Thriller Opening

To get a feel for what makes an opening to a thriller, I watched "Snakes On A Plane." Not the typical thriller. Thrillers usually have classical music and very dark openings, this film was quite the opposite. Set in Hawaii, the titles appear on a clear blue ocean. Island music is playing in the background while holiday goers enjoy the beach. We aren't actually introduced to any of the characters until the first proper scene. The establishing scenes last for a few minutes, exploring the sea and island. The island music is still playing. At the end of the opening, the mood changes as a man rides a motor bike down a long road. At the end of this, the music has stopped and a man is beaten to death. Not the usual thriller opening. I might use this idea for my thriller film.