Below I have listed some of the many thriller sub-genres. I have included a brief explanation of what they typically consist of, and I have given examples of each, too.
A distinguishing feature of a psychological thriller is the emphasis on the unstable mental states of its characters; typically focusing on their perceptions of the world, their thoughts, their distortions of reality and the struggle they face to grasp what is really happening around them. Psychological thrillers have a large focus on character development, choices and moral conflict.
Examples of psychological thrillers are: Case 39, Shutter Island & The Silence of the Lambs.
Action thrillers are designed to keep the audience entertained via the use of SFX, weapons and semi-realistic storylines. Typically, action thrillers revolve around a heroes and villains theme, often with a plot twist to add to the tension. The combination of action and suspense grips audiences and the narrative often includes kidnappings, violence and crime fighting.
Examples of action thrillers are: Taken, Inception & The Bourne Identity.
Crime thrillers combine crime drama and thriller suspense whilst keeping a close focus on the criminal, not on the law enforcement. They typically include a lot of physical violence and weapons, and common narrative themes are robberies, shootouts, hostages and murders. The chase element of crime thrillers grips the audience by often providing near misses of the criminal getting caught.
Examples of crime thrillers are: Reservoir Dogs, The Usual Suspects & Cellular.
Supernatural thrillers consist of fictional and unworldly plots in which typically the protagonist or antagonist have some sort of supernatural power; whether that be they are possessed or are part creature, etc. It is these supernatural powers that are the pinnacle of the plot, and what the film revolves around.
Examples of supernatural thrillers are: The Sixth Sense, The Orphanage & The Skeleton Key.
The narrative of a mystery thriller is often very complex, and requires concentration and engagement from the audience. Typically, the story is driven by the hero, often the protagonist, and the film follows them on their quest to solve a mystery, which is often a crime. The audience is required to use their mind to try to solve the mystery alongside the protagonist, and there is always a logical solution at the end.
Examples of mystery thrillers are: Zodiac, Fight Club & Angels and Demons.
Conspiracy thrillers are typically centred around a protagonist that is confronted by a powerful organisation, often with a conspiracy theory as the background of the narrative. Protagonists of conspiracy thrillers are often stand-alone, as they are the only ones who are aware of the danger, or because they are caught in a multi-layered conspiracy involving law enforcement/government, so they cannot seek help.
Examples of conspiracy thrillers are: JFK, Enemy of the State & Capricorn One.
Other thriller sub-genres include:
- Disaster Thrillers
- Political Thrillers
- Romantic Thrillers
- Religious Thrillers
- Medical Thrillers
Written in reference to:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_thriller
- https://www.slideshare.net/Elliot27/action-thriller-genre-7153146
- https://prezi.com/gs0g-die1bxq/my-understanding-of-thriller-genre-and-codes-conventions/
- http://kingedwardthegreat.wixsite.com/productionportfolio/conspiracy-thriller-conventions
- https://hunterswritings.com/2012/10/12/elements-of-the-psychological-thriller-mystery-suspense-andor-crime-fiction-genres/
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