Pratik Handore
‘The Assistant‘ is an action thriller film about Zafik, an ex-convict searching for his family’s killer. However, Zafik’s quest for revenge takes a drastic turn after he meets the notorious drifter named Feroz. Zafik and Feroz work together to avenge Zafik’s family and enter the city’s criminal underbelly. The movie, directed by Adrian Teh, is an emotionally charged story with thrilling fight scenes and a shocking twist that will leave viewers baffled. If you enjoyed the film and seek more such all-around entertainers, here is a list of movies we think you will like.
7. Wira (2019)
‘Wira’ is an action thriller film that follows Hassan, ex-military personnel who returns home after a long stint in the army. However, Hassan is forced to enter the underground MMA scene to protect his family from a notorious mobster. The film is imbued with the theme of love for the family, much like ‘The Assistant.’ Moreover, it is the first collaboration between director Adrian Teh and actor Hairul Azreen who are the driving force behind ‘The Assistant.’ Therefore, viewers will find the same blend of action and drama in ‘Wira.’
6. Who Am I (2014)
Directed by Baran bo Odar, ‘Who Am I‘ is a German-language techno-thriller film. It follows Benjamin, a computer genius, who is invited to join a mysterious group of hackers. However, after the group executes a cyber attack on of the biggest companies in the world, Benjamin must confront his psychological issues. While the film is rooted in hacker culture, its approach to its character’s psyche and motivations is reminiscent of ‘The Assistant. ‘ Furthermore, the twist-ending of the movie will leave viewers equally baffled.
5. Shutter Island (2010)
‘Shutter Island‘ is a neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on a novel of the same name written by Dennis Lehane. It tells the story of Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, two US marshals investigating a case about the disappearance of a patient at an asylum on a remote island. However, Teddy learns shocking revelations about the place and themselves. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, and Max von Sydow. Like ‘The Assistant,’ the film’s twist-ending hinges on the protagonist’s complex psychological issues. Viewers who feel that ‘The Assistant’ lacks character depth and prefer darker stories will enjoy ‘Shutter Island.’
4. Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
The F. Gary Gray directorial ‘Law Abiding Citizen‘ is a vigilante action thriller film. It stars Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx in the lead roles. The movie follows Clyde Shelton, a commoner desperate to avenge the death of his family. However, Shelton faces several hurdles and must fight a corrupt system to get revenge. The complex and layered thriller has the same basic premise as ‘The Assistant.’ Both films are revenge thrillers with characters seeking vengeance for their family’s death. Nonetheless, the movies deliver drastically different outputs, making ‘Law Abiding Citizen’ worth your time.
3. Mother (2009)
Academy Award-winning director Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Mother’ is a South Korean thriller film. It revolves around a mother and her mentally challenged son whose lives take a downturn after the body of a murdered young girl is discovered. While evidence suggests that her son is responsible for the murder, the mother fights to prove his innocence. However, a shocking twist completely changes the course of the investigation. The film has a visual language similar to ‘The Assistant’ but is more grounded in reality. Viewers who prefer psychological thrillers without much action will find ‘Mother’ exciting.
2. Split (2016)
‘Split‘ is a psychological thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It stars James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Betty Buckley in the lead roles. The movie follows Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with dissociative identity disorder (DID) who kidnaps and imprisons three teenage girls in an isolated underground facility. The dark and mind-bending film has a comic book aesthetic making it similar to ‘The Assistant.’ Moreover, the protagonists of both films have dissociative identity disorder giving their characters familiarity. Likewise, ‘Split’ does not compromise on action over characters and finely treads the line between the two.
1. Fight Club (1999)
Based on Chuck Palahniuk’s 1996 novel of the same name, ‘Fight Club‘ is a thriller film directed by David Fincher. It stars Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter in the lead roles. It follows an unnamed protagonist stuck in his capitalistic lifestyle and white-collared job. However, after meeting the mysterious Tyler Durden, the man forms a fight club leading to drastic consequences in his life. The cult classic film is evidently the visual and narrative inspiration from ‘The Assistant.’ The same is evident from the dynamic between Zafik and Feroz, which resembles the main characters in ‘Fight Club.’ Moreover, both films have a similar twist regarding their protagonists that elevate the story and make up for a pulsating climax. Hence, ‘Fight Club’ takes the top spot on this list.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s The Assistant Filmed?
