One of the earliest crime/thriller films was the 1923 film 'Safety Last', which set the stage for the genre. Crime thrillers are typically adrenaline-rushing, gritty, rousing and fast-paced films that revolve around themes like ransoms, kidnappings, captivities, heists and revenge. Common methods seen in crime thrillers include ransoms, kidnappings, captivities, and heists.