A/A Genre Analysis Using NICS Homework:

This action/adventure film from Men In Black can be analysed into 4 sections: Narrative, Iconography, Characters and Settings.

The narrative shown in this clip follows Todorov’s Theory as the equilibrium (the two heroes almost apprehending the villain), the disruption (the fight scene between Agent J and the giant cockroach) and the restoration (the gooey death of the monster) is shown. The narrative in Men In Black follows the conventions of typical action/adventure films. The challenge/scenarios faced in the film by the hero is representative of the genre as it depicts a brave hero trying to beat a seemingly unbeatable foe until a solution for its weakness is found, which is also stereotypical. Typical sounds can be heard throughout the clip such as; gun clicks, explosive sounds, punching sounds and a spaceship’s ‘vroom’. This leads on to a stereotypical theme of aliens and futuristic weapons/transport which is common in many action/adventure films.

The iconography shown in the clip again follows action/adventure themes. The props in the film, such as large guns and other improvised weaponry (e.g. the tree branch), can also be found in many other films of the same genre. Also, the costumes for a slick/cool looking character can be seen in other characters like in spy movies, so they too are typical. The make-up and masks and other extras used in the film clip, specifically the deformed-face mask and gooey-goo, is also paralleled in other similar action/adventure films.

The few characters shown in this clip can still be identified using Propp’s Theory. The main hero in the film is Agent J (played by Will Smith) who is a cop turned secret agent when he encounters aliens, who learns new things throughout the film. The villain is the giant cockroach alien (Edgar The Bug) who uses the farmer ‘skin-suit’ who wants to steal a whole galaxy from Earth. Many victim characters fall to this villain as he is difficult to defeat. The donor or co-hero is Agent K (played by Tommy Lee Jones) who recruits Agent J as teaches him the ways of MIB. The is glimpses of a ‘damsel-in-distress’ style character who is stuck in a tree in the clip but later help to re-kill the Bug - All very conventional of the genre.

The whole film is majorly set in New York in USA, however some areas of the film touch upon other setting such as space or other planets. I think the major setting for this film is very stereotypical for invasion-style action/adventure films as almost all invasion seem to ALWAYS happen in America (am I right?).