Conspiracy theorists have a bad reputation — often, that is a fair delegation. But there are rare instances when skepticism and borderline conspiratorial thinking have led to uncovering crime, releasing information, or protecting rights. When discovered, the organization is not a group of unnamed secret society members but rather corporate and governmental entities with their own interests at stake. Some of the greatest cases of coordinated conspiracy (Watergate, NSA tapping, etc.) have had lasting impacts, while others are surreptitiously swept under the rug.

In an effort to tell important stories and disclose information, many of these once-considered conspiracies have inspired movies. Some films on this list are documentaries, while others are dramatic reenactments of historical events. But behind all of these films is generally a team that is passionate about the message and believes in the story they are telling.

Update November 15, 2023: This article has been updated with even more conspiracy thrillers, as well as where you can watch each title on streaming.

10 Enemy of the State (1998)

Political thrillers don't get any better in the hands of the late Tony Scott. Enemy of the State is a film written by David Marconi, starring Will Smith, Gene Hackman, and Jon Voight. The story focuses on lawyer Robert Clayton Dean, who gets embroiled in the dealings of a corrupt National Security Agency official who gets a congressman killed. The deed is accidentally filmed by a birdwatching camera, which finds its way on the lawyer's lap.

What Makes It Great

Tony Scott, like his brother Ridley, was an accomplished filmmaker who worked with the best talent in the business. Each cast member offers a spotless performance in a story that feels grounded and realistic. Enemy of the State is the type of film that makes you weary of the government and its power over private citizens if they think they cross the line.

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9 The Pelican Brief (1993)

The Pelican Brief is a powerful political thriller written and directed by Alan J. Pakula, based on the novel of the same name written by John Grisham. The casting includes powerhouses such as Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, Sam Shepard, and Stanley Tucci. The movie tells the story of a law student who presents a legal brief detailing her conclusions about the murders of two Supreme Court Justices. The document proves damaging enough to an unseen party who begins erasing proof of its existence.

What Makes It Great

Tension! The Pelican Brief is a fast-paced story filled with tension in every scene. Robert's character Darby Shaw is in danger since the moment she typed the last dot in her brief. In a short time, her lover and mentor are killed. Shaw has to run for her life and find protection from the press to ensure her survival. The movie illustrates the lengths governments go to keep people from creating narratives that deviate from the official version of the story.

For Purchase on PVOD

8 The Net (1995)

The Net is a technological thriller written by John Bracanto and directed by Irwin Winkler. The cast includes Sandra Bullock, Jeremy Northam, and Dennis Miller. In the story, a freelance systems analyst worker known as Angela Bennet takes hold of a floppy disk containing a dangerous program nicknamed π. After a brief vacation in Mexico, she returns home to find her life in shambles. Angela goes on the run to solve the mystery and get her life back.

What Makes It Great

Political intrigue and lobbyism play a heavy role in the plot of The Net. Unknown to Angela, she has stumbled upon the secrets behind the apparent suicide of the under-secretary of Defense of the country, who was misdiagnosed with AIDS to prompt his exit from the political landscape. The team of cyberterrorists running her life thinks she knows more than she lets on, turning the story into a cat-and-mouse chase of grand proportions.

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7 Spotlight (2015)

The Roman Catholic Church is known for having many scandals covered by The Vatican over the years. Spotlight is a movie written and directed by Tom McCarthy, starring Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Liev Schreiber. The film explores the background behind the investigation handled by editor Mike Baron from The Boston Globe that led to the discovery of more than 80 cases of sexual abuse done by a single priest through the years.

What Makes It Great

The Archdiocese of Boston sex abuse scandal, was a significant case that revealed multiple cases of abuse dating as far as the 1970s, with the accused priests simply being removed from their parishes and placed somewhere else. The widespread case resulted in 250 criminal cases and multiple lawsuits. It's also one of the reasons behind Pope Benedict XVI's resignation, as his ruling failed to deal accordingly with the accusations.

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6 All the President's Men (1976)

All the President's Men is a 1976 dramatic thriller directed by Alan J. Pakula and stars Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford. The film tells the story of the two Washington Post reporters who uncover the details of the Watergate scandal, which later led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation. The Watergate scandal, famous to most Americans now, involved the infamous break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Office Building and the attempted coverup by the Nixon Administration. The film was written by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, the two journalists who originally reported on the scandal.

What Makes It Great

Hollywood wasted no time bringing this story to life. The Watergate scandal was wrapped up in 1974, and the film was released in 1976. It was a poignant moment in American history as it was the first time a President was caught red-handed in corrupt dealings. The story would remain in America's collective mind thanks to the solid performances offered by Redford and Hoffman.

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5 V for Vendetta (2005)

V for Vendetta is a 2005 action drama directed by James McTeigue and based on the graphic novel series written by Alan Moore (Watchmen) and features an excellent Natalie Portman performance alongside Hugo Weaving and Rupert Graves. It tells the story of a freedom fighter and revolutionary named V, who dawns the Guy Fawkes mask and plans to overthrow the oppressive government regime and prompt a great revolution.

What Makes It Great

Unlike other films on this list, the story outlined in V for Vendetta is fictitious, but its cultural impact has had very real repercussions. The Guy Fawkes mask has even been adopted by Anonymous, a hacktivist collective, which is known for its cyberattacks on government agencies, private corporations, and the Church of Scientology, further fueling the conspiratorial message of the film.

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4 The Dissident (2020)

The Dissident is a 2020 documentary detailing the disappearance of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. Bryan Fogel directs the film and follows Khashoggi up until his final days in which he was assassinated in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

What Makes It Great

The Dissident details possible motives for his death as well as the figures who may be responsible for it. The Saudi government first denied the death, but since then the government has stated that the assassination had been planned. This film serves to highlight the brave work done by Khashoggi and its production has successfully brought to light the suspicious activity within the Saudi government.

Stream on Tubi

3 Citizenfour (2014)

Citizenfour is a 2014 film that follows whistleblower Edward Snowden during his first contact with the press when disclosing government secrets. The film is directed by Laura Poitras with journalist Glenn Greenwald shown working with Snowden to present his leaked information, which showed the extent to which the United States and other foreign countries practice mass surveillance.

What Makes It Great

The amount of information Snowden had released was unprecedented, and the documentary explains the complex subject in understandable and exciting ways. The film not only serves as documentation of his whistleblower saga, but as a distribution of information. Being associated with Snowden in the days following the leaks were dangerous, but the information was thought to be necessarily disclosed.

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2 Dark Waters (2019)

Dark Waters is a 2019 film directed by Todd Haynes. It stars Mark Ruffalo as a corporate defense attorney who turns against a chemical company to expose pollution-related health crisis. Ruffalo’s character, working for large companies in the past, is turned to direct critique and outcry against a large company after befriending a farmer who notices his livestock is being killed by the dumping of chemicals.

What Makes It Great

The story is inspired by Robert Billott’s 20-year legal handlings with Dupont over their use of fluoropolymer products. Mark Ruffalo puts on an incredible performance and has said on The View that he believes “It is probably one of the greatest cover-ups in American history.

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For Purchase on PVOD

1 JFK (1991)

JFK is a 1991 thriller directed by Oliver Stone and starring Kevin Costner and Gary Oldman, and looks at the events surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The film was released 28 years after the assassination; the American people, still with many unanswered questions, latched on to the film's amazing details that were not highlighted in the state-released Warren Commissions.

What Makes It Great

JFK won several awards, including Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing. Stone also won a Golden Globe for best director. Stone, upon receiving the Golden Globe, said, “A terrible lie was told to us 28 years ago. I hope that this film can be the first step in righting that wrong.”

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