sub-genre's

The different types of thriller sub-genre's

Conspiracy Thriller- An conspiracy thriller are usually heroes who assume the role of detectives or journalists who work to unravel and bring down an massive company or corporation. Examples of conspiracy thrillers are the enemy of the state

Mystery Thriller- An mystery thriller usually shows the hero of the film as a detective or a journalist trying to solve a mystery. The mystery itself is the core of the suspense, mystery and intrigue in the film.  

The film will often give clues to the viewer making the viewer ask themselves questions? By doing this, the viewer becomes more intrigued by the mystery and will want to find out what the answer is. Example of a mystery thriller is Shutter island

Crime Thrillers - An crime thriller usually portrays criminals as anti-heroes or villains who seek to perform crime. The build up to the crime, or the crime itself is the source of tension and suspense in these films. An example of a crime thriller is Se7en.

Disaster Thriller - An disaster thriller is an film which shows an major disaster like a tsunami, hurricane or explosion occurring and the tension and thrill of the film comes from the people in the disaster, trying to survive. Example of a disaster film is 2012.

Political Thrillers are thrillers where the stability of an government is destroyed and it is up to a hero or heroine to ensure that the government is stable at the end in order to prevent a potential disaster, like a world war or nuclear disaster. Example of a political thriller is JFK.

Religious Thrillers are thrillers in where religion is a key aspect in terms of the narrative and plot devices of the film. The general messages of most religions, of good overcoming evil, is an key aspect in religious thrillers and is used in most of the narratives. Examples of a religious thriller are The Da Vinci Code.

Supernatural Thrillers are thrillers which feature something not human or a person with an unnatural ability. This sub-genre links closely to religious thrillers. Example of a supernatural thriller is The Others.

Techno Thrillers are thrillers where technology plays a key part in the narrative of the film. The suspense and tension usually derive from the technological aspect of the film, with the changes they make to everyday life worrying for the audience. Example of a Techno Thriller is The Matrix.