How Suspense Differs From Plot-Twist

When it comes to stories, be it in the written or visual form, the ones with suspense elements get comparatively more attention than others. This is because we, as an audience, like to be sent into that anxious state where we’re tensed and excited for the secret to be revealed. But what about the stories where we’re not aware of the existence of a suspense or a revelation? We simply refer to that surprise element as ‘twist’. Usually people find themselves getting confused between the two. They get mixed up in the ideas of what's suspense and what's plot twist.

When it comes to movies, the veteran director Alfred Hitchcock is considered the master of suspense. While explaining the difference between suspense and shock, he said, “In order to get suspense, you provide the audience with certain amount of information,” and that’s what suspense is all about. A story with suspense already tells you that it’s hiding some information from you. It maybe a who, a what, a where, a why or a how.You’re anticipating the revelation all along. Whereas in a story with a plot twist, you don’t know that there’s some hidden information. Its revelation comes as a shock or surprise to you.

To understand it with an example, consider the movie ‘Memento’. ‘Memento’ is clearly a suspense film, where, from the beginning we’re given a buildup that the protagonist is finding his wife’s murderer. The revelation too, tells us about the murderer. On the other hand, take the example of ‘Fight Club’. ‘Fight Club’ doesn’t give us any buildup, until the nearing of climax and then gives us a shock, something none of us expected. This is the plot twist. It brings such a twist to the movie, that its story no longer remains the same.

In Bollywood, let us take the example of ‘Kahaani’. Now this, is an interesting plot. ‘Kahaani’ gives us a buildup of the protagonist’s search for her missing husband from the beginning. We’re waiting for the person to show up or for his whereabouts to be revealed. The climax, does indeed reveal that suspense, but gives us a plot twist that no one expected (spoiler): that the protagonist, played by Vidya Balan, is not actually pregnant and that she was pretending to be, all the while. While the revelation of her husband’s identity was a suspense that was uncovered, the surprise element of her not being pregnant was a plot twist that changed the movie and its story’s look and feel completely.

This, also is an interesting point to note. A movie with a suspense once revealed, will give the same feel on a second watch. Whereas, a movie with a plot twist, that once unravels, cannot give the same feel on a second watch. The movie and its plot entirely changes for you.