The storyline of Disney’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) is like most Star Wars films, the underdog Rebel heroes overcoming the odds to defeat the evil Empire with grand fight sequences. Despite all the main Rebel characters having been killed off during the film, the writers managed to provide audiences with a violent surprise ending. In the final moments of the film, the audience is led to believe that all the fighting is finally over and that the credits will soon roll. However, the iconic lead villainous character of the film and Star Wars franchise, Darth Vader, appears in the final 2.5 minutes of the film to engage in an epic action scene. The integration of key elements of mise en scene in this action scene bring plausibility to the scene by appealing to the viewer’s senses, virtually transporting them into the battle and letting them experience the battle with the characters.
The screengrab above is a representative image from the final action scene of the film. It depicts the evil Darth Vader walking towards the viewer in a narrow hallway, with white male Rebels located in the lower left and lower right facing the approaching villain. Blocking is used effectively to portray the size and power of Darth Vader, he is the focal point of the image, filling the hallway and appearing to tower over the Rebels, despite being far away from them. Costume and colour are also effective in establishing a sense of good versus evil in the battle, Darth Vader appears ominous in all black, mask and flowing cape, while the white helmet of the Rebel symbolizes good. Additionally, the red stripes along the hallway walls are also linked into the violence of the scene, giving the sense that they are pointing towards danger and death. Darth Vader’s red light saber heightens the sense of evil and foreboding of the destruction about to occur. The set design also contributes to a sense of intensity in the scene, with the battle occurring in a blocked narrow hallway offering no escape to the Rebels from the approaching villain. The space is tight and creates a feeling of being trapped, adding tension for the Rebels and audience. Framing reinforces the tightness of the space. Darth Vader fills most of the width of the hallway, with the narrowing walls and smaller Rebel silhouettes framing him as he approaches. Not visible in the screengrab are the sound and music elements, arguably the most effective element of mise en scene for this action scene. At the start of the scene a loud alarm rings and the background music fades dramatically, creating a sense of impending doom. Next, we hear only the alarm, Darth Vader’s breathing and his footsteps. We hear these before we see Darth Vader. As they grow louder, fear and panic spread in the Rebels and audience. Later, the tempo and volume of the music and sound increase significantly, matching the flow and intensity of the battle. Overall, the combination of all these elements sends the message to the viewer that the powerful evil Darth Vader is unstoppable, and the Rebels don’t stand a chance. Despite this, some Rebels from outside of the hallway were able to escape with the plans to the Death Star in the closing seconds of the film.
During the actual action scene, the camera action is fast and deliberate, with over 18 edits noted within a minute, all stitched into a virtually seamless sequence. The camera shots follow the 180˚ rule, which maintains continuity of the action and the perception of Darth Vader’s power and size. The edits are obvious due to the changing camera angles and close ups in the hallway. The camera angle is typically at the height of the Rebels, emphasizing their perspective and fear. The point of view continuously changes from the Rebels’ view of the approaching Darth Vader to that of what Darth Vader sees as he approaches them. The changes in views happen quickly, giving the audience the same sense of fear and panic that the Rebels are facing, as if they are in the hallway with them. The pace of the changes matches the rate of Darth Vader’s advance down the hallway.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story currently ranks as the 18th top grossing film worldwide, bringing in over $1B USD worldwide at the box office (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” n.d.). While not traditionally considered part of the action genre, this and other Star Wars films use violent action scenes in their storytelling. Elements of mise en scene and editing techniques used in this film are common in many action films, appealing to the audience and drawing them into the battle. With a rating of PG-13, the action scenes in this film contain very little gore and blood in contrast to many contemporary action films, instead delivering a lot of implied death through violent gun and light saber battles. The continued use of violence in action scenes in film can serve to desensitize the audience to violence (Funk et al., 2004; Fanti et al., 2009) and normalize it in society . While triggering strong emotional responses, elements of mis en scene used in action films can also serve to perpetuate harmful bias and stereotypes . Sound and music are key mise en scene elements in action films that impact viewers (Svensk, 2012), while continuous action editing techniques in action scenes can reinforce viewer perception, enabling them to envision the scene as continuous and plausible (Heimann et al.,2016).
Bibliography
Fanti, Kostas A., Eric Vanman, Christopher C. Henrich, and Marios N. Avraamides. 2009. “Desensitization to Media Violence over a Short Period of Time.” Aggressive Behavior 35 (2): 179–87. https://doi.org/10.1002/ab.20295.
Funk, Jeanne B, Heidi Bechtoldt Baldacci, Tracie Pasold, and Jennifer Baumgardner. 2004. “Violence Exposure in Real-Life, Video Games, Television, Movies, and the Internet: Is There Desensitization?” Journal of Adolescence 27 (1): 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2003.10.005.
Heimann, Katrin S., Sebo Uithol, Marta Calbi, Maria A. Umiltà, Michele Guerra, and Vittorio Gallese. 2016. “‘Cuts in Action’: A High-Density EEG Study Investigating the Neural Correlates of Different Editing Techniques in Film.” Cognitive Science 41 (6): 1555–88. https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.12439.
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” n.d. Box Office Mojo. Accessed March 25, 2024. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt3748528/rankings/?ref_=bo_tt_tab#tabs.
Svensk, Robin. 2012. “Sound Effects in Fight Scenes What We Perceive in Film Sound.” Bachelor Thesis, Department of Arena, Media, Music and Technology, Lulea University of Technology. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1030634&dswid=4526.
Libby Meldrum
Samuel provides a thorough analysis of the aspects of mise en scène and editing techniques used in the final action scene of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” (2016). He effectively breaks down various elements such as blocking, costume, colour, set design, framing, and sound/music to highlight how they contribute to the overall effectiveness of the scene and convey Darth Vader’s power and the tension of the battle.
The inclusion of scholarly research and references to studies on violence in action films adds depth to the analysis. However, I think this could be enhanced by looking into the broader implications beyond the immediate impact on viewers’ perception. For example, delving deeper into how such techniques influence audience engagement, emotional responses, and cultural interpretations would strengthen critical analysis.
In terms of the image chosen to illustrate the scene, it effectively captures the essence of Darth Vader’s menacing presence and the claustrophobic setting of the narrow hallway. The composition and framing align with his description of how mise en scène elements create a sense of danger and impending doom.
Overall, while Samuel’s analysis is well-structured and insightful, there is room for deeper exploration of the societal and psychological effects of mise en scène in action films, as well as more discussion on how these techniques contribute to broader themes and narratives within the Star Wars franchise.
Good job, Samuel!