The Bank Job trailer analysis

The Bank Job 2008 Trailer from Dziaulis on Vimeo.

The Bank Job is a 2008 action thriller, directed by Rodger Donaldson and starring Jason Statham  as well as Saffrom Barrows. The film itself is loosely based around an actual bank robbery that took place at Baker Street in 1971. The trailer uses many devises to try and engage audiences in the trailer, as clearly seen in the structure and iconography of the trailer.

The trailers soundtrack is heavily used in the film, the song " London Calling" is a perfect choice of soundtrack for the trailer as the singer has an iconic London accent, which all connotes the class difference in London during the 1970s. This relates heavily to the main character, who is a struggling mechanic, who shares the same accent as the singer in the song.  Which makes audiences compare the two, portraying the lead character ( Jason Statham) as being important.

Another aspect of the trailer that highlights the class difference is the contrast of London that the lead actor is in, compared to the mise-en-scene that the characters are seen in the two opening shots. The contrast is that the colors and iconography of the two opening shots are very bright and beautiful. The first shot opens with the camera looking out of the crystal clear sea, which in turn makes the viewer think that the two characters shown are in a tropical part of the world. The second shot of the trailer shows the two characters we previously saw engaging in intercourse, in a very beautiful looking villa.  The mise-en-scene of  opening trailer then changes to a very bleak looking London, especially the part that the main character is seen in, which looks rough and scruffy. Therefore, immediately as the trailer opens it highlights a certain class difference between the main characters and the people in the opening shots. This idea that the main character is lower class is then reinforced in the shots of the police station, of which the interior is very decadent and polished.

The tone of the trailer changes throughout, the two extremes being a tone of carefree nature and fun, then towards a more serious approach, in which actual danger is highlighted. As I stated before, the opening shots of the trailer showing the two characters in the beautiful scenery, connotes a very carefree and happy tone to the trailer, easing the viewer into the trailer and making them put their guard down. However, the tone then changes again very quickly as it becomes obvious that someone is taking pictures of the two characters engaging in intercourse, which connotes a very shocking tone as the viewer assumes that the photos will not be used for good purposes. The trailer then re enforces the gravity of what the viewer has seen, with two of the police officers having a conversation. The police men state : " Unsavory pictures of one royal princess" which not only reinforces the class difference between the main character and the characters in the opening shot, but also challenges the convention representation of the Royal family, which is comedic as it shows them as promiscuous.  This comedic tone is kept throughout the trailer, through the use of commentary by the characters and jokes followed by shots of characters laughing.  However, then the tone takes an even more sinister approach as it becomes clear by characters saying " why don't you tell us what this is really about" and the shots of men in black suits with weapons, that the robbers have committed a crime on the wrong people.  The sinister tone is then reinforced by shots of one of the robbers being tortured, and running from men who are obviously chasing them. The soundtrack of " London Calling" and its heavy nature is used to connote the danger that the characters are in, as the feeling of being in danger were ever the robbers go in London is shown by them being chased by police and gangsters.

Costume is also used throughout the trailer to promote the 70s era mise- en-scene. The use of various 70s style clothing such as turtle necks are used, combined with other various items of clothing. This is almost used to also promote the comedic tone of the middle part of the trailer, as their attire links into the modern day perception of fashion in the 70s, in which we think its outdated and odd looking. The trailer plays with this idea, and it re enforces the mise-en-scene