On one hand, it might be James Bond, the archetypical macho good guy who does one daring thing after another, and attracts women like fleas to a furry cat - pure escapism. On the other, it might be a real father in a real situation saving his family by fleeing terrorists deep in a hostile jungle. During the drama, his teenage daughter may succumb to a terrifying attack of killer zits and refuse to be seen by her boyfriend, who happens to be with them, bringing cooperation to an all-time low and death a step closer. Although action-adventure needs strong characters with convincing motivation, the emphasis is on the situation, not character depth. The pace in action-adventure is fast, with events coming quickly.
Dialogue is usually very direct and obvious.
Emotions are explored much more selectively. For example there are few scenes which drag by mourning some tragedy, but plenty celebrating accomplishment, discovery, victory, etc. Mystery, Suspense Thrillers Mystery and suspense are often lumped together, but they are very different styles. When I was seven, some friends in the small town where I lived would walk uptown to watch the current movie, which was often a horror movie. For the character, it was usually a mystery.