The International Thriller Everyone's Watching On Netflix Right Now

A fascinating international thriller is taking over Netflix. Released on May 29, 2024, the Polish-language picture "Colors of Evil: Red" is quickly becoming a favorite for Netflix subscribers. From June 2 through June 4, it has been the most-watched film on the entire platform worldwide. The film comes ahead of the beloved, award-winning "Godzilla Minus One," which fans can finally stream at home. Stateside, "Colors of Evil: Red" was the second-most watched film on Netflix USA on June 1 through 3.

The Polish film is quickly blowing up the charts and has emerged as an unexpected sleeper hit, taking critics by surprise. As of this writing, the Netflix exclusive doesn't have a Rotten Tomatoes critics score. Overall, the critical consensus on the international thriller appears to be mixed to negative, with Decider's Johnny Loftus deeming it to be a middle-of-the-road thriller. Despite average critical receipts, the film seems to have became a favorite for those on social media. 

"'Colors of evil red' on netflix got me wide awake!!" shared X (formerly known as Twitter) user @girlthatskiy. "'Colors of Evil: Red' is a great movie. I didn't know Polish books were this good," wrote @chaenghollie. Cinephiles on Letterboxd, the film-centric social media platform, have deemed "Colors of Evil: Red" to be a serviceable and completely watchable thriller that isn't interested in reinventing the wheel. "Unfortunately, the twists in the film aren't 'that' shocking and the conclusion leaves a couple of questions unanswered. I'm a bit unsatisfied, but 'Colors of Evil: Red' remains respectable enough to amuse murder-mysteries buff," wrote user Deathy in a three-star review. 

"Colors of Evil: Red" is set in Poland's Tricity. The film follows a police officer (Jakub Gierszał) who begins to investigate the mysterious murder of a woman (Zofia Jastrzębska) whose body was found on a beach. Realizing that the circumstances surrounding the woman's death are similar to a case from several years ago, the policeman begins to look into the past and teams up with the murdered woman's mother (Maja Ostaszewska) to find justice. Filled with twists, turns, and shocking narrative beats, the international thriller is based on the Polish book of the same name. 

Coming in at just under two hours, "Colors of Evil: Red" has proven itself to be one of Netflix's most interesting offerings this past week. Unsurprisingly, it managed to become more popular than Jennifer Lopez and Netflix's "Atlas" — which critics vehemently tore apart. The viewership of "Colors of Evil" proves that Netflix subscribers don't need large-scale, flashy productions to feel entertained. A relatively low-key production, the film dominates on the platform because of its intriguing narrative and slow-burn nature. 

The film's popularity also proves once again that Netflix is a haven for international features. With Netflix available in 190 countries, "Colors of Evil: Red" is a true international juggernaut, confirming that even viewers in the United States are interested in stories made outside of Hollywood. Loved "Colors of Evil: Red" and need something else to watch? Check out these underappreciated thrillers you have to watch on Netflix.