comedy Ready Or Not, newlywed bride Grace Le Domas participates in a violent game of hide-and-seek with her fiancé's family, who attempt to kill her during her wedding night as part of a long-standing ritual. The film stars Samara Weaving as Grace, Mark O'Brien as Grace's husband Alex, Adam Brody as Alex's brother Daniel, Andie MacDowell as their mother Becky, and Henry Czerny, Melanie Scrofano, Kristian Bruun, and Elyse Levesque as other members of the murderous family.
Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin , Tyler Gillett
Release Date August 21, 2019
Studio(s) Mythology Entertainment , Vinson Films , Radio Silence Productions
Distributor(s) Fox Searchlight Pictures
Writers R. Christopher Murphy , Guy Busick
Cast Nat Faxon , Kate Ziegler , Elyse Levesque , Chase Churchill , Elana Dunkelman , Andie MacDowell , Liam MacDonald , Mark O'Brien , Nicky Guadagni , Adam Brody , Henry Czerny , Ethan Tavares , Kristian Bruun , Melanie Scrofano , Samara Weaving , Etienne Kellici , John Ralston
Runtime 95 minutes
A more comedic take on the cat-and-mouse murderous chase, albeit still filled with heart-throbbing tension, is Ready Or Not. Presenting a charming groom-to-be with a dark family secret, the horror movie’s sense of betrayal is greater than Don’t Move’s initially nice man-turned-killer. In her most popular horror role, actress Samara Weaving masterfully plays the final girl, Grace, an alluring protagonist with a perfect mix of softness and rage.
The movie’s time-pressure element smartly benefits its victim, as the eccentric Le Domas family has until dawn to hunt and sacrifice the bride in a ritual, otherwise, a curse will overcome them. The cast is spectacular, starring Adam Brody, Andie MacDowell, Henry Czerny, among others. Radio Silence’s Ready Or Not 2 is currently being developed and speaks to the movie’s 89% Rotten Tomatoes score and box office success.
5 Saw
A Franchise Of Claustrophobic Terror
Saw is a horror film directed by James Wan. The story follows two men who awaken in a dilapidated bathroom, chained at opposite ends, and discover they are pawns in a deadly game orchestrated by a serial killer known as Jigsaw. As they struggle to survive, they learn the harsh consequences of their past actions. The film features complex puzzles and a dark atmosphere, contributing to its critical and commercial success.
Release Date October 1, 2004
Studio(s) Twisted Pictures , Evolution Entertainment , Saw Productions Inc.
Writers Leigh Whannell
Runtime 103 Minutes
A defining horror classic, the first Saw never loses its power to torture viewers who want to look away, but can’t resist watching. Insidious creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell got their start on the first movie, which introduced Tobin Bell’s Jigsaw, the sadistic punisher with a compelling motivation. Reinventing the torture trope, the killer never touches the victims but rather uses their own bodies against them — similar to how Richard turns Iris’ body against her survival in Raimi’s Don’t Move.
Suffering the equally claustrophobic sense of being bodily restrained, Saw ’s victims are led to deadly desperation. The small-budget, ingenious, movie was a massive box-office success and has produced 11 sequels in the span of two decades — becoming one of the biggest horror franchises. Although some iterations might have lost quality, the first installment remains an ensnaring thriller.
4 The Black Phone
Blumhouse's Supernatural Horror Take On The Child Kidnapper
Based on Joe Hill's short story of the same name, The Black Phone follows teen Finney Blake (Mason Thames) after he is abducted by a man known only as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Trapped in a basement with only a disconnected phone, Finney begins to hear from the Grabber's previous victims, each of which gives him cryptic clues to help him fight back against his captor.
Director Scott Derrickson
Release Date June 24, 2022
Studio(s) Universal Pictures
Writers C. Robert Cargill , Scott Derrickson
Runtime 102 minutes
Ethan Hawke’s portrayal of The Grabber is every kid’s nightmare come true. His twisted delay in killing his young victim feels a lot like a cat playing with his food and has the same blood-boiling effect of Don’t Move’s cocky killer. Similar to the first options in this list, The Black Phone pairs the protagonist with past victims (in ghost form) that give him the upper hand against the otherwise stronger attacker.
The movie’s cast is one of its best accomplishments, featuring mostly tween actors whose angst shines and successfully lets them stand strong against the killer. The Blumhouse hit is a slow-burn thriller that will keep you tied to the screen throughout. The movie had a box office success of $161 million, resulting in the development of The Black Phone 2, which will be released in 2025.
3 Don’t Breathe
Don’t Move Taken To The Extreme
In Don't Breathe, three friends looking to escape their lot in life decide to act on information that could change their fortunes forever; a blind veteran with hundreds of thousands of dollars lives alone in a deserted neighborhood. When the trio decides to perform the heist on his home, who they thought to be a feeble aging man with no sight turns out to be far more dangerous and capable than they could have anticipated.
Director Fede Alvarez
Release Date August 26, 2016
Studio(s) Sony
Writers Fede Alvarez , Rodo Sayagues
Runtime 88minutes
Deemed “a thriller of a generation” (via Rotten Tomatoes), Don’t Breathe will have you holding your breath in solidarity with its characters. This horror movie puts the protagonists right in the wolf's lair, trapping them in the maze-like house of a visually impaired man (Stephen Lang) with an evil secret. After attempting to steal the man’s money, Rocky (Jane Levy) and her friends regret underestimating the devilish fiend, whose more-than-human strength is akin to Halloween’s Michael Myers.
With an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score, Don’t Breathe is a great option for those looking for an intense experience akin to Don’t Move. The thriller stands out for its unique premise and unanticipated twists. The $157 million box office success catapulted Fede Álvarez's career, who came back for a second installment, and recently directed Alien: Romulus.
2 Hush
Master Of Horror Mike Flanagan Is Responsible For This 93% RT Hit
Hush is a thriller directed by Mike Flanagan, starring Kate Siegel as Maddie Young, a deaf-mute author living in isolation. The film chronicles Maddie's survival as she becomes the target of a masked intruder. With limited senses, Maddie must use her resourcefulness and intellect to outwit the assailant. The narrative provides a tense and gripping exploration of vulnerability and resilience in the face of imminent danger.
Release Date April 8, 2016
Character(s) The Man , Maddie , John , Sarah , Max
Runtime 1hr22
One of the best modern slashers, Hush subverts the home-invasion genre by elegantly exploiting its unique factor and taking horror fans where no one had gone before. The Stephen King-approved horror movie has actress Kate Siegel as the lead, portraying a deaf writer whose wit and creativity prove to be a powerful weapon against her stalker. Mixing just the perfect amount of confrontations, chases, and twists, Hush marked one of Mike Flanagan’s first successes — later followed by Netflix hits Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass.
The narrative is bold in its deceiving nature and more than once takes the audience by surprise. It is a perfect option for those wanting a movie that matches Don’t Move’s blood-curdling series of twists. Hush demonstrates Mike Flanagan’s expertise in horror and is sure to provoke more than one scream.
1 A Quiet Place
“If They Hear You, They Hunt You”
A Quiet Place takes place in a world ravaged by predatory alien beings with ultra-sensitive hearing. With humanity on the brink of extinction, the Abbott family has managed to carve out a delicate survival by living in total silence, but with a baby on the way, their tentative peace seems more fragile than ever. A Quiet Place stars John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, and Noah Jupe and is directed by Krasinski.
Release Date April 3, 2018
Studio(s) Platinum Dunes , Sunday Night Productions
Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures
Runtime 90 Minutes
This Oscar-nominated masterpiece has more in common with Don’t Move than you might think. A charming cast is mourning the loss of a child but must do so in total silence, as only then can they avoid an alien hoard of relentless monsters. Like Iris’ body in Don’t Move, Evelyn Abbot’s (Emily Blunt) pregnant body functions as the movie’s ticking bomb — threatening to betray the family’s safety.
A Quiet Place ’s deafening silence slowly crescendos until it is unbearable for both characters and the audience, who collectively give a final raging shout at the movie’s superb climax. John Krasinski makes resourceful use of its location and landscape, just like Brian Netto and Adam Schindler in Don’t Move. Having already produced two sequels, with a third coming out in 2025, A Quiet Place is now a staple of horror/sci-fi.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
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