Tuesday, September 4, 2012

No Scene-Stealing Mise En Scene

I could not resist sharing my experience with a movie I watched this weekend. “The Raid-Redemption” is an ultra-violent movie made by the people who produced “Kung Fu Hustle.” We watched a few minutes of “Kung Fu Hustle” in class two weeks ago. That movie is funny, creative, and fantastical. On the other hand, “The Raid-Redemption” is nothing like that movie. Both movies are action movies, which take the emphasis off of mise en scene, but “Kung Fu Hustle” has color to its sets and its people. “The Raid” has no emphasis on its sets—and I think that is the point--and every character looks the same. There are a lot of shadows, blackness, and voids on the screen. The only elements that stands out are the action and the music. Like so many ultra-violent action movies, it plays and sounds like a video game. The only thing I can say about the sets and the dress of the people is that they do add to the shabby, dirty feel of the movie. But as a viewer, I only feel the surroundings, and see the action. The director, Gareth Evans, uses close-up shots of people's faces to add ultimate tension. I would recommend this movie if you are into violent martial arts movies. I liked it but spent a lot of time squinting through the rougher scenes. Enjoy the somewhat violent trailer.




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