Genres & Subgenres

These Are Some Thriller Subgenres



There are three sub-genres of thriller; ‘political thriller’, ‘supernatural thriller’ and ‘crime thriller’. I will now explain to you what you’d typically expect to find in each genre of thriller.

Political/Conspiracy Thriller:

Characters – Government/Federal Characters (possibly as the main protagonists).

-       The ‘victim’ of the conspiracy.

-       The ‘good guys’, who are trying to stop the plan in the film taking place.

Settings – Government Buildings, ‘secret locations’ (caves, van etc), the place where all the action takes place (old house, big old warehouse, etc.)

This type of thriller would contain more action and adventure than the other two sub-genres of thriller.

Examples are ‘Flight 93’ and ‘Flight plan’.

Ending from ‘Flight 93’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3X_KyqGf3w

Supernatural Thriller:

            Characters – Ghosts

-       Zombies

-       Aliens

-       Demons/Devils

-       Vampires

-       Witches

-       Goblins and Trolls

Settings – Shopping mall (large public area), old ‘haunted’ house, New York City, fields/woods, dark cold isolated places where no one can help you.   

Great examples of this type of thriller are ‘I am Legend’ starring Will Smith and ‘Dawn of the Dead’.

I am Legend Trailer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewpYq9rgg3w

Crime Thriller:

Characters – Police

-       Criminals

-       Victims

Settings – Estate homes, prison, ‘grime’ life of London and other major urban cities. Examples, ‘Kidulthood’, ‘Adulthood’, ‘Shank’.

Kidulthood Trailer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdoKD4gTQ2c