5 best Netflix originals of 2022

Netflix had a huge year in 2022, with some of the best titles of the year across multiple genres. The streaming platform is known to be the best because of its expansive directory of content, to which it regularly adds new titles and originals.

Ted Sarandos, co-CEO and chief content officer of Netflix, recently talked about the $17 billion budget that Netflix had allocated for content in 2022. With a mind-boggling budget like that, it is no wonder that the platform could afford so many well-executed originals with popular actors in the cast. They also released their most expensive production to date, The Gray Man, which cost them $200 million of their budget.

However, big budgets are not everything when it comes to quality content. Netflix has repeatedly maintained the level of quality content that they deliver to their audiences, which has played a huge role in them leading the OTT landscape. In this article, we list out what we think are the best original movies Netflix released this year, keeping in mind the story, execution, and performances.

The Good Nurse, A Jazzman's Blues and more - 5 of the best Netflix original movies that released in 2022

1) The Good Nurse

The Good Nurse is an American crime thriller that has taken the worldwide Netflix audience by storm. Directed by Tobias Lindholm, the film is inspired by true events and is based on the book The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder by Charles Graeber. The film stars Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain in lead roles alongside Nnamdi Asomugha, Noah Emmerich, and Malik Yoba, among others.

The Good Nurse chronicles the events revolving around convicted murderer Charles Cullen. Cullen was an ex-Navy personnel who went on to become a certified nurse after being discharged. On paper, he is responsible for 29 confirmed deaths, while many consider the real number to be as high as 400. He killed patients with digoxin or insulin injections. Cullen worked for over 16 years in multiple institutions before being arrested in 2003.

The film is a thrilling two-hour watch that ranks among Netflix's top must-see titles. It has also been among the most-watched titles on the streaming platform since it was released on October 26, 2022.

2) Do Revenge

Do Revenge is a Netflix teen black comedy that was released in September of this year. The film is directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and is based on a screenplay she co-wrote with Celeste Ballard, which derives inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock's iconic Strangers on a Train (1951). The film stars prominent actors like Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke in pivotal roles alongside Austin Abrams, Talia Ryder, and Rish Shah.

Do Revenge is a story of high school bullying and vengeance. The film follows Drea and Elleanor, two high schoolers who are victims of social outcasting for varied reasons. The two girls meet and bond over their shared fate, subsequently deciding to exact revenge on each other's enemies. However, it is not as simple as it sounds and past actions come back to haunt Drea.

Do Revenge has received positive reviews from critics and audiences because of its depiction of modern high school culture and how hard this period can be for many people. It deals with sensitive issues while maintaining an enthralling storyline to boot.

3) A Jazzman's Blues

A Jazzman's Blues is a period drama spearheaded by Tyler Perry. The script for the film was developed years ago, even before Perry hit success in his career, and had been in stasis since 1996. The film stars Joshua Boone and Solea Pfeiffer in the lead roles alongside Amirah Vann, Austin Scott, Ryan Eggold, Brad Benedict, and others. The film was released on Netflix to a warm reception from the audience and critics alike, while also getting attention for being a Tyler Perry creation.

A Jazzman's Blues is a story of love, deceit, and secrets set in an older American era. The events of the film are set in the mid 1900s and follow through to the late 1980s to uncover a forgotten secret. Bayou was a musical talent with a gifted voice who fell in love with Leanne, an educated outcast of their town of Hopewell, Georgia. But fate had other plans, as the lovers could not get together before Bayou's untimely death.

4) Silverton Siege

Silverton Siege is a South African historical drama that was released on Netflix on April 27, 2022. Directed by Mandla Dube, the title is set around the true incident of the siege that took place in Silverton, Pretoria, in 1980. The movie stars Thabo Rametsi, Noxolo Dlamini, Stephan Erasmus, and Arnold Vosloo, among a larger cast.

Silverton Siege provides a fictionalized account of the siege in Silverton with an added pinch of exaggeration. Three armed activists from the ANC take over a bank in Silverton with more than two dozen hostages and demand the release of Nelson Mandela. The movie has banked on its creative freedom to make it an entertaining watch instead of a simple 100-minute documentary.

5) The Sea Beast

The Sea Beast comes from the creator of popular animated movies Big Hero 6 and Moana, Chris Williams. The animated adventure film had a July release and became one of the most viewed animated movies on the streaming platform with more than 165 million hours. The characters in the film have been voiced by prominent actors like Karl Urban, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Daniel Stevens, and others.

The film follows a group of sailors called the Inevitables, who fight beasts out at sea to save humanity from their wrath. Maisie is a young girl who also wants to become a part of the crew, inspired by her dead parents, who were also sea hunters. The film follows their adventure at sea as they set out to defeat the Red Bluster, but end up realizing that the beasts are not really malicious creatures but misunderstood.

The Sea Beast is a satirical take on a capitalist society with a political undertone. It shows how those in power pit the masses against each other to hold onto their positions of power.

Edited by Somava