Task 2.1 Analysis Of a Thriller (Mission Impossible 2)

The opening shows an aerial shot of the protagonist climbing a cliff face with no ropes supporting him. This connotes his experienced, almost ''dare devil'' persona which introduces his characteristics to the audience.  In the background of the shot is the ambient sound of the wind, the connotation of this introduces an element of fear for the audience, as the shot depicts how high up he is and therefore the danger of the situation. 

If you listen carefully, you can hear the faint sound of an eagle in the distance which could have been added in purposely to raise connotations of freedom and prosperity as this is what the image of an eagle symbolizes In addition to this, an eagle symbolises being at the top of the food chain, which again could infer elements of the protagonist's personality. This is again supported by the birds eye view shot used in the opening of the film.

A few minutes into the opening, we see the protagonist fall from the cliff face and save himself by holding on to the cliff as shown in the photo to the left. From this image, we can depict connotations of a bird, as the shadow situated behind him looks very similar to a pair of wings, which again could be symbolic of his freedom and ability to rule over others with his power. This image can also convey biblical connotations as the way the protagonist is hanging is very similar to the crucifixion of Jesus. This can communicate the purpose of the character, which we can infer is to be the hero of the story, the saviour who will protect those in danger and be a recognized symbol of hope similar to the role of Jesus Christ.