Keira Knightley’s Netflix Thriller Receives Abysmal Reviews – Hailed as “Clumsy” & “Predictable”
Netflix’s new psychological thriller The Woman in Cabin 10, starring Keira Knightley, has struggled to impress critics since its release on October 10.
Directed by Simon Stone, who co-wrote the script with Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse, the film is an adaptation of Ruth Ware’s 2016 novel. The cast also includes Guy Pearce, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Art Malik, and Hannah Waddingham.
Keira Knightley is always going through it on a boat.
— Netflix (@netflix) October 10, 2025
The Woman in Cabin 10 is now playing. pic.twitter.com/SaYOsLNcWv
Critics have largely panned the film, giving it a 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 37 reviews. Audience ratings are similarly low, with the Popcornmeter showing just 34%.
Many reviewers felt the movie leaned too heavily on old thriller clichés without adding any fresh twists or suspense. While Knightley’s performance is energetic, it was not enough to lift the film, which was described as predictable and clumsy.
The story begins with promise, creating a tense atmosphere on a luxury cruise, but it quickly falls into manipulative and implausible plot developments.
Several reviewers noted that the suspense fails to land and that the twists become far-fetched as the film progresses. Overall, critics saw it as a forgettable mid-tier thriller, entertaining enough to hold attention but not memorable after the credits roll.
‘…The Woman in Cabin 10 cycles through ancient cliches but fails to update them or even refresh them in an interesting way…plays like the most dynamic British film of 1934, something you’d find playing at 6am in the morning on a vintage movies channel…’
Eddie Harrison
Knightley running up and down trying not to lose her mind in this, is quite entertaining. But that’s not enough to salvage a predictable film mystery experience.
Fico Cangiano
The Woman in Cabin 10 is the kind of mid-tier movie we’ve come to expect from Netflix. Not great, not terrible. Just entertaining enough to hold your attention and then completely forget as soon as the credits roll.
Matt Hambidge
…this psychological thriller has an interesting start, but as it progresses, it becomes increasingly clumsy, manipulative, predictable, and even adds in some less-than-believable plot twists.
Diego Batlle
Netflix has definitely given us worse ways to kill an hour and a half, many of them louder, costlier and more inane. But watching this fumble its few volleys of suspense and get increasingly far-fetched, it feels like a waste…
Tim Robey
In my opinion, The Woman in Cabin 10 could have been stronger with a tighter script and more creative tension. Keira Knightley remains a strong presence, but the film’s weaknesses make it hard to recommend. Do you think Netflix should focus more on original storytelling for its thrillers, or is sticking to familiar formulas acceptable? Share your thoughts in the comments.
