The cinema trailer for Mission Impossible 2

The soundtrack to M:I-2 is extremely important in the advertising the film to the target audience. As the main theme tune is a revamped version of the old soundtrack, preformed by Limp Bizkit. Limp Bizkit being a popular nu-metal band whose music is also aimed at and currently listened to by 16 – 23year olds. This type of music is associated with rebellious actions, suggesting that the film is going to be similar to this and the implication brought about by listening to this genre of music.

Using the old theme tunes relies on the audiences prior knowledge of Mission Impossible, so modernising the theme tune will make them expect to see something newer and more action packed than the first film. The film starts with ambient sound to create a sense of isolation in a vast, wide open-space. A transition is then made using a high-tech voice-over, “Agent located” with the theme tune beginning in the background. This is used to link Tom Cruise the main character – Ethan Hunt with this high-tech world action the he was involved in, in the first film.

Throughout the trailer the theme tune, “Take a look around” is used to build up to a climax where the action is fast paced, reflected in the speed of cutting from shot to shot. For the duration of trailer we (the viewers) hear voiceovers’ to create a dramatic effect keeping the audiences attention focused on the trailer. The main voice used is that of Anthony Hopkins, which helps to give the film an element of class and sophistication in amongst all the adrenaline pumping action. From the dialogue the viewer is given hints about what M:I-2 is going to be about, “This is your mission if you choose to except it.

This popular quote from M:I is used because if is familiar to everyone even if they did not see M:I. This is excellent for advertising the film because it says to the audience that it doesn’t matter if you haven’t seen the first film since M:I-2 is made so that everyone can understand it. The first dialogue is, ” Good morning Mr. Hunt, sorry I barged in on your vacation. ” This helps the audience relate to the images on the screen that are of Cruise extreme climbing on a rock face, telling the viewer that this is just a holiday questioning what he does for a job if he does this to relax.

During the trailer the viewers are shown very little text, but what is shown is important in advertising the film. The first set of sans serif text that we see is, “Tom Cruise” this is of significance because Cruise is a very popular actor with all generations particularly 16 – 23year olds. This text as well as the other text is a metallic colour and a sign of modern technology. It is always superimposed onto a fire motif giving connotations of danger. The next set of text again sans serif is, ” John Woo film”.

This again is important because Woo (the director) has a very modern approach to film making specialising in creating intense action and danger and very well liked with the target age group. Through the trailer we also see text saying ‘Mission Impossible’ and ‘M:I-2’. They use this so that the audience is aware of which film the trailer is advertising and what the abbreviation stands for. In its self Mission Impossible is an oxymoron because it is not an impossible mission because Cruise always saves the day!

The images at the start of the trailer are different to the ones in the middle and end as they are introducing the viewer to what the film is going to be like / about. The film starts off with the Paramount emblem, however it is different to what you normally would see because the camera pans around the mountain. This 3d image lets you know immediately that this film will have something that you have never seen or experienced before. The first long shot jerkily zooms into Tom Cruise, who is climbing on a rock face.

By using this shot we can see that the character is solitary as he is in a remote place. The fact that he is extreme rock climbing without safety ropes shows his experience and adventurous nature. A close up of Cruise’s face is seen soon after. He has long, ragged hair with stubble, which is an indicator of time. Maybe saying that he has been climbing for a long time showing that he has plenty of endurance. Dissolving to a panoramic camera shot that viewer is able to see that contrast of the main character climbing in the intense heat against the cool, dark blue colours of the surrounding area.

The reds and oranges is suggesting to the viewer that whenever Cruise is around there is going to be extreme and maybe violent action. I feel that this is an excellent way to advertise M:I-2 because right from the start it is introducing the idea of extreme stunts and action, but only from the main character making the viewers expect even more when the other characters are introduced. From there we see Cruise throwing his high-tech glasses away from them as they explode with the text, “Tom Cruise” superimposed on top of this. This marks the transition where the fast paced action begins.

First we see a fight scene between the main character and a new character that we are introduced to. The fighting looks intense and is very masculine appealing to both males and females. From there we see shots of Cruise in an Audi TT and another new female character driving a Porsche. There is a sense of adrenaline and speed as both characters seem worried and possibly even out of control. This is going to be very appealing to the 16-23 year olds because of the stereotypical ‘boy racers’. Further on we see Cruise doing a back flip kicking a gun out of someone’s hand of which we do not see their face.

Around him are doves that are scared and fly away, I think this is symbol showing the goodness being scared away leaving only evil in the form of the ‘bad guys’. This maybe hints to the viewer that Cruise will not always come out on top and that this mission is going to be much more difficult for him. Again near the end of the trailer we pick up with the fight that was left earlier. The long camera shot is set slightly lower that the two characters on screen giving a sense of power to Cruise as he is knocking the other guy unconscious.

Through out this sequence of shots we see a fire motif on the screen representing danger and heat. Making sure that the audience know that the film is going to have extreme danger and action. Towards the end of the trailer we see a sequence that is set in black and white compared to the rest of the trailer that is in colour. This has been used because it is telling the viewers that they are not getting the ‘full picture’ by watching this trailer so they should watch the film.

At the very end of the trailer there is an explosion that is drawn back into the pair of glasses that Cruise originally threw away, which started the action shots. This is very effective because it implies that by throwing the sunglasses away the consequences are of that which have just been shown in the trailer. The sequence of action packed images along with the quick speed of cutting seems quite overwhelming to the viewer and you find it difficult to take in all of the information given.

This is a good technique because it tells the viewer that the film is packed with so much adventure and action it is difficult to portray it through a two-minute trailer. In conclusion to this I feel that the trailer successfully advertises M:I-2 to the target age group (16 – 23 year olds) by using extreme danger and action shots to draw their attention to the trailer. The sound track pays an equally important part because without this it would not be effective and the images would have no pace or intensity.

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