Thriller Film Openings

The genre me and my group have selected for our film opening is the Thriller Genre. Three of my favorite movies that all have great openings with unique approaches and different techniques are Se7en (1995), No Country for Old Men (2007), and The Dark Knight (2008). These films' openings create tension, establish mood, and make the audience uneasy.

Se7en is a psychological thriller and sets the tone for the film's grim atmosphere. It starts with Detective Somerset (Morgan Freeman) preparing for his day in a ritualistic way, which creates order before the chaos of the violent murder he's about to investigate. The next scene introduces Mills (Brad Pitt), a young impulsive detective, setting up a father/son type dynamic between the two.

This opening establishes the film's tone and focus on process, and the key theme of the struggle between order and chaos (represented by Somerset and John Doe's crimes). It also establishes order in chaos and vice versa. Mills is impulsive and brings chaos to detective work and John Doe's journey suggests he's orderly and meticulous.

No Country for Old Men is a neo-noir thriller. It opens with wide shots of Texas accompanied by the Sheriff's narration about times changing and new violence. As he speaks,  Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) is introduced in a brutal sequence: strangling a deputy to death with his handcuffs, and then washing his hands emotionlessly.

The contrast between the calm landscapes and Chigurh's immediate violence establishes this "unstoppableness". Throughout the film, Chigurh is a force of nature, executing people as an instrument of fate. The opening sets this up in a powerful way. There's no music, the voiceover sets up the dread that runs through the movie, and even the simple dialogue feels dangerous.

The Dark Knight is an action thriller, opening with a high stakes bank heist executed by master criminals. As they carry out their robbery, all of the robbers betray and kill each other, revealing they were all unknowingly following the Joker's plan. In the final moment, the last standing thief removes his mask, revealing the Joker (Heath Ledger), who makes a quick exit on a stolen school bus.

This sequence introduces the Joker as an agent of chaos and a powerful manipulator. He was able to orchestrate such a powerful self destruction. This precision shows the Joker's intelligence and makes him terrifying. 

All 3 films have very technically impressive film openings but also teach us how to hook the audience: Se7en builds atmosphere and mystery through unsettling visuals, No Country For Old Men establishes a sort of philosophical tone with its realism and The Dark Knight grabs attention with action.

I'll think about how I can bring these lessons into my film opening.

Stay tuned.