Analysing Action Genre Opening Sequences - 'Commando'

 

The fifth opening scene I will be identifying the genre conventions in is from the film 'Commando'.

The opening scene of 'Commando' uses several genre conventions which instantly establish to the audience that the film belongs to the action genre. The film begins with an establishing shot of the setting which could suggest to the audience that they are in a peaceful, yet isolated, location which is in many ways atypical of an action film, which frequently take place in urban areas with an increased risk of danger to civilians. The isolated setting does, however, increase the expectation that there is some potential threat, a common theme of the genre. As the scene continues we see close ups of a character's practical boots which suggests he could be part of the military (or that he used to be). Close ups of the protagonist's muscles highlight his physical strength to the audience which reinforces the idea that he may have been a soldier. 

Low angle shots reveal he is carrying a large piece of wood and the angle suggests that he is a dominant and powerful character as he looks big and bulky. As we see him doing domestic work such as chopping wood we assume he is a strong and resilient character as he makes it look easy for the audience. He spots his daughter in the reflection of the axe which highlights he is aware and cautious of his surroundings at all times. These are the typical character traits of the ‘hero’ in an action film. 

The music up to this point is dull and contrapuntal which creates suspense and unease for the audience. As a shadow appears behind the protagonist, the audience are left on the edge of their seats as they await to see who it is. We find out it is his daughter and as he hugs her and lifts her in the air, the non-diegetic music becomes much more synchronous, uplifting and joyful. 

A montage of the protagonist and his daughter spending quality time together creates a cheerful tone - the first act equilibrium, which will shortly be broken with the daughter's abduction. Additionally, the fact that he teachers her some sort of self-defence reinforces the idea that the protagonist maybe used to working as a soldier and wants his daughter to be able to protect herself in dangerous situations (foreshadowing the events which will shortly unfold).

Whilst the iconography in the opening scene is not entirely typical of the genre, some of the elements do emphasise the genre of the film as the protagonist's costume highlights he has a practical and active lifestyle which requires a lot of physical work as his muscles are bulging out of his clothes. Additionally, the big axe which he uses and isn't remotely worried about suggests he is used to using weapons. Finally, the lighting is very naturalistic and comes from the bright sun, this gives the scene a serene and joyful mood which could also feel slightly deceptive for the audience as they may think something negative could happen soon.