Analysing Action Film Trailers - 'Nobody'

The third theatrical trailer I will be looking at is from the film 'Nobody'.

The trailer for 'Nobody' has many conventions that a typical action film trailer would have. The trailer begins with dramatic music to set the scene when the family is robbed; this could also be the director hinting that something hasn’t been revealed yet to the audience. The editing is normal paced at first and side lighting is used lots on the main character to suggest he's caught up in conflict and has a dilemma. 

As the trailer continues, the tone begins to change and the audience are engaged, waiting for something significant to happen. The voiceover then reveals that the protagonist used to be some sort of undercover spy and this is obvious to the audience almost instantly as they get bombarded by eye candy which is typical of an action film. For instance, the protagonist gets into lots of aggressive fights, there are lots of gun firings/explosions and car chases. The music begins to become more intense and create more of an exciting scene for the audience whilst giving them an adrenaline rush. Although the plot is not obvious, the audience witness high intensity scenes, typical of the genre.

The trailer portrays typical character types which are found in action films, such as the hero, the villain, the princess and the sidekick, which reinforce the fact that the film is part of the action genre. The cinematography used in the trailer is also typical of the action genre. For example there are lots of tightly framed shots to suggest he's trapped and will be beaten in the fights, close ups to show the details of props and finally POV and tracking shots to make the audience feel closer to the action

The iconography seen in the film highlights that the film belongs to the action genre. The audience see weapons such as guns/knives/explosives which are used in fight scenes in any sort of action film. Although the main protagonist wears normal 'civilian' clothes (reflecting that he is no longer a spy), other characters are seen in dark military costumes which suggests they are the villains. Finally, the film is set in an urban environment which is typical for action films as it suggests that someone will have to save innocent people from danger (which is intensified in this type of environment).

The short and memorable tagline in the trailer “never underestimate a nobody” emphasises the protagonist's hidden identity and reinforces the idea that the film is full of action scenes. Finally, the sans serif font is typical of action films as it is bold and clear .