'Shutter Island' is a psychological thriller in which the main character Teddy is assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient at a mental home. Teddy begins to find leads in the case but the hospital refuse him access to documents that he desperately needs, which puts suspicion on the hospital itself. Puzzling clues multiply and Teddy begins to doubt his memory, his partner and even his sanity. At the end of the film it is revealed that Teddy himself is a patient at the mental hospital where he was hospitalised after killing his wife when she drowned their three children, and the whole film had been a role play experiment to let Teddy live out his delusional fantasy so that he could come to grip with reality. The treatment worked, but in the final scene he relapses into his delusional state and the hospital decide to lobotomise him. It is implied that he is faking the relapse so they lobotomise him because he doesn't want to live with the guilt of knowing what he did. This film is known as a thriller because it relies mainly on suspense and uncertainty. The idea that you don't know who Teddy is looking for and the fact that most of the important information is kept from the viewer keeps the audience on the edge of their seat, this also makes the viewer have to think about whats going on and try and figure out the ending which helps the audience to feel involved and interact with the film.
'Salt ' is also a thriller but is more of an action thriller. The main character Evelyn Salt is an American CIA agent who is accused of being a Russian sleeper agent sent by a man named Orlov to destroy the United States by assassinating the Russian President. The CIA decide to detain Salt whilst they investigate the claims but Salt escapes and manages to get to the building where the Russian president is speaking, she detonates an explosive and the president falls through the floor where Salt then assassinates him, it now seems as though the man was right and Salt is a Russian sleeper agent. She then meets with Orlov and the other KA agents in a barge where they have detained her husband. To check her loyalty Orlov has her husband killed and Salt seems unfazed, Orlov then tells Salt the next part of the mission, after this Salt kills Orlov and the other agents, which then leaves the audience confuse about which team she is on. At the end of the film there is a twist when we find out that one of the other CIA agents is also working for Orlov this agent tries to fire missiles at mecca and tehran which would then initiate America in war, Salt tries to convince him to let her help when the news report shows that the Russian president isn't dead and that she had used spider venom to give the impression that he was dead, there is a struggle but Salt finally stops the missiles just as the CIA agents get there. Salt is then caught but in the final scenes we see her fellow agent let her escape to capture and kill the other sleeper agents. Unlike shutter island, salt uses action to keep the viewer entertained and on the edge of there seat.
'Seven' would be known as a crime thriller. The main characters consist of two detectives, one of which, David Mills, has just moved to the city with his wife so that he can tackle more important cases and the other, William Somerset, who is just weeks from retirement. Mills' first case and Somersets last is more than either of them bargained for when they when they become aware of a gruesome serial killer who is targeting victims that represent each of the 7 deadly sins. First, an obese man is forced to eat until his stomach ruptures to represent gluttony, then a wealthy defense lawyer is made to cut off a pound of his own flesh as penance for greed. Somerset initially refuses to take the case, realizing that there will be five more murders, ghastly sermons about lust, sloth, pride, wrath, and envy presented by a madman to a sinful world. Somerset is correct, and something within him cannot let the case go, forcing the weary detective to team with Mills and see the case to its almost unspeakably horrible conclusion. The film up until now has constantly shocked the audience with the horrifying scenes of the graphic murders. The conclusion consists of both detectives and the serial killer 'Doe' being at a specific location together, a package is delivered and Somerset goes to claim it leaving Mills and Doe alone. Whilst Mills hold Doe at gun point Doe mentions how much he admires him, Somerset opens the package and the look of horror rushes across his face, he races back to tell Mills not to listen to Doe but its too late the killer has already informed Mills that his wives head is in the box. This part of the film relies mainly on suspense as when Somerset first discovers what is in the box the audience is unaware and all they can see is the horrified expression on his face, which leaves the audience in suspense wondering 'what is in the box?' Doe claims to represent the sin of "Envy"; he was jealous of Mills' normal life, and killed Tracy after failing to "play husband" with her. He then taunts the distraught Mills with the knowledge that Tracy was pregnant. Somerset is unable to contain Mills as he unloads his gun into Doe, becoming the embodiment of "Wrath". This ending is a major shock to the audience and this makes this a very iconic scene.
As you can see a pattern begins to appear in the way that all of these thrillers involve some sort of mystery, which keeps the audience guessing throughout all three films, this is known as the films enigma codes. Enigma codes are a fixed feature throughout the thriller genre. Each film also include a lot of suspense, which keeps the audience on the edge of there seats and keeps them engaged in the plot of he film.
'Seven' would be known as a crime thriller. The main characters consist of two detectives, one of which, David Mills, has just moved to the city with his wife so that he can tackle more important cases and the other, William Somerset, who is just weeks from retirement. Mills' first case and Somersets last is more than either of them bargained for when they when they become aware of a gruesome serial killer who is targeting victims that represent each of the 7 deadly sins. First, an obese man is forced to eat until his stomach ruptures to represent gluttony, then a wealthy defense lawyer is made to cut off a pound of his own flesh as penance for greed. Somerset initially refuses to take the case, realizing that there will be five more murders, ghastly sermons about lust, sloth, pride, wrath, and envy presented by a madman to a sinful world. Somerset is correct, and something within him cannot let the case go, forcing the weary detective to team with Mills and see the case to its almost unspeakably horrible conclusion. The film up until now has constantly shocked the audience with the horrifying scenes of the graphic murders. The conclusion consists of both detectives and the serial killer 'Doe' being at a specific location together, a package is delivered and Somerset goes to claim it leaving Mills and Doe alone. Whilst Mills hold Doe at gun point Doe mentions how much he admires him, Somerset opens the package and the look of horror rushes across his face, he races back to tell Mills not to listen to Doe but its too late the killer has already informed Mills that his wives head is in the box. This part of the film relies mainly on suspense as when Somerset first discovers what is in the box the audience is unaware and all they can see is the horrified expression on his face, which leaves the audience in suspense wondering 'what is in the box?' Doe claims to represent the sin of "Envy"; he was jealous of Mills' normal life, and killed Tracy after failing to "play husband" with her. He then taunts the distraught Mills with the knowledge that Tracy was pregnant. Somerset is unable to contain Mills as he unloads his gun into Doe, becoming the embodiment of "Wrath". This ending is a major shock to the audience and this makes this a very iconic scene. As you can see a pattern begins to appear in the way that all of these thrillers involve some sort of mystery, which keeps the audience guessing throughout all three films, this is known as the films enigma codes. Enigma codes are a fixed feature throughout the thriller genre. Each film also include a lot of suspense, which keeps the audience on the edge of there seats and keeps them engaged in the plot of he film.
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