Action Film Opening Analysis: The Mechanic

In the opening scene of “The Mechanic” begins with a close up shot of a watch being placed on the table. This implies the character that placed the watch down in very wealthy and rich because we can see multiple watches on the table.

After the close up shot a low angle shot is used to show a male character entering through large doors. The camera angle makes the character appear powerful and strong. This makes the audience feel inferior and small compared to the character in the scene. Straight away the audience are able to identify that he is the evil antagonist. This is because he falls into the stereotypical villain in all action film for example: powerful, physically less impressive and well off.

Furthermore, the antagonist has manly bodyguards present at all times. This suggests, due to the character being less masculine, he needs the comrades to protect him from the protagonist.        

Shortly, after the audience gets introduced to a new character that is hiding beneath the swimming pool. We see the antagonist being drowned by a mysterious character, perhaps the protagonist. The non-diegetic music makes the scene appear more dramatic as the two men wrestle underwater. The diegetic sound effects of the antagonist screaming underwater for help builds tension. This is because it causes the audience to be on the edge of our seats making us curious if the antagonist will survive or not.   

The non-diegetic music quietens down once the character has successfully drowned the antagonist. This implies the character is dead.  From the opening scene, the audience are able to identify genre is action because in all action films the opening scene involves a death scene. This informs the audience there will be a lot more death of characters in upcoming scenes.

Then the scene cuts to the unidentified character running down the stairs quickly. The loud and tense non-diegetic music shows the character is in a rush.

To show the character is undressing himself camera angles such as close up shot and medium shot it used. This is conventional in action films because it shows the audience that he is the hero. We know this because he looks like the stereotypical protagonist in all action films muscular, tough looking and has no remorse for killing someone.

Furthermore, the non-diegetic music creates suspicious, which implies the character is on a mission.

Once the comrades discover the antagonist is dead a close up shot of the protagonist's face is shown. This informs the audience he killed the antagonist.  His facial expression is very serious showing he is focusing on trying to escape discreetly.

Dietetic sound used in the opening further conforms it’s an action film because we hear the comrades speaking a different language. In the genre most villains are foreign they are mostly from non-western countries like Russia or the Middle East. 

Mise en scene is used to shows the attack on the antagonist was totally un-expected. This is because before the comrades outside get the messages about their boss. The location of the set is very peaceful and sunny, which suggest the sudden attack, was unpredictable.