The word “thriller” can bring to mind any number of films that all seem to have little in common beyond the focus on suspense. Oftentimes these films overlap with other genres, from action and horror to crime and mystery. Part of why they vary so much is because thrillers are frequently a product of their time, drawing on cinematic and cultural trends and the public consciousness. What do the thrillers of the 2010s look like? A few trends stand out as seminal films shape the direction of the genre.
Renewing the Action Thriller
Action thrillers have a reputation as stock blockbuster material, lurid but lacking in substance. However, recent years have brought us films that reframe the genre as something worthy of more than just background noise for eating popcorn to. These works don’t rely purely on action scenes, but rather weave intrigue and characterization throughout to give a context to the struggles on-screen. Inception defined this view of action thrillers at the start of the century with a memorable style to the cinematography, CGI and plot. Distinctive style turned out to be the key, as later successes are also highlighted by their own aesthetics. Such films include the neo-noir John Wick films, Joon-ho Bong’s sci-fi Snowpiercer and Atomic Blonde, a spy film/action thriller featuring David Guillod as executive producer.
The Revival of Social Thrillers
“Social thriller”, for years, has been a term scarcely used in Western cinema outside of film criticism, and rarely used by producers or actors themselves. Broadly, movies called social thrillers crossed suspense and horror with commentary on social inequality, but the term wasn’t thought of as a genre in itself—some critics commented that films were often called social thrillers in an attempt to distinguish them from a perceived ‘niche’ genre.
Jordan Peele’s debut film, Get Out, changed this. Peele specifically used the term to describe “thriller/horror movies where the ultimate villain is society”, noting that his film was not exactly a pure horror or psychological thriller but something adjacent. Get Outwon critical acclaim by blurring the supernatural and extraordinary with uncomfortably familiar fears in the real world, creating a commentary on the trauma of racism in modern day America. Other horror and thriller films of the decade, even if they don’t get explicitly called “social thrillers”, take cues from the concept. For instance, the remake of Stephen King’s IT uses the titular monster to underscore a community where the terrorizing and kidnapping of children gets overlooked by apathetic adults.
Where to Next?
Going into the latter part of 2019, the latest and biggest thrillers continue follow in the footsteps of these films, featuring larger-than-life action and horror side by side with real world fears, issues and anxieties. Recent releases like Peele’s Us and Guillod’s The Intruder use this same juxtaposition to leave viewers at the edge of their seats, and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum keeps the franchise shining with its unique choreographic style. This year has been a good one for thriller fans, and with this track record 2020 may be just as promising.
