Films like Prisoners (2013)

Prisoners plot: A six-year-old girl and her friend are abducted by unknown criminals. When the police investigation hits a dead end, one of the parents, in desperation, decides to get to the truth by his own methods.

Keywords: Crime thriller, Moral ambiguity, Suspenseful, Family, Relentless pursuit, Kidnapping, Moral descent spiral, Missing person case, Tragic, Slow burn

Style characteristics: Tension, Darkness, Bleakness, Complexity, Pacing

1. Gone Baby Gone

IMDB: 7.6

2007 · 1h 53minUnited States

Director: Ben Affleck

Overview

Police unsuccessfully try to find a four-year-old girl who has gone missing. A frustrated aunt turns to two private detectives, who reluctantly get pulled into a much bigger tangle of lies, drugs, and corruption.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Darkness, Pacing, Tropes, ToneNotable differences: Tension (-16%)

Shared keywords

Moral ambiguity, Kidnapping, Missing person case, Investigation

2. The Silence of the Lambs

IMDB: 8.6

1991 · 1h 59minUnited States

Director: Jonathan Demme

Overview

A country is shaken by a series of brutal kidnappings and murders of women. Trying to track down the maniac, FBI agent Clarice Starling turns for help to the imprisoned killer and brilliant psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Tension, Darkness, Pacing, Tone, Tropes

3. Se7en

IMDB: 8.6

1995 · 2h 7minUnited States

Director: David Fincher

Overview

Veteran detective Somerset and his young partner investigate a series of chilling murders tied to punishment for the seven deadly sins. With each new victim, they realize the killer is always one step ahead.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Pacing, Tension, Complexity, Tone, TropesNotable differences: Bleakness (+14%), Violence (+23%)

Shared keywords

Tragic, Slow burn, Investigation

4. Memories of Murder

IMDB: 8.1

2003 · 2h 11minSouth Korea

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Overview

A provincial town is shaken by a series of brutal murders of women. An experienced detective from Seoul arrives to hunt down the maniac and serial killer, determined to get the stalled case moving again.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Darkness, Pacing, Tone, Tropes

Shared keywords

Slow burn, Investigation

5. Zodiac

IMDB: 7.7

2007 · 2h 37minUnited States

Director: David Fincher

Overview

The film is based on the story of the real-life serial killer known as “Zodiac,” who terrorized the residents of San Francisco from 1968 to 1983. Zodiac liked communicating with the police through the press, sending encrypted messages.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Complexity, Darkness, Tone, TropesNotable differences: Pacing (-16%)

Shared keywords

Relentless pursuit, Slow burn, Investigation

6. Frailty

IMDB: 7.2

2002 · 1h 40minUnited States, Germany

Director: Bill Paxton

Overview

Police are searching in vain for a serial killer. Meanwhile, a mysterious man comes to an FBI agent and says that his deeply religious father had visions in childhood, urging him to kill people who are, in fact, demons.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Pacing, Complexity, Themes, TropesNotable differences: Tension (-16%)

Shared keywords

Family, Slow burn

7. The Pledge

IMDB: 6.7

2001 · 2h 4minUnited States

Director: Sean Penn

Overview

Retired veteran detective Jerry Black takes on the search for the killer of a little girl. After promising her parents he will find the murderer, he begins a hunt that draws him into the town’s dirty secrets—and will change his own life forever.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Darkness, Complexity, Tropes, ToneNotable differences: Tension (-16%), Pacing (-16%)

Shared keywords

Relentless pursuit, Slow burn, Investigation

8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

IMDB: 7.8

2011 · 2h 38minUnited States, Sweden

Director: David Fincher

Overview

Journalist Mikael and hacker Lisbeth investigate a 40-year-old case involving a missing woman whose body was never found. Her uncle is convinced a powerful local family is behind it.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Pacing, Darkness, Tone, TropesNotable differences: Violence (+15%)

Shared keywords

Missing person case, Slow burn, Investigation

9. Insomnia

IMDB: 7.2

2002 · 1h 58minUnited States

Director: Christopher Nolan

Overview

To investigate the brutal murder of a girl, two experienced detectives from Los Angeles arrive. Under the pressure of unusual Arctic weather, the press, and a lack of evidence, they try to find the real culprit.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Pacing, Complexity, Bleakness, Tropes, ToneNotable differences: Darkness (-13%), Tension (-12%)

Shared keywords

Moral ambiguity, Tragic, Slow burn, Investigation

10. Copycat

IMDB: 6.6

1995 · 2h 4minUnited States

Director: Jon Amiel

Overview

San Francisco is shaken by a string of brutal crimes as a serial killer imitates infamous murders from the past. The police turn to a psychologist for help—someone who once survived an attack by a maniac herself.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Tension, Complexity, Bleakness, Tone, Tropes

11. The Crimson Rivers

IMDB: 6.9

2000 · 1h 46minFrance

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Overview

A series of terrifying ritual crimes sweeps the country, seemingly unrelated at first. The investigation leads a young detective and a seasoned police commissioner into the mountains, where they soon realize it’s all part of a single sinister plan.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Pacing, Complexity, Darkness, Tone, Tropes

Shared keywords

Tragic, Slow burn, Investigation

12. Mr. Brooks

IMDB: 7.2

2007 · 2hUnited States

Director: Bruce A. Evans

Overview

A respected businessman and family man, Mr. Brooks lives a double life: to most people he’s a caring father and loving husband, but only his victims know that behind the mask hides a terrifying killer.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Pacing, Darkness, Tone, TropesNotable differences: Bleakness (-16%), Tension (-16%), Complexity (-12%)

Shared keywords

Moral ambiguity, Slow burn, Investigation

13. Hard Candy

IMDB: 7.0

2005 · 1h 44minUnited States

Director: David Slade

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Tension, Pacing, Darkness, Tone, Tropes

14. The Chaser

IMDB: 7.8

2008 · 2h 5minSouth Korea

Director: Na Hong-jin

Overview

When yet another girl disappears after being called by a mysterious client, a pimp—who also happens to be a former detective—races against time to track down the maniac and save her.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Tension, Darkness, Bleakness, Tone, TropesNotable differences: Pacing (+16%), Violence (+17%)

Shared keywords

Relentless pursuit, Missing person case, Tragic, Investigation

15. Unthinkable

IMDB: 7.0

2010 · 1h 37minUnited States

Director: Gregor Jordan

Overview

Police arrest a terrorist who claims he has planted several nuclear devices in different U.S. cities and is ready to detonate them. An FBI agent is tasked with finding out the truth and locating the bombs by any means necessary.

Similarity

Closest characteristics: Bleakness, Pacing, Darkness, Tone, TropesNotable differences: Violence (+19%)