Dark Knight Rises-Opening Sequence Analysis

The genre of the film can be established immediately due to the music, which, although it is subdued, suggests a dramatic opening scene, which is typical of a thriller. This is also made clear by the props, such as guns, and the dialogue, which includes threats. The audience's interest is attracted straight away as it is fast paced, the setting is spectacular - they are in a plane flying across mountainous terrain - and there is action from the start rather than building up to it. We can tell from this scene that the target audience is for teenagers at least, because violence is indicated by characters holding weapons and threatening one another.

In this scene, a group of mysterious characters, whose faces are concealed by hoods and hands are bound, are lead by an honest looking doctor onto a plane controlled by a group of people who are soon revealed as FBI agents. The plane is seemingly used to scare the suspects into explaining what their plot is but they remain calm, which indicates their confidence that their plan will be successful. The main speaker in the sequence initially seems to be in the position of authority because of the way in which he talks to the antagonist (Bane), but once the antagonist's hood is removed the power seems to shift in his favour, as he speaks with confidence and this almost begins to frighten the FBI agent.

The location and setting suggest that the film had a high budget, because it is clear that the plane and the surroundings are real. This immediately makes the film more attractive, as it is realistic and therefore more believable, which adds excitement to the scene. The sounds are vital in creating realism, for example, the force of the wind when the plane has been broken can be gauged because of the harsh sound.

Multiple camera shots are used when views of the plane are shown, mainly high angle shots, and this highlights the scale of the plane and the landscape. Shot reverse shot is used during the conversation between Bane and the FBI agent, while tracking shots are also used, most notably when Bane and the doctor parachute out of the plane. The shots become shorter as the scene progresses to build tension up to the climax, at which point shots are at their shortest and it is at times difficult to see what is happening, which makes the situation seem frantic.