The use of space in thriller films; how the space reflects the moral landscape of the villain’s hunting ground.

In Essex Boys, Jason uses the Essex Marshes to leave his victims. The white van belongs to him; this indicates that he is in familiar territory this therefore suggests to the audience that his victims may be buried in the mud. The landscape is vast, it has no moral boundaries and this reflects Jason’s personality. The marshes are bleak and deserted; they give a sense of isolation. It is a primeval landscape, which connotes danger. It is a wasteland, a ‘no man’s land’ this can be referred to the film ‘No country for Old Men’ when the savannah is a deserted wasteland also. It means the wide space, prey is easy to detect, vulnerable and can easily be hunted.  

The desert landscape can also be referred to the scene in ‘Animal Kingdom’ when Craig attempts to flee from the police in a similar landscape to that in ‘No Country for Old Men’. He was easy to hunt down; like an animal, prey, and see because the landscape was so open, but yet so isolated.

Fargo’ is also another example of how space reflects the moral landscape of the villain’s hunting ground.   This film uses snow and a white landscape in order to be easily seen and have no moral boundaries within it.