THRILLER GENRE FORMS AND CONVENTIONS

By Qeeren Kangudia

Four Brothers

• Four Brothers is a typical action thriller because within

the film it has a lot of typical things action thriller

things, for example the film consists of an innocent

victim that get caught in the cross fire of an incident, a

police men with a corrupt partner, gang violence and of

course people that are looking to avenge the death of

the innocent victim.

• During the film they also use a lot of iconography of

thriller such as guns, drugs and fast cars. And with all

the audio that they use to build up the tension and

make it more interesting; this is what makes the movie

a perfect example of an action thriller.

Four Brother:

Characters

• The innocent victim- this was shown a lot in the film as you had the first victim that was the (adopted) mother, Evelyn Mercer of the four brothers that was killed in the shop robbery making it look like she got caught in the cross fire of the rubbery. Then you have the second killing Jack Mercer, one of the four brothers that was killed trying to chase away the gang member that were posing as hooligans.

• Corrupt Policemen- this is shown when Detective Fowler kills his partner in cold blood so he can continue working for the police and also an insider for the king pin.

• Gangsters- they play a big part in thriller and this movie as they’re the ones that start all the commotions because the king pin who goes by the name Victor Sweet, gives his men orders to kill Evelyn Mercer to get the attention of the four brothers in the first place.

• Typical female- you have the two women that have no say so in what happens to their boyfriends/husbands as they have to sit back and do as they're told when they're told without any questions being asked

Four Brothers:

characters The Innocent Victims

The King Pin And His Mob

Four Brothers:

Characters Corrupt Policemen

The Two Typical Women

Four Brothers: Themes

In the film a lot of themes were used but the obvious

thriller films were:

• Trust- this was displayed a lot during the film as it was

trust that bonded the four brothers and made them

trust each other with their lives.

• Corruption- this was displayed when detective fowler

betrayed and killed his partner Lt. Green because he

found out that he was the one that was the bad fruit in

the precinct.

• Betrayal- this was displayed when the three brothers

thought that Jeremiah Mercer was the reason why

they’re mother was killed and also when Lt. Green

found out that his partner that he’s been working with

for a few years was also working for Vincent Sweet.

Four Brothers:

Iconography

• Costumes: In the movie iconography is shown

throughout it with all the costumes that all the

characters play, for example all the four brother wear

leather jackets and dark clothing throughout most of

the film. While the king pin wears things that makes

him stand out from all of his crew so that everyone can

recognise that he's the boss.

• Weapons: weapons in this film are used as a symbol of

violence and a warning that something drastic is about

to happen or that it has already happen, this spike up

questions in our head most of the time that get

answered during the movie.

• Settings: the movie is set in the rough parts of Toronto.

Abduction • Abduction is a typical mystery thriller because within the movie there are a lot of unanswered questions and puzzles that needs to be solved. The film consists of typical characters in the film like an innocent victim, corrupt detectives that are after a the innocent victim for stumbling on something that they weren't meant to be looking at on the internet.

• During all this they have to avoid getting caught by speeding bullets and car chases which is an iconography in thriller; while all this is happening the directors added fast music to build up the intensity.

Abduction: Characters

• The innocent victims- the innocent victims were shown a lot in the beginning of the film, posing as Nathan's mother and father. The mother and father both got killed a t the same time but the mother got killed first and the father second while trying to protect Nathan.

• Corrupt policemen- the corrupt policemen was introduced when the hired gun men started going after Nathan; they got in contact with him by phone and claimed they were CIA which made Nathen doubt that they were on his side.

• Hired men/gangsters- the men was introduced when Nathan stumbled on a website of missing kids and saw his picture, when he searched in to it more he triggered a high-tech, international manhunt. Which caused the people that were after him to send the gun men.

• Typical female- you have the typical female that advises Nathan but really has no say so in what happens and what's the next move is, all she does is listen to orders and follows them no questions asked.

Abduction: Characters

The innocent victims

The corrupt policemen / CIA

Abduction: Characters

Hired gunmen/ gangster

Typical girl

Abduction Themes:

• Trust- trust is one of the key themes that are shown

this movie because after Nathan found out that his

parents weren't his real parents that's when he

started doubting everyone.

• Love/Friendship- this was shown when Nathan and

Karen are together.

• Corruption- corruption is shown when the police and

high tech manhunt starts going after nathan because

they want some information out of him that he

doesn't know about yet.

Abduction: Iconography

• Weapons- like in most films weapons were used as a

symbol of violence and danger. The first time a

weapon was introduced in the film it was used to kill

the man and the women that were posing as Nathans

parents which symbolised that things were gonna

take a turn for the worst.

• Costumes- in this films costumes were a very

important iconography because with each characters

it made them stand out in there own way. For

example, Nathan (the main character) always wore

things that made him blend in with the crowd so any

organisation that were looking for him found it

difficult to spot him.

• Settings- this film was set in very high tech and

modernised places.