It's the time-tested stuff of captivating cinema: one person up against forces beyond his or her control. Toss in healthy doses of political malfeasance, nefarious cabals, illicit surveillance, and cover-ups, and you've got the formula for a crackling good time at the movies. We here at RT have compiled our list of the best-reviewed conspiracy films of all time, perfect for a night of paranoia and intrigue.
You'll find plenty of your favorites here, movies that explore everything from corporate shenanigans (The Insider) to governmental machinations (The Bourne Ultimatum) to phone tapping (The Conversation). And what list of paranoid classics would be complete without plenty of Hitchcock? However, unlike the villains in these films, we decided to shine some light on our process. We utilized a weighted system that factors in both Tomatometer and number of reviews, and each movie needed 20 reviews to qualify. Thus, some of the best-known celebrated conspiracy flicks (sorry, JFK and Wag the Dog) didn't quite make the critical cut. Which of these flicks earned the best marks from the critics? The truth is out there. So debug your house, dust off your fake passport, and be prepared to navigate the twists and turns of RT's Best Conspiracy Movies!
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Some great movies on here, including some of my all time favorites, but notably absent is The Parallax View. It has a 91% and is one of the very best conspiracy movies of all time, I highly recommend anyone to watch it, as well as most of the others on the list. This seems to be one genre that Hollywood gets right a lot.
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Yes! The Parallax View is the one glaring omission from this list. A film with a casually queasy texture all its own. Genuinely unsettling and nightmarish.
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WHERE IS TRUMAN SHOW!!! THIS IS THE WORST LIST EVER IF TRUMAN SHOW ISNT THERE.
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I'd have to include Rosemary's Baby as another film left off the list. I understand it's not a conspiracy film in the political sense but it is film where "one person up against forces beyond his or her control," with "[marital] malfeasance, nefarious [satanic] cabals, illicit surveillance, and cover-ups".
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I don't personally like the character or the film, but Schlesinger's camerawork and sets in "Marathon Man" are frightening. Also, "Day of the Jackal," deserves mention. "Wait Until Dark" (quasi conspiracy?) should be included, too.
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I don't personally like the character or the film, but Schlesinger's camerawork and sets in "Marathon Man" are frightening. Also, "Day of the Jackal," deserves mention. "Wait Until Dark" (quasi conspiracy?) should be included, too.
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I think "Hot Fuzz" is really good. But not as a conspiracy movie. "North by Norhtwest" is a no brainer, and you know, I haven't heard of "The Conversation", and it sounds good. I'm checking it out.
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I think "The Conversation" should be a bit higher on the list. It ought to be 100%, but some nobody bozo went and rated it rotten.
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I absolutely love this list!!! So many of my favorite movies on there. I went through a rather large conspiracy/thriller film phase a few months back (mostly focusing on paranoid thrillers from the 70s)... it was quite a lot of fun! CHINATOWN would easily be my number one as well. As people have mentioned, there are some interesting/confusing movies left out-
MARATHON MAN
DAY OF THE JACKAL
THE PARALLAX VIEW
WITNESS
DOUBLE INDEMNITY (its film noir mainly... but the paranoia and betrayal tops TOUCH OF EVIL for me)
Also, I would have taken MUNICH over MINORITY REPORT any day.
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Also, I agree that ROSEMARY'S BABY could easily be considered one as well.
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Also notable, the newly restored "Spy Who Came In From The Cold."
"Breach" starring Chris Cooper also rocks it.
and, if this were tv, we'd do the whole Smiley thing, "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" "Smiley's People"
I'd tell you more, but those files are sealed. Meet me at the drop point at Lexington square at one minute after midnight. Wear a raincoat, face east, and come alone.
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It was supposed to be a list of best conspiracy movies, kinda stretched that theme I think. What about The Parallax View (Warren Beatty) and Flash Point (Kris Kristofferson), The Brotherhood of the Bell (Glenn Ford), and the Marathon Man all three great conspiracy movies and just great movies. I know some of these were mentioned in remarks already so just piling on.
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how is hot fuzz on here but "enemy of the state" isn't ?
Hot fuzz isn't a conspiracy movie or a thriller, it is a comedy. It doesn't count. I would say Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is another thriller/conspiracy film that is overlooked.
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how is hot fuzz on here but "enemy of the state" isn't ?
Hot fuzz isn't a conspiracy movie or a thriller, it is a comedy. It doesn't count. I would say Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is another thriller/conspiracy film that is overlooked.
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because hot fuzz is awesome.
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What, Running Man didn't make the list? Great conspiracy and who can top the "Is it Safe" scence!
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What, Running Man didn't make the list? Great conspiracy and who can top the "Is it Safe" scence!
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What, Marathon Man didn't make the list? Great conspiracy and who can top the "Is it Safe" scence!
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How on earth is Oliver Stone's "JFK" not on this list. It's the most conspiratorial conspiracy movie in history, and Roger Ebert called it one of the 10 best films of the 1990s.
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seriously. JFK is not here? Should be in the top five...imho.
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PARALLAX VIEW, and MIRAGE, and... well - you guys managed to throw in everything but the kitchen sink and leave out some of the great conspiracy movies. Seriously - hire someone with a brain and some basic knowledge of films. That would help.
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"Hot Fuzz"? OK, LOVED this movie, but a conspiracy movie? Maybe a comedy conspiracy. This list left out my personal favorite conspiracy movie; "The Smartest Guys in the Room"....and it's a documentary! Political and financial malfeasance, nefarious cabals, cover-ups - it's got it all the requirements. Sadly, five minutes checking out the news doesn't suggest we learned anything in the last five years. Coming soon - "The Smartest Guys in the Room II: AIG"
'Now we can work on clearing our hoodie infestation'
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If we're gonna be loose with our definition of conspiracy thriller, how can you not have The Usual Suspects on here?!
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Because "The Usual Suspects" is a mystery, not conspiracy movie. Small difference, but difference none the less. And "The Usual Suspects" is terrible.
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just read in the blurb at top that a film must have 20 reviews. Thus JFK didn't make it. I would assume the same applies to The Usual Suspects?
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Glad that Foreign Correspondent made this list, but no "Vertigo"? I think it can count for a conspiracy film...
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