What is a thriller film? (&Saw opening analysis)

The definition of a thriller film may seem vague as it involves many different factors. It differentiates from other genres in the film industry by heavily relying on suspense and anticipation. This can be achieved by psychological as well as physical abuse. The thriller genre aims to provide the audience with thrills, high level of anticipation, uncertainty, surprise and terror. It promotes intense excitement and suspense to the audience through an intensifying build-up of tension. This leads to a highly stressful climax which keeps the audience alert and full of anticipation.

The basic plot consists of the antagonist presenting the victim with obstacles to overcome. It is conventional for the victim to be dragged into a dangerous conflict or situation that they are not prepared to resolve. Therefore the protagonist tends to be an ordinary person unaccustomed to such predicaments. Due to this, the most common themes involve captivity,revenge and psychological mind games. All action is made to seem realistic by reflecting real life situations in order to capture an essence of every day life posing a threat.

Depending on the sub-genre of the thriller, different complimentary conventions are involved. Thriller films tend to by hybrids of different sub-genres that that make use of plot twists and cliffhangers to evoke the audience's curiosity. The most common sub-genres seen in the thriller genre are:

Action thrillers - main elements of a thriller are used along with fast-paced action and special effects e.g.'Inception'

Horror thrillers - follows the codes and conventions found in its genre as well as conventions of a horror film such as blood and gore e.g.'Saw'.

Crime thrillers - a fusion of crime and thriller, often focusing on the criminals' point of view and the solving of the crime e.g.'Seven'

Psychological thrillers - This sub-genre focuses on mentality and emotion with the protagonist being in a potentially dangerous situation . It usually incorporates elements of the drama genre e.g.'Shutter Island'

Man-on-the-run thrillers - this usually involves the protagonist alone and paranoid whilst trying to avoid death or capture e.g.'The Fugitive'

In an opening sequence, it is expected to see low key lighting which accentuates the contours of an object by throwing areas into shade creating shadows that generate a dark atmosphere. This convention increases the tension felt by the audience. The low key lighting allows the antagonists' identity to be concealed which keep the audience questioning themselves as to who the identity of this person is.

Sound and editing is also a very prominent part of thriller films. Quick cuts and a variation of shots and camera angles contribute to the impact of a thriller on the audience. The on screen action is also accompanied by incidental music and exaggerated diegetic sound effects.

Saw opening scene analysis

The opening of the thriller 'Saw' illustrates a variety of codes and conventions of the genre. The first scenes show the character being suffocated by the water overflowing his face which suggests drowning. This is conventional to the thriller genre as it connotes potential death as well as presenting the character as a victim in the narrative.

The sequence is set in an abandoned bathroom which is conventional due to it being an isolated location. The location creates an enigma for the audience who is unaware of its purpose. The creates suspense and sets a fearful atmosphere that is reinforced by low key lighting. Low key lighting creates a dark atmosphere that is associated with fear of the unknown.

As the light turns on, the victim is seen being blinded by the harsh bright lighting. He is revealed to be an ordinary person which is suggested by his light casual clothing which connotes purity and innocence. His defensive body language presents him to be helpless and vulnerable in a life threatening situation.

This is made clear to the audience due to the victim being chained to metal pipes that run along the walls. The chains look stern and connote entrapment. They show the victim's restricted movement which is suggestive of the killer's intentions to capture and inflict pain on the victim. This exemplifies effectual use of iconography that possesses desired connotations within the scene.

The killer's intentions are unknown yet they are suggested by the shot of a person dead in the centre of the bathroom.  The blood surrounding the victim has a connotation of pain infliction and murder. This creates tension and suspense felt by the audience that will subconsciously foreshadow the fate of the character chained to the bathroom pipes.