By: Gene Rodriguez, III
In some ways, the action film genre is as stylized as kabuki theatre. You'd think audiences would get bored with the same plots and elements, but fans of the action film genre appreciate the familiar, while looking forward to the innovations that each new film brings.
Action Film Genre Essentials
Just like westerns need horses and science fiction movies need lasers; the action film genre has its required elements. Here are some of the most important:
- It's black and white. In an action film, the hero and antagonist are well defined. While the hero may make some questionable decisions and the antagonist may have some sympathetic qualities, it's never hard to tell which is which.
- Limited support. Either by choice or circumstance-the hero is usually a loner. From James Bonds' exotic locales to the trapped ,off-duty cop in Die Hard (1988), action film writers always find a way to put the hero up against a raft of villains with little chance of relief.
- Don't blink. When it comes to film editing, horror movies build tension with long, slow pans or travel shots, while action movies get adrenaline pumping with quick cutting scenes. Sharp cuts lead the viewer to feel off-balance and unsure of where the next threat will come from.
- I've been waiting for this. Central to any good action movie is the set piece-think of the climatic battle in the bad guy's lair or the running gunfight through a crowded market. Several scenes are often used to establish the situation, goal and players for these big, drawn-out action sequences. A good action movie will often have several set pieces, each one bigger and louder than the last.
- Can you hurry up a little? The concept of the ticking clock is important to the action film genre. Whether it's a bomb timer or a kidnapper's deadline, the hero is almost always asked to perform his amazing feats before time runs out.
- Crash, boom, bang! Action movies contain a lot of action, of course, but the action usually takes very specific forms: chases, fights and property damage. Chases may be on foot or any form of vehicle, but almost always involve cars on crowded streets or twisting roads. Fights can run the gamut from fistfights to intricate martial arts to bloody gun battles. Property damage usually comes in the form of explosions-lots and lots of explosions.
