BLK Homework 2: Film Clip Analysis

This is a clip from the 2008 action thriller Wanted, featuring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman.

Film-Making Conventions

• Sound effects are used to create suspense and build up to the action scene. At 0:07, the walking man's footsteps blend into the sound of Wesley's heartbeat. At this point the audience know something is about to happen. Loud metallic gun shots and clicks also emphasise the action.
• The framing in this clip is very effective - as the gunfight begins, a POV  'shaky camera' effect is used to create a sense of chaos and panic as people run out of the grocery store screaming. The clip rapidly cuts between this and close ups of the characters to show their expressions. There is also a shot of a bullet travelling down the aisle in slow motion, cutting through shelves of food. This suggests that the store very quickly turns into a battle field.
• Several visual effects are also used, such as a blurred POV shot of an advert to show that Wesley's thoughts are distorted and he cannot focus. There is also a close up of the screen of the woman's high-tech weapon at 1:46, showing that she is in control and has been trained to kill. Finally at the end of the clip there is an explosion - a typical element of an action film. 

Cultural Codes

• The domestic and casual look of the grocery store is familiar to the audience, making everything seem normal at first. The mise en scene juxtaposes with the action that follows - there are adverts, posters and other branded props around the store that the camera occasionally focuses on. 
• The characters are dressed formally - Both Wesley wearing a shirt and tie and the woman protecting him in the white dress look as if they have just come from work. Again this creates a sense of normality, but the audience can guess that Wesley is unprepared for the shootout - whereas she is probably trying to maintain a low profile. This creates a contrast between the two characters. 
• People can be seen buying groceries and going about their everyday lives in the background, which the audience can relate to. However soon the gunfight starts and the calmness of the store is disrupted.  For example, the woman shoots out the corner mirrors and a bullet goes through the head of a man's image on a cereal box.