oppressive backdrop

Movies with oppressive vibe

The Promised Land

1. The Promised Land

Action Drama History Historical Drama Epic Action
7.7
20232h 7min

Overview

Denmark, 1755. Captain Ludvig Kahlen sets out to conquer a Danish heath reputed to be uncultivable, with an impossible goal: to establish a colony in the name of the king, in exchange for a royal title. A single-minded ambition that the ruthless lord of the region will relentlessly seek to put down. Kahlen's fate hangs in the balance: will his endevours bring him wealth and honour, or cost him his life...?

Themes

Labor exploitation, Land ownership conflict, Colonial ambition, Legal bans and enforcement, Upheaval of settlers, Betrayal and power shifts

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

When Evil Lurks

2. When Evil Lurks

Horror Thriller Supernatural Horror Survival Thriller
6.9
20231h 40min

Overview

Residents of a small rural town discover that a demon is about to be born among them. They desperately try to escape before the evil is born, but it may be too late.

Themes

Rural isolation and fear, Possession as contagion, Failed authority response, Family cohesion under threat, Ritual as control attempt, Violence as boundary rupture

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Hulu
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Sister Death

3. Sister Death

Drama Horror Historical Drama Psychological Horror
5.7
20231h 31min

Overview

Spain, 1949. Narcisa, a novice, arrives at an old convent, converted into a girls' school, to work as a teacher.

Themes

Hauntings as memory, Wartime sexual violence, Female education under constraint, Concealment within convent, Religious authority and fear, Memory of war in education

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Reptile

4. Reptile

Crime Mystery Thriller Drama Detective Mystery Crime
6.8
20232h 16min

Overview

Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems, and by doing so dismantles the illusions in his own life.

Themes

Bureaucratic complicity, Deception under scrutiny, Money laundering incentives, Greed driven shell company, Investigation pressure dynamics, Economic power distortions

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Totally Killer

5. Totally Killer

Horror Comedy Science Fiction Slasher Horror Parody
6.5
20231h 44min

Overview

When the infamous "Sweet Sixteen Killer" returns 35 years after his first murder spree to claim another victim, 17-year-old Jamie accidentally travels back in time to 1987, determined to stop the killer before he can start.

Themes

Time travel consequences, Mother daughter dynamic, Meta storytelling, Forged note deception, Timeline alteration

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Dogman

6. Dogman

Action Drama Crime Psychological Drama Organized Crime
6.8
20231h 55min

Overview

A boy, bruised by life, finds his salvation through the love of his dogs.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Abusive father, Dog companionship, Crime and survival, Education through theatre, Performance as identity

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Creator

7. The Creator

Science Fiction Action Adventure AI Sci-Fi Military Action
6.7
20232h 14min

Overview

Amid a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife, is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war—and mankind itself.

Themes

Technology as weapon, Secrecy and deception, Grief as motivation, Human ai conflict, Regional resistance vs state power, Creation and responsibility

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Finestkind

8. Finestkind

Crime Drama Thriller Organized Crime Family Drama
6.1
20232h 6min

Overview

Two brothers from opposite sides of the tracks are reunited as adults. Desperate circumstances force them into a deal with an organized crime syndicate in Boston, and a young woman gets caught in the middle.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Class pressure and crime, Brotherly loyalty vs crime, Illicit trade risk, Law enforcement consequences, Family illness and obligation

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Io Capitano

9. Io Capitano

Adventure Drama Globetrotting Adventure Coming-of-Age Drama
7.6
20232h 1min

Overview

Longing for a brighter future, two Senegalese teenagers embark on a journey from West Africa to Italy. However, between their dreams and reality lies a labyrinth of checkpoints, the Sahara Desert, and the vast waters of the Mediterranean.

Themes

Economic precarity, Deception and exploitation, Migration pressure, Border crossing risk, Transnational dislocation, Dream versus reality

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

El Conde

10. El Conde

Fantasy Comedy Horror Satire Vampire Horror
6.4
20231h 51min

Overview

After living for over two centuries, Augusto Pinochet is a vampire ready to die… but the vultures around him won't let him go without one last bite.

Themes

Power and corruption, Infiltration and deception, Military dictatorship critique, Immortality and seclusion, Family inheritance conflict, Satire of authority

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.