Saagar Kote
‘Shutter Island‘ is set in 1954 and follows the life of US Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his new colleague, Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo). The two travel to Ashecliffe Hospital on Boston’s remote Shutter Island after a dangerous patient mysteriously disappears. Inside the fortress-like institution for the criminally insane, Teddy begins to suspect that the hospital’s senior doctors are concealing disturbing secrets tied to unethical and sinister practices. When a violent storm cuts the island off from the mainland, fear and confusion intensify as Teddy is plagued by migraines and traumatic memories from his past.
As clues grow stranger, he begins to doubt the hospital, his partner, his memories, and even his own sanity. To truly get to the bottom of the issue, Teddy may have to be courageous enough to face realities that most people fear. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the psychological thriller film is based on the eponymous novel by Dennis Lehane. These movies similar to ‘Shutter Island,’ streaming on Netflix, will keep you engaged with their mysteries, dark themes, and shocking revelations.
10. Influencer (2022)
Helmed by Kurtis David Harder, ‘Influencer’ is the story of Madison (Emily Tennant), a woman vacationing in Thailand. She is an influencer who projects a glamorous social media lifestyle, though her trip is marked more by loneliness than excitement. Her routine changes when she meets CW (Cassandra Naud), a charming stranger who offers to guide her through the local scene. After Madison’s hotel room is robbed and her passport goes missing, CW convinces her to extend the trip and visit a remote island.
Shockingly, Madison is betrayed and left behind as CW steals her identity to live the influencer life she envies. With Madison’s fate uncertain, CW looks forward to relishing her success, but not everything seems to be in her control. The horror drama film, akin to ‘Shutter Island,’ is about two main characters in an isolated setting, where doubt prevails, danger is imminent, and revelations are twisted. You can watch it here.
9. Alone (2020)
Helmed by John Hyams, ‘Alone’ is a psychological thriller movie that centers on Jessica (Jules Willcox), a grieving widow embarking on a solo road trip to seek a fresh start after her husband takes his own life. Her journey starts off as she expected, but takes a terrifying turn when she is abducted by a stranger and held captive in a remote cabin. After a harrowing escape into the wilderness, Jessica must battle the elements and her own physical exhaustion while being relentlessly hunted by her captor. Much like ‘Shutter Island,’ the film builds a sense of isolation and dread as uncertainty and chaos reign. The visual elements and the tension connect the two films on a deeper level. It is available on Netflix.
8. Mirage (2018)
‘Mirage’ or ‘Durante la tormenta’ is a Spanish mystery-drama film that picks up during an electrical storm on November 9, 1989. Twelve-year-old Nico Lasarte (Julio Bohigas-Couto) witnesses the murder of his neighbor, but is struck by a car and killed while trying to escape. Twenty-five years later, Vera Roy (Adriana Ugarte), a nurse living with her husband, David Ortiz (Álvaro Morte), and their daughter, Gloria, moves into the same house where Nico once lived. When another storm recreates the strange conditions of the night of Nico’s death, Vera communicates with Nico’s past through an old television and warns him about his fate.
After saving him, she awakens in an altered reality where her daughter no longer exists, and her life has completely changed. Racing against time, Vera searches for the truth behind the murder and a way to restore everything before the storm ends. Directed by Oriol Paulo, the movie is similar to ‘Shutter Island’ in that it navigates the emotional challenges of being part of a mind-boggling mystery while also exploring ideas of identity and consciousness. It can be streamed here.
7. Synchronic (2019)
Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, ‘Synchronic’ centers on New Orleans paramedics and close friends Steve Denube (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis Dannelly (Jamie Dornan). The pair encounters a series of inexplicable accidents linked to a new designer drug. When Dennis’ teenage daughter, Brianna (Ally Ioannides), vanishes without a trace, Steve’s investigation into the drug reveals that it allows users to affect time. This discovery shatters Steve’s understanding of reality and throws his life into turmoil. The science fiction horror film shares similarities with ‘Shutter Island’ in that it delves into psychological battles, seemingly malevolent forces, and the dread of isolation. Both movies feature two colleagues who take on dangerous tasks and encounter shocking elements unexpectedly. You can enjoy it on Netflix.
6. Black Island (2021)
Directed by Miguel Alexandre, Netflix’s ‘Black Island‘ or ‘Schwarze Insel’ follows Jonas Hansen (Philip Froissant), a high school graduate who moves in with his grandfather on a North Sea island after his parents die. Jonas’ life is disrupted when Helena, a young German teacher, fosters his writing ability to gain his confidence and establish an intimate bond. Days after her entry in his life, Jonas remains oblivious to her seemingly lethal intentions. The German mystery thriller film explores the dangerous dynamic between teacher and student as the island’s unsettling mysteries threaten to consume the boy. The island setting, the relationships between the characters, and the sense of dread and secrecy forge a connection between the movie and ‘Shutter Island.’ It can be found here.
5. The Guilty (2021)
Netflix’s ‘The Guilty’ takes place over the course of a single morning in a 911 dispatch call center and centers on Joe Baylor (Jake Gyllenhaal), a demoted LAPD officer struggling to maintain mental stability while being demoted to desk duty. Things take a terrifying turn when he receives a phone call from a distressed female caller who seems to be in grave danger. As Joe gives his all to piece together the information, he becomes obsessed with saving the woman as time runs out.
However, as he delves deeper into the mystery, he begins to question the very foundations of his reality. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the psychological crime thriller is a remake of the Danish film of the same name. Much like ‘Shutter Island,’ the film explores a disturbing truth that forces an officer to doubt his understanding of the situation and deal with uncomfortable truths lurking in the shadows. You can watch it on Netflix.
4. The Woman in Cabin 10 (2025)
Based on the eponymous novel by Ruth Ware, Netflix’s ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’ follows Laura Blacklock (Keira Knightley), a journalist who is given the chance of a lifetime to attend the maiden voyage of a luxury cruise ship. The vessel, owned by billionaire Anne Bullmer (Lisa Loven Kongsli), who is battling cancer, is set to sail from England to Norway as a high-profile launch for a new cancer care organization. However, the trip takes a terrifying turn when Laura witnesses a woman being thrown overboard in the dead of night. When no one believes her, she must race against time to uncover the truth before the stakes get deadlier for everyone on the cruise. Directed by Simon Stone, the British psychological thriller film is similar to ‘Shutter Island’ in its use of an isolated, claustrophobic setting where a protagonist’s observations are doubted, leading to a desperate search for reality amidst secrets and deception. It is available here.
3. Fractured (2019)
Netflix’s ‘Fractured’ is a psychological thriller movie that centers on the Monroe family during a cross-country trip. Trouble begins when young Peri Monroe (Lucy Capri) is injured after falling near a highway rest stop, prompting her parents, Ray Monroe (Sam Worthington) and Joanne Monroe (Lily Rabe), to rush her to a nearby hospital. While Peri is taken for treatment, Ray is barely able to stay awake and loses track of time.
When he regains his senses, hospital staff claim there is no record of either Joanne or Peri ever being at the hospital. Convinced something sinister has happened, Ray launches a frantic search through the hospital’s corridors, determined to uncover the truth and bring his missing family back. Directed by Brad Anderson, the narrative is an intricate psychological mystery where the truth is complex, the setting is claustrophobic, and trust is difficult, much like ‘Shutter Island.’ It is streaming on Netflix.
2. God’s Crooked Lines (2022)
‘God’s Crooked Lines’ or ‘Los renglones torcidos de Dios’ revolves around the struggles of private investigator Alice Gould (Bárbara Lennie), who deliberately admits herself to a psychiatric hospital by pretending to have paranoia. Her goal is to secretly investigate the suspicious death of a patient whose circumstances remain unclear. Once inside the institution, Alice expects to control the situation through intelligence and careful planning. Instead, she finds herself in a disturbing environment rife with uncertainty and conflicting truths.
As the line between performance and reality blurs, Alice’s confidence is shaken, and she begins to question whether she can trust her own mind. The Spanish psychological thriller is directed by Oriol Paulo and is based on the eponymous novel by Torcuato Luca de Tena. It complements ‘Shutter Island’ by shedding light on an investigation that takes unexpected turns within the walls of a mental health facility, where people seem to be hiding secrets. You can enjoy it here.
1. Forgotten (2017)
‘Forgotten’ or ‘Gi-eok-ui bam’ is a South Korean mystery thriller film that deals with the life of a man in his 20s named Jin-seok (Kang Ha-neul), who moves into a new home with his family while managing mild schizophrenia under their care. He deeply admires his older brother Yu-seok (Kim Mu-yeol) and considers him a source of inspiration. Their lives are shattered when Yu-seok is violently abducted one night by unknown men in front of Jin-seok. Unable to identify the kidnappers, Jin-seok remembers only a strange vehicle number that seems impossible to trace.
Nineteen days later, Yu-seok suddenly returns home with no memory of what happened. As time passes, Jin-seok becomes convinced that the man who returned is no longer the brother he once knew, and strange occurrences follow. Written and directed by Jang Hang-jun, the narrative is spiritually akin to ‘Shutter Island’ in that it unfolds a highly layered mystery in which characters are forced to come to terms with disturbing truths and face dangerous revelations capable of changing everything. It can be found here.
Read More: Is Shutter Island Based on a True Story?
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