Violence in Movies - Movie Review Example

Violence in Movies Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Violence in Movies There is a paradox over the so-called “violence movies.” On one hand, these movies are criticized for contributing to violence in the society, but on the other, films makers are earning praise and fame for starring in the “deadly” movies that are actually popular among a wide audience the world over. This leaves a begging question: is there too much gratuitous violence, as critics often contend? Do the actors actually intend to perpetuate violence in the society or is it jus a matter of titillating the audience. This paper is an open discussion of this issue and will rely on examples from a number of movies. Two recent movies, Death Sentence and Legion have been selected for analysis on the contention that movies. Before delving into the contents of the two movies, the paper provides a discussion of the mass media, which is coupled with an analysis of the relevant mass communication theories. For instance while some forms of mass media are praised for their entertainment component, they are also criticized for their impact on the behaviour of the society at large. Analysis of mass media output Looking back at all epochs in history, one realises that there have been plenty of violent scenes which, interestingly, passed for entertainment. From the Coliseum in ancient Rome which had seating for tens of thousands of people to watch gladiators fighting to death to the sixteenth century public punishment, violence has been closely associated with entertainment (Nagle, 2008). It is therefore not surprising, as noted by Nagle, that “large crowds regularly turned out to witness executions, from crucifixions in ancient Rome to beheadings in Revolutionary France to hangings in the old American West” (p. 5). Yet these were not movies but real scenes of torture and massacre. In the contemporary world, violent entertainment comes in many forms. Radio, television, movies, video games and the Internet are some of the ways through which humankind entertains itself to scenes or words depicting violence. For instance, plenty of music lyrics describe fighting, anger, and hostility. Along the same line, murder, abuse, explosions and gunfights are common in popular TV shows and films. Most of the best-selling video games encourage players to hunt or kill opponents. In view of these, it is commonplace for people to download movies from the Internet, which depict beating and street fights, among the many acts of violence. Many people are of the opinion that media violence is harmful. This is because of the conviction that exposure to media violence exposes children and perhaps adults also to violent behaviour, making them more aggressive, and even to be engaged in crime. Nevertheless, there is no clear indicator that watching TV shows or movies with violent scenes lead to acquisition of violent behaviour. Along this line, may debates rage on the point that violent scenes cause some members of the audience to become violent. Freedman (2002) asserts that many psychologist and representatives from health organisations have supported the notion of the link between watching movies with violent scene and turning out to be violent. But Nagle (2008) contends this standpoint by arguing that the precise effects of violent music, movies and media are note easy to gauge, especially when it comes to adolescents and children. While many studies in the past have indicated correlations or connection between violence in entertainment and real world hostility, there is no conclusive information to show that violence as seen and heard can cause people to become violent. However, a point that is worthy noting is that it is generally known that people are likely to be influenced by violent the messages and messages that they encounter through the entertainment media (Nagle, 2008). Again, revisiting Freedman’s (2002) book titled Media Violence and its Effect on Aggression: Assessing the Scientific Evidence, the author carried out research and enumerated plausible reasons why media violence does not have harmful effects on children. Therefore, whether there is a connection between scenes f valence in media and violent behaviour is thus amenable to discussion. Hence, since there is no clear scientific evidence that watching movies with violent scenes leads one to being violent this paper focuses on both sides of violence in movies: as a form of entertainment and a vice to the society. Theories related to violence in media Since violence in media and people’s violent nature is related to aggression and social relations, it is important to highlight some of the theories related to aggression. This paper therefore discusses some theories: psychoanalytic theory of aggression, Cognitive neo-association theory, social learning theory, social control theory and self control theory as highlighted by Kirsh (2006). Psychoanalytic theory of aggression Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory of Aggression relates the death instinct to all acts of aggression. Freud posited that thanatos (that is the death instinct) seeks to end life but often takes a self destructive course (that is suicide). Nevertheless, the instinct for death can be redirected away from oneself towards others, and when redirection occurs, aggressive behaviour arises (Kirsh, 2006). This theory can be used to explain the killings that were perpetrated by students on various dates as explained next. On 20 April 1999, two students wearing trench coats walked into Columbine High School in Colorado and killed 12 students and one teacher, then themselves. On 1 December 1997, a student killed three colleagues at Heath High School in Kentucky. Further, on 30 April 1999, a Canadian boy killed a seventeen year old student and severely injured another at W.R. Myers High School in Taber (Freedman, 2002). Many factors were blamed for these tragic incidents, but exposure to media violence was highlighted as critical. Cognitive neo-association theory This theory posits that aversive events such as provocations and frustrations automatically produce negative effect (DeLisi & Beaver, 2010). Consequently, negative effect automatically stimulates memories and thoughts, expressive motor reactions, and psychological reactions that are associated with both fight and flight tendencies. Social Learning Theory According to the social learning theory, crime is a product of learning the values, norms and behaviours associated with criminal activity. Social learning can encompass the actual techniques of crime as well as the psychological features of criminality such as how to deal with guilt or shame associated with illegal activities (Siegel, 2008). Discussing this, issue, DeLisi and Beaver (2010) note that social learning theory can be explain some types of media violence consequences because various media such as television, movies and video games all provide opportunities for people to observe the behaviour of others and often portray rewards for that conduct. Any person who watches Death Sentence would definitely want to be a hero like Kevin Bacon (acting as Nick Hume) who manages to track down all the members of a gang that killed his son and kills them one by one. Script theory This theory proposes that an individual behaves according to pre-formed scripts (Seidel, Kett & Perencevich, 2007). Aggressive scripts are acquired from viewing of violence in mass media and violent behaviour stimulates the observation of media violence. This is to suggest that since most movies are created to leave the audience in suspense, some viewers may develop a propensity to complete the “remaining sections” of the scripts that they do not see. DeLisi and Beaver (2010) note that if a person views a television show in which verbal insults are frequently followed by revenge in the form of physical violence, this can become part of the person’s script for how to cope with verbal insults. Similarly, a child who has witnessed several TV episodes of using a gun to settle a dispute is likely to have a very accessible conflict-gun-resolve script. Excitation transfer theory Excitation transfer theory states that when a person experiences physiological stimulation and is consequently in a situation that produces anger prior to dissipation of the stimulation, the preceding stimulation can be misattributed to the source of the anger (Gentile, 2003; Vorderer & Bryant, 2006). In view of this, DeLisi and Beaver (2010) note that violent media can increase arousal and lead to aggression. It may therefore be true to say that many people would like to try practising what they see in the media. Role of violence in entertainment Since violence has been depicted as vital component of entertainment since ancient times to the present-day movies, it is actually to define what scene is “full of violence.” The truth of the matter is that what one person may see as violent may seem harmless to another person. In particular, if one knows that what he or she is watching is just a video creation and not an actual act, they are not likely to be psychologically affected by what they see. Nevertheless, some people will still be affected by what they see regardless of whether it is fiction reality. So what exactly is violence in movies? According to Nagle (2008), violence is any forceful act that is aimed at causing harm. It can be physical or emotional. Physical violence is that which involves physical injury, while emotional violence affects the mind. Both forms of violence are depicted in various forms of media, including movies. Murder, explosions, shootings, and beatings are the common themes. The magnitude of violence in movies varies from small beatings such as slaps to torturous scenes such as opening character’s head while he or she is alive or shooting a character at close range. In movies horror movies such as Hostel, characters may be taunted before they are tortured or killed. What matters is the feeling that such scenes leave in the minds of the audience. For instance, in The Godfather, special effects made the violent death of Sonny Corleone disturbing but memorable. Representation of violence in movies Not many people would be of the opinion that all violence be eliminated from television shows, movies and music simply because it is unpleasant. This is because as Nagle (2008) notes, violence and conflict are components of real life, and thus sometimes need to be included in entertainment to tell a sensible story of share a candid point of view. Thus, the issue in movies is not whether violence id depicted or not, but how it how it is portrayed. There are tricks that can make movie content either more horrifying or les offensive (Trend, 2007). The following analyses will bring out this point of view clearly. Analysis of Death Sentence (released on DVD on 8 January 2008) Death sentence focuses around Kevin Bacon acting as Nick Hume, who decides to retaliate when a gang murders his son in an initiation ritual. Hume vows to not only protect his family but also ensure that the gang members are killed. Hume is husband to Helen and a father of two boys: Brendan and Lucas. One day, Hume and Brendan, his oldest son, after a hockey game, drive home as they discuss Brendan’ future. They are run out of fuel and have to stop at a gas station for some. A gang keen to initiate a new member attacks the two and one the newcomer, Joe Darley attack and kills Brendan with a machete. Hume reacts in an attempt to kill the gang members, and pull’s Joe’s mask, revealing his face. The thug escapes though but he is hit by a car. Later, Hume rushes his son to hospital but he dies from haemorrhage. Much to his astonishment, Hume discovers that if the case is handled by the court all the way, the killer will receive a paltry punishment of only three to five in prison for the crime. He therefore forces the police to let go the case. When Joe is consequently freed, he becomes the target of Hume’s revenge plan. Hume eventually kills him with a knife at his home, but is also wounded on the hand in the fight. The leader of the gang and Joe’s elder brother, Billy Darley, vows to kill on discovering that he is responsible for the death. The gang quickly plans to kill Hume, and they ambush him at a multi-storey car park. In the process, one gang member dies in a moving car that flies from a high floor to the ground while Hume escapes. Police detectives are now aware of the issues surrounding Hume, and still persuade him to follow the law as “everybody thinks they are right in a war”. But Hume sticks to his guns. Eventually, the police provide him protection but when the gang raids Hume’s home, they kill the officers offering protection and Helen. They also shoot Hume and Lucas, and are convinced that they have killed everyone. After the incident, and a brief speech from the police, Hume is allowed to visit his son Lucas who is in coma in hospital. From here Hume escapes from hospital, and buys three guns from Bones Darley who is later revealed to be the father to Billy. Interestingly, Bill later kills the gun dealer when he warns him. With the three guns, Hume returns to hunt the remaining gang members. He kills all gang members except Billy, who he wounds with the Colt Python he purchased. Billy, now dying of the wounds sits next to Hume and admits that indeed, he made Hume turn into a ferocious killer just akin to him. Hume, now avenged, returns to his home to watch videos of his family as it was in the past. A police detective arrives to inform him that Lucas is responding well in hospital and will live. He looks at the video of his family, but with the wounds, the audience is left wondering whether he will survive. Discussion Death Sentence is an epitome of a movie that depicts both physical and emotional violence. Physical violence is depicted in gun fights and killings. Emotional violence is felt as one sympathises with the characters who are killed or wounded. A viewer who hates crime will definitely support Hume for his courage in dealing with the vicious gang. Nevertheless, another viewer may argue that Hume is a rebel to the law as he does not want the court to punish the killer but takes the law onto his on hands. What makes the movie exciting is the way violence is depicted. The gang is violent, but Hume is equally violent. What makes Hume’s violence justifiable is that he wants to kill those who killed his son and keep on trailing him. There are some many tricks in the movie, as the main character is not allowed to die even when the worst of dangerous scenes. Hume manages to escape several attempts by the gang to kill him, including at the car park where he jumps out of a moving car that eventually falls with gang member. This makes the movies very entertaining as any viewer will develop sympathy for Hume and wait to see whether he eventually manages to kill the gang. More violence is justified as the gang equally pursues Hume as he does. It is therefore violence that sustains entertainment in the movie. Thus, violence is not gratuitous in Death Sentence, it is vital as it in Something Wild that was reviewed by Kapsis (2009). According to (Paxson), there is a difference in types of violence. Grartuituos violence does not serve a purpose in the plot of a story – it is included in the movie for the sake of violence itself. On the other hand, purposeful violence serves a role in the plot of a story; for instance, violence may be used by a hero (as the case in Death Sentence) against a villain to save the hero or other people from the villain. But this is not to say that there is no gratuitous violence in movies. Inasmuch as some movies are titillating, others such as WWF Wrestling are filled with gratuitous violence (Nichols & Good, 2004). Analysis of Legion (released on DVD in May 2010) Legion is about the apocalypse. According to the movie, God has lost confidence in humankind. He thus orders his angels to exterminate them. Michael the angel (Paul Bettany) however disagrees with God’s command and descends from heaven to save humanity. Michaels selects a small desert known as Paradise Falls at the periphery of Mojave desert, which he uses to show that humankind indeed need to be saved. Michael attention is focused on Jeep and a pregnant woman, Charlie, whose unborn child is destined to be the saviour - this however not clearly explained. In the movie, God as not being merciful nor infallible. In addition, the angels are ethereal or lovely – they are depicted as dark creatures who torture humanity to guarantee the End of Days. Before commencement of the action, an elderly woman comes into the resort filled with sweetness and smiles. But as it can be predicted, she ends up bringing predicament. Such scenes were also used in The Exorcist III. Discussion Legion is full of gratuitous violence that spoils the entertainment. Most scenes look unrealistic and unlike Death Sentence, this movie is obviously horrifying. The violence in Legion cannot be classified as horror though since most of the killings are done using guns as opposed to chainsaws, knives and other hand-to-hand combat weapons. The use of guns in Legion is obviously gratuitous violence. A viewer would expect God to punish humankind using some me other technique than guns. That Michael is an angel who defies God also makes the movie lose its entertainment component. Thus, even though there are some enthralling scenes, most are overshadowed by those involving fights. But if we are to go by Prince’s (2000) words that at all current movies that deal with violence say something important, then we can presume the stern nature of God when it comes to punishing humankind. Conclusion It has been discussed that although there is no clear link between the violence seen in movies and the violent nature of movies, there are many theories to link what people see in mass media and how they act. Violence remains an important part of movies since in many cases it makes them look real. Purposeful violence makes the audience admire some characters and thus be hooked to the movie. In such scenarios, it becomes difficult to distinguish between use of violence as entertainment and applying it a means to titillate the audience. Gratuitous violence is however used for the purpose of violence itself. Nevertheless, since there is no clear definition of violence, what may appear as a form of entertainment to on person many be gratuitous violence to another. Bibliography Brett A.S. Martin & Collins, B.A. (2002). "Violence and consumption imagery in music videos". European Journal of Marketing. 36 (7/8): 855 – 873. Cornelio S. (2004). "The global challenge of human security". Foresight. 6 (4):208 – 211. DeLisi, M. & Beaver, K M. (2010). Criminological Theory: A Life-Course Approach. London: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Eagle, L., de Bruin A., & Bulmer, S. (2002) "Violence, values, and the electronic media environment". Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 7 (1):.25 – 33. Freedman, J.L. (2002). 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