My 17 Best French Thriller Movies

Bonjour bonjour !

You are looking for a good French thriller movie to watch tonight with your husband/wife/girlfriend ?

I have selected for you my 17 best French thriller of all time.

Work in progress (post updated in June 2023) ! 🙂

Louise xx

Read Also : 19 Best French Comedy Movies (My Personal Selection!)

17 Best French Thriller Movies (My Selection)

Here is my personal ranking of the 17 best french thriller movies comedies movies with its IMDB rating.

Ranked from lowest to highest IMDb rating.

Please check the trailer before to watch the complete movie (by experience) ! 😉

17. Crimson Rivers 2: Angels of the Apocalypse – 5.9 / 10

French Translation: Les Rivières pourpres II – Les anges de l’apocalypse

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2004

Director: Olivier Dahan

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Jean Reno, Benoît Magimel, Camille Natta

Summary: In this sequel to the successful original, seasoned detective Pierre Niemans and his partner, young cop Reda, face off against a new threat when a religious symbol found on a murder victim indicates a serial killer is on the loose. The mysterious case takes them from the French countryside to Eastern Europe as they try to stop the ominous apocalypse that appears to be looming.

Trailer:

16. The Assault – 6.1 / 10

French Translation: L’Assaut

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2010

Director: Julien Leclercq

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Vincent Elbaz, Grégori Derangère, Mélanie Bernier

Summary: Based on real events, “The Assault” recounts the tense events of the 1994 hijacking of an Air France flight by Algerian Islamic extremists and the subsequent mission by elite French SWAT team GIGN to resolve the crisis.

Trailer:

15. Le Marginal – 6.3 / 10

French Translation: Le Marginal

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1983

Director: Jacques Deray

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Henry Silva, Carlos Sotto Mayor

Summary: When an unconventional detective named Philippe Jordan goes up against the ruthless crime boss known as “the Chinaman”, his methods attract the ire of his superiors, leading to a relentless pursuit of justice where the lines between right and wrong are blurred.

Trailer:

14. The Last Deadly Mission – 6.6 / 10

French Translation: MR 73

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2008

Director: Olivier Marchal

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Daniel Auteuil, Olivia Bonamy, Catherine Marchal

Summary: A tormented, alcoholic police inspector named Schneider is assigned to a case involving a notorious rapist and murderer. As he nears retirement, Schneider becomes increasingly obsessed with the case, desperate to achieve justice before it’s too late.

Trailer:

13. Point Blank – 6.8 / 10

French Translation: À bout portant

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2010

Director: Fred Cavayé

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Gilles Lellouche, Roschdy Zem, Gérard Lanvin

Summary: In this fast-paced thriller, a nurse’s wife is kidnapped and he is given a limited amount of time to save her. Racing against the clock, he must find a way to rescue his pregnant wife while being pursued by a ruthless criminal and a corrupt police officer.

Trailer:

12. Flic Story – 6.9 / 10

French Translation: Flic Story

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1975

Director: Jacques Deray

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Alain Delon, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Claudine Auger

Summary: This crime thriller tells the story of a complex cat-and-mouse game between a seasoned detective, Roger Borniche, and the notorious gangster, Emile Buisson, during the 1940s in France. The film is based on the real-life experiences of Roger Borniche.

Trailer:

11. The Crimson Rivers – 6.9 / 10

French Translation: Les Rivières pourpres

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2000

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Farès

Summary: Detective Pierre Niemans is sent to a small university town in the French Alps to investigate a brutal murder. As he unravels the case, he teams up with young detective Max Kerkerian who is also investigating a disturbing crime in a nearby town. Their investigations intertwine, leading them into a dark world of twisted secrets and shocking revelations.

Trailer:

10 Best French Thriller Movies (My Personal Selection)

Please check my selection of my 10 best French thrillers :

10. Les Lyonnais – 6.9 / 10

French Translation: Les Lyonnais

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2011

Director: Olivier Marchal

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Gérard Lanvin, Tchéky Karyo, Daniel Duval

Summary: A retired gangster known as “Momon” has made an honest life for himself after a criminal past. However, when his former best friend shows up, he gets pulled back into his old life. Navigating the dangerous criminal underworld, Momon soon discovers that settling old scores isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Trailer:

9. A Cop – 7.0 / 10

French Translation: Un flic

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1972

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Alain Delon, Richard Crenna, Catherine Deneuve

Summary: A Paris police chief discovers that his nightclub owner friend also leads a group of bank robbers. When he’s tipped off that the same robbers are planning a drug heist, the police chief races against time to prevent the crime and arrest the perpetrators.

Trailer:

8. 36th Precinct – 7.1 / 10

French Translation: 36 Quai des Orfèvres

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2004

Director: Olivier Marchal

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Depardieu, André Dussollier

Summary: In the underbelly of the Parisian criminal world, the Police are frustrated by a gang committing a series of violent robberies. Leo Vrinks and Denis Klein are two cops seeking promotion, and the imminent departure of the Chief sets the scene for them to compete for the vacant throne.

Trailer:

7. L.627 – 7.2 / 10

French Translation: L.627

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1992

Director: Bertrand Tavernier

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Didier Bezace, Jean-Paul Comart, Charlotte Kady

Summary: The movie follows the life of a police officer named Lucien Marguet who works in a drug squad. He faces difficulties due to the bureaucratic obstacles and red tape in the system while trying to fight against the drug dealers operating in Paris.

Trailer:

6. Mesrine: Public Enemy No. 1 – 7.4 / 10

French Translation: Mesrine : L’Ennemi public n°1

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2008

Director: Jean-François Richet

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Vincent Cassel, Ludivine Sagnier, Mathieu Amalric

Summary: This is the second part of the two-part film about Jacques Mesrine, who was considered Public Enemy Number 1 in France during the 1970s. The movie continues the story of Mesrine, showing his life in prison and his subsequent breakout.

Trailer:

5. The Professional – 7.4 / 10

French Translation: Le Professionnel

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1981

Director: Georges Lautner

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Desailly, Robert Hossein

Summary: The story follows French secret agent Josselin Beaumont who is sent to kill the president of Malagawi, a fictional African country. However, when the political scenario changes, Beaumont is double-crossed by his own people, arrested and sentenced to a long-term imprisonment. After escaping from prison, Beaumont is set on avenging those who betrayed him.

Trailer:

4. Mesrine: Killer Instinct – 7.5 / 10

French Translation: Mesrine : L’Instinct de mort

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2008

Director: Jean-François Richet

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Vincent Cassel, Cécile de France, Gérard Depardieu

Summary: This film is the first of a two-part series on the life of Jacques Mesrine, infamous in France for his criminal activities and multiple prison escapes. Mesrine: Killer Instinct introduces us to the character of Mesrine, his radicalisation, and his progressive rise in the underworld.

Trailer:

3. The Grilling – 7.6 / 10

French Translation: Garde à vue

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1981

Director: Claude Miller

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Lino Ventura, Michel Serrault, Romy Schneider

Summary: In a small French town, a man is accused of the rape and murder of two young girls. The entire film is built around the interrogation of the suspect by the police commissioner and his assistant, leading to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion.

Trailer:

2. A Prophet – 7.8 / 10

French Translation: Un prophète

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 2009

Director: Jacques Audiard

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif

Summary: This intense French thriller follows the story of a young Arab man named Malik El Djebena who is sent to a French prison. Despite initially being out of his depth in the criminal ecosystem within the prison walls, he learns to navigate the complexities and allegiances, slowly rising up the ranks.

Trailer:

1. The Red Circle – 7.9 / 10

Personally, my favorite French thriller of all time !

With one of the most famous French actors in his classic role : Alain Delon. And a wonderful Bourvil in a different and unusual role : policeman.

Louise

French Translation: Le Cercle rouge

Category: French thriller movie

Year: 1970

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville

Famous French Actors and Actesses: Alain Delon, Bourvil, Gian Maria Volontè

Summary: An escaped convict, a recently released prisoner, and an alcoholic ex-policeman plan the ultimate heist in this stylish crime thriller. Despite meticulous planning, their paths inevitably cross with a determined police inspector, leading to an unforgettable climax.

Trailer:

People also ask concerning French thriller movies :

Which thriller movie has high IMDB rating in 2023?

The highest rated thriller movie on IMDb in 2023 is “The Dark Knight” (2008), directed by Christopher Nolan, with an IMDB rating of 9.0/10​ and more than 2,7 millions votes.

Does Netflix have French movies ?

Yes of course Netflix have a lot of French movies like the most popular :

• Amélie (2001) – Comedy
• Blue Is the Warmest Colour (2013) – Drama, Romance
• A Prophet (2009) – Thriller
• The 400 Blows (1959) – Drama
• Irréversible (2002) – Thriller, Drama
• Polisse (2011) – Detective
• …etc

And check my personal selection of 12 French Cartoons On Netflix .