analysis of the film Lucky number Slevin.

2. The Plot.
The film begins with the murder of a middle aged man. His head gets smashed
into a car window by an unknown person. We noticed that this unknown man
takes the briefcase of the dead man in the next shot.

3. The opening sequence follows with credits on bits of paper which might be related to
the gambling flashback later on in the film. We can also hear racetrack/betting sounds
as this plays. Halfway through the title sequence, it cuts to an office. In this part, a
man murders two (possible) henchmen and the supposed boss. We then see the rest
of the title sequence.
The Plot.

4. The Plot.
In the flashback, we see a man named Max betting on a horse which has been
given some kind of injection which is meant to make him win. Max bets $20,000
on this horse after being told it was a sure thing. The horse dies before the end
of the race and Max realises he is suddenly in a lot of debt.
We see two men talking in what looks like a bus station or hospital perhaps. The
older of the two tells a story which leads to us being shown a flashback.

5. The Plot.
We see him run out to the car park to find his car and his son gone. We then see
Max get knocked out by some men who are after the money he bet. Finally, we
see him and his wife get killed along with his son.

6. There are many lines of actions
throughout the beginning of the film. One
showing a dead guy, and some more dead
guys, one showing two people having a
conversation in an almost empty building,
and one about Max.
Multiple Lines of
Action

7. A lot of things are hidden from us, for
example, why the objects are needed,
what they are needed for, and why
people had to die. The items however,
we do know, and they are a log book,
a laptop type thing, and a body.
Narrative Retardation

8. Flashbacks are used to give the audience extra information and also to
reveal plot points and twists as the story continues. There are also
flashbacks within other flashbacks, and although seemingly irrelevant at
this point in the story, they become very relevant later on.
Flashbacks

9. During the first few
minutes we see examples
of what we can only guess
are innocent victims. This
is shown by four men
being murdered and the
audience not knowing who
has killed them or why. We
know these murderers
must be criminals and can
only guess at possible
back stories.
We meet a family of three during the flashback. A young man named Max, his
wife and his son Henry. Max gambles on a race and ends up in a lot of debt.
This results in his son being kidnapped (and it is heavily hinted that his son is
dead although we never actually see the body) and the death of Max and his
wife.
We are introduced to a few
characters during the
opening. One character we
meet is telling a story of a
flashback. After the
flashback, he murders the
man he is talking to and we
can tell he has a motive
rather than being just a
psychotic individual by the
way he speaks of needing a
body.
characters

10. Technical aspects.
The use of a close up
here means we can
properly see how the
two character react to
each other.
We can see the emotion on
max’s face because of the use
of an extreme close up.
The use of
chiaroscuro here in
the title credits to give
it an eerie feeling.
Some technical aspects that this filmed used was over exposed colour at the
airport, dramatic angles, flashback in a flashback, a dramatic low angle just going
into the first scene and exaggerated sound.
It also makes the audience work. It makes them ask who are these people? why
have they killed them? what are they talking about?