No Country for Old Men Introduction Review

This is a review of the opening sequence from the film, No Country for Old Men. The opening sequence of this film differs incredibly to anything I have ever come across before. It starts almost like an artistic interpretation of a piece of text, the sought of 5 minute film you would expect to see in art exhibition accompanying a selection of film stills and quotes. The voice over also displays a likeness with the use of a thick American accent and a one sided conversation. But it is this quality that makes this such an effective and dramatic opening. There is no actual action in this opening; instead it is left to the long panoramic shots of the dramatic landscapes to hold the interest of the viewer. These virtually still shots interrupted only by natural movement from the breeze set the scene perfectly showing how the area in which this film has been based is so desolate and empty. The low angled shots of silhouettes show how beautiful the landscape is in different lights but also how it hides and conceals things from our eyes. Also the shots of barbed wire display the unnatural man made harsh qualities of the landscape and hit at the violence to come. When we combine these images with the commentary and the viewer is given the impression that in the old times people respected the law but now they take advantage of the location. We also realise how crime has become more sinister, it is no longer romantic and passionate but callous.

After this short setting of the scene we are introduced to the physical living beings in the film. This is very important as again it shows how empty and desolate this place is. We see an officer taking a handcuffed man up to his police car and place sit him inside, during this movement we do not one see the man’s face only a few distinctive features such as his hair. This shows us that we cannot trust this man, he is a mysterious character. This has been cleverly timed with the voice over to intersect the point where the officer discusses how u have to be willing to put your life on the, but how he does not want to die without understanding the reason why. This last bit happens as the officer places the gas tank in the passenger seat of the car, showing how we do not know what this contraption is or what it is used for. The last thing the over voice says is ‘okay, I’ll be part of this world.’ This suggests to the viewer that by entering this desolate landscape you are entering a different world, a world you are unfamiliar with. This I believe to be the perfect way to end the opening scene of this film, as it leaves the audience with so many questions and a lust for the answer. E.g. who is this man and what is that canister for? Who is doing the over voice, is it the officer we have just scene? What is the relevance of the man who killed the 14 year old girl?