Hurt Locker Thriller Opening

This is a trailer for Hurt Locker as I am unable to find the opening scene to the film, yet this will help to give a feel for the film
Hurt Locker 0:00-2:00

Stock Setting: We are told that we are in Baghdad, Iraq from a subtitle at the bottom of the screen and from the screen it is in quite a populated area as many people are being evacuated. This setting does not directly correspond to a typical stock setting as they are usually in derelict or less populated areas where the protagonist must try to help themselves and others to escape, however the idea that there is chaos in a well built up area adds to this idea of danger which is needed in a thriller.

Stock Characters: There is not much portrayal of characters during the first 2 minutes of filming, however we are shown two males, one black and one white, who are both dressed in army clothing which connotes their power within the current situation. As they may be the protagonists of the film this status challenges the typical stock characters of the hero being an ordinary citizen who is unintentionally wound up in some form of danger, however they do fit into to subgenre of a war or crime thriller as the protagonists are usually the ‘hard men’ such as cops. The antagonist however is not shown which may be intentional as the threat is a lot more powerful than the protagonists themselves which adds to the thriller element as the enemy is always hidden so they may never be able to defeat them totally, which conforms to the usual stock character of the antagonist.

Themes: The theme of this film from the opening indicates a war torn country which has become used to the daily threats as cars are passing by without care and many people are just standing by to watch. The main theme for this film is that of a war thriller as the setting takes place in a foreign country, whilst armed forces are directed to deal with the mission ahead.

Narrative: From the opening two minutes of the film, the micro elements and characters suggest that the narrative of this film will follow the story of a few army officers in a war-torn Iraq and must attempt to deactivate bombs whilst protecting the civilians. This narrative seems to follow that of a thriller as the characters fit into that of a crime/war thriller, whilst the setting and threats around are typical for this same subgenre of thriller as the setting has obviously been damaged by war already which gives us the immediate perceived risk which is natural in a thriller movie.

Iconography: The sound of the male speaking Arabic is some form of Iconography as it makes the audience automatically link the sound to their own knowledge so they know that they may be in a foreign country located around Asia, rather than somewhere closer to home which is typical for this genre as the Muslims are typically the ‘enemy’ in modern times and the setting is common as it is a foreign country which means that it’s harder for the protagonist to access help.  The armoured vehicle is iconography for the war-damaged surroundings as they are often linked with confrontation and violence which may be normal in some thrillers.

Mise-en-scene: The rocky floor at the beginning also connotes that the situation is uncertain and the path ahead is uneven which makes the audience more on edge. There are loads of people running of the streets, which connotes danger as they are also accompanied by armed men who are shown to have authority. The armoured vehicle also connotes that the situation that follows involves a large threat as this is commonly associated with violence and war.

Editing: At the beginning there is a quote displayed which may foreshadow future events within the film and give the audience a hint of what to expect, then most of the words fade out apart from the words ‘war is a drug’ which helps boost the idea that war is bad in more ways than one. The use of fast cuts adds tension to the film as it gives a more edgy appeal to it as the viewer cannot truly focus on something for long enough however then have the desire to carry on watching. The use of straight cuts also makes the film more realistic and helps the audience connect with the characters as it feels as though we are there witnessing these events.

Camera Work: The first use of camera work is on the front of a human controlled robot so the camera work is very shaky and realistic as it makes the audience feel as though they are actually there so they can relate to the situation slightly. This type of camera movement (dolly) also helps to show the danger they may be in as the movement is shaky and may connote uncertainty within the surroundings. There is a close up and then a mid-tracking shot of the bot driving across the rocky road which allows us to know what we were viewing from at the beginning of the film. There are many mid and long shots after this to show the panic of the people in the vicinity which connotes that there is imminent danger. There is soon an establishing shot followed by a zoom in onto to the robot following a rail track which shows how small the people trying to solve the situation are compared to the actual threat of what can happen. An over the shoulder shot of the screen gives the audience a more personal sensation as they feel as if it is them doing the controlling of the machine. Close ups on the characters faces and equipment enforce this idea of the thriller genre as they are on the edge shots and more tense as the audience have a more accurate feeling of the circumstances. Finally there are uses of point of view shots at the end from the soldier who is tactically surveying the area of possible threats which connotes the danger that these people are facing as it seems to be them vs. everyone else.

Sound: The sound at the beginning is non-diegetic background music which slowly intensifies in volume adding an impact on the audience as it prepares them for the activities following. The sound accompanies the words on screen so it is parallel sound as the music intensifies whilst the words ‘war is a drug’ are left on the screen so it gives a connection between the music and image displayed as they are both rather strong. The next piece of sound can be diegetic as it is the sound of someone speaking Arabic and makes the audience automatically assume that they are in a foreign surrounding and may be out of their comfort zone which is typical for a thriller. The sound of cries and screams also adds impact on the audience as it makes it more realistic as they can hear the panic from the people which is part of the thriller aspect. Towards the end of the opening there is the use of diegetic sound of main characters dialogue which helps the audience know a little more about what’s happening.