Analysis of Thriller Openings - The Dark Knight Rises

The Dark Knight Rises

At the beginning of this opening, it presents the audience with the Warner logo. It is a grey metallic font over a very dark background which indicates that the rest of the film will be just as dark and thrilling. The background is rather cloudy and distorted which also suggests the films narrative will be just as odd. The logo is a well known logo so it makes sense to include it large so that audiences will know who produced it and therefore watch their other films. As well as this, it then displays another logo which states 'LEGENDARY'. This is also a metallic grey colour over a black background, allowing it to stand out. The dark colours allow the audience to recognise the film as a thriller. Just after this, the same metallic colour displays another logo which says 'DC COMICS', therefore explaining that the film is based of a comic that the audience may enjoy reading after watching the film. There is non-diegetic music which occurs throughout this display of logos and it is a rather deep, non-percussive soundtrack used. This is a common convention in thriller films as it really sets the scene and allows the audience to be on edge.

As the film commences, there is a mid-shot of a man speaking to an audience in front of a desk. The room is brightly lit which signifies that it is an important scene and that the man speaking is unlikely to be an antagonist. It is unknown by the audience who the man is at this point, however, as the scene continues, it is apparent that the man is speaking at a funeral or memorial service of a man who has died. The man is wearing a suit which also reinforces the fact the scene is a rather sombre one and that he is significant to the film. The suit allows the audience to believe that it is in fact a classy occasion and that the unknown man's death is a very significant plot for the film's narrative. There is non-diegetic music over the top which enforces the grave situation and also the fact it is an important part to remember. The music is very continuous and builds up in tempo which makes the audience on edge and believe that something bad could happen at any moment despite the atmosphere actually being calm and collected. 

As soon as the character in a suit stops speaking, there is a fade to black and the music also stops momentarily until another shot begins. The new music is then very loud and almost terrifying as we are presented with a mid-shot of two unknown characters pinning down aggressively another character. All of these characters are presented as middle-aged men and violent. This is a typical convention of thriller films as men are primarily seen as violent and dominant. The dialogue is excessive shouting as the two men are carrying guns and demanding to know information from the man who is lying down with some sort of material concealing his identity. The two aggressive men are wearing rather casual costumes consisting of trousers, shirts, and simple backpacks. The submissive character is difficult to see, however, seems to be wearing a similar costume. As the scene continues, we witness a close-up of the submissive character as the two other males are holding a gun to his head. This increases tension from audiences as the music continues to build up and we assume that the other man will be shot and killed. Guns are significant and typical props used in thriller films as they are used for violence and murdering others and this is a key theme in most thrillers.

After this, we hear another man speak, and the dialogue is very deep and almost scary. There is a mid-shot of a different character, clearly male, with a black hoodie. We are only presented with him with his back to the camera, and the two males before staring at him with their faces to the camera. The hooded man has his hands in handcuffs and due to him wearing a black outfit, the audience may assume he is an antagonist. The hooded character then speaks again, the dialogue even lower than before and we know quickly that he is a very significant character and may also be the protagonist. The two men ask the man who he is, clearly unaware of his identity at this time due to him also having material concealing his identity. This makes the film even more thrilling as the convention of mystery is utilised. 

There is then a shot reverse shot displaying the hooded man, then back to the violent man from before, and back to the hooded man. We are displayed with the violent character's emotion as it clearly illustrates confusion and maybe even fear, as he is perhaps trying to figure out the concealed man's identity. The music begins building in tempo as the white man reaches out to take off the material from the other character's head and the audience is then left to question who the man is and why he is significant to the plot. 

As this continues, the white male pulls off the concealed man's headgear in a close-up shot and reveals a heavy-built man in a lower angled shot. This man (Bane) is now being presented as extremely powerful as the audience is able to take in his terrifying, odd and striking appearance. It emphasises his power as the slow movements appear. The tension increases even more when the man confesses that his intentions were to crash the plane. This shocks the audience and illustrates just how powerful Bane is and how he could easily destroy things. The casual tone of his voice also indicates this as he seems laid-back about it, enforcing that he is a bad person but does not hold any sort of guilt for it. His eyes are wide in these close-up shots which show that he is not hiding his intentions and that he needs the Government agent to understand that he is not messing around. 

The audience is then left to realise that Bane is a psychotic and mentally unstable character who is the antagonist of the film. This is a typical convention of thriller films as the antagonist is seen as a psychotic villain who is eventually stopped by a protagonist. Bane's voice is also lifted in tone which represents him as being confident and certain of his own abilities. The audience then becomes fearful of the plane crash and questions whether it will actually happen or something else will prevent it from occurring. Whilst dialogue is occurring, there is a pan of the plane moving from a long shot which enforces fear that it may crash after Bane reveals his intentions. 

Ambient sounds of the plane is also heard which enforces the danger of flying and how the plane could crash at any given moment. Multiple long shots of the plane moving indicates how far it is from the ground and suggests that the Government agents on the plane would certainly die if it was to crash.