8 Years on, Netflix’s Newly Added Dark Thriller is a Streaming Hit

Netflix has been no slouch in the thriller department in recent months, especially with films that promise to tackle darker subject matter. And this new addition to the platform is no exception, claiming the #6 spot on the Top 10 Streaming list in the few days that it’s been on the streamer, and boasting a plot and a cast that’s sure to capture audiences’ attention.

10×10, starring Luke Evans and Kelly Reilly, centers on a man named Lewis (Evans), who, by all appearances, is an ordinary guy. But in reality, Lewis is hiding a twisted obsession with revenge against a nurse named Cathy. He goes on to kidnap Cathy (Reilly) in broad daylight, taking her to his home, where he proceeds to trap her in a soundproof cell and extract a dark secret from her past.

Read Next

Remake of Tom Hanks 1980s Cult Classic Breaks Streaming Record, Nears 1 Billion Views Milestone

It’s Not Your Straightforward Abduction Thriller

Play video

While 10×10 won’t be bringing home any awards, it did manage to earn a 67% rating from critics, whose biggest complaint was that the characters felt anemic and the plot was thin and sketchy at best—though Evans and Reilly absolutely carried it with their performances. “First-time director Suzi Ewing manages to wring tension from the shaky set-up, staging the action with bloody, bruising flair, while her two stars do their all to bring their sketchy and inconsistent characters to life,” says Jason Best of Movie Talk.

One thing that it has going for it is its pacing. 10×10 is tightly wound; for a movie that convinces the audience that it’s a stereotypical abduction thriller until the secrets are revealed, it wastes not a single moment of its 88-minute runtime, lending the film an even more tense, anxious tone. Noel Murray of the Los Angeles Times says, “10×10 overcomes limited locations and a slight narrative thanks to a plot that keeps viewers guessing, all the way from its shocking opening act of violence to a bruising and morally hazy final fight.” What you think is a straightforward thriller ends up becoming a battle of sociopaths, each convinced they’re right and that the lies they tell won’t ever come back to haunt them. Basically, your enjoyment of the film will hinge entirely on how much you buy into the twists and turns that propel it forward, but it’s certainly not a bad way to kill an evening on the couch.

Did you enjoy 10×10? Let us know your thoughts about the film in the comments. And don’t forget to check out the ComicBook forum to keep the conversation going.