Deadpool (2015) - Film Opening Analysis

Deadpool

I have chosen to analyse the opening sequence of the action film Deadpool.

Synopsis:

"This is the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who after being subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopts the alter ego Deadpool. Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, Deadpool hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life."

-Credit to '20th Century Fox', Retrieved 8th November 2016,  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1431045/plotsummary

Producers- Marvel Entertainment, TSG Entertainment:

Marvel Entertainment: 

"Marvel Studios, (originally known as Marvel Films from 1993 to 1996) is an American motion picture studio based at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California and is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, itself a wholly owned division of The Walt Disney Company, with film producer Kevin Feige serving as president Previously, the studio was a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment until The Walt Disney Company reorganized the companies in August 2015."

-Credit to "Marvel Entertainment", Retrieved 9th November 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Studios

TSG Entertainment:

"TSG Entertainment Finance LLC is a film financing entity which primarily funds live action films."

-Credit to 'TSG Entertainment', Retrieved 9th November 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSG_Entertainment

Distributors- Twentieth Century Fox:

"Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (20th Century Fox) is an American film studio, distributor and one of the six major American film studios. Located in the Century City area of Los Angeles, just west of Beverly Hills, the studio is currently owned by 21st Century Fox and was formerly owned by News Corporation."

Productions of Note:

• Avatar, 2009, Gross Profit: $2,787,965,087
• Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, 2009 Gross Profit: $886,686,817
• Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith^, 2005 Gross Profit: $848,754,768

-'20th Century Fox', Retrieved 8th November 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century_Fox

Productions of Note TSG Entertainment:

• Deadpool - Budget- $58 million, Box office - $782.6 million
• X-Men: Apocalypse - Budget -$178 million, Box office- $543.9 million
• Independence Day: Resurgence- Budget - $165 million, Box office - $389.7 million

Timeline:

00:00-0:05:

Begins with a black screen, fade from black transition to a zoom out from an extreme close-up shot of a bullet. The zoom out reveals a man who has been shot in the head, with the shot at a canted angle. The shot is filmed in a long take continuous shot, with no straight cuts, and the speed duration is in slow motion. White capitalized letters in a bold typeface, appear on the screen aligned to the left of the shot, using a fade transition. The typeface is 'Deadpool Movie', specifically designed for the film, it is white white connotes innocence and purity, juxtaposing the chaos of the scene. Low key lighting is used to emphasise shadows, and emphasise the dark nature of what is shown in the shot. 

0:05-0:15:

Zoom out extreme close up shot to close up through the drinking hole of a coffee cup lid. Tracking shot from the lid to the left, quickly passing extreme slow motion shots of a coffee cup, reading 'Rob L' in a handwritten typeface, a comical juxtaposition to the trope of violence. The tracking shot quickly pans past objects, contrasting to the extreme slow motion visuals. 'In association with Marvel Entertainment' appears aligned to the left using a dissolve transition, the text is white, using the 'Deadpool Movie' typeface. The text disappears using a slow dissolve transition. The continuous long shot continues, panning in a downward motion with a close up shot of a hand holding a gun that has just been fired, with a bright burst of light coming out from the top of the gun. In the foreground we can see a steering wheel and a cracked car mirror, establishing the scene is set in a car. 

0:15- 0:55:

Canted angle tracking mid-shot of a person in the seat of a car, as the camera continues to pan downwards the white text is hidden/obstructed partially behind the leg before it becomes completely concealed behind the objects in the shot, as the camera continues to move. 

Film Deconstruction:

Setting/Geographical Markers:

The whole scene is set within a car involved in a car crash, which is a convention of the action genre; this helps construct the narrative and the genre although the narrative is slightly confused with a looming enigma of 'How did this situation occur?', as the film's opening occurs later on during the film, therefore the film isn't in chronological order. 

Motifs And Reoccurring Imagery:

The opening scene is highly chaotic with numerous items floating in mid-air within the mis-en-scene of the scene, this imagery of items such as 'Hello Kitty' lip balms and a 'Green Lantern' collector edition trading card, juxtaposes the recurring imagery of weaponry and destructive objects, in order to create humour, inferring that Deadpool can be categorised in the sub-genre 'Action Comedy'. There are multiple shots with the inclusion of motifs such as, bullets and guns aimed at the heads of characters; these objects highlight the violence that will happen when the frozen moment in time is brought back to reality. The idea that the scene is frozen in time is significant as it creates an uncertain narrative enigma, as to what happened prior to this and what will happen when the scene begins again. A reoccurring trope within the shot is the overrepresentation of men, with all of the character's show in the violent opening scene being men. This is due to the appeal that action movies have towards a male audience, due to their violent nature and large amounts of 'gadgets and gizmos' such as large cars or weapons that are typically orientated to a male viewer as these items give off the perception of power; the trait of strength typically denotes a male. 

Sound:

The scene features a non-diegetic track of asynchronous sound, which juxtaposes the content of the shots, with an upbeat nostalgic feel for comedic purposes. The song used was 'Juice Newton- Angel of The Music'. This track connotes the 60's, and displays that the film has a theme of nostalgia running through it, due to the classic tone it has to it, clashing the images of violence. This track is also significant as it emphasizes that the film isn't to be taken too seriously, as matched with the shots it provides a rather comical take on the action genre. No other sting's are used throughout, to ensure the attention remains on the continuous long shot. 

Typeface:

The Comic Book like typeface, matched with the satirical nature of the credits infers that the directors have decided to poke fun at the Superhero Action genre, for example referring to the director as "Some douchebags film." The Typeface is bold and block shaped, mirroring the stereotypical comic book appearance. The boldness representing the exclamation titles found in the comic books. 

The usage of the colour white makes the text prominent and visible as it contrasts the low-key lighting, dimly lit shots.The usage of white stereotypically connotes purity and innocence, however, in this context it could represent safety, which ties with the concept of it being an action superhero film, establishing to the audience that the protagonist will save the day. This reaffirms to the audience that at some point within the exposition they will meet the protagonist. (Wade Wilson) 

Costume/Makeup:

The key costume in this opening is the reoccurring motif of Deadpool's superhero suit. The red of the suit connotes overwhelming strength and determination, which is a stereotypical feature of the protagonist in an action film. Red also increases heart rate and respiration rates, which relates to the increasing tension and heightened sense of danger featured in an action film.

 The antagonists in the scene are wearing dark black leather jackets with black jeans. Black has connotations of evil and death portraying that they are the enemy of the audience and the protagonist. It is also alluding their imminent death when the scene is plunged back into reality. However, the audience refrains from feeling sympathetic for the characters as the black  colouring infer that they are bad.

Lighting and Colour:

The colouration of the mis-en-scene is incredibly light and bright (High-Key lighting); although it is meant to appear as natural lighting, it is clear that the light is artificial due to the sheer brightness. The bright light creates a juxtaposing happy atmosphere to the violent and dark details evidenced in the shot. The director has therefore chosen to use high-key lighting to allow the details of the shot to be seen by the audience essential to portray the sub-genre of Action Comedy as the humour was reliant on the little details in the foreground of the shots; allowing the violence to be overlooked in order to play to the genre. However, there is evident usage of low-key lighting to emphasise shadows surrounding the antagonists, when they are featured in the shot; this alludes to the audience that these characters are the villains and foreshadows their imminent death and defeat when the time goes back to its regular speed. Dark colours such as black connoting danger. 

Effective Shots, Transitions and Camera Movements: 

The opening of Deadpool is filmed entirely as a long take shot, in slow motion, involving a variety of shots. However, it is predominantly made up of close-up shots as these successfully accentuate the small details (eg facial expressions and objects.) within the mis-en-scene to provide humour and portray the violence within the scene. Overall the cinematography strays from the basic camera rules, for example, the choice to not follow the rule of thirds, due to the excessive movement of the tracking shot around the car. The Cinematographer also decided to not use focusing lines or balance as they would have altered the view of the shot, making it more aesthetically pleasing; which is not what the opening scene's purpose is. It is supposed to be chaotic and therefore the lack of balance and coordination in the shot makes it seem more hectic and convey's that a lot of physical action is occurring; which is more appealing for the film's primary male dominated audience who are stereotypically, viewed as less organized and messy. I believe that the transitions for the typeface are particularly effective as they are simplistic and don't distract from the continuous long shot. (Dissolve)

What Have I learnt?:

The opening of Deadpool is highly contrasting to the other film opening's I have analysed, through its prominent and unusual usage of a continuous tracking long shot in extreme slow motion speed. Upon analysis I found this shot type to be extremely effective in successfully displaying particular elements of an action film, such as the physical violence (as shown within close ups of the antagonists being shot and punched or placed in extreme danger), imminent danger as to what will happen when the scene returns to normal speed. I feel as if it would be extremely interesting to use a continuous long shot in the opening of our own action film, as it would create a visually unique aspect setting our opening apart from others of the action genre; whilst still fulfilling all of the expected requirements of an action opening. If we used a camera rig, or camera dolly we could easily utilise/mimic this technique.