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Isabella Santini

English 1301-130

Dr. Sharity Nelson

17 October 2023

Visual Analysis of Unbroken the movie poster

The movie poster for “Unbroken” was published in 2013 by Universal Studios. Its purpose

was to capture the attention of movie watchers by providing a powerful representation of the

film’s themes and its central character's life through visual text. Their poster displayed a close up

shot of the protagonist in the center. Behind the protagonist, the movie poster is intricately

divided into three distinct sections, each capturing a different pivotal scene of him. The whole

movie poster is portrayed as overcast and tumultuous as there are no vivid colors and only shows

gray clouds. This movie poster aims to show a story about a man who will endure great

hardships and trials he encounters and how he overcomes them. This poster conveys this story

through visual components of the main character in the foreground who is standing in front of a

background that is distributed into three segments that showcase different scenes from the film.

Universal Studios uses the visual components such as the man standing in the center of the

poster to communicate that the protagonist is resilient and has an indomitable spirit and

unwavering determination to overcome adversity. Universal Studios achieved this by portraying

a close up shot of the protagonist with a determined and steadfast expression that is visible on his

face. Looking off into the distance with his jaw set and his hair neatly trimmed wearing a white

t-shirt tucked into a zipped down jumpsuit. He is seen to be very relaxed yet standing in a very

serious poster, as well as his hands in his pocket this is an assertive body language. The sunlight
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can be visible hitting him on his left side exemplifying the features of him on the left. The

studio’s use of this visual component allowed them to convey the message of his indomitable

spirit and unwavering determination to overcome adversity.

Universal Studios set out to depict the tremendous trials and hardships of Unbroken’s

protagents ,by displaying a tile on the poster that showcased a hardship that the protagonist

endured. Pictured on the upper side of the poster is a tile that exhibits him filthy, shirtless, and

sustaining a hefty piece of timber above his head. There is nothing out in the distance, it is gray,

he also has his back to the poster and his face is not visible.The visuals used utilize a gloomy

color, and him holding the piece of timber this helps to depict a trying time in the life of the main

character which helps convey the story underlying message of trials. One is able to gain an

understanding of the poster’s main idea by demonstrating grit and determination the protagent

has, through hardships.

The visual component of the last two tiles help powerfully depicting the story and message of

Hope and hardship the protagonist endures. In the second tile section that is placed right below

the first tiel and is layered beneath the close up shot of him. He can be observed donning a

uniform while expressing a look of exhilaration across his face while crossing the ribbon at the

finish line. His body is also leaned forward as crossing the ribbon and there is no one behind

him. A crowd of jubilant people are standing behind him, applauding. In the third segment which

is placed at the very bottom of the poster under the second segment, layered under the close up

shot of him. He can be seen adrift in the vast ocean, aboard an inflatable boat with two other men

besides him. The boats are identical in shape and color, and they all are wearing the exact same

clothes. He is seen aiming a gun towards the sky, surrounded by an endless expanse of water
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with no human presence or land around. The first tiel demonstrated victory as he is seen

victorious, the secondary segment exhibits hope as he is hopeful of survival by pointing the gun.

The visuals used in the movie poster Unbroken aimed at powerfully depicting the story and

message of Hope. Universal Studios selected film photos to demonstrate the personal triumph

story of the protagonist who endured the harshest of hardships and trials but who overcame them.

The first picture diplayes a close up shot of the protagonist's determination to overcome

adversity through his bodylange. The second tiel picture focused on is of Zamperini lifting a

wooden beam after having endured the ultimate test, he is seen lifting the beam demonstrates grit

and determination. The story continues with the second tiel a visual showing Zamperini in

uniform crossing the finish line in victory. Victory is then followed by despair as the third tiel

visual displays the protagonist stranded on a boat. The visual text in the Unbroken movie poster

seeks to powerfully share the message of Hope throughout trials. The images found on the movie

poster deliver impacting images depicting harsh events which lead the viewer to witness the

hardships the protagonist endured and throughout those trials the enduring, hope, and

overcoming that was experienced.

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Figure 1. Unbroken Movie poster published by Universal Studios

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Work cited
“Unbroken movie poster Published in in 2013 by Universal Studios”