Conventions of a Thriller

Thrillers are named after the fearful excitement they give the audience. Thrillers are flexible and entertaining with non stop action. Thrillers should consist of fast pace frequent action with resourceful heroes. The plot is usually villain driven, who creates difficult obstacles the hero must avoid and overcome, to win. They use devices which add to the suspense such as red herrings Red herrings are a decoy to confuse the audience into thinking it's something it is not. As well as this they use cliff hangers, hinting the story isn't over yet or a gripping finale to finish at a aggravating yet climactic end. They also use sound very tactfully with their use of music. The example I have used is a score by acclaimed composer Hans Zimmer. This music portrays an intense feel to the thriller, Inception which adds credibility to an already impactful movie.



Thrillers are a very complex genre, as they have many sub-genres. Thrillers can overlap other popular genres. Here are some sub-genres of Thrillers:

Firstly, a psychological thriller consists of a mental and emotional like conflicts the main characters may face. An example is Donnie Darko, Blue Velvet and Se7en.

Secondly, disaster thrillers have populated over the years. Some sort of natural disaster occurs during a film like this. Such as: floods, earthquakes, tornadoes and tsunamis. Films like The Impossible and newly, Into the Storm are examples of this genre.

Thirdly, drama thrillers are another common type of sub-genre. These films involve more character development than an action thriller would, which builds more substance to the film. They sometimes come with great plot twist like The Prestige, The Illusionists and The Interpreter are some examples.

Moreover, a crime thriller in this case focus more on the criminal(s) rather than the legal force of policemen. Full of suspense on if the criminal act that has taken place was successful or not. Some examples include: Reservoir Dogs, The Usual Suspects and Inside Man.

Furthermore, action thrillers often consists of a hero/heroine who has to accomplish their goal in a constricted amount of time. These films contain lots of violence and the antagonist; that we are supposed to root for, is very clear from the start. Examples are The Hunger Games, James Bond and Jason Bourne franchise.

And finally, political thrillers which the hero/heroine had to ensure the stability of the government. Seven Days in May, Argo and Zero Dark Thirty are all examples of that type of film.