Thriller Sub-Genres

The definition of a Thriller Film

A Thriller is an exciting plot, typically involving crime or espionage.

What is Film Genre?

Film genre is the categorisation and labelling of easily recognisable conventions that exist in certain films and it is used in both the producing industry and in the audiences preferences. Andre Basins developed the genre theory while working on westerns in the 1950's. 

Film producers use genre to reduce the costs and minimise the economic risks in making the film. By sticking to a certain genre that is in trend at that moment guarantees them a profit as the audience will have expectations of that genre. It also allows the producers to re-use plots from another film in the same genre, making the film more marketable.

The genre of a film can be defined by conventions such as the setting, iconography, characteristics, themes, narratives and film techniques. For example, common thriller elements are; red herrings (misleading the audience), unpredictability (twists and turns), often a moral theme, action such as car chases, and suspense creating tension in the audience.

Rick Altman defines genre as a blueprint, a structure, a label and a contract. The production of the film is the blueprint, the text in the film is the structure, the exhibition is the label, and the consumption is the contract. He believes that the semantic elements, for example the cars, guns and landscapes, should be kept separate from the syntactic elements, like the ideologies and the narratives, so that the audience isn't overloaded.

John Fiske, another genre genius, believes that "genre attempts to structure some order into the wide range of texts and meanings that circulate in our culture for the convenience of both producers and audiences".  It can either be a dynamic concept which gradually changes over time and cultural context or the changes may be because of issues such as desensitisation or instituted development which is a hybrid concept. Genre is culturally dependant and is a way of categorising texts in our media. It sets up the audiences expectations and is constructed through a series of cues that is related to that certain genre.

Thriller Sub-Genre Mind Map

Techno Thriller

Techno thrillers includes the manipulation of sophisticated technology playing a prominent part in taking over the world e.g aliens, robots

• Involves sci-fi features such as futuristic weapons, flying cars and robots.

• Its a sub-genre that has to cross with other thriller genres to make sense.

• Examples of a techno thriller would be the Matrix, Terminator and I,Robot.

• I,Robot included the typical elements of a techno thriller such as high technology and its also set in the future which allows for the development of technology to be more realistic.

• The trailer for I,Robot includes mostly sound effects for the sound, there is no main soundtrack.

Conspiracy Thriller

• Consists of a hero/heroine who are stereoytpically journalisrs or amature investigators who find themselves involved in powerful organisations.

• Iconography- cars, weapons, urban settings, tension, fast pace editing, low key lighting.

• Themes- terrorism, psychological mind games, crime, spies, chase, suspense

• For example, the Bourne Identity.

• The Bourne identity is a conspiracy thriller that was released in 2002 and is based on a book by Robert Ludlum’s. It’s about a man named Jason Bourne, suffering from extreme memory loss, attempting to discover his true identity within the CIA. The film was directed by Doug Liman and is followed by The Bourne Supremacy (2004), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), and The Bourne Legacy (2012)

•The non-diegetic sounds include the music that begins when he starts fighting with the security guards and continues through when they are searching for him to create suspense and to add to the fast-paced action scene. It stops when he opens metal door to fire escape and gradually a slower piece comes in when he is climbing over the balcony, creating tension, getting louder and faster until door is opened by the officer.


•Sounds such as phones ringing, footsteps, the metal door opening, chains rattling, and the birds outside are the ambient sounds added to the film to add to the realism of the film.


•The light are on inside building but the officers are in the more shadowed areas like the stair case to reveal them as the antagonists. The natural high key lighting outside exposes Bourne when he is on the fire escape balcony.

•The point of view shots follow Bourne’s eye movements and his actions, making the
audience feel like they are the protagonist. The camera is constantly moving, tracking
his actions. The close ups and extreme close ups focus on the important things in the scene,
for example, the handcuffs and the map of the embassy. When he gets to the fire exit, the
bird’s-eye view shot allows us to see how high up the character is and how big the drop is.

•The editing in this clip consists of a slow motion effect when the officer calls for him, focusing

on Bourne’s face with a close up shot. The shot takes become quick when he starts fighting,

making the scene more chaotic and sped up. The director films quick takes on the police

officers when they are searching for him, showing their worry. Then when Jason is hanging

onto the balcony and climbing down, he uses slightly longer takes to add to the suspense.

Disaster Thriller

Disaster thriller, in which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes ect. or nuclear disasters which is a artificial disaster.

• Disaster films often follow a certain group who are fighting for survival against natural or artificial disasters.

• The disaster usually brings mankind to the brink of extinction to portray a message to the audience; that we are not looking after the world.

• The disaster is big but the characters are small, everyday people.

• Science and technology play a big part in theses films.

• Camera shots consist of panning shots, birds eye views and long master shots to allow the audience to see the damage that the disaster has caused; close ups on details that cause the disaster and also on the characters faces to express their emotions and to create suspense.

• The editing mostly consists of quick cuts to create a fast paced film that keeps the audiences attention on the screen.

• Examples of disaster thrillers are '2012', 'The Day After Tomorrow' and 'Knowing'

• This is a clip of '2012' that uses most of the conventions stated above.

• Disaster thriller, in which the main conflict is due to some sort of natural or artificial disaster such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes ect. or nuclear disasters which is a artificial disaster.

Psychological Thriller

Psychological thriller is a fictional thriller story which emphasizes the psychology of its characters and their unstable emotional states. It implements all elements of sub-genre thrillers.

• Plays with the audiences minds and produces suspense in the film because it reflects the main characters emotions.
• Usually revolved around a characters dissolving sense of reality, moral ambiguity or their complex or tortured relationships.
• Emphasizes emotional state of a character.
• A famous director of psychological thrillers would be Darren Aronofsky who directed 'Black Swan'. Here are a few of his trademarks;
• He frequently casts Sean Gullete.
• Like to create a hip-hop montage that included fast paced jump cuts.
• Includes a scene that fades out to white-playing with the connotations of colour.
• Strong obsessions in characters leading to self destruction.

Mystery Thriller

A mystery thriller will centre around the main character trying to uncover a mystery in the plot. The audience tries to figure out the clues.

• They revolve around a puzzle.
• Usually triggered by an event.
• Thee conclude with the solution of the puzzle.
• Usually include a retired/amateur detective who ends up investigating the issue alone and risks their safety to solve the puzzle.
• It would include twists and red herrings within the plot.
• There would be subtle clues dotted in the plot line as well.
• One example of a mystery thriller is Vertigo, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. For more on Vertigo check out my analysis of the film on the Thriller Film Analysis post. 
• Here's a trailer for a film named Shutter Island that is also a mystery thriller.