Thriller Genre Typical identification statements

By Munya

Most thrillers introduce their main characters with a mid shot

Name : Bullet Boy Year : 2004Director: Saul Dibb

Name : CollateralYear : 2004Director : Michael Mann

Name : Phone Booth Year : 2002Director : Joel Schumacher

Mid-shots

All thrillers aim to keep their audience thinking , and zoned into the action. When introducing their main characters directors are more likely to use mid-shots to make the character have a purpose and a sense of importance. In this thriller above

this character in introduced with a mid shot through the crowd as he walks towards the camera.

Similarly to Collateral in this film the character is walking in a busy street with a mid shot this makes the audience aware that this character is of importance otherwise if they showed a full long shot of him it wouldn’t be as affective.

Name : Bullet Boy Year : 2004Director: Saul Dibb

Most thrillers the main characters have something to lose mostly a relationship

Name : LimitlessYear : 2011Director: Neil Burger

Name : BattleshipsYear : 2012Director: Peter Burg

Bullet Boy Year : 2004

Director: Saul Dibb

Bullet Boy is a social realism film, meaning it’s based on the typical day to day life. This makes the audience more interested in watching it as it relates to them this also makes it more believable.

In this film the girl is concerned that her boyfriend will get himself in trouble again if he keeps hanging out with the same crew. This part of the scene is where he reassures her that he wont go back to his old ways. Typical of thrillers everything seems good mid way or at the start of the film.

However the character is therefore put in a predicament where he has to go back to his old ways to help out his best friend who saved his life. This puts his relationship between him and his girlfriend at steak. The girlfriend doesn’t want him to go through with the idea and neither does he but fate leads him to. He has to chose between his best friend or his Lover. This results to him in a position where he has no choice.

LimitlessYear : 2011

Director: Neil Burger

Unlike Bullet Boy limitless is not so much a social realism film , it has slight aspects of it however it a little bit fictional. These two characters are in a relationship. The male character felt like he was a loser and his girlfriends brother had this drug that make people intelligent/extra special.

She didn’t know anything about it until it was nearly too late. Other people found out about this drug and where looking for anyone that had it or knew anything about it , this make her brother a target as well her boyfriend not forgetting her as well.

Different groups of people started looking and chasing after them in order to kill them. As a typical thriller we are shown the relationship at a hi , when their happy as the scene above shows however like bullet boy the script switches which leads to the two lovers arguing and the boyfriend calming he can fix the situation.

Her brother ends up getting killed, this is when it gets intense and because love is involved , it makes the audience feel for the characters because they were happy however things are falling apart.

BattleshipsYear : 2012

Director: Peter BurgThis film is a bit different on the other hand similar to both of the other films in terms of it not being a social realism but its futuristic and fictional. This doesn’t change the fact that the relationship will be at steak. However in this film there is a bit of a twist because not only is he fighting the battle against aliens he is also fighting a battle against his father-in-law for his blessing to marry his daughter.

This is different to bullet boy and limitless because they do not really argue as they a solidly committed to each other however they both have to fight for survival in order to see each other again.

Their relationship is at steak because their separated from each other which is an on going trend in thrillers where they separate the main character from his loved on and he has to fight extra hard in order to save his lover.

The main character always gets to the point where its impossible to find a way out

Name : LimitlessYear : 2011Director: Neil Burger

Name : BattleshipsYear : 2012Director: Peter BurgName : 6 Bullets

Year : 2012Director: Ernie Barbarash

Almost all thrillers use this as a technique to get the audience on the edge of their seats. This is when they get the main character to a point where they seem so helpless and they cant do anything. The audience emotions start to change in favour of the character and the sympathy for the main character draws them more and more into the film. The audience get to the stage where they feel as if they want to get up out of their seats to help the character themselves. This is one key effect that good thrillers have on their audiences. The directors aim is to make you as the audience feel uncomfortable.

The Villain (Boss) always looks relaxed but at the same time really worried inside

Name : LimitlessYear : 2011Director: Neil Burger

Name : AvengerYear : 2012Director: Joss Whedon

Name : 6 BulletsYear : 2012Director: Ernie Barbarash

In most thrillers the villain is always meant to look like they have everything under control this is because this gets the audience worried and uncomfortable.

Dark rooms are used a lot in Thrillers

Name : Prometheus Year : 2012Director: Ridley Scott

Name : InceptionYear : 2010Director : Christopher Nolan