Introduction
In this assignment I will be analysing two films in terms of the opposing
genre, content and narrative. The first film I will be analysing is The
Butterfly Effect while the second film I will be analysing is Hunt for the WilderPeople.
The Butterfly Effect is a supernatural-thriller and was published in 2004 and
is set in present day. Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an action-comedy and was
published in 2016 and is also set in modern day. The Butterfly Effect was
directed by Eric Bress and Jonathon Grumber and produced by Chris Bender and
J.C Spink. The Butterfly Effect's target audience was aimed at young adults and
because of this the age rating of the film was age fifteen and over. This age
rating is due to the dark nature of the film. The content of the film includes
explicit scenes that are either of the violent kind or sexual. Because of these
scenes the film is therefore inappropriate for a younger audience. Hunt for the
Wilderpeople was produced by Taika Waititi and Matt Noonan and directed by
Taika Waititi. The film is rated PG this is because the film uses rare
occurrences of rude language and violent scenes, the rating PG means parent
guidance and so who is able to watch the film is left to the discrepancy of the
parents.
Synopsis of The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect is a film about the character Evan, who throughout
his childhood had the tendency to have blackouts at irregular times. As a
child Evan wrote everything that happened in his life in a journal as a way to
record before and after blackouts occurred. Because of events that unfolded
when Evan was a teenager he was forced to move away from his friends. Years
later when Evan was at University he discovered when reading the journals he
could go back in time to when the events happened. As Evan explored this power
he found out that he was able to alter the past and therefore change the
future. Evan tried through several lifetimes to make the perfect life for
himself but each time he did so he made his chances for finding the alternate
future more and more difficult. After finding out that one small change can
make a massive effect on the future Evan decided to not effect anyone he had
changed over and over again through this different life times and so went back
in time and killed himself before he was born.
Genre analysis - The Butterfly Effect
The Butterfly Effect is classified as a supernatural-thriller. This
film is classified as this through use of common codes and conventions for both
the supernatural and thriller genre. This film includes several common
conventions and codes of both genres which therefore results in the film being
sectioned into a sub-genre. Common conventions of the supernatural genre used
in the Butterfly Effect include: the majority of the story could have happened
in real life but typically has a creepy surreal narrative which frequently
includes unnatural beings such as demons or ghosts, or even time travel. In the
Butterfly Effect the surreal moment happens when the main character, Evan is
able to change moments in his past and therefore change his future. To expand
on this when Evan is about to go back to the past by reading his journals, his
vision of his current reality begins to shake and then becomes blurry. This
could be related to the supernatural genre because the way Evan goes back to
the past is similar to how creatures such as demons may see. The particular
scene that can be used as an example is at 29 minutes into the film when Evan
first reads the journals to his date, the pages in the journal begin to move
and become blurry and then following that Evan faints. The vision change is shown by the screen shots
below.
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| Before |
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| After |
Common conventions that attach the Butterfly Effect to the thriller
genre include: quick cuts, scenes with the aid of music that create tension and
the protagonist in the mercy of the antagonist. Quick cuts are used when Evan
first has the blackouts, an example of this is when the stick of dynamite is
put in place, when Evan is a teenager, and then Evan's perspective skips till
after that moment. A good example of when the music helps the scene to fill up
with tension is the first junkyard scene which happens at the
23rd minute. This scene is also an example of when the protagonist is
in the mercy of the antagonist. The tension assembles in this scene when Tommy
appears deranged and with the eerie music the audience become scared about his
radical behaviour. Evan, the protagonist, is at the mercy of Tommy, the
antagonist, in this scene because Tommy has knocked Evan and his friends to the
floor and holds a burning log to a bag that contains Evan's dog. The screen
shot below show Tommy standing over the bagged dog with a ignited stick.
Narrative analysis - The Butterfly Effect
The structure of the story in the Butterfly Effect is complex. The idea
of the butterfly effect is based on the chaos theory written by Edward
Lorenz which suggests that one small change to the time line can greatly
change the future. Because of this the story of the film can be confusing as
the main protagonist alters the past and therefore changes his future several
times. For the audience it is important to focus on what is happening at the
time because otherwise the audience may have become lost. The structure uses
many flashbacks and flash forwards to illustrate key moments that changed
Evan's life. Because of the theme of the film more flashbacks are used, and in
some cases flashbacks are used to rewrite Evan's history and so the structure
is non-linear. In this film eight flashbacks are used and two flash forwards
are used. This film is based in a life like realistic town and so houses
realistic characters. Evan is the protagonist of this film and is first seen at
the beginning in a brief chase sequence before the first flashback to his
childhood. A brief chase sequence is used to allow the audience time to wonder
who he is before the story explains it. Kayleigh is a female character who is
close to Evan as he grew up and is first integrated when her father looked
after Evan for a day. Tommy is a male character often thought of as the
antagonist of the film who is first seen when Evan is a child and they play
together. The location of the majority of the film is significant to the story,
this is because the location of Vancouver state is where Evan and his friends
grew up and is where certain tragedies that shaped the characters happened;
such as the death of Evan's dog called Crockett. When the location changes to
the University after the seven year flash forward the unknown setting makes the
audience feel like Evan does when he has not had a black out for seven years,
making audience feel like they are in the unknown. The perspective of the film
is set as if the audience is seeing like the character Evan does, this adds the
dimension that the audience is experiencing the film as if they are in the film
which aids to keep the audience interested. The theme or the message of the
film is that Evan would do anything for family. In this film Evan is interested
in creating a perfect future for himself where he and Kayleigh are in love and
everyone he knew is alive and well. In doing when Tommy attacks him, to protect
Kayleigh, himself and revenge for the death of Crockett his dog Evan kills
Tommy. The Butterfly Effect follows Barthes Enigma Code theory. This film fits
perfectly into the Hermeneutic code as this film does not fully explain the
story and only explains details on a need to know basis, which allows the
writes to be very creative with the narrative. This code also aids to create
suspense which works to keep the audience on the edge of their seat.
Film content analysis - The Butterfly Effect
Due to the non-linear narrative of the Butterfly Effect, several
flashbacks and flash forwards are used to inform the audience of the past and
alternative futures that the main character endures. In the entirety of the
film a total of eight flashbacks are used, a number of three of these
flashbacks are set in the junkyard. Another two of these flashbacks are set in
the basement of Kayleigh's house. All five of these scenes are set in similar
places to each other, this is because Evan goes back in time to these locations
in his younger body to attempt to change the past. The language used in this
film varies from generally being regular American English but changes to slang
and intellectual, this is evidenced when Evan is speaking with his friends as a
teenager and so his speech using slang. Whenever Evan's mother speaks with the
doctor they tend to use intellectual language and jargon so that young Evan
would not understand, this tactic is used by his mother a twice. A sombre,
depressing thought provoking piano riff song is constantly used in scenes where
Evan doubts himself or is afraid of the future. An example of this is when Evan
kisses Kayleigh for the first time and this music is linked to how her brother
takes the news. This scene happens at the 20 minute mark and the screenshots
below shows this scene:
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| Evan and Kayleigh kiss |
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| Tommy's expression after seeing them kiss |
Camera techniques are creatively used in this film. A camera pan around
Evan holding a notepad is used to flash forward the story by seven years, this
pan tilts around the perspective of the teenage Evan and the prop changes to a
study book where at this point the camera then zooms out to show how different
the protagonist looks seven years later. This happens 25 minutes into the film.
Blurred vision is a common effect used in this film. Often used as Evan
fades out of his current time line and into the past or vice versa. This
simulates him losing consciousness and also shows how difficult each change is
for his mental state. This effect is used a total of sixteen times and an
example of this happens 30 minutes into the film when Evan has his first
blackout. The screenshot below shows this:
Lighting is also used creatively in this film, this is because the lighting
is used to show Evan's hope for doing good with his ability. For example when
he first works out what he can do he is amazed and so the lighting (shown by
the print screen below which happened 35 minutes into the film) is white or a
natural yellow which conveys his happiness.
However when Evan becomes tired of using his power and attempts to
commit suicide the lighting shows how depressed he is through dark, low
lighting. This scene happens 1 hour 35 minutes into the film and is shown by
the screen shot below.
Synopsis of Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a film set around the character called
Ricky. Ricky is a mischievous typical teenager of thirteen years of age, who
struggles to find an adopted home. When Ricky realises that there is only one
more home to try before he was put in juvenile prison he decides to give it a
try and not to run away. Unfortunately after becoming comfortable with the new
housing, the wife of his adopted parents passes away and so the adoption
company are forced to take Ricky away. Because of this Ricky and his adopted
Uncle run into the Jungle known locally as the “Bush”. The majority of the film
is set in the jungle with Ricky and his uncle running and hiding to avoid
capture and eventually prison.
Genre analysis - Hunt for the Wilderpeople
The film hunt for the Wilderpeople used a range of
common conventions and codes selected to the genre that categorised the film.
This film was categorised to be an action/comedy, this is because the majority
of the conventions used are of the action or comedy genre. Common conventions used
in this film from the action genre include but are not limited to; a car chase,
explosions and crashes, the use of guns and the use of nerve racking music that
helps to build tension. The car chase happens near the ending of this film when
Ricky and his adopted Uncle attempt to out run the authorities. The nerve
racking music is used in this scene to help to build tension and creates
questions in the mind of the audience such as "will they escape?" The
screenshot below shows the overview of this scene.
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The circled vehicle is the protagonists
driving for an on attempt to freedom
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Conventions and codes used from the comedy genre
include; sarcastic and intentional humour and a happy ending. The sarcastic
humour within this film is often dispensed by the character Ricky who is a
teenage actor and so this type of humour is often associated with his maturity.
Intentional humour is often used by the Uncle in response to Ricky's sarcastic
humour, this therefore is a great combination and creates a very humours
effect. An example of a funny scene is when the main protagonists begin to
run but suddenly run out of breath shortly after
beginning to run. This scene happens at the 44th minute and the screenshot
below shows this scene:
Despite both of the main protagonists being
sent to prison the film has a happy ending as both Ricky and the Uncle venture
of to the jungle to identify a species of bird that is known to be extinct but
has been see recently.
Narrative analysis - Hunt for the
WilderPeople
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is based on a linear
story line. This film is of a linear structure because the story is about the
life that Ricky leads in with his new adopted parents and the only flashback is
a scene where the Woman in charge of the change of foster homes describes
Ricky's previous bad behaviour. This film is also shown to be in a linear
format because each section is labelled in chapters and so increase one after
the next. Ricky is the protagonist of this film, the teenage boy is first introduced
to the audience in the back of the car when he is moving to his new house at
the beginning of the film. This is a great way to introduce the character as
the audience will have seen that he is important to the story but would wonder
how and why he is. Ricky's adopted Uncle is a mysterious character who likes to
keep himself to himself and the first time he is seen shows this. When he is
first seen he is hiking home, the boar he had hunted rested on his shoulders.
This gives an eerie interpretative effect about the character. The majority of
the film is set in the local jungle nicknamed the "bush." This
location complements the story, this is because before Ricky met his new family
he was lost and with the new family he was able to find his way, this metaphor
is literal as when Ricky first enters to the jungle he gets lost but when his
uncle appears he finds his way. In this film we the audience sees what happens
through a third person perspective of Ricky. This makes clear to the audience
what is happening and allows the audience to see Rick's facial expressions to
show how he is feeling at that moment. A clear example of this happens in the
31st minute where Ricky demands they make it out of the jungle because he is
hungry. The print screen below shows this:
The main theme or message of this film is to break
free from authorities, Ricky and his new appointed Uncle share this idea
because both of them had been treated badly by authorities before and so they
decide living on their own and on the run is easier. Hunt for the Wilderpeople
follows Todorov's Equilibrium theory. At the beginning of the film when Ricky
moves into the new household his equilibrium begins, when his adopted auntie
passes away tragically the equilibrium is disrupted. The realisation section of
this theory happens when Ricky decides he cannot go with the authorities and so
runs away, which makes the situation worse. At the end of the film after all of
the running the order is restored when the uncle is arrested and Ricky is sent
to juvenile prison. The equilibrium is later restored when Ricky and his Uncle
set off back to the jungle to find a species of bird.
Film content analysis - Hunt for the
Wilderpeople
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is based around the
character of Ricky who is a teenager, because of this Ricky's idiolect would
include the frequent use of slang. Apart from Ricky the language in this film
is regular. This would have been because a huge variety of people could be watching the film and so
using regular New Zealand English would make the film easy to understand for a
range of audience members. Most often or not the
music in this film matched the scenes it was used it perfectly. For example
sad, depressing music was used for the death of characters while exciting and
creative music was used for setting the scene. For intense scenes
music was used to build up suspense. An example of this is just before the
wild boar attacked the music was very eerie and suspicious. Another example of
when the music works well with the scene is when Ricky and his
Uncle Hector are on the run in the jungle the song "Sinner man" by
Nina Simone plays which is about being on the run.
Throughout this film the character
Ricky references big name action movies such as Terminator and Scarface which
would indicate that Ricky is a big fan of these movies especially as he is
age 13 in this film and about the age most boys stereo-typically enjoy these
films. This would also indicate further what genre this film is set in.
Throughout this film the camera changes; angle, distance and movement to help
the audience feel as close to the characters would as possible. Close ups were
used to show facial expressions, this became common with Ricky especially in
the time period where he is unsure about his new home. An example of a close up
is shown on Ricky when his adopted Auntie kills a boar at 15 minutes. The
screenshot below shows how saddened and scared he is:
Mid shots were used to show what
the characters were up too while still being able to see their facial expressions.
This technique used when Ricky and his adopted parents sit around the table on
his birthday having cake at 15 minutes in to the film. Long shots are used for
seeing something in the distance, in this film a long shot is used when Ricky
and his uncle leave in a truck, this shows them leaving into the distance and
gives a better idea to the audience about where they may be going. This film
shows of lots of the “Bush” which is the local jungle in the film. Often the
area is shown using camera pans. Pans are used when Ricky is using a rifle and
when Ricky rides a horse. A 360oc camera pan is used to show Ricky's
progression through the jungle, this is similar to how a pan is used in the
Butterfly Effect.
In this film editing is used to
simply pace the transitions and scene changes. A certain transition known as
fade through black is used often in this film. A reason this transition is used
it slows down the pace of the film for a few seconds which makes the viewer
anxious of what may happen next. A great use and example of this is just after
Ricky's arrest the fade shows that there is time before the next scene which is
when they next see each other. Another use of a fade transition is when Ricky
is surviving in the "Bush" on his own and each clip in this montage
features a fade. The story line of this film is linear and follows a straight
forward plan of events. The way this is laid out is through the use of
chapters. This film has 10 chapters and an epilogue and as each chapter ends a
fade transition is used and then the text or title of the next title would
appear. A blurry fade is used to transition the events between the bran shed
catching fire and Ricky leaving home. This would signify a change in Ricky's
personal opinion of what’s going on as he had just lost someone close to him.
Conclusion
The Butterfly Effect and Hunt for
the Wilderpeople were received very well and were thoroughly enjoyed by their
target audiences. The Butterfly Effect was received so well that the single
film turned into a franchise adding two separate story sequels. A review on
Rotten Tomatoes shows that 81% of the audience enjoyed the film. The Butterfly
Effect is a Supernatural- Thriller and uses several conventions to engage the
audience further. This is the sort of film that if the audience loses its
concentration it may become confused; this makes the film brilliant as the
audience have to sit on the edge of their seat to understand the intense story.
I would very much recommend that you see this film. The infrequent dark themes
may not be for everyone but they only add to the story, making it more
believable and yet more enjoyable.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople was widely
accepted as the best film in its accepted genres for the year 2016. A review on
Rotten Tomatoes shows that 91% of the audience enjoyed the film and the film
scored a huge 97% on the Rotten Tomatoes scoreboard. This film is an
action-comedy and using common conventions of both genres the film manages to create
a powerful, moving, light-hearted, intense story that is somewhat relatable for
day to day lives and average people. I would recommend that you see this film,
as the film combines elements from two known genres there is will be something
for everyone to enjoy.
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