Codes and Conventions of the Thriller genre

 

The 'Day 89' text that appeared on the screen before the opening scene conveys that there was something terrible that happened. The setting of the abandoned pharmacy in the opening sequence accentuates this meaning. The characters' facial expressions and the use of sign language show that they are in a dangerous situation. The child then trying to use the noisy toy brings a reaction of shock and fear from the father. Now the audience knows that the danger is caused by noise. The child keeping the toy brings the knowledge that something bad will happen that the rest of the family is oblivious to. The child's death brings the realisation that if they can kill a child in the opening minutes, the carnage is far from over. It is this knowledge that drives the suspense going forward.

The opening text shows the definition of a mental disorder which instantly tells the audience something about one of the characters. He/she has a mental disorder. The next few establishing shots show a setting of a dark street heading into nighttime which heightens the level of suspense. The shots of the character frantically packing show that something is wrong. We also learn at this point that the character is a 'He'. When he looks at his phone he seems to enter a state of paralysis as he sees a picture of him and a girl. And it is only when he glances back while leaving the house at the dead body with a knife that we ask more questions like 'Did he kill them?' 'Was it the girl on the phone?' As he walks down the driveway with his bag on his back the title card of 'Perspective' appears which should make the audience think: 'Are things as they seem?'