Action Argumentative Essay

A genre is a kind or type. In film, the use of repeated elements, or motifs categorize a genre. Because “elaborate definitions always seem to throw up exceptions” (Neale 189) I propose a simplified definition of the Action film. The repeated use of action scenes "of quest and discovery, and spectacular . . . combat, violence and pursuit" (Tasker, Yvonne 2), shot and edited using techniques known to increase tension, defines the Action genre. Nonetheless, there are "broadly consistent and identifiable themes underpinning action” (Tasker 2) that influence the story and style of the Action genre. The story structure, or narrative, of Action films borrows broadly from the mythic Hollywood films "these include the quest for freedom from oppression,
say, or the hero’s ability to use his/her body in overcoming enemies and obstacles” (Tasker 2). It is a mixed genre, it “can be comic, graphically violent, fantastic, apocalyptic, military, conspiratorial and even romantic” (Tasker 2). It consists of elements introduced in early mythical Hollywood films about American western life, war, and adventure. For example, Star Wars (1978) and Apocalypto (2006) both have elements established in early American Westerns and Adventure films from the 1920's. The protagonist must be a hero displaying great feats of courage, skill, or strength, who does "not seek out adventure, [but] respond[s] to dire necessity" (O'Brien, Harvey 10).
In Star Wars, Luke is the Jedi master prophesied to save the universe, but until the enemy murdered his family, he was a just a boy working on his uncle's farm; Apocalypto's Jaguar Paw was living an idyllic life as a hunter until slave runners decimated his entire village, after which he outruns and kills the entire group of battle hardened warriors. The hero must "respond to mortal threats directed at their weaknesses" (O'Brien 11), altruism most popular. Villains gaining an advantage over the hero by exploiting their concern for something other than themselves is a familiar trope, established since ancient times. Early literature often used the damsel in distress as a metaphor of the hero's altruism, borrowing from that, early American films used a "helpless woman" character, played by attractive women, for the same purpose. In fact, some films made from book adaptations, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920), introduce a "damsel" even if the text that had none. In modern films the "damsel" is not always a woman and may be, for instance, a male buddy, or a child or dog, or even something abstract such as love or redemption.
Although in Apocalypto a woman's circumstance increases the suspense, the woman is more hapless than helpless. It is Jaguar Paw's concern for his imprisoned companions which exposes his weakness. In Star Wars, Luke is fighting for the restoration of the Jedi order on the brink of being annihilated unless he survives as well as succeeds in his mission. Speaking of missions, the main mission's sole resolution is action, "the movement of the body through space" (Tasker 12), and using a hero's courage, skill, or strength, established earlier in the film, to "transform the world for the better" (O'Brien 11). The resolution via action is what happens in Apocalypto when Jaguar Paw uses his hunting skill to defeat his nemesis, and in Star Wars, when Luke uses a natural ability to channel the force and destroy the Death Star. The story structure of Action films is what distinguishes it from other genres that may choose to use one or two action scenes for the purpose of increasing tension. Action films use dialogue and exposition scenes sparingly, usually in the beginning and end of the film, preferring action scenes to “move the plot forward” (Selbo 230). Most action scenes are very short when the purpose is to move the plot forward, however, in an Action film there are several long-takes of pure action. The long-takes are crucial for establishing the presumed invincibility of the antagonist and showcase the needed skills or talents of the protagonist to achieve resolution. The long-takes of action are "typically spectacular, . . . expensive . . . and they showcase technology via the very spectacle that defines them" (Tasker 13), and require skilled cinematography, editing, and sometimes special effects to maintain or increase the tension for long periods. In Apocalypto, different angles, straight on, overhead, tracked, frame the chase scenes to show the that the distance between Jaguar Paw and the Mayan warriors is decreasing; the sound of Jaguar Paw's steps and breath mark the tempo, and, in one chase scene, CGI effects depict an attacking Jaguar only a few yards away, almost catching up to Jaguar Paw. There were no CGI effects in Star Wars, but the special effects team used miniatures to simulate long shots of space battles; in the Death Star assault scene the long shots are intercut with medium closeups of the rebel pilots to associate the destruction of a spaceship with a person's death; foley sound effects provided the sound of whining spaceship engines, chirping laser guns that allowed the audience to believe what they were watching. The reason for the long-takes of action in Action films is to maintain the tension until the final scene which is the hallmark of the Action genre. The prolonged tension in Action films creates an immediate emotional and/or physical response from the audience. The emotional response solicited by Action films is the genre's social function; much like the gladiatorial exhibitions at the Roman Colosseum, the films provide a basic stimulus of fight or flight "embedded in human nature” (Selbo 232) that results in an endorphin induced high when the hero succeeds. Consequently, the experience of watching Action films has set most of the minor conventions that allow audiences to suspend reality long enough to mimic the tension on the screen. The repeated conventions of an inherently good yet flawed hero (Selbo 233 & 237), a villain who lacks morality or humanity (Selbo 239), and the theme of good fighting the evil to stay good (O'Brien 10), set audience expectation which in turn validates their use. In other words, the repeated use of conventional elements over time set audience expectation and the conventional elements express "the audience’s pervasive doubts or anxieties" (Bordwell, et al. 336), which explains the popularity of the genre.
An example of films that use action scenes but are not Action films is the popular film Million Dollar Baby; the many fight scenes are action scenes. The scenes give the film an added tension; however, the action scenes are not integral to the story, aspiring boxer Maggie Fitzgerald's boxing skill does not lead to a resolution. In addition, no villain compels Fitzgerald into action; although considerate, she expresses no sense of altruism, and an injection of adrenaline resolves the film's conflict. Million Dollar Baby lacks the narrative elements typical of Action films, that come from elements found in traditional hero stories like Hercules or Beowulf, and the early American mythical Western cinematic adaptation of those epics. Accordingly, the Action genre is the only genre defined by the repeated use of a combination of hero narrative elements and action scenes, especially long-takes of action that maintain or increase tension until the final scene, to thrill audience members and remind them that fighting the bad in their own life makes them a hero too.