Genre theory essay

Genre theory

The film i have chosen to analyse within its genre is Skyfall. Which is action/adventure genre type movie.

The generic conventions of this movie would be the inclusion, of cars, guns and hi-tech gadgets, also modern sports cars and lots of violence. Due to skyfall being in the series of movies in the James Bond films, people know what to expect as bond will fight against a villain and save the day. There is a repetition in the plots of all James bond, breaking it down, it follows the todorrov's narrative of the here trying to fix the equilibrium and has to do so by killing all the villains goons before he can reach to the actual main villain and kill him off to save the day. 

The genre's convention suit it's audience, as the people watching action/adventure films usually expect a level of violence, and to be included within the story to be rooting for the 'hero'. Also fast paced editing in urgent/emergency situation and chase scenes are what they expect. The audience mainly comes for the violence and escapism rather than the plot, because the plot in the James Bond films have become very simplified as there is no extra thing to add to it. It also works as a formula as Skyfall was the most successful in the box office and it proves that showing lots of violence to your target audniece makes them think it was a great film, the critics also gave it moderately high reviews, the conventions of the movie suit the genre and the expectations and needs of the audience that they are producing it for.

The studio producing action/adventure films can benefit from this, as they do not have to include anything that is not necessary. They just conform to the normal convention of explosions, guns , fighting and high speed chases. Then they fulfill the criteria of what would make it more enjoyable to their target audience. They aim their product at 15-25 mainly, as they would also understand the plot but be drawn into the violence and the fighting the very fast cuts allow the audience to be on the back of their seat all the time, it engages the audience, and the more people that like your film, they would recommend it to their friends etc. through social interaction the studio will receive more box office revenue. 

A second film i have chosen to analyse is Hardcore Henry, which is also a Action genre type of film.

The conventions of a action genre all come into this film, although quite over the top in this film, it almost acknowledges the fact that these conventions are used so often and the film can be seen as a 'parody' but it is not listed in the genre list. The conventions are repeated throughout the whole film, the film is shot in the first person so the audience has a first hand experience of the violence and the guns in the film, it follows all the normal convention of a action film, the guns, explosions, violence, cars, chases etc. There is a high degree of repetition in this film, more so than other other films in it's genre, other films usually take a break from the action, where as this films seems to focus on it, the first hand experience seems to be the unique selling point of the film, as there are not a lot of first person action movies that are around  and with a high budget production they have made the film to look very nice.

The film obviously differs from the point, that it is all in the first person, so you don't get to see the protagonist, but also the film seems to more of a relaxed, funny, type of film rather than try to make it serious and make it seem so dangerous to all of mankind to most films of that genre, they take it more lightly and have a few joke placed in the film, the film differs in the fact that is acknowledges that it's plot is very weak and that it doe snot focus on it, and rather than the cool action films and the first person shooting of various guns, and high speed chases etc.

The repeated elements of the guns, action, violence etc. appeal to the audience, this is because that is what the audience came for, if the audience wanted a more sophisticated plot, with actual meaning and purpose they wouldn't watch a move like hardcore henry, because it is not for that, it is for the convention of complete violence all the time in the audiences face, which they would enjoy, the repeated elements allow it to conform to the conventions of the genre so the audience do not become disorientated and enjoy the film as that is what they would expect from the genre. The different elements also appeal to the audience as they would enjoy  the genre from a new perspective and see what it would actually be like in the place of hardcore henry, you get to see what 'henry' sees effectively as it is from the perspective of the protagonist, so you 'feel' like henry. Also the humour side added would allow for social interaction as people would talk about the jokes and laugh about them and tell them to their friends which increases recognition for the film, and so more people will go to watch it.