When you think of French films, a few things likely come to mind — chic cafés, sweeping romance, and effortlessly stylish actors. But we also can’t forget about the shark in the Seine. The bloodthirsty beast that headlined Under Paris made a splash when the film was released last year, capturing attention around the globe and becoming Netflix’s second most popular non-English film ever. 

But it isn’t swimming alone. While shark movies may not be what you’d typically associate with French cinema, the last few years have seen an impressive succession of francophone thrillers. France has a proven track record in the genre, producing thrillers infused with horror, adventure, comedy, and science fiction. Yes, French films can make you weep in black-and-white and yearn for true romance, but they can also be exhilarating, terrifying, and hilarious.

So, in celebration of the mighty French thriller, here are 14 enthralling films you can stream on Netflix right now. On y va!

Ad Vitam

In the mood for a tense action thriller with complex characters and a beautiful Parisian setting? Look no further — Ad Vitam has all that and more. Actor Guillaume Canet, who co-wrote and produced the film, stars as Franck Lazarev, a former special ops agent whose life is turned upside down when masked attackers invade his home, kidnap his pregnant wife (Stéphane Caillard), and frame him for a murder he didn’t commit. A leap back in time reveals a fatal mistake that haunts Franck to this day, and explosive evidence linked to a state-level scandal. Can Franck outrun his past in time to save his wife, or is it all about to catch up with him?

Ad Vitam

1h 38m   TV-MA   2025

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AKA

If you’re looking for an action-packed thrill ride, this movie has everything you could ask for. Flying bullets? Check. Explosions? Check. A leading man with a heart of gold and fists of steel? Check, check, check! France’s bona fide action hero, Alban Lenoir, shines in this slick thriller as Adam, an undercover cop on a mission to take down a crime syndicate and thwart a suspected terrorist threat. After taking on a rival gang and proving himself to the crime boss (Eric Cantona), he develops an unexpected bond with the man’s son. As Adam sinks deeper into his new role, and betrayal rears its head at every corner, he realizes that all is not as it seems. 

AKA

2h 4m   TV-MA   2023

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ATHENA

Coming from renowned music video director Romain Gavras (who’s collaborated with artists like Jamie xx, Justice, M.I.A., and Jay-Z, to name a few), this searing police thriller is an unflinching examination of racism and police brutality in France. When a 13-year-old boy is beaten to death, seemingly at the hands of the police, his eldest brother Abdel (Dali Benssalah), a soldier, publicly calls for justice and peace. But his grief-stricken, rage-filled younger brother Karim (Sami Slimane) refuses to let the authorities, those responsible for his brother’s death, exact retribution. Storming a police station, he and a group of youths seize a stash of weapons before retreating to Athena, their embattled housing project, where a third brother operates a drug ring. When riot police enter the complex to try to quell the uprising, the situation spirals violently out of control. 

ATHENA

1h 39m   R   2022

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GTMAX

Who says more wheels means more fun? Certainly not the makers of GTMAX. This high-speed, two-wheeled thriller is directed by stunt expert and fight choreographer Olivier Schneider, known for his work on such epic action movies as Taken, No Time to Die, and Fast X. Hurtling through the winding streets of Paris, the story follows a notorious biker gang as they plan their next big heist. With one of their drivers (Samir Decazza) out of action, they turn to two cash-strapped siblings for help. Soelie (Ava Baya) is a motocross champ turned genius mechanic who, for reasons unknown, no longer rides. Her brother, Michael (Riadh Belaïche), is an up-and-coming biker who just lost a major race. When they find out their family motocross business is about to go bankrupt, they’ll go to extreme measures to make some cash. But at what price? 

GTMAX

1h 40m   TV-MA   2024

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The Last Mercenary

This comedy-action thriller stars one of the greatest kickboxing fighters of all time: the one and only “Muscles from Brussels,” Jean-Claude Van Damme. The action legend plays Richard Brumère, a secret service agent known as “The Mist” due to his uncanny ability to dissolve into thin air. After 25 years in the shadows, he’s forced in from the cold when his estranged son is mistakenly accused of crimes committed by Simyon (Nassim Lyes), a Tony Montana–obsessed arms dealer. After uncovering plans of a nefarious arms deal involving Simyon and a corrupt foreign affairs agent (Éric Judor), Brumère assembles a lively and unlikely bunch to save France and clear his son’s name. Expect plenty of laughs, some heartwarming father-son bonding, and a lot of flying kicks. 

The Last Mercenary

1h 52m   TV-MA   2021

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Lost Bullet

A thrilling debut feature from director Guillaume Pierret, Lost Bullet was a massive hit at home and abroad. France’s answer to The Fast and the Furious stars Alban Lenoir (in his second appearance on this list) as Lino, a genius mechanic who finds himself behind bars after a botched smash-and-grab job. But his skills don’t go to waste as good-guy cop Charas (Ramzy Bedia), head of the antidrug unit, brings him on board to soup up the squad’s cars so they can keep up with high-speed drug runners. When a fellow officer (Nicolas Duvauchelle) kills Charas, Lino is framed and forced on the run in a desperate search for the lost bullet that can prove his innocence. Intense fight sequences and heart-pounding Mad Max–style car chase scenes abound in this rocket-fueled blockbuster. With a sequel already out and a third installment on the way, this is a top-speed trilogy that shouldn’t be missed.  

Lost Bullet

1h 33m   TV-MA   2020

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Nice Girls

Nice Girls is the perfect combination of comedy and action, with a dash of romance. This buddy cop caper set in Nice stars Alice Taglioni as Léo, a maverick cop who likes to do things her own way (including careening in her beat-up car around the cliffs of the French Riviera). When her best friend and colleague, Ludo, is found dead in Hamburg, Germany, Léo is determined to get to the bottom of things — alone. But lo and behold, she’s paired up with Mélanie (Stéfi Celma), a rule-following German detective with her own unexpected link to the victim. Despite starting out as nemeses, when the two cops realize there’s more to Ludo’s death than meets the eye, they set their differences aside to unite, kick ass, and save Nice from disaster. 

Nice Girls

1h 32m   TV-MA   2024

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Oxygen

Mélanie Laurent stars in this unmissable thriller, directed by New French Extremity specialist Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes). Set in a not-so-distant future, Laurent plays Elizabeth Hansen, a lone woman who wakes up in a tightly confined cryogenic unit not knowing where she is, who she is, and — most importantly — how to get out. With only an AI companion named MILO (voiced by Mathieu Almaric) to guide her through her mounting panic, Elizabeth races to piece together fragmented memories and escape her coffin-like pod before her dwindling oxygen supplies run out. This survival thriller is a masterclass in dread and claustrophobia. Prepare to hold your breath for a very long time!    

Oxygen

1h 41m   TV-14   2021

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Restless

This gripping action-thriller, a remake of the 2014 Korean film A Hard Day, will keep you on the edge of your seat for all of its 96 minutes. Franck Gastambide (The Wages of Fear), another French action megastar, plays Thomas Blin, a corrupt police officer who accidentally kills a man in a hit-and-run while driving to his mother’s funeral. In a split-second decision, he cancels a call to the emergency services and makes the irreversible choice to cover up the death. With a relentless internal affairs officer (Simon Abkarian) already hot on his tail for bribery, Blin’s life becomes a waking nightmare when he starts receiving anonymous calls from a mysterious witness to his crime. In an attempt to cover up his bloody tracks, Blin becomes increasingly violent and paranoid as he starts to lose his grip on reality.  

Restless

1h 36m   TV-MA   2022

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Rogue City

Police officer turned writer-director Olivier Marchal (36) is a master of the gritty police thriller, and Rogue City is no exception. Set in a bloodied Marseille mired by gang warfare and police corruption, the story follows Vronski (Lannick Gautry), the battle-hardened leader of an anti-gang unit, fighting to keep his squad on track. With gang violence at a boiling point, Internal Affairs breathing down his neck, and a colleague who’s a threat to himself, Vronski’s attempts to improve matters only make things far, far worse.      

Rogue City

1h 56m   TV-MA   2020

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The Stronghold

Inspired by a true story, this gritty cop thriller was nominated for seven prestigious César Awards (including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor) and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021. Gilles Lellouche (Sink or Swim), Karim Leklou (Vincent Must Die), and François Civil (Fiasco) star as three hardened cops working on an anti-crime unit in the north suburbs of Marseille, an area with one of the highest crime rates in France. Hated on the streets where the police are seen as dishonest and corrupt, and with relentless daily arrest targets to hit, the disillusioned trio do what it takes to hit their quotas, mostly targeting small-time criminals. But when pressure comes from above to take down an entire drug network, the team makes an illicit deal in exchange for intel. Suddenly, they find themselves on the wrong side of the law, with the full weight of the French justice system bearing down upon them.  

The Stronghold

1h 44m   TV-MA   2021

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The Takedown

Although technically a sequel, The Takedown can be fully enjoyed without having seen the first installment. Starring Lupin’s Omar Sy and Laurent Lafitte (Class Act), this high-octane buddy cop comedy reunites two police officers, 10 years after they last worked together. Diakhité (Sy), a wisecracking cop with a dislike of authority, and Monge (Lafitte), an arrogant detective with a penchant for l’amour, team up when a severed torso is found on a train. Tracing the body back to a small isolated town, the unlikely duo discovers it is overrun by far-right drug traffickers and that this seemingly isolated case is linked to something far bigger. Bursting with stunts, explosions, and twists, this action-comedy directed by Louis Leterrier (Fast X) is a guaranteed thrill ride. 

The Takedown

2h 1m   TV-MA   2022

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Under Paris

If you haven’t yet sunk your teeth into Xavier Gens’ eco-thriller, there’s no better time. Under Paris stars Oscar nominee Bérénice Bejo (The Artist) as Sophia, a brilliant marine biologist who loses her husband and entire team to a vicious shark attack in the Pacific Ocean. Fast-forward five years and a grieving Sophia is leading the life of a recluse in Paris. When an eco-activist tracks her down with the terrifying news that her team has located a giant shark in the Seine, Sophia is in disbelief — a mako shark can’t survive in freshwater conditions. But when she spots the bloodthirsty beast with her own eyes, she jumps into action, joining forces with the Parisian river police. With the French capital only days away from welcoming the world press and thousands of athletes for an international triathlon (sound familiar?), Sophia and the river brigade scramble to save Paris from a catastrophic bloodbath.

Under Paris

1h 44m   TV-MA   2024

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Wingwomen

In this stylish comedy-adventure directed by and starring Mélanie Laurent (Inglourious Basterds), best friends/soul mates/ride-or-dies Carole (Laurent, also in her second film on this list) and Alex (Adèle Exarchopoulos) are expert thieves working at the behest of the Godmother (Isabelle Adjani), the terrifying head of a shadowy crime organization. Ping-ponging around Europe, the duo bicker and bond as they make off with precious goods worth inestimable fortunes. However, after one particularly tricky assignment, Carole decides she wants a quieter life and the pair attempt to resign. But before a seething Godmother agrees to cut them loose, she insists that they carry out “one last job.” Bringing a feisty getaway driver (Manon Bresch) on board, the newly formed trio ready themselves for the heist of a lifetime.  

Wingwomen

1h 55m   TV-MA   2023

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