A movie review: Taken

My analysis of the movie "Taken":

Argument:

WATCO- What are the effects of watching the "Taken" trailer on the target audiences desire to see the movie

Claim- Watching the "Taken" trailer will strongly affect the target audiences desires to see the movie

Reason- Because watching the "Taken" trailer draws on a person’s emotions towards losing a child to kidnappers.

Assumption- Having your emotions invoked and drawn towards losing a child to kidnappers also strongly affects your desires to see a movie.


Audience: Those who are older and mature enough for the graphic content and serious nature of the movie. The trailer is also looking to entice those who like movies in the genres of suspense and drama. The movie is also possibly geared more towards attracting male viewers in comparison to their female counterparts.


Goal: To get as many potential viewers to the movie as possible through the five minute clip.


How?:
Pathos- The trailer does a very good job of invoking emotion through its one-liners as well as making good use of powerful, dramatic, short clips throughout the 5 min. segment. Lines such as, “I will find you and I will kill you,” or, “You only have 96-hours to find your daughter,” set the audience up for what to expect in the movie. This is a hunt and kill or be killed storyline.
The trailer also shows the daughter being kidnapped from the viewpoint of the father as he listens too the entire ordeal. By showing that segment of the movie in the trailer, it almost throws viewers into the father’s shoes. What if I were in his shoes? How would I react or handle the situation?

Logos- The storyline is in itself very logical. Parents face this type of dilemma (although not on the same scale of stress) everyday. Should I follow my gut instincts and not allow my child to participate in this activity (or go to Paris) or should I relax and let them enjoy themselves? In the case of the movie, the parents suffered the consequences of allowing their 17 year old to vacation overseas without an adult.

T(ypical)- This is a normal, “keep the audience” hanging trailer. It reveals the plot of the movie as well as a short segment of the climax. It also mixes in good one-liners, and of course dramatic music to peak the suspense of the movie.


Effective: Yes, when I saw this trailer, I instantly was interested. It seems like it could sustain one’s attention span for two hours through the action-packed and suspenseful vibe the trailer puts out.