Action-Comedy Hybrids - 'Back in Action'

I will be identifying the genre conventions in this action-comedy opening scene, called 'Back In Action'.

The opening scene of 'Back in Action' uses several genre conventions which allows the audience to understand that it belongs to the broad action genre, but also has elements of comedy, making it a hybrid. From the beginning, enigma is created as the audience see two protagonists preparing for an undercover mission, but they are not told who they are targeting initially, which creates suspense and excitement for the audience. 

The cinematography seen in the opening scene is also conventional for the genre. Close up shots of the protagonists' faces and small gadgets (props), allow the audience to see the important detail which emphasises the importance/significance of the mission. Additionally, the use of a swooping aerial tracking shot is seen as the characters drive into a remote location; this type of cinematography is something frequently seen in action films. The editing is fairly fast-paced, which help build up the urgency of the scene and maintain audience engagement, and the use of crosscutting between the agents and the secret service headquarters creates suspense as the audience await something significant to occur. Finally, the upbeat non-diegetic pop music which is heard as the opening scene begins is typical of the action-comedy genre as it engages the audience immediately but is slightly more lighthearted than is often the case in straight action films. Using less obviously scored action music is definitely one of the ways that I will signify to my audience that 'When Duty Calls' is an action-comedy.

The iconography in this scene is also conventional, for example the male protagonist hides both of his guns in the car before they embark on their mission. This is also a good example of the comedy used in the film as the exaggeration of him having multiple guns highlights he is ready for any threat, however when combined with her playful comment as she says “and the other one”, turns a serious moment of them getting ready to undergo a secret mission (emphasised by the tense non-diegetic music) into a more light-hearted scene. Other iconography seen which reinforces the genre are the props, the small devices they put in their ears to connect with headquarters, the setting of the headquarters (which is lit using low-key lighting) and is full of staff looking like they are hacking, and their smart clothing paired with their confident figure behaviour, which highlights that they are skilled agents with prior experience.