Thriller/Mystery Genre - Famous Films

Famous Films

In this post I chose three very famous films and will talk about what puts them in the thriller/mystery genre.

'Shutter Island'

'Shutter Island' is about a detective who goes to a mental institution on a remote island to try find a missing patient. Throughout the film he finds very suspicious things that don't make any sense. The big plot twist is that he is a patient there. The film is filled with suspense and lots of tension. There are many hints placed throughout the film leading up to the revelation and plot twist which makes the audience re-think and re-analyse many parts so it makes sense.

'Se7en'

'Se7en' is about two detectives who need to investigate a series of murders. Each murder scene is inspired by one of the seven deadly sins: gluttony, greed, sloth, envy, wrath, pride and lust. Once the murderer hands himself in, he leads them to a desert location where he reveals one of the detectives wife's head. The murderer wanted to show all the sins that humanity do on a daily basis, but goes to an extreme to emphasise his point. It is in the thriller/mystery genre as it centres around detectives and giving clues. It also includes a lot of tension and really captivates the audience, making them want to know who the killer is and why he is doing this. Crucially, it incorporates a huge plot twist.

'Stay'

'Stay' is about a psychiatric who tries to help his patient by investigating his past. There is a big plot twist that is led up to revealing that it is all in the character Henry's mind. It is in the thriller/mystery genre as it is unpredictable and unravels the puzzle slowly, keeping the audience in the dark about what is really happening, making it intense and grabbing the viewer's attention.