Have you ever felt like your phone was listening to you? Or that your social media feed knows you a little too well? These feelings are reminiscent of the unsettling plots found in many thriller movies. These days, technology is all around us — in our pockets, homes, and even our cars. And sometimes, it feels a bit scary.
Techno-thrillers are movies and shows that mix suspense and action with technology. They illustrate what can happen when machines, computers, and data fail. The best ones feel so real, they make you wonder: Could this happen to me?
Here are 7 thrilling movies and web series that use technology to tell powerful, scary, and exciting stories. You can watch them right now on streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, ZEE5, JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar, and Apple TV+.
1. The Net – Amazon Prime Video
What if someone erased your whole life online?
Angela Bennett (played by Sandra Bullock) is a computer expert who works from home and keeps to herself. One day, she finds a secret in a computer program that wasn’t meant to be found. Soon after, her whole life changes.
Her name, job, records — everything is deleted. In the eyes of the world, she doesn’t exist anymore. She becomes a criminal without doing anything wrong and is forced to run for her life.
Why it’s worth watching:
Even though this movie came out in 1995, it talks about things we worry about today — like hacking, privacy, and how easy it can be to lose control of our online identity.
2. Black Mirror – Netflix
What if technology went too far?
Black Mirror is not one long story, but many short ones. Each episode shows a different future where technology affects people’s lives in strange or scary ways. Some episodes show social media taking over people’s lives, while others explore robots, digital memories, and artificial intelligence.
It doesn’t use monsters or magic — the horror comes from how real it all feels.
Must-watch episodes:
- “Nosedive” – Everyone rates each other like Uber drivers.
- “San Junipero” – A love story inside a virtual world.
- “Shut Up and Dance” – A teen is blackmailed online.
- “USS Callister” – A twisted version of a video game world.
Why it’s worth watching:
Black Mirror makes us think about the future — and how today’s technology might change who we are tomorrow.
3. Eagle Eye – ZEE5
What if a computer controlled your every move?
In this fast-moving movie, two strangers — Jerry and Rachel — start getting phone calls from a voice that knows everything about them. It controls traffic, phones, and even drones to force them to follow its orders.
They have no idea who’s watching them or why. But they must follow the instructions or face the consequences.
Why it’s worth watching:
This movie makes you think about how much power we give our devices — and what could happen if that power fell into the wrong hands.
4. Mr. Robot – JioCinema / Disney+ Hotstar
What if you couldn’t trust your mind?
Elliot is a smart but troubled young man who works with computers by day and hacks into systems at night. He’s asked to join a secret group that wants to bring down one of the biggest companies in the world.
As Elliot goes deeper, he starts to lose track of what’s real and what’s not. Is he doing the right thing, or is he being used?
Why it’s worth watching:
Mr. Robot is not just about hacking. It’s about people, power, and how hard it is to know the truth in a world full of lies, both online and offline.
5. CyberSquad – JioCinema / Hotstar
What if kids were the smartest crime fighters?
In this Indian web series, four smart teenagers — KD, Rocky, Tia, and Uzi — create their own “Cyber Squad.” They use their tech skills to help police catch online criminals.
They deal with real problems like social media hacking, identity theft, and cyberbullying — all while still going to school.
Why it’s worth watching:
CyberSquad is fun, fast, and full of heart. It shows how young people can use their skills to do good, and how important it is to be careful online.
6. Irumbu Thirai – Amazon Prime Video
What if someone stole your money and your data?
Major Kathiravan is an army officer who takes out a bank loan for his sister’s wedding. But just as he gets the money, it disappears from his account. The thief? A dangerous hacker known as “White Devil.”
Kathiravan decides to fight back. He uses both his brain and strength to find the hacker and uncover the secrets of digital crime in India.
Why it’s worth watching:
This Tamil movie talks about real-life issues — like Aadhaar risks, smartphone tracking, and the dark web — and turns them into an exciting story. It’s smart, emotional, and action-packed.
7. Severance – Apple TV+
What if your work and personal life were completely separate — inside your brain?
At Lumon Industries, employees undergo a strange procedure called “severance.” It splits their brain into two parts. One part only knows work; the other knows only life outside work. Neither part remembers what the other does.
At first, it sounds like a good idea. But soon, things start to feel very wrong.
Why it’s worth watching:
Severance is slow and mysterious, but very powerful. It makes us think about control, memory, and what it means to be truly free.