Thriller conventions

Thrillers are essentially about the conflict arrisen from the binary opposition between justice vs injustice; where often there is a price to be paid for the conclusion of a story. A thriller is a film of suspense with a plot structure that progress with a growing sense of threat or danger and the excitement of pursuit.
Because of the very vast number of sub-genres, the conventions of the thriller genre are varied and differ depending on its style (legal, spy, medical etc), however, the established, generic conventions are as follows:

1. NARRATIVE
Many thriller plots contain red herrings to add to the element of ambiguity. Also, the dialogue in a thriller film rarely contains a complete overview or explanantion of plots/events in an effort to conceal information and maintain the mystery - essential to building up suspense.A thriller usually includes a narrative twist at the end which the audience does not expect, which contributes to the 'thrilling', high intensity experience of the film.Jeopardy and violent confrontations are standard plot elements.

2.CHARACTERS
There is a clear protagonist in most thrillers, and are frequently "hard men" accustomed to danger: such as law enforcement officers, spies, soldiers, seamen or aviators. However, they may also be ordinary citizens drawn into danger by accident (Eagle Eye for example). While such heroes have traditionally been men, strong women characters have become increasingly common; such as Sigourney Weaver's character Ripley, in the movie Alien (1979), however it is more conventional that female characters play the role of 'damsel in distress'.
In most cases the role of the antagonist is also clear, however, in some thrillers the source of the suspence stems from the audience having to figure out this mystery for themselves - this can also relate to the conventional twist at the end. Antagonists are usually gangstas, murderers or terrorists, but in recent years monsters and aliens have also featured as the villains (Signs).

3. SETS
Thrillers strive to be dramatic and so the action often takes place wholly or partly in exotic settings such as foreign cities, deserts, polar regions, or high seas. The James Bond film are perhaps best known for this.

4. SOUND
The non diegetic soundtrack is usually made up of strings as these create a successful atmosphere of tension and mystery. The music conventionally becomes very fast paced during a chase or confrontation to emphasise the suspense.