Action
Action films are a genre of film where the protagonist, or action hero, is pushed into a series of events that usually involve violence, fighting, or chases which is where the “action” label comes from.
Content conventions: The conventions of the action genre are an intense setting, dueling hierarchies, a hero, a villain, a victim, a speech that praises the villain, a deadline, fast sequences, and an exciting plot. An intense setting is one that brings forth conflict. Dueling hierarchies is about how two people are at odds in an action film like the protagonist and antagonist. The hero is usually going on a journey or facing a challenge that involves defeating the villain, gaining the hero’s object of desire, and saving the victim. The villain is shown as much more powerful than the hero and uses that power to try and defeat the hero or hurt the victim. The victim is not as powerful as the hero or villain and typically needs saving from the villain. An action film will also make a point of showing how powerful and challenging to defeat the villain is by having another character point it out. There also must be a revelation of why the hero will not give up on defeating the villain. There is a deadline that limits how long the hero has to save the victim. Fast-paced sequences are used to learn more about the protagonist and also show the protagonist's progress. Action films also must have an exciting plot that puts characters into life-threatening situations where they have to take risks.
Production techniques: There are multiple editing techniques and camerawork that make action films what they are. An important one is action and reaction where there must be a perfect balance of showing how each action produces a reaction, especially in fighting scenes or chasing scenes. Action sequences can be emphasized with dramatic up-close shots. Point-of-view or POV shots, which are sometimes shaky, also help suck the audience into the scene and the quickness of sequences. Cut scenes help make the action feel even more fast-paced by cutting movements at the perfect time to create more energy. There also must be scenes that introduce the setting and geography, establishing shots, to maintain the plot and show the objectives behind actions. Impactful sounds are key to action films to create more realistic effects and pull the audience into the moment of action.
Marketing: Action movies are now marketed towards almost all people from teenagers to the elderly and both men and women alike. Although they were traditionally intended for males from the ages of 13 to their mid-thirties, they are generally enjoyed by a wide variety of audiences. For example, 90% of men enjoy action movies but so do 85% of women. Action movies are marketed through fast-paced trailers and using known celebrities to act in the movies.
Die Hard is a popular action film from 1988 that was directed by John McTiernan. It follows action film conventions perfectly. The movie is fast-paced with camerawork that aids in creating excitement but also allows the audience time to see the plot develop. The hero is John McClane and the villain is Hans Gruber, the leader of the terrorist group that takes over a Los Angeles skyscraper that his wife, the victim, is stuck in. John McClane goes through a series of challenges in the skyscraper to defeat the villain and he does this with a time limit on the hostages' lives.
Skyfall is another movie that falls into the action category. James Bond is the hero of the film and the villain is Raoul Silva, an ex-MI6 operative that becomes a cyberterrorist. Like many other movies in the James Bond franchise, the plot is exciting and moves quickly. There are a couple of victims that he saves along the way like M whose hard drive has been stolen- the main plot point- and Severine, who had been an unwilling accomplice to one of the villain’s workers. In order to retrieve M’s hard drive before the information from it has been used to kill her, Bond overcomes a series of challenges to reach his goal.
