Analysis of Mise en scene & Cinematography: Swordfish, opening sequence Essay Example

control of the situation and is not perturbed by the darkness surrounding him. Additionally, the black and green colours present in the scene, commonly used in spy films, suggest that this movie will incorporate similar elements such as technology.

After a brief moment, Gabriel appears in sharp focus, speaking directly to the camera before moving subtly in and out of focus. Initially, his address to the audience creates a level of intimacy, encouraging empathy. However, as the camera tilts and Gabriel's position shifts, diegetic laughter reveals that he is not alone, shattering the illusion. A side-on shot confirms that Gabriel is speaking to someone outside the frame, and as the shot progresses, the black and green hues reminiscent of spy films clarify to reveal a chrome table and chair with a coffee cup. Despite providing some context, the setting remains ambiguous, adding to the overall sense of mystery. Through his calm demeanor, Gabriel toys with his companions while remaining poised in this dangerous situation.

As the camera moves tightly around Gabriel, who is positioned on the left of the frame, the focus of the background becomes visible. It is a coffee shop bar with numerous chrome jugs. The frequent flickering of focus suggests that the audience is watching Gabriel through someone's eyes, creating an intimate experience. The scene cuts to an extreme close up of Gabriel clipping and lighting his cigar - a prop with connotations of power, machismo, and coolness within films. This heightens the drama and elevates Gabriel's status in an increasingly disorientating and dangerous scene for the audience.As we transition to a similar side angle, Gabriel becomes more animated in the frame,

exhibiting more of his arm movements. This behavior suggests that he is pitching an idea, revealing his business-savvy nature and past experience. The audience also becomes disoriented by the power shift as Gabriel pitches to an unseen individual, implying that he may not have complete control over the situation. Additionally, we notice Gabriel's clothing - a dark suit paired with a dark green shirt - which looks sleek and expensive. The color green complements the background and connotes technology, as well as elements of the spy and crime genres.

As the next scene unfolds, we see two silhouettes seated across from Gabriel, their shoulders visible as the camera switches to an over the shoulder shot. The background is dark, possibly reflective of the enigmatic plot that has captivated the audience's attention. Gabriel is positioned above the other characters, indicating his control of the situation. The frame serves as an intertextual reference to 'the godfather', mentioned earlier in the dialogue. The camera moves slowly, shifting between over the shoulder and close-up shots that focus on Gabriel's increasingly animated demeanor and extreme close-ups of his mouth. Eventually, the camera zooms out, bringing the entire frame into focus.

The camera angle remains over the shoulder, but the people are now visible with skin color and clothing instead of being silhouettes. The frame becomes lighter and clearer, revealing the background of a coffee bar behind Gabriel to firmly establish the location for the audience. The camera alternates between close-ups of Gabriel's face and panning to other angles over his shoulder. One close-up highlights Gabriel's delicate and feminine gesture of putting down his cigar and sipping from a small cup of

coffee, emphasizing his superior and larger status in contrast to his tall and powerful figure. This gesture also suggests that Gabriel is intelligent and cultured as coffee houses typically attract more affluent, artistic individuals than greasy spoon cafes. Finally, the shot zooms out to reveal a scene with dozens of armed S while the lights fully illuminate the area.

At the entrance of the coffee shop, the W.A.T team stands with sepia lighting creating a sense of an altered reality or a moment outside the present. The focus then shifts to 'Stan', and the camera remains with him for the rest of the scene, indicating his importance and that the audience will empathize with him. However, Gabriel remains significant in the film as he uses a gadget to clear the way through the armed police.

The chrome gadget featured in the film has a complicated and sophisticated appearance, reminiscent of spy movies. Despite its futuristic appearance, the coffee shop, costumes, and language used in the film establish its historical context as being current to the 21st century. This knowledge helps the audience understand Gabriel's status in the world, as his power grants him access to new technology and gadgets. The subsequent sequence shows Gabriel and Stan walking out of the coffee shop and crossing the street, captured by pan and aerial cameras.

The city exudes warmth and a reminder of flashy, affluent places like California and Miami, suitable settings for the film. An aerial shot displays a helicopter hovering above, highlighting the high production value of the movie and Gabriel's importance, as evidenced by the deployment of special forces police and multiple helicopters. Despite being

surrounded by armed police, Gabriel walks calmly across the street. Stan, our point of view character, appears jittery as he observes the snipers around them, confirming Gabriel's 'anti-hero' status. The scene then shifts to a bank where twenty hostages are bound with explosives on their torsos, further emphasizing the danger. A young, pretty female hostage is escorted out into the street as Stan empathizes with her 'innocence.' The cameras then turn towards her outside of the bank, adding a sense of reality to the situation.

The police crew tries to resolve the situation with Gabriel, who remains calm while speaking to a police officer on the phone. This shot reverse shot conversation shows Gabriel's higher status and indicates that the cop will be important in the film. Despite the cop's warning, a superior officer decides to rescue the hostage, just as we discover from the important cop that moving her will trigger an explosion. The important cop runs after his superior to stop him, and a high-energy action sequence follows as snipers attempt to rescue her while Gabriel calmly moves everyone away from the doors. This builds an imminent sense of urgency for the audience as dangerous elements converge towards an explosive end.

We witness 'the rescue' stage where a SWAT officer drags the young girl away while she screams to be released. The scene ends with close-up shots of Stan, Gabriel, and Good Cop shouting out to let 'her go' and then followed by the girl blowing up in slow motion on the street.

The visual depiction of cars exploding and bodies floating in the air is extended, but it contradicts with the fast-paced soundtrack. This

paradoxical effect creates a surreal ambiance, implying that the scene is not happening in the immediate narrative present. After witnessing the final car crash, Stan emerges in a mid-shot lying on the ground encircled by Glass. Gradually standing up, he discovers a bloody ball bearing close to him. The camera captures his point of view as he examines his reflection in the ball bearing. Following this, the clip transitions into the subsequent episode, denoted by "4 days earlier," and the storyline proceeds from there.