If it were, there would never be a genre film that garnered any sort of acclaim. For better or worse, a lot of filmmakers mistake a lack of originality with a necessary adherence to genre requirements. ![]() Films that are not generally considered to be thrillers in the strictest sense can still use this formula, but there are no thrillers I’m aware of that can exist without it.ĭespite the apparent rigidity of the genre, there are plenty of subgenres and variations, but this doesn’t change the fact that one generally knows what to expect when entering the theater. ![]() Essentially, for a thriller to function as it is intended, there must be an element of risk, with the final outcome of events suspended to create anxiety and/or excitement. Much like in horror films, there is an established set of “rules” to accomplish this, with room for variation on the basic formula. There are some that merely exist to entertain and thrill us, for lack of a better term. Not every thriller can be revolutionary though. Oldboy pushed what is considered acceptable in mainstream cinema, especially in terms of violence, to the extreme, while Black Swan managed to integrate surreal psychological manifestations into an otherwise believable and engaging story. Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy (2003) and Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010) come to mind, albeit for different reasons. ©STX TOMORROW NEVER DIES, Pierce Brosnan, 1997, gun THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, Pierce Brosnan, 1999 DIE ANOTHER DAY, Pierce Brosnan on set, 2002, (c) MGM GOLDENEYE, Famke Janssen, Pierce Brosnan, Izabella Scorupco, 1995 THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, Pierce Brosnan, 1999, (c) United Artists DANTE'S PEAK, Pierce Brosnan, 1997.While thrillers are not generally my favorite kind of film, there are a number of very well-made and entertaining entries in the genre. ![]() ©Universal THE FOREIGNER, FROM LEFT, MICHAEL MCELHATTON, PIERCE BROSNAN, DAVID PEARSE, 2017. The Matador Photos MAMMA MIA!, Pierce Brosnan, 2008, © Universal DIE ANOTHER DAY, Halle Berry, Pierce Brosnan, 2002, (c) MGM MAMMA MIA!, Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, 2008. Brosnan managed to subvert his suave image with an uproarious performance as a brash hit man in "The Matador" (2005), which not only helped heal his wounds of losing out on Bond, but also allowed him to demonstrate a wider range many before had thought he lacked. After three more blockbuster Bond films, "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997), "The World is Not Enough" (1999) and "Die Another Day" (2002), Brosnan was unexpectedly cut lose by producers with little explanation. Once free of his contractual obligations, Brosnan made his first of four appearances as the debonair agent 007 in "Goldeneye" (1995), a high-octane adventure that revamped a franchise thought to be on its last legs. But strict contractual obligations for television actors prevented him from departing to take on the role many felt he was born to play. Almost immediately, there were calls in the media for Brosnan to assume the mantle of James Bond from the aging Roger Moore. Thanks to his casual charm and self-deprecating comedic chops, Irish-born actor Pierce Brosnan firmly established himself as a commanding presence with his first introduction to American audiences as the sophisticated, but often inept con man-turned-private investigator, "Remington Steele" (NBC, 1982-87).
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