2. Chase scene
• The chase scene in point break is recognised as one of the best chase scenes in movie
history.
• The two characters are chased through a variety of different environments such as the
street, houses, petrol stations and a dam.
• There are many different shots used in the scene such as a shot reverse shot, a close up,
a medium shot and a tracking shot.
• The scene starts with the two characters fighting, this suggests to the audience that there
is a about to be a chase or an even bigger fight, this allows the audience to prepare for the
incoming scene.
3. Shots
• There is a shot reverse shot where the camera is zoomed in on the characters
eyes. This shot creates tension and gives the audience a huge indication of
what the characters are feeling. The tension created allows the chases scene to
come to an end.
• During the tracking shot the camera is shaky, this makes the audience feel like
they are in the movie. The shakiness makes the movie feel more natural and
emphasises the frantic nature of the scene.
4. Props
• When the woman holding a pile of washing is knocked over, the laundry is
thrown into the camera, this forces the audience to take notice of it. It also
emphasises the hectic nature of the chase scene.
• There is another example of this when one of the characters throws a dog at the
camera. Again this forces the audience to take notice of it. This is an effective
use of props and also like the other example highlights the hectic nature of the
scene.
5. Editing
• There are a lot of cuts in the chase scene, this fast paced editing is used to
keep audience attention and it makes them keep watching as they do not want
to miss anything that happens. The vast amount of cuts creates excitement and
is commonly used in actin movies and thrillers. There are also many examples
of characters walking/running in front of the camera to cut between a shot.
Another example is a truck driving in front of the camera to change the shot.
6. Sound
• In the background there is fast paced instrumental music playing, the music
creates excitement and tension as well as adding the frantic nature of the
scene.
• The music reaches a climax and drops when the character being chased starts
to get away. The silence that follows works alongside the extreme close up shot
of the characters eyes to create a huge amount of tension.
• There is a police siren in the background, this signifies that there will be police
involved or there had been illegal actions committed. This adds to the tension of
the scene adds it adds pressure
7. Appeal to audience
• The high intensity chase sets the tone for the remainder of the film. It gives a
clear indication of the relationship between the characters as it shows the
chasers unwillingness to shoot the other character.
• There is also a close up of the gun at a point where you don’t know whether it is
going to be fired or not, this is typical of an action/thriller movie and appeals to
the audience as it is recognisable in the genre.
8. What I have learned
• I hope to include some elements of this chase scene in my own product. For
example I would like to include some kind of tracking shot which is similar to the
one in this movie.
• I would also like to include similar music, the music in this scene creates a
massive amount of tension and I would like my movie to be of a similar intensity.
The importance of music was made very clear to me while reviewing this scene.
• I am also going to include a lot of different cuts, it increases the intensity of the
scene and increases the speed as well. This is something that I want to achieve
in my own product.
