Before streaming “Watcher” I only knew two things about the 2022 dark psychological thriller. Firstly, it stars Maika Monroe, who played the lead in “It Follows,” one of my favorite horror movies of all time. And secondly, I was aware it was a critical darling.
Based on these factors, I was confident it would appeal to me. But even with high expectations, I still came away absolutely floored by this gripping, intense and positively unnerving dark nightmare.
I’ve seen countless psychological thrillers over the years, but “Watcher” is one that simply refuses to leave my brain, even weeks after streaming. That’s in large part because it’s frighteningly believable. If you’ve got a taste for movies that descend to seriously dark places,
"Watcher" needs to be on your watchlist, and fortunately, it’s just arrived on Netflix this week (as of Tuesday, Feb. 25).
With its lack of A-list stars or major name recognition, I have concerns that “Watcher” might sink into the Netflix movie library and not receive the attention it so richly deserves.
So, I’m here to explain why this psychological thriller is a chilling trip worth taking. Netflix added a lot of new movies in February 2025, but here’s why “Watcher” is easily the pick of the bunch…
What is ‘Watcher’ about?
Julia (Maika Monroe) is an American actress who moves to Bucharest, Romania after her boyfriend, Francis (Karl Glusman) gets a work transfer. As Francis spends long hours in the office, Julia is left alone and isolated in her new foreign surroundings. And when she notices a stranger watching her from across the street she is further unnerved.
Adding to her general sense of ease is the news that a serial killer known as “the Spider” is on the loose. And this killer has an obsession with attacking young women who live in the city.
Convinced that somebody is stalking her, she becomes increasingly paranoid and begins to suspect that a local man (Burn Gorman) may be the violent killer on the loose.
‘Watcher’ is a spine-chilling trip you won’t soon forget
As somebody who moved around a lot in their 20s (I’ve lived in five different U.K. cities in the last 10 years), I can attest that “Watcher” does a remarkable job capturing that uncomfortable feeling of being in a new environment and trying to get your bearings.
That feeling is heightened for Julia as she’s not just moved to a new city, but an entirely new country and is trying to get acclimatized when she doesn’t even speak the local language, Romanian.
What makes “Watcher” so plausible, and therefore all the more unsettling, is that it revolves around a vicious killer of women rather than something fictional like a sinister paranormal entity or an immortal being.
The events within “Watcher” could genuinely happen. And that significantly adds to the fear factor. It taps into that almost universal feeling of dread when walking alone and glancing over your shoulder as you feel you’re being followed.
Director Chloe Okuno has an extremely tight grip on the experience. In fact, I was shocked to learn that “Watcher” was her directorial debut. The movie is so well constructed I’d assumed it was the work of a seasoned thriller filmmaker.
Okuno, who wrote the screenplay as well, slowly ratchets up the tension and isn’t afraid to let the drama build over a longer period. But she also prevents things from getting stale by dishing out fresh story beats at just the right moments. No spoilers here, but it all builds to a heart-pounding ending.
Maika Monroe blew me away with her performance in “It Follows,” and she’s just as riveting here. Julia is a troubled figure, feeling increasingly adrift in a strange new place, and enduring a near-constant state of fear, and Monroe makes sure you feel every ounce of her anxiety.
It’s one of the best performances I’ve seen in any psychological thriller, and Monroe is truly this movie’s crowning jewel. She brings the material to life in haunting ways.
One area that “Watcher” may be lacking for some viewers is that it keeps things simple. There’s no table-turning twist, or shock reveal in the third act, instead “Watcher” follows the most logical path possible. But, in my opinion, this is to the movie’s credit as it only aids the grounded and sobering tone.
'Watcher' reviews — critics also love this dark thriller
I’m far from alone in my praise of “Watcher.” As of writing, the movie holds an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes. And this rating comes from 150 reviews, so it’s not a small sample.
It’s even enough for a ‘Certified Fresh’ seal of approval. The site’s ‘Critics Consensus’ reads, “Although its story may lack surprises, Watcher benefits from director Chloe Okuno's chilling grip on the material -- and Maika Monroe's terrific work in the leading role.”
Sheila O’Malley of RogerEbert.com called it “a chilly and elegant thriller,” while Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times was even more impressed labeling it a “beautifully crafted jewel of a throwback thriller signifies Okuno as a talent to watch, but furthermore, it pushes the viewer to question what, and who, we choose to believe and why.
Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle also offered a very positive review: “Okuno crafts a superior, stylish thriller, rich with nods to the 1960s and the golden era of paranoia dramas.”
The movie’s audience score is lower at 67%, but this doesn’t surprise me considering its bleak tone, unsettling atmosphere and lack of flashy twists. So long as you’re prepared for a psychological thriller that creates a deeply unsettling vibe, “Watcher” is a must-watch.
Stream ‘Watcher’ on Netflix right now
“Watcher” plays out an awful lot like a modern-day Alfred Hitchcock movie, with the cool sheen of a David Fincher project, and when it comes to the thriller genre that’s about the most flattering comparison I can make. “Watcher” is a real recent stand-out in the genre.
If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that will stay with you for a long time after the credits roll look no further. I watched it several weeks back, and even now, reflecting on its darkest moments still makes my skin crawl.
And it’s all the more impressive that it manages to have such an impact without needing to resort to extreme violence. “Watcher” is subtler, and a little smarter, than much of its contemporaries, and all the better for that approach.
In case I haven’t made it clear, I really do “Watcher” is an unmissable thriller, and I’m delighted its arrival on Netflix should expose it to plenty of new viewers. But if you’re really not sold on giving it a watch, here’s a roundup of 3 Netflix movies to stream now before they are removed this month. Or you could watch the platform’s new political thriller TV show, "Zero Day."
Watch "Watcher" on Netflix now
More from Tom's Guide
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
