Thriller Poster Analysis - Kyle Quadra

The Bourne Ultimatum (Greengrass, 2007)

[1] 

This line of text creates a sense of anticipation as it reveals basis of the film's narrative. It poses a question for the audience; 'Jason Bourne comes home', but 'how will he come home?' is the question that audiences will be asking in the lead up to the watching the film. This adds to that thriller aspect, where the audience does not know what will happen next, putting the audience on edge as they wait in anticipation for events to unfold. As this film is one of many; telling the story of Jason Bourne's renegade lifestyle, audiences are left wanting to know what happens next so therefore this text brings about a 'hype' and a must-see buzz for the film.


[2]




The starring actors name is centralised in the poster. The poster features his name as he is the main protagonist in the film, as well as being a way to attract a larger audience to the film; Matt Damon being a well established actor, famous for his roles in films which would include; Good Will Hunting (Van Sant, 1997) and the other Bourne films, would bring his growing fan base to contribute in the films Box Office. The name is written on the protagonist's back, which implies that he is Matt Damon, as he has his back to the audience we cannot see his face and therefore drawing attention to the setting in the background.

[3]







The film's title stands out from the poster as it has a different colour font and a larger typeface. The name 'BOURNE' is bold compared to the rest of the text, making it further stand out in the poster. It is an example of synergy which links the poster to the film, and the film to the other set of 'Bourne Films'. It too like the star's names is on the back of the protagonist which and as 'Bourne' is in bold, it could imply that the protagonist's name is Bourne and that the film revolves around him, further supported by the fact that he is the only character featured in the poster.

[4]

The Distributor and Producer information and the release date of the film are found at the bottom of the poster. This too can be used as a form of synergy between the other forms of marketing that the distribution company may use. The release date is directly below the main title as well as being central in the poster, making it easy for the viewer to see. Looking at the date, it being placed on the character's back resembles that of a convict's jacket - a plain coloured piece of clothing with a prisoner identification number on the back. This could suggest that the protagonist is a prisoner or criminal in the eyes of the law.

[5] 

The fact that the centralised character is facing the city implies that the city is the main point of interest in the poster. He and the city are separated by a river. The city could represent civilisation or society and the fact that he's separated from the city could suggest that he is separated from society and is an outcast. Other interpretation of this suggests that he is looking at the city and planning an attack, somewhat like how a predator stalks their prey, looking for the weak spots and best places to strike. The audience cannot see his face, and this creates tension as they cannot see any facial expressions and therefore cannot determine what he is thinking; creating suspense and making the audience want to see the film to know whats going to happen.



[6]

The colour scheme used in this poster is plain. Greyish and blue colours make the poster dull and could suggest the emotions of the protagonist being dull and almost empty. It could also suggest that the film will be set completely in an urban environment as the urban colours are dull and grey, and this is further supported by the city line featured in the background.