Thriller sub-genres

Within the genre Thriller there are sub-genres which gives more detail to what type of film it is.

Conspiracy Thriller – This type of thriller usually has a hero/heroine stereotypically journalists or investigators who find themselves trapped in a powerful organisation. The story unravels powerful evidence and many enemies who try to keep the secret organisation alive through lies and propaganda. These companies are then brought down by the protagonist character. This type of genre plays with the identification of good to overrule the evil in the world. Conspiracy thrillers often play with the secrecy of governments and major organisations in history. Films in this sub-genre are JFK, North by Northwest, The Game and The Bourne Ultimatum.

 Crime Thriller – The combination of crime and thriller has created a more suspenseful account to showing successful and failed crime acts on film. Crime thriller’s often focus more on the criminals and their activities leading up to the crime or in retrospect the ending of the film leading back to how it started. Crime thrillers usually emphasise action over psychological aspects although there is also a psychological part to this genre as-well. Central topics of the films include serial killers & murders, robberies, chases, shootouts, heists and double-crosses. Films in this genre are Inside Man, Reservoir dogs, Se7en and A Perfect Murder.

Disaster Thriller – This particular genre follows a certain group or person fighting for survival in conflict with natural or artificial disater like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes. Many disaster films have also had causes of human activity that has brought mankind to the brink of extinction through nuclear disasters which are artificial disasters. This type of genre plays with what the future is going to bring for mankind if such disasters were to happen. Films in this genre include 2012, Poseidon, The Day After Tomorrow and Heaven and Earth Are About To Collide.

Mystery Thriller – This particular sub-genre relates a lot to crime thrillers. It focuses mostly on the efforts of the detective or private investigator in order to solve the mystery. This sub-genre looks at the circumstances of the mystery or crime itself in order to figure out what the clues are, audiences usually take part in trying to uncover the crime. This genre gets into the psyche of the audiences as audiences like to follow the protagonist as they are finding out information as well. This brings a more dramatic effect to the film during investigation in order to know what the crime is. Films in this sub-genre are Shutter Island, Flightplan, Identity and Vertigo

Politcial Thriller – This sub-genre looks into the stability of a government and the reliance on a hero or heroine who must ensure the stability of the government that employs him in order to prevent bad things happening. Commonly used scenarios are the US presidential elections and the preventions of world wars occuring. Film like this are The Contender, All The President's Men, Mannen Fran Mallorca and State Of Play.

Psychological Thriller – This is the typical sub-genre of thriller that is put into all the sub-thriller genres. It plays with the audiences minds and produces suspense in the film because it reflects the main characters conflict being mental and emotionally hindered. It shows the mentality of a character and the thought processes that they go through which makes the sub-genre so suspenseful. Films in this sub-genre include Red Eye, Blue Velvet, Psycho and Cape Fear.

Religious Thriller – This sub-genre connects the plots closely with religious objects, institutions and questions. Many religious related films usually unravel the good and bad points about religion in particular the catholic belief. This connoting the good and how it overcomes the bad in films, through a quest to finding out the truth. Films like this are The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Devils Advocate and The Ninth Gate.

Supernatural Thriller – Supernatural thrillers often bring an otherworld element that shows something out of the ordinary happening to a protagonist that has overcome this powerful factor. This genre is also mixed in with the tension and suspense in addition to also having unsuspected twists during the film. The protagonist or villians usually have a supernatural gift that help them get to the source of the problem. This subgenre is very closely linked in with religious thrillers as usually demons entering the human body, alien life form, apparitions or the possesion of a pivotal character is a element of a supernatural thriller film. Films like this are Fallen, Lady in the Water, The Others and The Skeleton Key.

Techno Thriller – Techno thrillers look into the manipulation of sophisticated technology playing a prominent part in taking over the world giving the new world order where mankind is over run by robots. This particular sub-genre is mainly based in fictional speculations on life that tend to follow a science fiction trend. Common themes linked in with this sub-genre is world wars, action and science fictional occurrences like aliens taking over with new technologies. Films like this include Matrix, The Terminater, I Robot and The Thirteenth Floor.