Research - Thrillers (Characters/ Themes

Thrillers

Characters and Plots

What are they?

Thrillers are determined by a certain set of conventions (i.e. Fast pace, regular action, including creative heroes who must be successful (most commonly)). Thrillers are made to excite the audience, and a sense of suspense and exhilaration. Very often thrillers are designed to to be challenge the minds of the audience i.e. Inception (psychological thrillers are designed to play mind games with the viewer.

Themes in thriller films:

• Crime
• Kidnappings
• investigations
• Heists
• Ransoms
• Revenge
• Stalking
• Obsession
• Death traps

Typical Characters:

• The film is structured around the protagonist and their thoughts/ feelings.
• The Protagonists usually face death in some way or another.
• There are almost always an antagonist.
• The protagonist and antagonist most often have conflict throughout the film.
• The characters include Criminals, victims, sociopaths, sociopaths, terrorists, police etc.
• both the protagonist and antagonist tend to be men, however this is not always the case.
• In psychological thrillers the protagonist often plays mind games or or is a victim of a mind games from the antagonist of the movie.