Analysis of Themes in a Thriller

 

Thriller Themes: Taken

Fear

Fear is shown quite well in the trailer of taken; it is shown with the scene of Bryan Mills’ daughter being taken by unknown people (0:31-48). The daughter is in fear that she will be killed because she has been taken hostage. In her situation I think everyone would be scared like her. As you can see in the picture below. It is a screenshot of the shot right before the girl gets kidnapped and the father is trying to help her and tell her what to do, but you can see in her facial expression that she is really scared and is in fear of what may happen to her next because she knows that someone wants to kidnap her and take her.

How does the theme affect the audience.

The theme of fear may affect the audience, by showing how fear is portrayed in the film with the girl’s fear. Fear may affect them by them having their own fear and sympathy for the girl that is being taken. They may feel her fear of being taken and the audience may feel feared as well of what may happen to the girl.

How I may use fear in my film.

I may use the theme of fear in my film, by creating an atmosphere of suspense of to make the audience already fear without anything happening, for example, with music I could instil fear or with a certain character who looks suspicious and may do something.

 

Revenge

Revenge is shown quite well in this film as it is based off revenge, where Liam Neeson’s character wants to get revenge on the person that has kidnapped his daughter. In the picture on the right is the scene where he is on the phone with the kidnapper as they have just taken his daughter. This screenshot is from 0:52 of the Taken Trailer. In this scene Liam’s character says to the kidnapper that he doesn’t know who he is, but her will find him and he will kill him.

How does the theme affect the audience.

The theme of revenge affects the audience quite well. If its put into a perspective of your own daughter being kidnapped you would do anything to save her. That’s where the audience can feel the revenge boiling through Liam’s characters, because he wants to kill whoever took his daughter away. The audience could also sympathise for the main character and see why he wants to get revenge.

How may I use revenge in my film.

I could use revenge in my film by creating an atmosphere of a tension between two different groups of people and one group does something like a low hit. And the other group wants to get revenge for it.

Suspense

Suspense is shown quite well with the editing of the film and with the sound design. In the beginning of the trailer when the daughter gets kidnapped, in the scene where she is under the bed. The suspense is that the kidnapper’s face is not shown so it leaves the audience with suspense of who the kidnapper is. The photo on the right shows this (0:48). Suspense is also shown throughout the film with the music and sound effects of all the clatter banging and gunshots.

 

How does the theme affect the audience.

The theme effects the audience by giving them the time to process the suspense of the scenes. Suspense also effects the audience with the sounds to try give the effect that more is happening than is shown. For example, with the scenes being cut when something happens, i.e., the kidnapping, and in the trailer when gunshots are heard its either a black screen or the scene gets cut right off and changes to another scene.

How may I use suspense in my film.

I may use suspense in my film with my editing style, with different camera angles for example a low shot from the floor up to make someone look bigger than they are and make them seem frightening. And I could also use different sounds and music to create an atmosphere of suspense.