Analysing a clip from Superman Returns - The Bank Robbery Scene

Analysing a clip from Superman Returns – The Bank Robbery Scene

In class we watched a scene from Superman Returns, on YouTube, to try and identify as many different camera shots as we could and explain their significance in the scene.

The scene begins with an eye level shot – this emphasises the policemen’s focus as he aims through the sight of his gun.

This then switches to a high angle shot, where we look down on the policemen – this would have been effective if the policemen was about to shoot and we were looking down the barrel of his gun, however, we don’t. He lowers the gun, and swears – this lets the audience know that something is wrong with the operation – in addition, the policemen appears belittled.

There is then a low angle shot - there is a man at the top of a building pointing a giant machine gun down at the people below. This low angle shot symbolises that the ‘bad’ guy has the power here.

There is then a close-up on the ‘bad’ guy’s hand as he pulls the trigger and starts repeatedly firing on the people below.

We then see the effects of the unfriendly fire on the policemen and the car below. This shot is medium long shot.

The scene then switches back to the ‘bad’ figure in the scene, with another low angle shot – so that we look down the barrel of his gun: it is almost like he is shooting at the audience. This shot reinforces his power and authority in this scene. This low angle shot is twinned with a high angle shot from behind the mad-man with the gun, so that we see the destruction he is causing. This could be interpreted as a reverse angle shot.

After a few more shots, where they cut to the streets to see the effects of the giant machine gun. The scene then cuts to inside the building where two men – who we know are security guards because we can see ‘security written on their caps – are quietly climbing the stairs. The audience assumes that they are going to launch a surprise attack on the ‘bad’ character. The scene switches between the two men and the bad guy a couple of times – this created tension: will they defeat the evil, dangerous man? We see the two security guards shoot the ‘bad’ guy in the back – and we see a quick extreme closed up on the face of him as he is being shot in the back. Here the extreme close-up is effective because we see the facial expression of the evil man; he is in shock and pain. In this shot we think that he has been beaten. However, the next shots prove us wrong. The stereotypical, dark, mad, destructive ‘baddie’ is not defeated, he has prepared for this situation by wearing a bullet-proof vest, and so he turns around and turns the machine gun on the two security guards.

 There is then a very effective close-up shot of the villain’s eyes staring over the top of his gun, aiming at the two security guards. This is followed by a serious of slow-motion shots, to emphasise the desperation and horror of the situation. These scenes also emphasise Superman’s speed, he suddenly appears out of nowhere before a bullet can reach its target. When Superman lands in front of the bullets, letting them bounce of his chest and ricochet across the top of the building, he brings everything back to a normal speed. The big close-up of the bullets bouncing off of Superman’s logo on his chest highlights Superman’s strength, supremacy band peace-keeping abilities.

A medium long shot of Superman walking towards the villain, whilst being shot, so a very powerful statement; nothing can stop Superman. The gun then runs out of bullets and there is a medium close-up of the villain and the red-hot end of his gun, still pointing at Superman. The villain, out of desperation, comes out from behind his gun, brings out a hand gun and fires it at Superman. This shot is then seen in slow-motion, again. The bullet, reaches Superman’s eye and instead of killing him it crumples against his eye lens and falls to the floor. This is significant because the eye lens is meant to be very sensitive, and so making one of the weakest points of someone seem so strong, must mean that the rest of Superman is practically invincible. The special effects in this part of the scene are incredible. What makes this so impressive is that, in the extreme close-up when the bullet hits his eye, Superman does not even bat an eyelid.

There is then a low angle shot of the bullet falling to the floor, this could symbolise the failing of the villain’s plan – we see this in the worry and fear on the villain’s face when there is a big close-up on him looking down over the barrel of his small hand gun, which has no effect on Superman. This shot contrasts massively with one of the first shots in the scene where he is seen from a low angle, with a huge gun, looking deliriously happy as he fires on the civilians below him. The power has shifted from the bad to good. The clip ends on a close-up of Superman’s smug and strong glance towards the defeated villain. Ending the scene like this shows that good has overpowered bad, and Superman had saved the day: as per usual.