An analysis of the neo noir film Looper

1. A2 Media Studies Trailer Analysis of: Looper, Rian Johnson, 2012
The trailer for Looper sets up the two main
male characters, introducing them as the
same person and setting up the context, by
which is explained that time travel has been
developed – “You’ve done this all already, as
me”. The trailer also introduces how the
film is set in a dystopian future, where time
travel is used to dispose of victims, using
people called Loopers, of which the main
character is one. The use of the complex
narrative and artistic flashbacks is
interesting and unique, showing me the
importance of creating an original piece.
After introducing the two main characters, or
just the one main character from different
timelines, it is shown that they don’t agree on
something, a fight breaks out and the younger
man vows to kill his older self, this establishes
the premise of the film. The damsel is
introduced, known to be the damsel by worried
looks and dishevelled appearance – “You’re a
Looper.”. This brings an element of protection
for the protagonist, giving him more of a
purpose to track his older self down; this is
because his older self is going to kill her son.
The main character is presented with a
dilemma when his victim, of whom he was
supposed to kill, escapes into the past,
specifically to kill a young boy – the damsel’s
young boy. Even more problems arise when
that victim is himself from the future and the
organisation he works for seeks to kill him for
letting his victim go. The amalgamation of
problems within this narrative aids to the
chaos that ensues, it helps the audience feel
tense but also like the protagonist as he deals
with these issues, in a respectable way.
When the protagonist tries to correct his
mistakes the organisation tries to kill him, he
attacks and traps these killers and vows to
make his wrongs, right. The use of this
disjointed moral compass furthers the themes
of corruption and crime. The older character
also aims to kill a group of young boys to save
the future, however, due to his younger self, is
stopped before killing the correct young boy.
The younger version of him is stuck when it
seems there is no way to stop his future self,
as he is more experienced in combat. The use
of two of the same character helps add a
morally questionable theme, where the
audience must decide on what they believe.
Opening: Establishes setting
and introduces character.
Build up: relationships established;
development of characters and their
world.
Problem: a dilemma or series of
complications: characters faced
with an obstacle (or several) to
overcome. There may be more
than one ‘problem’ in the narrative.
Events: a series of events as
characters try to overcome
obstacles and solve problems.
Further complications may arise in
the process