'Spy Game' Review

This is a brief review of the espionage thriller 'Spy Game'.

'Spy Game' follows Robert Redford as a convert spy, trying to work in secrecy of his agency to save his protege and partner who has been taken captive. While his employers do not agree with his intentions, the main antagonists being partners in the job itself, Redford manages to secure the help of army officers through mysterious methods.

I personally think 'Spy Game' is not an example of a good thriller, and I was certainly not satisfied by the finish.

One of my mann gripes with the film is its special effects editing. 'Spy Games' features extremely stylized sequences throughout the film. For instance, it typically, to transition from one scenario to another, pauses the current action suddenly, removes colour from the shot, and overlays it with very spy-like typography revealing details like time and place. While these features are successful in portraying the sub-genre extensively well, making quite clear the espionage aspects, they completely detach any sense of realism: one of the biggest features of a thriller is the sense of the mundane and of real life -- that these scenario could occur to normal people and it is unsettling. This editing is very dramatic and over-the-top, enforcing the belief that this film has no place in our every day life.

Another lacking thriller staple is theatre of the mind. While a somewhat linear narrative hides specific details from us to allow surprises in the climax, none of these are particularly thought worthy or interesting; details like Redford's character purchasing a hope as a rouse. The only scenario which may be considered theatre of the mind is the torture of Brad Pitt's character. However, this is barely even alluded to, especially lacking in specific scenarios, and thus has no real effect. Moreover, the film lacks any real edge-of-your seat excitement and tension that would you expect from a thriller. During the film's climax as Redford's attempts to free Brad Pitt are revealed, the story is presented in several drawn out scenes involving Redford's agency as well as him working in his office. These scenes only drag the film outwards, remaining considerably boring, and rather than utilizing action and high amounts of suspense and tension to end a film, instead it's just easy to mistake this area of the film as a simply somewhere in the middle -- it seems quite insignificant.

While it may be accepted as an enjoyable espionage -- even action -- film, I believe 'Spy Game' lacks the elements that form the thriller genre, and make it as good as it is, and consequently I am not a big fan of it.

Thrillers as a genre

The thriller genre is characterised by having fast pacing, frequent action and resourceful heroes who regularly are opposed by obstacles and villains better equipped than they are. There are a myriad of sub-genres however, ranging from crime or psychological, with further expand on the basis established in the genre. It typically relies on literary techniques such as red herrings, cliff hangers and suspense. It also can enforce the anti-hero character type. Ultimately they are defined by causing the primary emotion of excitement, typically fearful, usually in a very climatic style.

Homer's Odyssey, an epic poem, is one of the earliest examples of a tale showcasing thriller elements. It tells the story of all the obstacles one man faced on his means to travel home. Similarly, The Three Apples is the first example of a "murder mystery", showcasing elements of suspense and crime. Its use rapidly expanded in the world of literature, with hugely famous examples of The Count of Monte Cristo and Dracula, with clear development of full-fledged sub-genres -- such as a supernatural thriller. However, The Bourne Identity is the earliest conventional thriller that we acknowledge today, and can be cited as one of the primary influences as the thriller genre in the film industry, becoming its own film series itself as well as laying standards for future films to copy. The most popular thrillers are psychological, known by huge films such as Fight Club (also previously a novel) and Se7en, legal/forensic/criminal, also in the example of Se7en, and also action thrillers, much like The Bourne Identity. Because of the thriller's primary association being excitement, it has become a much-used marketing term to create interest in a product, suggesting edge-of-your-seat excitement. As well as that, some of the most influential thriller films have been political thrillers, such as Day of the Jackyl.

Leon Trailer

This is the trailer for the film Leon, otherwise known as The Professional, a thriller with action elements.

One thing the trailer lacks is any real enigma, or considerable one anyway. Everything is made fairly clear: the main character is a hitman, and faces off (in the trailer) against several policemen. It can be argued that there are some minor enigma codes however, such as the girl which can cause us to wonder why she is there, or confusing shots where the protagonist should appear but doesn't, causing us to wonder where he is.

However, it does use Theatre of the Mind quite excessively and very well. For instance, in the first scene of the protagonist it shows him suddenly appearing from behind a villain in the shadow. Our minds are left shocked as to how he got there. This is similar to when he has suddenly disappeared from his room (actually hiding above the door), we are left trying to work out how he has disappeared.

It also captures a sense of realism with the introduction of the female child. It shows her in quite cheap looking clothes, in a small-looking home. By emphasizing the grim conditions she may be forced into, it is escaping the hollywood-ised standard that everyone is happy and well.

AS Media Thriller Opening Sequence: Fatal Denial

This is another AS Media Thriller opening sequence by a group of students. This is one of the best I have seen yet.

First of all, the film establishes an excellent sense of realism. This is created by showing the mundane routine of a typical worker's life and their route home. It is also a fairly typical room and house, very expected.

As well as this it creates a good enigma, and use of enigma codes. We see murder of a female by a man wearing gloves, only for the protagonist to too be wearing gloves. This creates a question "Did he do it?" Furthermore the gloves themselves, costume, are the enigma codes, causing us to question this idea. This murder scene is possible due to the user of omnipotent narration.

Another good technique used is theatre of the mind. When the murder scene occurs, it uses the point of view camera shot to place us in the hands of the murderer. This too restricts us from viewing who the murderer is however, or any hint as to how he got there; this allows the audience to attempt to solve these queries themselves.

One flaw in its design however is the font; it is extremely basic and does not feature any really connotations. They could probably have got more points for further work on the font.

AS Media Thriller Opening Sequence: Concept Destrukt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPXaysjZbkA -- this has been linked because embedding has been disabled.

This piece by another AS Media student is split largely in two: one montage like scene, and then one scene of continuity editing. My analysis is split between these two divides.

The first half is extremely effective as a thriller title sequence. While it is entirely edited, not actually using any footage (which could connote a lack of realism, which thrillers focus on), the editing is of excellent quality. It features continuous shots of police records, news paper cutouts, wanted signs and similar criminal-related documents. These props connote the sub-genre of the film -- crime -- and are very varied and diverse. Furthermore this taps on the element of Theatre of the Mind; cases, such as the newspaper that reads 'RAPE' allude to several criminal events but give very few details, allowing the reader to attempt to work them out for themselves. Moreover it creates an enigma, as thrillers are dependent on -- who done it? The font choice is also good: it is very gritty and blotty, and is not how text usually should be, connoting disruption of the norms.

However, once the footage begins the level of quality significantly drops. While it does have the positive of a very strong sense of realism, doing this by showcasing the life of a very average man. However, past this it ultimately abandons all conventions of a thriller, with no suspense/tension, enigma, theatre of the mind or any other techniques. Consequently the end product is a very mixed bag.

Memento Title Sequence

Memento is very much the complete opposite of a conventional thriller title sequence. It does not feature any expected features, such as theatre of the mind. What is shown is a consistent blue background -- computer generated imagery. This opposes the typical display of realism in thrillers, quite clearly illustrating that the background is not real. Similarly, the music is contrasting to what we should expect from a thriller. It boasts quite high-pitched, soft piano music, creating no suspense whatsoever -- conflicting a thriller's usual bass-noted, string-based tense style. Finally, the text features no distinct or unnerving features, it is simple, plain and consistent, in a sensible font.

By this description, the sequence is most certainly completely unaffective as a thriller title sequence. In my opinion I would consider it a poor title sequence regardless, it is bland and reveals nothing, nor creating any interest in what's the come at all.

Panic Room Title Sequence

Panic Room is a successful title sequence in that it explores the thriller convention of realism and the disruption of the norm. Quite excessively. To do this it utilises editing in the special effects department, CGI. All of the titles featured in the film are presented in a style that mimmics the surface and architecture of the buildings around them, appearing similarly modern and reflective. Furthermore, they are positioned in a way that lines accordingly with the perspective of the buildings, done so suggesting the words are buildings -- they are apart of the city. The shots that usually encompass these fonts are extremely high-angle establishing shots, capturing many buildings as well as the text. These factors together give the connotation that the words -- which are obviously not meant to be there -- have infiltrated society. What is there, ultimately shouldn't be -- and is a frequent convention of thrillers.

Another convention that the introduction features is rather tense music. It is slow pased, progressively climatic and primarily bass-noted. This type of music is a frequent collaborator in the thriller genre, typically creating suspense.

However, it otherwise not an effective trailer for a thriller. There are otherwise no implications of the sub-genre of the film, or what the film will be about in the slightest. There are also no other thriller conventions apparent, even though ones such as Theatre of the Mind would be considered necessary. While it excels in one field, it lacks in all of the others.