I,Robot Thriller Opening

This is a trailer for I,Robot as I am unable to find the opening scene to the film, yet this will help to give a feel for the film
I.Robot 1:00-3:08

The narrative of film begins at this time as the sequence before presents the filming studio and Presentation Company which is common in nearly every film and the names of the actors and actresses which are important however does not have relevance to the narrative.

Stock Setting: This setting is not usual within the settings of thriller movies as we start of within the house of someone who may have authority as we are shown objects of power (gun, samurai sword). This setting is different as they are usually in either in areas with more people or in run down places like streets or factories. On the other hand the starting scenes of the accident underwater may be part of the stock setting as it is in an unfamiliar setting where the people have a very slim chance of escaping.

Stock Characters: There is only one character shown in this opening, however he does not fit the description of a typical stock character as they are usually ordinary people with no history of violence or danger who are unknowingly thrown into a world of it, however with Will Smiths character he has obviously had previous experiences with this type of nature as he is shown straight away with a gun in hand and a weapon on his wall, which is common in such subgenres as crime thrillers. However we are unaware of the antagonist at this moment in time as we have not been given enough information on the characters to be aware of any true threats.

Themes: The theme for the beginning of this film is that of a sci-fi thriller film as there are images of robots climbing over cars and there are references to rules relating to robots, however as it all disappears and we are shown a character holding a weapon it changes to a theme of what seems to be an action thriller as there are weapons visible and this man is obviously part of an armed force.

Narrative: So far it is evident that the storyline will follow the actions involving robots and the way that they must live their ‘lives’ by the rules that they must follow. It also shows that we may follow the life of Will Smith who seems to be injured from something on his shoulder, which may from a job like the armed forces as he is equipped with a gun whilst he sleeps which shows he cares for his job.

Iconography: The image of the bubbles and the sound of the distorted music makes the audience automatically identify the surrounding as an underwater setting which connotes that there may be danger straight away. The image of the samurai sword on the wall also suggests Will Smiths authority and power as they are usually linked with violence and control. His gun also helps to reinforce this idea of authority. The idea that there we are put straight into a thrilling environment where there are people needing rescue and are in danger is an iconic element to a thriller movie as we are ‘thrilled’ straight away which makes the audience assume that the film is a thriller.

Camera Work: There are panning point of view shots at the beginning of the clip where the person in the car is panicking and looking for help as they are trapped underwater. The fast moving camera suggests the persons fear as they are being fast in their movements which are usual with fear. There are a few close up shots of the male and point of view shots looking at the female in the opposite vehicle which helps give the audience a sense of reality as these shots seem life like so it connects with the audience more. At the end of this clip there is a very fast montage pictures and short clips which also amplifies this idea of terror for the passengers.  Long and mid shots are used throughout the clip with Will Smith to help us connect more to the character as we are able to see the way he lives more and see what setting he is from. There is also a low angle/ above shot above the fan which also gives us more detail about what he is doing as we are able to see what actions he is doing.

Editing: To begin the proper opening we are shown an image of a piece of writing that states the laws to which robots must follow to ensure a balanced world. This image of the text may foreshadow future events as we now know that there are certain rules that must be kept by each individual robot and it keeps the audience on edge straight from the beginning as they automatically assume that these rules will be broken and punishment will follow. Special effects of water are also presented behind the text which creates a feel of the environment in the next scene some people are trapped in their cars underwater. The water effect may connote that they are trapped in a world that they cannot escape from as you cannot hear anything underwater which may symbolise how they feel. The effect of the writing turning to bubbles may also connote that these rules are going to be broken as they are disappearing and becoming nothing. Straight cuts are used throughout the opening so it helps the audience automatically feel attracted to the feel as it seems real and as though they are there which enables them to connect to the character.

Mise-en-scene: To begin there are two cars with passengers which are both sinking under water. The car which we see the most of is then boarded by a robot which at this moment is doing actions which are unknown but from the image in the montage of a hand grabbing the male it seems as though they are saving the humans which shows that they are following the rules at this given time but may soon change their ways. When Will Smith wakes up he is shown holding a gun in his hand, which suggests that the world that he lives in may be under a permanent threat as he must be on guard at all times in case of danger, yet his facial expressions (disappointment) and costume says differently as he is first shown wearing only a bandana and some boxers. His living area also shows that he may not be as organised as we first thought as there is a lot of mess around the room, however there is also a samurai sword placed on the wall which connotes his power in this film and lets us assume that he is going to be the protagonist of the film. Will Smith’s body language portrays him as a fit individual as he is working out and obviously cares about the way he looks, however he obviously has problems with his shoulder as he is seen touching it and exercising it which creates an enigma to the audience and makes them want to keep watching to find out what’s wrong.  Finally we are shown that even though he may not live in the cleanest environment as he is eating precooked food that he found, but he does care for his looks as he is working out and then reveals some brand new converse which shows he does care about his style more than his way of life.

Sound: The sound at the start of the film is non-diegetic music which consists of strings and instruments which sound rather theatrical to create a sense of tension for the audience so they are prepared for the following few scenes, however the music seems to be distorted by the sound of water which is linked to the surroundings which again makes the audience feel that this scene is more believable. The sounds of struggle and banging on the windows of the cars are parallel to the scenes as we can clearly see that these people are in danger and fearing for their life so the music reinforces this. The sound of the alarm clock awakens Will Smith which may show that he has a schedule to keep to as he has to get up at a certain time. Will Smith switches on the radio which triggers the start of diegetic music as he soon sings along with the music. As the music is rather jazzy and up tempo it contrasts to this idea of authority as he may have power but he also knows how to relax