Analysis of Point Break

http://v.youku.com/v_show/idXMzgwOTcwOTY=.html

For our second analysis for our pitch last Monday, we chose to look at Point Break. The reason we picked Point Break is that the title sequence relates extremely well to the overall narrative of the film.

The title sequence of Point Break is very similar to Oceans 11 in the way that it uses the micro-elements to refernce teh narrative. The sequence starts off with a coastal scene showing a mid shot to close up of the waves crashing on the beach. The camera stays stays still during this scene which allws the audience to read the titles without getting distracted. The title of the film appears embossed over the scene just showing the outline of the text like it has been stamped over the sequence. The mise-en-scene shows one of the main settings that is referenced to in the main narrative as well as setting an atmosphere of a nice, calm evening on a beach with a golden sun colour filling the scene. Everything would make the audience feel relaxed and calm except for an uneasy drone thoughout the whole title sequyence.

The next scene we see a close up of a surfer heading out to see. This is important because it is a key part of the narrative. All of teis scene we see vrious shots of the surfer, surfing on huge swells. All of these shots are slowed down which combined with the drone make an extremly uneasy atmosphere for the audience to watch. The colour of this scene makes the water seem very cold as it is a deep blue , almost grey colour. But throughout the scene we don't get to see the surfers face. This references to teh fact that the surfers are going to have criminal roles in the film.

The scene then cuts to a mid shot of Special Agent John Utah (Keanu Reeves) who is sitting on a car in the poring rain waiting for something. We then hear a whistle as a FBI agent calls Utah to come over. At this point the audience are unsure what he has to do but they understand that he probably won't be a villain because they see his face which allows them to identify with him. The editing then speeds up as Utah begins his training and cuts between various angles of Utah and many clips of the surfer. The mise-en-scene is very similar on both stories because we see a blue tint to them connoting cold tempretures. The training that Utah is doing and the surfers references key elements of the narrative with regards to the FBI, surfers and a gun fight. The camerawork shows mainly mid shots which show the action as well as the facial expressions of Utah.

This allows the audience to get a reflected atmosphere of what the film is going to be like as well as showing various aspects that are key to the narrative.