2. In the first two minutes we have
identified that the film begins with:
• Non linear
• New equilibrium
• Disequilibrium
• Restricted narration
• The hermeneutic code- ‘what is the
significance of the water?’
3. Non linear
• Non linear- used to make the audience feel excluded from the
storyline, and makes the film feel fast paced, as they feel they have
missed something.
• This creates a state of confusion for the audience, this is a typical
convention of a psychological thriller.
• It is non linear as it begins with calm water but then jumps into ‘last
night’. This makes the audience feel disorientated, as they do not
know what has happened in general; let alone last night.
4. New equilibrium and disequilibrium.
• We decided that it starts with the new equilibrium (water)
then goes into the disequilibrium from ‘last night’.
• Music- sad contradicts the calm water. Juxtaposed the water
and can also be said to be paired with it – the water could
represent something melancholy.
• However this is deliberately left pretty ambiguous so as to
confuse the audience and keep them on their toes, leaving
them wondering.
The Usual Suspects opening
soundtrack
5. Restricted Narration
• This creates suspense and tension amongst the audience as It makes the audience
feel involved.
• The view point of the man is significant because there is nothing to connote a
typical convention at this point of the film, which generates questions in the
audience as to what film genre this could be.
• The gasoline on the floor, could be misinterpreted by the audience as water – as
hinted at in the titling sequence. But through his point of view, we see that he is
sinister and it is gasoline that he has ignited with fire.
• Because it is from his point of view we see the dead man which shocks the
audience and creates tension and unease in the audience as they begin to
question what has happened, we can tell that the two men are linked and it
creates questions as to how this situation has developed.
6. The hermeneutic code
• Because it is from his point of view we see the dead man
which shocks the audience and creates tension and unease in
the audience as they begin to question what has happened,
we can tell that the two men are linked and it creates
questions as to how this situation has developed.
• The titling being filmed over calm waters isn’t typical of a
thriller, and is not obvious as to what genre the film is.
• This then questions why the water is there and what
significance it holds in the film.
7. • The hermeneutic code also raises questions
such as why is the other man we are
introduced to urinating on the
dead/unconscious man and lighting him on
fire; this is not what normal people do and we
as an audience start to wonder what occurred
for the man to act so drastically and if he is
mentally stable, as this is a psychological
thriller.
