10 Great Thrillers You Might Have Overlooked

8) Exam (2009)

Exam won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but this directorial debut from London filmmaker Stuart Hazeldine has serious bite, and any fan of the single-room setting will immediately be at home.

In an alternate reality Britain, eight strangers sit down for an exam that could land them the job of a lifetime. The exam is 80 minutes long and consists of a single question. But when the timer starts, none of the participants know what the question is. Nor are they allowed to scribble on the piece of paper before them. Talking to the invigilator is grounds for disqualification, as is making contact with the guard at the door.

As the timer begins running down, the candidates realize they can talk to one another and that this is the key to solving the mystery. Much like Cube before it, Exam revels in the peculiarities of our personalities under duress. And when things go nasty, Hazeldine lets the action unfold with unflinching honesty.