1. A ‘thriller’ is a genre of film which
provoke a rush of emotions and is
usually based around crime or
espionage. Thrillers put the audience in
suspense and create a sense of
expectation and anxiety. The films
usually consist of many cliff-hangers,
plot twists and scenes that effectively
confuse and reveal the truth.

2.  Main plotline focuses on a mystery that must be
solved.
 Setting presents the world as a dangerous place.
 Characters face death.
 Desire for justice and mystery to be solved.
 Many peaks and lulls.
 Protagonist gets into more and more danger as film
progresses.
 ‘Mistaken identities’ and ‘Red herrings’.
 Sound adds emotion and action.
 Editing used to change pace.
 Camera angles vary to change audience’s perception of
the situation.

3. A retired CIA agent travels across Europe and relies on his old skills
to save his estranged daughter, who was kidnapped on a trip to Paris
to be sold into prostitution.
Kidnapped daughter sold into prostitution – Film based around an extreme crime
which sets the basis for a lot of emotion and action.
During the film we constantly think we’re coming close to finding the daughter,
building suspense, anxiety and expectation, only to find out she’s not there.
Taken consists of many plot twists, for example when we find out the ‘nice French
guy’ turns out to be the one that set the daughter up.
Finally, there are many fight scenes including the Father, these stimulate the
audience’s mood as they’re rooting for the Father but the outcome seems
uncertain.
The film takes place in a foreign environment, this adds a sense of uncertainty as
the audience doesn’t know this setting well, and has scenes where the location is
dirty, dark and typically dangerous.

4. A man, suffering from short-term memory loss, uses notes and tattoos
to hunt for the man he thinks killed his wife.
This film is also based around a crime. The basis of the film being
memory loss means a lot of questions are asked by the audience which
engages them and builds up tension and apprehension. The film starts
with the murder of a man who turns out to be a main character, although
we know this character ends up dead we initially have no idea why but
make assumptions throughout the film based on red herrings. These
assumptions are eventually proved wrong and the audience discover the
truth.
Throughout the film we discover new things about the people in the film
which are usually unexpected and also see first hand how the main
character is being manipulated by people he sees as friends. This makes
the viewers feel uncertainty. The film is also quite fast paced as it consists
of many different scenes from the character’s life which all link up
eventually.

5. A young married couple becomes stranded at an isolated motel
and finds hidden video cameras in their room. They realize that
unless they escape, they'll be the next victims of a snuff film.
The setting of the film is in a very isolated motel which shows the
audience there’s nowhere to run, this adds anxiety.
Vacancy mainly takes place at night time and the attackers wear creepy
masks which both add fear factor. The action and unexpected scares in
the film make the reader feel an adrenaline rush and heightened sense of
emotions.
The build up of the couple finding the snuff tapes and discovering the
cameras around their room is quite a plot twist. Finally the couple are
almost saved by characters which happen upon the motel but hopes of
rescue are dashed when the ‘rescuers’ are murdered dramatically. This
film is also based around an on going crime.

6.  Liam Neeson – Dominant, physical presence
(6’4”), deep voice, taken seriously at all times,
means business.
 Bruce Willis – Always plays a man trying to
save something. Fights for justice. Taken
seriously, recognisable.