Welcome to the Punch and Headhunters Analysis

Previously in media, we have watched 2 fantastic films, Welcome to the Punch and Headhunters. Welcome to the punch is an action thriller, whilst Headhunters in a crime thriller. Both films had elements of similarities for example, the use of guns and knives producing multiple deaths in the film, as well as the storyline being similar whereby in each film a man is out to destroy another man, but for different reasons.

In terms of representation, in Welcome to the Punch, there is only 2 main female characters in the film. This is stereotypical of an action film because women are seen as weak and feeble therefore the main action sparked from the male characters. However, the character of Sarah Hawks contrasted this because she was seen as Max’s companion, helping him to discover the truth about Jacob Sternwood, and then eventually braving it out on her own to discover the gun load locked away in storage before being strangled to death, significantly by a man. This was backed up by a great use of cinematography when an over the shoulder shot was used of Dean strangling Sarah, the whole shot was dark except a light beaming in through the door which was shining on the top of Dean’s head. This light connoted power and strength and the fact it was only on the male character reinforced the stereotype of men having dominance over women. Contrasting to this, in Headhunters, women were represented as promiscuous and unloyal because the 2 main female characters were both involved in affairs. However, although these female characters were seen to be immoral and reinforce the stereotype of women running to a man’s feet to please him, in this crime thriller, it was these female characters that were involved in the destroying of main character Roger Brown. Lotte went against the stereotype of women being stupid and having lack of knowledge when she intelligently began an affair with Roger Brown in order to find out information about him, this contrasting stereotype of a female, in my opinion, made her more likable because she was different to every other stereotype of a women.

 

Both films share similar themes as well as representations. The theme of insecurity is evident in both films, but is more significant in Headhunters because the opening line comes from the protagonist saying “My name is Roger Brown and I am 1.68 metres tall”. We can see him to be insecure by stealing expensive art to provide lavish and expensive things for his wife who he fears will leave her. He also has the insecurity of not wanting children in case they inherit his so called ‘bad genes’ and end up like he is. Roger’s insecurities become the obstacle in the story and it is overcome when the last line of the film is “My name is Roger Brown and I am 1.68 metres tall, and that is enough for me”. In Welcome to the punch Max is seen to be insecure after the fight he is involved in which leads to his leg being shot. The shooting leads him to believe he is inferior not just in physical fights but even in discussions with his colleagues when it is seen that he is too scared to state his own opinion.

 Another theme that is prominent in both films is the theme of evil being defeated. In welcome to the punch, this theme seemed as though it was going to be fulfilled when the hunt for Jacob Sternwood began who was seen as the evil character, however it was then revealed that Dean Warne was indeed the evil character and he did eventually get killed. The killing of this character is the main aim in the film and can only be fulfilled if the action is completed. In Headhunters, although Roger Brown is seen as the evil character because of his stealing of the art and his constant killing of characters in order to save his own skin, Clas Greve is revealed as the real evil character and is then killed off similarly to Welcome to the punch.

 To conclude, I really enjoyed both films however I did enjoy Headhunters a bit more, because my favourite part of a film is when the problem arises, and there were many problems in this film which meant I kept engaged the whole time, however in Welcome to the Punch, much of the problem was solved by someone getting punched or shot which after I will I became disinterested in. But overall both films were very good and engaging.

Weekly News Update 12

My story this week comes from the Sun and ties in very nicely with the theme of Christmas. An anonymous drink driver lost control of his Mini cooper after a night out on his work do and smashed into a metal barrier. The driver leapt out of the wreck and headed down the road to a large shed which contained the festive scene outside the John Smith’s brewery in Tadcaster, North Yorks. The driver tried to hide himself under the hay next to the manger, but his efforts were not enough when the police noticed his shoes sticking out the hay.

The unusual escape was reported on tweeted and sparked a hilarious response from the public. Bill Simpson tweeted “Obviously not one of the wise men” whilst Neil Royce said “God arrest ye merry gentlemen”. In all the laughter that was created from this event, a source said "He’d been in the pub all night and was absolutely hammered. He’d tried to get a few girls in the pub to go home with him and they refused – luckily for them. But the gentleman was not injured in the crash and has been arrested for drink driving.

I found this story interesting because the actions the driver took in a bid to try to run away were extremely unusual and humourous, I think the fact it came from the Sun meant the story was focused more on the fact he hid in the nativity scene rather than the crash but the main thing was that the man was ok.