What is a thriller?

What you would expect to happen in a thriller

There are many different norms and characteristics that would be expected to occur in a thriller film. thriller is a genre of literature, film and television programming using suspense. tension and excitement as the main elements. Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewers mood, giving them high levels of anticipation, ultra-heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and terror. Films of this genre tend to be adrenaline rushing, rousing and fast-paced. A thriller provides the sudden rush of emotions, excitement and exhilaration that drive the narrative, sometimes subtly with peaks and lulls, sometimes at a constant pace. The keeps the audience excited and awaiting what's going to happen next as the plot builds to a climax. a thriller is commonly a villain driven plot, whereby he/she presents impediments that the protagonist must overcome. 

Sub genres of thrillers

Common sub-genres are psychological thrillers, crime thrillers, erotic thrillers and mystery thrillers. Another sub genre is the spy genre. Further sub-genres consist of conspiracy thrillers, legal thrillers, political thrillers, supernatural thriller and techno thrillers and comedy thrillers. 

The plots of these sub genres

Comedy thrillers is a genre that combines elements of comedy and thrillers and a combination of humour and suspense and action. Conspiracy thrillers is when the hero/heroine confronts a powerful group of enemies whose true extent only s/he recognises. Crime thrillers are a hybrid type of both crime films and thrillers that offers a suspenseful account of a successful or failed crime/s. Erotic thrillers emphasises on eroticism and where a sexual relationship is involved. A legal thriller is a suspense film in which the main characters are lawyers and employees. A political thriller is where the hero must ensure the stability of government that employs him. A psychological thriller includes a conflict between the main characters which is mental and emotional, not physical. a supernatural thriller brings in an otherworldly element mixed with tension and plot twists. A spy genre is when the protagonist is a government agent who must take violent action against agents of a rival government. A techno thriller is a suspense film in which the manipulation of technology plays an important role.

Examples of films that belong to these sub genres

Examples of a comedy thriller are Mr. and Mrs. smith and Bang Bang. Awake and Snake eyes are examples of a conspiracy thriller film. Along came a spider and The killing come under the sub genre of crime thrillers. Examples of an erotic thriller are Chloe and Sea of love. Runaway jury and The client are examples of a Legal thriller film. The man who knew too much and White House Down are examples of political thrillers. Shutter island and The collector are films that are of the sub genre psychological thrillers. Skyfall and the tourist are film examples for a spy thriller. What lies beneath and unbreakable are supernatural thriller films. Lastly, Jurassic park and The net are examples of films in the sub genre techno thriller.

Plot synopsis of Mr and Mrs Smith

Mr and Mrs smith: John and Jane smith are a standard married couple, living an ordinary life and working normal jobs according to each other. they both attend marriage therapy as their desire for each other has calmed down since they got married. However, in actual fact, John and Jane are both secretly skilled assassins working for different firms, both exceptional and matchless in their field. They are both hiding their actual professions from each other. When John and Jane are both assigned to eliminate a man called Benjamin Danz, nicknamed 'The Tank', they come into contact with each other during the job and uncover the truth. Both proprietors assign one Smith to eliminate the other. They both have the decision and, must choose between their personal and professional lives. 

Plot synopsis of awake

Awake tells the story of a man encountering heart surgery whilst undergoing a phenomenon called 'anaesthetic awareness', which causes him to be awake yet paralysed during the whole operation. As a variety of obstacles appear, his wife must make life changing decisions while battling with her own personal drama.

Plot Synopsis of Along Came a Spider

A young girl, Megan, is kidnapped from a school by one of her teachers who has been disguised for the past 2 years whilst planning this kidnap. She turns out to be the daughter of a senator, and the kidnapper called Mr Soneji, soon makes a call to a detective police officer, named Alex Cross, whose partner died eight months ago, involving him in the kidnapping. A secret service agent that failed to protect Megan at the school decides to help him Cross. However, not everything is what is seems, and many surprising and unexpected twists follows as the two attempt to catch the spider.

  

Plot Summary of Chloe

Catherine, a doctor, and David, a professor, seem to be the perfect couple. They are happily married with a talented teenage son and appear to have an idyllic life. However, when David misses a flight and his surprise birthday party, Catherine's long simmering intuition's rise to the surface. Suspecting infidelity, she decides to hire an escort to seduce her husband and test his loyalty. Catherine finds herself  'directing' Chloe's experiences with David, and Chloe's end of the bargain is to report back, the descriptions becoming increasingly graphic as the meetings multiply.

 

Plot Synopsis for Runaway Jury

Wendell Rohr is a torts lawyer taking on the gun lobby. Rankin Fitch is the jury consultant for the Defendants and between them, the battle is for the hearts and minds of the jury. However, there is someone on the inside. Nicholas Easter is a juror with a girlfriend, Marlee, on the outside. They have a past and appear to have their own agenda too.

Plot Synopsis of White House Down

Capitol Policeman John Cale was denied his dream job with the Secret Service of protecting President James Sawyer. Cale didn't want to let down his little girl by revealing the bad news to her so he takes her on a tour of the White House. Unexpectedly, there's an explosion inside the White House and the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, with the nation's government falling into chaos and with time running out, it's up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country.

Plot Summary of Shutter Island

It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an assignment on the island for personal reasons, but before he becomes suspicious on whether he hasn't been brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright sinister. Teddy's shrewd investigating skills soon provide a promising lead, but the hospital refuses him access to records he suspects would break the case wide open. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything - his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.

Plot Synopsis of Skyfall

When Bond's latest assignment goes awfully wrong and agents around the world are exposed, MI6 is attacked forcing M to relocate the agency. These events cause her authority and position to be challenged by Gareth Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee. With MI6 now compromised from both inside and out, M is left with one ally she can trust: Bond. 007 takes to the shadows - aided only by field agent, Eve  - following a trail to the mysterious Silva, whose lethal and hidden motives have yet to reveal themselves.

Plot summary of Unbreakable

This suspense thriller unravels as the audience is introduced to David Dunn. Not only is he the sole survivor of an awful train-crash that killed 131 people, he doesn't have a scratch on him. Elijah Price is an obscure and strange character who approaches Dunn with a seemingly far fetched theory behind it all.

Plot synopsis of Jurassic Park

Large advancements and improvements in scientific technology have allowed a mogul to create an island full of living dinosaurs. John Hammond has invited four individuals, along with his two grandchildren, to join him at Jurassic Park. However, will everything go to plan? Especially when one of the parks' own workers attempts to steal the dinosaur embryos, and has to shut down critical security systems in the process. It's now a race for survival with dangerous creatures roaming all over the island.