How are protagonists represented in The Amazing

Spiderman (2012) and Skyfall (2012)?

In this essay, I will be discussing the ways in which the
main protagonist are represented in my two case studies of
films, The Amazing Spiderman and Skyfall.
The film The Amazing Spiderman was released in 2012, with a
BBFC certification of 12A. It is part of the actionadventure and thriller genre. The production was directed by
Marc Webb and produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel
Entertainment for a mass audience. The films main stars are
Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Sally Field and
Denis Leary. The movie is about a male, teenage high school
student who begins to develop unnatural and bizarre superpowers and abilities after being bitten by a genetically
altered spider at a research laboratory. The storyline
supports Levi Strauss theory of oppositions being the key
meaning in the narrative of a film. This includes themes
such as Good VS Evil and Human VS Alien. This is
emphasised in the storyline as Peter Parker is presented as
good throughout the entire movie where he is seen trying to
save his city from any antagonist that endangers innocent
citizens. On the other hand Dr. Curt Connors is presented as
evil as he attempts to infect the city with a deadly virus.
The battle between them supports the Good VS Evil theme.
The second film, Skyfall, was also released in 2012 and the
BBFC certificate is a 12A. It is a British action-adventure
thriller spy film directed by Sam Mendes. Its main stars are
Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench and
Brnice Marlohe. The movie follows the theory of Todorov,
which suggests there are particular stages to a storyline.
It is about a secret agent who is on an investigation
mission as he searches for his target, which is the
equilibrium. When Bond finds his target and pursues, he is
accidently shot by a fellow agent in the commotion. An
attack on the MI6 building also took place where an
explosive went off, destroying parts of the building, being
the disruption of the equilibrium. Following the discovery
that an evil force is present, Bond returns alive and
battles his way through in order to eliminate the target,
restoring the new equilibrium.
In both films, there are recurring representations of
protagonists being heroic and powerful. The narratives in
both films reflect the growth of the protagonist from the
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beginning of the film, all the way to the end. The messages
and values highlighted demonstrate that protagonists stare
in the face of danger and are ready for the challenge. I
will be discussing how in further detail through the use of
microelements; cinematography, editing, sound and mise-enscene.
In the films, there are various representations of
protagonist characters. Peter Parker, who plays the
protagonist in The Amazing Spiderman, is presented to be the
most kind-hearted and caring. This is seen at the beginning
of the movie where Peter attempts to stop Flash from
bullying and embarrassing a fellow student in-front of a
group of peers. He asks him to put him down where a wide
shot is used. The setting of a school ground with students
reflects that the characters are in a setting of normal
status as it is an everyday location. This is also due to
the appearance and language used through dialogue. For
example, the use of diegetic dialogue used when the crowd
chant EAT IT, EAT IT! when watching flash bully the
younger student is an indication of how young teenagers are
stereotyped when in school, being easily violent and
intimidating. This supports the theory of Stuart Hall, which
says how race, class and age are often blurred because we
often generalise groups by assuming that they fit a
stereotype. By analysing the use of mise-en-scene, we
instantly know that Peter is the protagonist because of his
character positioning within the scene. The wide shot and
master shot used shows Peter standing IN-FRONT of his fellow
students. This shows that he is represented as a leader and
the main focus of that particular scene and situation. This
is further emphasised again by the use of diegetic dialogue
where he says, Put him down Flash which suggests he is a
role-model as he fights for what he believes is right in
society which in this case means the stopping of bullying.
The teenage protagonist is represented to be helpful and
skilled when he is asked by another schoolgirl to take
pictures of her boyfriends phone, in which he look fairly
happy to help, saying hell check his schedule. The
representation of Peter is therefore stereotyped to be a
typical schoolboy; young white boy, skinny, wearing casual,
light coloured clothing. These things relate to boys that
are smart, quiet and humble reputation. This represents the
protagonist as a role-model, making us feel positive towards
his character, which is important to the audience so they

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can have a connection with the character as the film

progresses through his journey.
From looking at his appearance and attitude in the opening
scenes, we can also assume that he is a friendly
protagonist. This is shown through the shot-reverse-shot
between the protagonist and antagonist, which presents the
threat that Peter is to Flash in fear of being called out
and embarrassed in the presence of peers. This is made
clearer through the facial expressions of Flash in the
frame, where he looks aggressive, telling us that he feels
threatened and somewhat intimidated by the fact that Peter
has challenged him publicly.
The use of low, soft non-diegetic music, following romantic
dialogue between Peter and Gwen, we see a soft side of the
protagonist. The representation of protagonists being caring
is presented through the relationship between the two
characters. The gender ideas suggest that males are more
dominant, representing Gwen as a weak protagonist. This idea
is also further emphasised where he tries to remove Gwen
from danger when in battle with the antagonist, which puts
him at risk. This suggests that girls/women are a
protagonists weakness, as they are more protective.
The costume of Peter Parker (Spiderman) consists of a tight
material, covering his whole body, which masks his identity.
This was worn to suggest that he doesnt want to be seen
which proposes a sense of secrecy. The costume also
consisted of light colours, blue and red. This suggests the
theme of positivity and heroism is present as protagonists
are usually seen wearing light clothing. When he is seen
swinging through the city, other characters are out of focus
and are positioned BELOW the protagonist, which says that
the protagonist is of higher importance as we follow his
journey. The fact that we are following his journey, makes
it enjoyable for an audience as they seen the character grow
and progress physically and mentally.
In the film Skyfall, the protagonist is represented as
sneaky and violent, strongly contrasting from the character
of Peter. We see this is the opening sequence of the film
where Bond is seen progressing through a building, gun
raised. The non-diegetic score music at the very beginning
of the film in the opening sequence intensifies to a loud
volume as Bond enters the scene. It then quickly goes quiet
as bond slowly walks down the corridor. This supports the

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element of surprise and instantly gives off a tense feel to

the audience, which signifies to the audience that danger is
present. The idea of gender in both of the films indicate
that males are more dominant and able to fend for
themselves, which is usually why males are the protagonists
in most films.
The lighting in the opening sequence was low-key which
created a chiaroscuro effect as Bond was walking down the
corridor. This complemented the representation of Bond being
quiet and secretive. Furthermore, this indicates him as
being intimidating, more so than the comparison with Peter
Parker, as dark colours represent danger and wrong-doing.
However, because the character is the protagonist, the
audience know that his actions are for the cause of good.
Bond represents the more conventional idea of a protagonist,
as he is older than Peter, suggesting he has more
experience.
In the final scene, Sam Mendes directs Bond so that he is
highlighted to be a hero and to emphasise his protagonists
importance in the film. When he is in the office with
Tanner, he is in a clean state, his costume consisting of a
smart, sophisticated suit. The representation of this
protagonist is aimed to make us believe that they have
fought a brave amount to restore the equilibrium, a message
and value that protagonists are willing to battle through
tough times, even on the verge of death. This message is
conveyed through BOTH of the films.
Although some representations between the protagonists in
both films are similar, there are also differences. This
appears to be due to the TYPE of protagonists the two
characters are. For example, in Skyfall, Bond is an agent,
which represents him as stereotypical of other agents seen
in similar films: being sneaky, violent, smart and tactical.
This means the audience expects explosions, mass destruction
and scenes of fast-paced violence. This is presented
throughout the movie, in the scene where Bonds hotel lodge
is seen blown up into flames. This is conventional of a film
from this type of film. On the other hand, Spiderman takes
the Superhero approach in which special effects are used to
emphasise the role of the protagonist. This is effective as
the aim of director is to make the character roles as clear
to the audience as possible. Although both of the films take
a different approach, the representation of the protagonists

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are the same in which they are daring and valiant. This is
shown through the battle scenes within both of the films.
Through my analysis, I believe that overall, the
protagonists are represented as heroic and powerful. This is
shown through their character positioning and the various
shots used. Effectively, this highlights them from other
characters in each frame, making them the subject. Both of
the directors from each movie find different ways and
techniques to emphasise their protagonists importance
through the use of dialogue and sound, which reflects their
bravery by bringing them forward and taking full
responsibility in order to protect their loved ones and
innocent citizens. At the same time, they both find ways to
make us favourite the protagonist as their views and morals
are the ones that should be followed in the real world.
Word Count: 1,752

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