sub genres of thrillers

Thriller Sub-genres

Thrillers heavily stimulate the viewer’s moods, giving them a high level of anticipation, heightened expectation, uncertainty, surprise, anxiety and terror.

Action Thriller: This is more common in movies than in novels because of the visual appeal of explosions and violence. An example of this kind of thriller would be The Dark Knight.

Crime Thriller: This sub-genre focuses on crime and is usually from the criminal’s perspective. Physical action and eluding the police take the place of gathering evidence and trying to discover the criminal. An example of this type of thriller would be The Usual Suspects.

Psychological Thriller: In this sub-genre a lot of the conflict is mental rather than physical. The protagonist has become involved in a dangerous situation which literally threatens their sanity. They use mental prowess to overcome their opponent, whether the battle is inside their own head or it is a battle of wits. An example of a psychological thriller would be Shutter Island.

Medical Thriller: A medical thriller involves something usually used for medical purposes becoming a deadly weapon. Often this is some sort of virus leaking out into the public. An example of this kind of thriller would be Contagion.

Romantic Thriller: In a typical romantic thriller, the plot line follows a thriller’s tension, suspense and excitement. But the main element of the movie is the growing relationship between two characters. Ex Machina is an example of a romantic thriller.

Supernatural Thriller: In this sub-genre otherworldly elements are introduced, usually as an antagonistic force, but just as in a romantic thriller, the plot line and feel are distinctly that of thrillers. Some characters may have psychic abilities. A well-known supernatural thriller is Paranormal Activity.

Mystery Thriller: A mystery thriller differs from a mystery by being much more fast paced, with the protagonist on the run and the threat of another crime serving as the “ticking clock”. Psycho is a mystery thriller movie.