Last updated March 2024
Want to dive into highly celebrated Best Mystery Movies 2021 right away? We put together an expert list of 30 marvelous Best Mystery Movies 2021 locked and loaded for your viewing experience. With through-the-roof ratings from IMDB critics and our own discerning users, these titles are as good as entertainment gets. Lend a hand by voting for the Best Mystery Movies 2021 you think deserve even more acclaim. We value your help in highlighting the cream of the crop!
Jai Bhim (2021)
Plot Summary:
A pregnant woman from a primitive tribal community, searches desperately for her husband, who is missing from police custody. So as to find her husband and seek justice for them, as their voice, a High Court advocate rises in support. Will their battle for justice succeed?
Duration: 164 min
IMDB Rating: 8.7/10
IMDB Votes: 213000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Country: India, USA
Plot tags: lawyer, courtroom, investigation, poverty, theft, crime investigation, criminal, dysfunctional family, poor family, human rights, mission, jury, criminal justice, judgment, trial, biopic, innovation, prison, justice, wife, police brutality, tamil, telugu, bollywood, indigenous
Black Box (2021)
Plot Summary:
Matthieu is a young and talented black box analyst on a mission to solve the reason behind the deadly crash of a brand new aircraft. Yet, when the case is closed by authorities, Matthieu cannot help but sense there is something wrong with the evidence. As he listens to the tracks again, he starts detecting some seriously disturbing details. Could the tape have been modified? Going against his boss' orders, Matthieu begins his own rogue investigation - an obsessional and dangerous quest for truth that will quickly threaten far more than his career
Duration: 129 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: France, Belgium
Plot tags: airplane, airport, investigation, hunting, evil, judiciary, airplane crash, main character dies, die, journalist, missing person, mission, plane crash, aeroplane, car crash, conflict of interest, hacking, disappearance, drone, husband wife relationship, female journalist, husband wife conflict, government agency, young, ear bleeding
Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two (2021)
Plot Summary:
As Gotham City's young vigilante, the Batman, struggles to pursue a brutal serial killer, district attorney Harvey Dent gets caught in a feud involving the criminal family of the Falcones
Duration: 87 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Animation, Action, Crime, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, batman, criminal, independence day, mother's day, murder investigation, organized crime, murder mystery, fighting crime, good versus evil, showdown, serial killer, fight, murderer, heroes, murder, killings, battles, sleuth, serial murder, fight for supremacy, experiment, villain, multiverse, moving
Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One (2021)
Plot Summary:
Following a brutal series of murders taking place on Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, Gotham City's young vigilante known as the Batman sets out to pursue the mysterious serial killer alongside police officer James Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent
Duration: 85 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 19000
Genere: Animation, Action, Crime, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Plot tags: superhero, halloween, batman, organized crime, investigation, heroes, gang, murder investigation, murder mystery, gang war, fighting crime, showdown, serial killer, bandit, fight, murderer, murder, criminal, crime boss, crime investigation, teamwork, team, serial murder, good versus evil, lynching
The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf (2021)
Plot Summary:
Escaping from poverty to become a witcher, Vesemir slays monsters for coin and glory, but when a new menace rises, he must face the demons of his past
Duration: 83 min
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
IMDB Votes: 49000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Country: South Korea, USA, Japan, Poland, China
Plot tags: violence, medieval, monster, fantasy world, one man army, massacre, evil, mutant, creature, battles, magic, heroes, invasion, supernatural, murder, chase, supernatural ability, danger, deadly creature, sword, male protagonist, vengeance, society, rage, good versus evil
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Plot Summary:
Macbeth, the Thane of Glamis, receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland. Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife, Macbeth murders his king and takes the throne for himself
Duration: 105 min
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
IMDB Votes: 38000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: shakespeare, murder, treason, medieval, ambition, rise to power, king, betrayal, royal family, intrigue, knight, military, couples, life & death, macbeth, horse, combat, witchcraft, death, battles, sword, sword fight, conspiracy, death of protagonist, duel
Last Night in Soho (2021)
Plot Summary:
A young girl, passionate about fashion design, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer. But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to be falling apart with shady consequences
Duration: 116 min
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
IMDB Votes: 168000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, China
Plot tags: time travel, murder, female serial killer, rape, brothel, fashion designer, grandmother granddaughter relationship, plot twist, nightmare, nostalgia, ghost, macabre, psychic, female singer, broken dream, seeing dead people, female teacher, supernatural, murder mystery, secret, psychic power, landlady tenant relationship, prostitute, clairvoyance, landlady
The Innocents (2021)
Plot Summary:
Four children become friends during the summer holidays, and out of sight of the adults they discover they have hidden powers. While exploring their newfound abilities in the nearby forests and playgrounds, their innocent play takes a dark turn and strange things begin to happen
Duration: 117 min
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
IMDB Votes: 23000
Genere: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, France, UK
Plot tags: supernatural, supernatural power, cruelty, mysticism, mind control, summer vacation, teenager, friendship, friends, supernatural ability, teenage life, children, mental disorder, past, girl, telepathy, demonic possession, coming of age, disorder, superpower, nordic, power, paranormal activity, autism, snake
Pig (2021)
Plot Summary:
A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregon wilderness must visit Portland to find the mysterious person who stole his beloved foraging pig
Duration: 92 min
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
IMDB Votes: 86000
Genere: Drama, Mystery
Country: USA, UK
Plot tags: cabin in the woods, recluse, cooking, pig, human animal relationship, wilderness, fight club, mausoleum, grief, abduction, wildlife, animal human communication, showdown, father son relationship, experiment, cookery, tribe, entertainment, loss, badass, pig killer, forest, restaurant, widower, baker
The Black Phone (2021)
Plot Summary:
Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney
Duration: 103 min
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
IMDB Votes: 182000
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: child abduction, basement, kidnapping, murder, locked in a basement, struggle for survival, serial child killer, phone terror, victim, kidnapped, masked killer, escape attempt, small town, serial killer, homicidal maniac, psycho killer, kidnapped boy, child killer, locked in a room, bullying, teenager, clue, supernatural, serial murder, teenage boy
Fear Street: Part Two - 1978 (2021)
Plot Summary:
In 1978, two rival groups at Camp Nightwing must band together to solve a terrifying mystery when horrors from their towns' history come alive
Duration: 109 min
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
IMDB Votes: 74000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: serial killer, supernatural, murder, monster, homicidal maniac, woman in danger, witch, lesbian, gore, snake, psychopath, lgbt, violence, brutality, terror, maniac, revenge, obsession, death, paranormal phenomena, paranormal, chase, fear, society, serial murder
Passing (2021)
Plot Summary:
In 1920s New York City, a Black woman finds her world upended when her life becomes intertwined with a former childhood friend who's passing as white
Duration: 98 min
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, UK, Canada
Plot tags: racism, childhood, jealousy, african american, lesbian, women, friends, destiny, interracial relations, girl, demonic possession, woman, black, lgbtq, black history, interwar period, feeling, best friend, lesbian subtext, ambiguity, female friendship, love, sex, dancing, school
Fear Street: Part Three - 1666 (2021)
Plot Summary:
In 1666, a colonial town is gripped by a hysterical witch-hunt that has deadly consequences for centuries to come, and it's up to teenagers in 1994 to try and finally put an end to their town's curse, before it's too late
Duration: 114 min
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
IMDB Votes: 62000
Genere: Horror, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: supernatural, serial killer, lesbianism, forest, violent, lgbt, murder, lgbtq, lesbian, witch, paranormal phenomena, paranormal, terror, revenge, psychopath, death, killings, brutality, chase, supernatural ability, evil, fear, blood, who done it, supernatural power
Stillwater (2021)
Plot Summary:
Bill Baker, an American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma, travels to Marseille to visit his estranged daughter, Allison, who is in prison for a murder she claims she did not commit. Confronted with language barriers, cultural differences, and a complicated legal system, Bill builds a new life for himself in France as he makes it his personal mission to exonerate his daughter
Duration: 139 min
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
IMDB Votes: 53000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: father daughter relationship, mother in law son in law relationship, prisoner, father, american football, murder, investigation, framed for murder, accused of murder, hopes, teenager, rescue, family relations, parents and children, life is a bitch, society, family problems, fight for justice, social injustice, social relations, police investigation, disorder, estranged father, estrangement, accusation
Memoria (2021)
Plot Summary:
A Scottish orchid farmer visiting her ill sister in Bogotá, Colombia, befriends a young musician and a French archaeologist in charge of monitoring a century-long construction project to tunnel through the Andes mountain range. Each night, she is bothered by increasingly loud bangs which prevent her from getting any sleep
Duration: 136 min
IMDB Rating: 6.5/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Colombia, Thailand, France, Germany, Mexico, Qatar, UK, China, USA, Switzerland
Plot tags: self discovery, introspection, escape from reality, european, insomnia, female protagonist, relationship problems, women, puzzle, illness, hypnosis, mental illness, in love, society, feeling, recording studio, jungle, sisters, craziness, neon, mystery
No Sudden Move (2021)
Plot Summary:
A group of criminals are brought together under mysterious circumstances and have to work together to uncover what's really going on when their simple job goes completely sideways
Duration: 115 min
IMDB Rating: 6.4/10
IMDB Votes: 40000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: organized crime, heist, cons and scams, gang, mafia, heist gone wrong, gangster, bandit, con artists, investigation, puzzle, teamwork, criminal gang, mysterious villain, attempted robbery, crime solving, secret revealed, uncover truth, partners in crime, fraud, criminal, apocalypse, ghetto, caper, murder
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
Plot Summary:
A chilling story of terror, murder and unknown evil that shocked even experienced real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. One of the most sensational cases from their files, it starts with a fight for the soul of a young boy, then takes them beyond anything they’d ever seen before, to mark the first time in U.S. history that a murder suspect would claim demonic possession as a defense
Duration: 112 min
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
IMDB Votes: 135000
Genere: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: exorcism, paranormal investigation, supernatural, demon, psychic, paranormal phenomena, supernatural horror, paranormal activity, demonic possession, murder, ghost, devil, terror, satanist, supernatural power, fear, black magic, satanism, catholicism, satanic ritual, totem, haunted house, clairvoyant, possession, evil
The Little Things (2021)
Plot Summary:
Deputy Sheriff Joe "Deke" Deacon joins forces with Sgt. Jim Baxter to search for a serial killer who's terrorizing Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case
Duration: 128 min
IMDB Rating: 6.3/10
IMDB Votes: 120000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: serial killer, murder, serial murder, cold case, police, investigation, police station, police detective, murder mystery, missing person, murder investigation, police officer, crime investigation, teamwork, african american protagonist, female nudity, who done it, killer, society, mysterious man, pursuit, flash forward, evidence, haunted by the past, breaking and entering
Fear Street: Part One - 1994 (2021)
Plot Summary:
In 1994, a group of teenagers discovers that the terrifying events which have haunted their town for generations are all connected — and that they may be the next targets
Duration: 107 min
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
IMDB Votes: 92000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: murder, supernatural, witch, lesbian, serial killer, lgbt, lgbtq, serial murder, terror, brutality, supernatural horror, maniac, death, shopping mall, gay, psychopath, danger, woman in danger, revenge, paranormal phenomena, paranormal, rescue, chase, society, who done it
The Cursed (2021)
Plot Summary:
In the late nineteenth century, brutal land baron Seamus Laurent slaughters a Roma clan, unleashing a curse on his family and village. In the days that follow, the townspeople are plagued by nightmares, Seamus’s son Edward goes missing, and a boy is found murdered. The locals suspect a wild animal, but visiting pathologist John McBride warns of a more sinister presence lurking in the woods
Duration: 111 min
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
IMDB Votes: 15000
Genere: Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Country: UK, France, USA
Plot tags: werewolf, supernatural, creature, gypsy, monster, folk horror, paranormal phenomena, revenge, violence, village, death, fear, supernatural power, medieval, world war one, demon, rescue, danger, peril, characters in danger, exorcism, heroes, killings, paranormal, chase
Malignant (2021)
Plot Summary:
When cancer patient Alan Gates discovers that his tumor is actually a mysterious parasite that gives him otherworldly powers, he begins a battle against an army buried beneath society's skin. The movie is based on james wans comic of the same name, director of insidious & the conjuring
Duration: 111 min
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
IMDB Votes: 105000
Genere: Crime, Horror, Mystery
Country: USA, China
Plot tags: serial killer, one against many, body horror, monster, murder, gore, violence, imaginary friend, woman in jeopardy, kidnapping, supernatural power, sister sister relationship, supernatural, hospital, a vision, superpower, revenge, good versus evil, ocean, blood, serial murder, death of husband, doctor patient relationship, evil twin, supernatural horror
The Voyeurs (2021)
Plot Summary:
A young couple, find themselves becoming interested in the sex life of their neighbors across the street. What starts as an innocent curiosity turns into an unhealthy obsession
Duration: 116 min
IMDB Rating: 6.1/10
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: voyeurism, female voyeur, infidelity, peeping, hot and sexy, voyeur, young couple, erotica, cheating wife, exhibitionist, watching sex, peeping tom, plot twist, eye surgery, nosy neighbor, nude photography, neighbor, fashion photographer, open relationship, sexual obsession, relationships, family relations, male female relationship, social problems, family problems
My Son (2021)
Plot Summary:
When a man's only son goes missing, he travels to the town where his ex-wife lives in search of answers. To play a man whose life is clouded by mystery, McAvoy will not be given a script of dialogue
Duration: 95 min
IMDB Rating: 6.0/10
IMDB Votes: 14000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK, France, Germany
Plot tags: missing child, divorced parents, disappearance, kidnapping, ex husband ex wife relationship, abduction, investigation, family relations, parents and children, dysfunctional family, male female relationship, kidnapped, unsolved crime, ex husband, ex couple relations, crime solving, search and rescue, uncover truth, kids in trouble, police investigation, spy, missing person, kidnapped boy, torture, divorce
Censor (2021)
Plot Summary:
Film censor Enid takes pride in her meticulous work, guarding unsuspecting audiences from the deleterious effects of watching the gore-filled decapitations and eye gougings she pores over. Her sense of duty to protect is amplified by guilt over her inability to recall details of the long-ago disappearance of her sister, recently declared dead in absentia. When Enid is assigned to review a disturbing film from the archive that echoes her hazy childhood memories, she begins to unravel how this eerie work might be tied to her past
Duration: 84 min
IMDB Rating: 6.0/10
IMDB Votes: 19000
Genere: Horror, Mystery
Country: UK
Plot tags: mysterious disappearance, missing child, sister, train, dead sister, cabin in the woods, violence, maniac, murderer, psychopath, murder, murder mystery, social problems, family problems, mentally unstable, shark, virus, women, supernatural, mental disorder, woman, nightmare, anonymous telephone call, lost in the woods, mistaken identity
Werewolves Within (2021)
Plot Summary:
When a proposed pipeline creates hostilities between residents of a small town, a newly-arrived forest ranger must keep the peace after a snowstorm confines the townspeople to an old lodge. But when a mysterious creature begins terrorizing the group, their worst tendencies and prejudices rise to the surface, and it is up to the ranger to keep the residents alive, both from each other and the monster which plagues them
Duration: 97 min
IMDB Rating: 6.0/10
IMDB Votes: 24000
Genere: Comedy, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, France
Plot tags: werewolf, murder, supernatural, monster, blizzard, creature, isolation, snow, hunting, forest ranger, lycanthrope, revenge, heroes, violence, death, killings, rescue, chase, supernatural ability, evil, fear, escapades, rivalry, mission, society
Antlers (2021)
Plot Summary:
A young teacher discovers that her troubled student's father and younger brother harbor a deadly supernatural secret. Taking the boy into her care, the teacher must fight for their survival against horrors beyond imagination
Duration: 99 min
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
IMDB Votes: 43000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Country: Mexico, USA
Plot tags: creature, folk horror, monster, wendigo, native american, fear, supernatural, superstition, myth, sheriff, supernatural power, cannibalism, school bully, child neglect, mysticism, paranormal activity, paranormal investigation, creature feature, teacher, father son relationship, trauma, paranormal phenomena, paranormal, forest, gore
Reminiscence (2021)
Plot Summary:
Nicolas Bannister, a rugged and solitary veteran living in a near-future Miami flooded by rising seas, is an expert in a dangerous occupation: he offers clients the chance to relive any memory they desire. His life changes when he meets a mysterious young woman named Mae. What begins as a simple matter of lost and found becomes a passionate love affair. But when a different client's memories implicate Mae in a series of violent crimes, Bannister must delve through the dark world of the past to uncover the truth about the woman he fell for
Duration: 116 min
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
IMDB Votes: 64000
Genere: Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: flood, memory, love, riot, female singer, femme fatale, inheritance, nightclub, piano, veteran, environmental issue, time travel, water, singer, death of husband, loss of husband, hi-tech, mind control, technology, memories, disappearance, time, philosophy, false memory, twists and turns
Old (2021)
Plot Summary:
A group of families on a tropical holiday discover that the secluded beach where they are staying is somehow causing them to age rapidly – reducing their entire lives into a single day
Duration: 108 min
IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
IMDB Votes: 154000
Genere: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan, China
Plot tags: island, vacation, race against time, rapid aging, time, aging, medical experiment, island prison, ocean, macabre, tropical island, family vacation, trap, held captive, supernatural, murder, secret experiment, death, corporation, old age, vacation gone wrong, human experiment, dog, police, friendship
Nightbooks (2021)
Plot Summary:
Alex, a boy obsessed with scary stories, is trapped by a witch in her modern, magical New York City apartment. His original hair-raising tales are the only thing keeping him safe as he desperately tries to find a way out of this twisted place
Duration: 103 min
IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
IMDB Votes: 10000
Genere: Family, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Country: USA
Plot tags: witch, evil wizard, magic, female villain, friendship, library, writers, magical, spell, cat, evil witch, attempted escape, escape, magician, captivity, teamwork, captive, struggle for survival, child protagonist, held captive, child, black magic, supernatural, youth, kidnapping
Last Looks (2021)
Plot Summary:
A disgraced ex-cop seeks solace by moving to the woods, but his quiet life comes to an end when a private eye recruits him to investigate the murder of an eccentric TV star's wife
Duration: 110 min
IMDB Rating: 5.8/10
IMDB Votes: 11000
Genere: Action, Comedy, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Plot tags: private investigator, murder, missing person, investigation, murder investigation, who done it, murderer, sleuth, female detective, crime investigation, teamwork, murder mystery, forensics, private detective, unsolved crime, crime solving, uncover truth, memory loss, innocent man, nature, teacher, life, pregnancy, alcoholic, hip hop