Netflix has become a truly global service in recent years, expanding from the U.S. beginning in the early 2010s, and being available in most of the world’s countries by the end of that decade. As such, while it may have plenty of content that’s in the English language – shows or movies produced in places like the U.S., the U.K., or Canada – to only watch things on the streaming service that are in English inevitably means simply scratching the surface of all Netflix has to offer.
For those wanting to branch out, the following movies are the most watched non-English-language movies on the platform. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re the best, but they are the most popular, and so are likely quite accessible and worthy of your time, regardless of what language you speak. It should also be noted that not all of these were necessarily produced or funded by Netflix during their creation, with some being picked up by the platform through it obtaining the streaming rights.
10 ‘Below Zero’ (2021)
A Spanish-language film that functions as a gritty crime/action movie, Below Zero is a little familiar overall, but certainly serviceable. It centers on a cop in charge of a prisoner transfer van, and the way his usual routine job is upended when the van is attacked in a remote location.
To label it “Die Hard in a prison van” might be simplifying it a little too much, but it’s undeniably a good – albeit somewhat unsurprising – set up for a tense thriller-type movie. It does at least stand out thanks to its icy cold setting alluded to in the title, with the elements outside the van proving just as dangerous as the prisoners inside it.
9 ‘The Takedown’ (2022)
Louis Leterrier is a French director who’s best known for his English-language movies, some of which have proven quite popular. His filmography includes titles like The Transporter, Now You See Me, and even 2023’s Fast X, with The Takedown being the only feature film directed by Leterrier to have French dialogue.
It’s a simple yet satisfying buddy comedy/action movie, featuring two very different cops (honestly, someone should make a buddy cop movie parody where the cops aren’t mismatched, get on well, and everything’s very droll) who have to work together to tackle a complex (and comedic) criminal case. Maybe 119 minutes is a little long for such a straightforward movie, but those in need of an action/comedy flick might have fun.
8 ‘Hunger’ (2023)
Not to be confused with the iconic 1980s horror movie that features David Bowie playing a vampire, The Hunger, 2023’s Hunger is instead very much not a supernatural affair. It’s a Thai drama/thriller that sees a young cook training under a well-known and tyrannical chef, with him pushing her further and further as the film goes on.
Maybe it’s easy to call it Whiplashin a kitchen (not entirely unfair, considering how well that film presents the drama between a young student and a terrifying teacher). But Whiplash is great, and food movies are always fun and/or hunger-inducing, with Thai cuisine being particularly appetizing. 145 minutes might be a little long for a movie like Hunger, which wants to maintain a level of intensity throughout, but patient viewers hungry for this brand of thriller should come away fairly full.
7 ‘Through My Window’ (2022)
Steamy romance movies often seem to do well on Netflix – why else would the world have to grapple with the fact that 365 Days and its sequels exist? Thankfully, Through My Window is perhaps slightly better than those infamous movies, with it being a Spanish-language film about family members standing in the way of two young people falling in love.
There’s an inherent formula to most romance movies, and generally, those who’ve seen at least a handful in their life will know whether fairly standard romance flicks are for them or not. For those after something lightweight and not at all mentally taxing, the plethora of romance movies on Netflix – Through My Window included – are there for the taking.
6 ‘Black Crab’ (2022)
Not to be mixed up with Black Panther or Blue Beetle, Black Crab is decidedly not a superhero or comic book movie, even if its title sounds like it could be attached to something superhero-related. Rather, it’s an action/thriller film from Sweden, and stars Noomi Rapace, who’s best known for movies like 2009’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and 2012’s Prometheus.
5 ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)
Not only is All Quiet on the Western Front one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English-language films, but it also ended up being one of its most successful critical hits. It was a widely acclaimed anti-war film set during World War I, winning four Oscars from its nine nominations (including a win for Best International Feature Film).
Despite previous adaptations of the iconic novel of the same name existing, this 2022 version still brings a great deal to the table, using modern filmmaking technology to show the horrors of war more viscerally than what was possible in decades past. It’s a grim and not-at-all-fun movie to watch, but it undeniably packs a punch.
4 ‘The Platform’ (2019)
There are plenty of movies that aim to critique capitalism by showing the ugliness inherent in class warfare, with The Platform doing so within the confines of a sci-fi/thriller story. The setting is some sort of futuristic prison with many levels, featuring a descending platform that contains food on it, with those at the top getting access to it for a limited time before it continues down towards the less fortunate people on lower levels.
It’s an incredibly blunt satirical depiction of resource sharing (or lack thereof), which is indeed a problem affecting many in the world today. The Platform isn’t nearly as effective as say Bong Joon-Ho’s comparable films, like Snowpiercer or Parasite, but this Spanish film is still solid overall, and it’s easy to see why it found a sizable audience on Netflix.
3 ‘AKA’ (2023)
A French action/crime/thriller movie with a fairly generic-sounding name, AKA is about a special ops agent having his values consistently put to the test. This comes about because of an undercover mission he’s on, whereby he unexpectedly forms a bond with the son of the targeted crime syndicate’s boss.
It has another English title, Alias, but that’s not much better when it comes to avoiding titles that are kind of blunt and non-descriptive at best. In any event, it’s the kind of crime movie that scratches the same sort of itch scratched by the likes of The Departed and Donnie Brasco, so those in the mood for something tense and action-packed should check it out.
2 ‘Blood Red Sky’ (2021)
A German horror/thriller movie, Blood Red Sky has a rock-solid (and quite ambitious) premise. It largely takes place on board an airplane during an overnight flight, and follows the desperate lengths a woman with a mysterious illness goes to in order to fight back against a group of terrorists who attempt to hijack the plane.
It takes a confined location, an action/thriller premise, and a bit of horror to concoct a unique cocktail of a movie. It could have been an all-time classic B-movie if it had been a little more comedic and maybe half an hour shorter (it runs over two hours, for some reason), but it’s hard to not at least admire the various things Blood Red Sky is trying to do all at once.
1 ‘Troll’ (2022)
Not to be mixed up with any similarly-titled movies (including the infamously so-bad-it’s-good Troll 2), Troll (2022) is instead a Norwegian fantasy/action/adventure movie with a giant monster at its center. Said monster is rampaging through the Norwegian countryside, seemingly headed towards the country’s capital city, Oslo, with the main characters ultimately tasked with stopping it in its tracks.
There’s no shortage of giant monster movies out there, but Troll struck a chord with Netflix users for whatever reason, and is currently the streaming service’s most-watched non-English-language movie. It might not hold a candle to the best of what the King of the Monsters has to offer, but it still makes for a fun watch, benefiting from having a fairly distinct setting, as far as giant monster movies go.