Dark Knight Rises Opening Analysis

I looked at the Dark Knight Rises and how it uses different conventions and effects to achieve a tense atmosphere and fit in with the Thriller genre. 

One of the elements of mise-en-scene used to create an atmosphere of danger is costume. At the beginning of the opening sequence you see men standing outside the plane dressed in army uniform, this helps show the audience that they are the more protagonist side because we associate the army with being there to protect us. However they also look dangerous as they are carrying weapons, these props help show how they’re also a threat and are also a common convention of thriller films.

The lighting in the plane is dark and eerie, this shows that the plane is a negative place and dangerous. It contrasts with the end of the opening sequence when they come out of the plane and it is light, this helps show how the danger is over.

The music throughout this sequence creates a very tense atmosphere. At the start when the credits are being introduced the music is quiet yet it creates the idea that it’s building up to something by gradually getting louder. The music then stops for the next scene, allowing the audience to focus and listen to what’s being said, showing the scene is important. The music then begins again, quiety to start off with, it builds up throughout the rest of the opening sequence. The music is extremely tense and almost menacing when the bag is removed from Bain’s head, this helps show the audience how he is the antagonist and dangerous. It also builds up again when they’re taking the Doctor out of the plane this shows how something big is about to happen and helps the audience feel the danger/tension in the scene. Once the plane is dropped to the ground the music goes almost silent, this helps show the danger is over.

Diegetic sound is used like gunshots and the windows smashing, this helps create a sense of danger for the audience and also show them that something dangerous is happening. This is a common convention of Thriller films.

At the start of the opening sequence there’s the scene of someone speaking about Harvey Dent, this then fades out into a different scene. This is done to show a transition of place but also to confuse the audience and give them a clue to what the plot is going to be about. Jump cuts are also used between the people in the van and the men standing in front of the plane, this is to show these two events are linked and helps build up the start of the film and get the audience to start asking questions. The editing during the action scene, when Bain reveals who he is and his men attack the plane, is extremely fast paced a lot like the music. This is to build the tension in the scene and helps build up the action by making it seem quick and exciting.

The character Bain is introduced as a powerful and threatening. The audience can already tell he’s the antagonist because he is seen wearing black which connotes darkness and evil. He is also seen to be important because he has a whole ‘team’ of people doing exactly what he says, they are also prepared to die for him. To start off with he has an unknown identity as he has a bag over his head, this makes him mysterious and makes the audience already start questioning who he is. Another sense of mystery about him is his mask, the audience are left wondering why he wears it, this is adds a threatening persona about him as it makes him sound and look sinister.

For camera angles Bain is usually filmed from a low angle shot, this is so he looks more important as he is higher up, it also helps show his authority as he is seen to be towering over everyone even when he is on his knees. Over the shoulder shots are used to show different characters points of view.

The opening credits to the film look quite sinister and eerie. All the logos of the film producers have been edited to look dark and menacing, and the soundtrack is quiet and echoey which creates tension and already makes the audience on the edge of their seats. This is used often in Thriller films.