How Does M Night Shyamalan Use Camera Angles In Unbreakable

‘Unbreakable’ is a Superhero/ villain origin story directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Throughout this film many technical aspects such as framing, colour and reflections to provide links to greater ideas within the film.
Specific camera angles and framing are techniques used frequently throughout the film. A number of scenes have been shot from a high angle looking down at the action. These shots can feel like they are alienating the action and characters within the scene. This style of shot mimics Security cameras and the type of footage they record. Examples of this can be found periodically throughout the film, be found throughout the film with an example being when David touches the man in green in the crown and uses his newfound power to

see what crime the man had committed (taking advantage of a drunk girl). This scene is shot from the corner of the room looking down on the action, much like a security camera, which provides a parallel to David’s every day job working as a security guard. Using his power he can observe thigs that other people try to conceal about themselves and with this knowledge David can do something about it, much like his job however on a more dramatic style. Another stylistic form of framing Shyamalan has used in this film is comic book framing. Shots throughout the film are frequently sectioned off by stationary objects such as door frames or posts dividing characters or other parts of the scene. This breaks up the scenes into panels, like a comic book. Comic books play a major part in ‘Unbreakable’ as a whole due to the story being strongly based around the influence that Comic books had on Elijah’s life, as well at the story itself being a superhero film and following many of the traditional comic-like trope.
Throughout the film Shyamalan uses the cinematographic of reflections frequently throughout the film.

As a technique this could be classed as a framing choice or use of props, but regardless of how it is classed it is used very effectively throughout this film. In ‘Unbreakable’, in the beginning of the film Elijah is frequently filmed from an angles so that he is only visible through a reflection, for example the mirror in the retail store where he was born or the screen of the television in his room. This is important to Elijah’s character as it shows a lot of self-reflection. The scene of Elijah’s in his room when he was younger it shows how he feels trapped behind what people see as him as being weak and frail, also referring to him as Mr’ Glass (this also links back to reflections as both the mirror and the screen are made out of glass).Using The visual of Elijah being depicted predominantly through reflections during the early stages of his life show that he is yet to realise who he really is, or who he identifies with being, as he is trapped by his physical capabilities due to his medical condition. After young Elijah is introduced to the world of comic books the film steps away from depicting him through reflections as he is beginning to find a sense of individuality and identity through his new found obsession. Instead of being cooped up in self-doubt and reflection of all of the things wrong about him and he=is life he steps up and starts actively searching for

himself believing what he reads as the comic books were most likely the only constant thing in his life as a child. With a lack of friends and a debilitating medical conditions, Elijah most likely depended on comics to provide him with an escape from the truth, that he was weak and had no friends. Growing up in isolation is not a healthy way to grow up and is probably the reason why Elijah became the villain. The only thing he could count on reliably were his books and he wanted to be a part of that world no matter which role he had to fill.
Colour plays a very important role in this film.

One of the most key uses of colour is found in the costuming of the characters, which eventually leads to the colour being frequently used to represent that character. David Dunn, this story’s protagonist, is represented by the colour green. He rarely not wearing this colour, even what could b considered as his ‘hero’s costume’, his waterproof security cloak, is green. As a colour, green I commonly used to symbolise growth and as a character David goes through a lot of person growth through the duration of the film. His character goes through a great deal of development as the story progresses and he realises his power as well as improving his relationships with those around him (his wife, Audrey and his son, Joseph). Green is also a colour commonly associated with Life, and in a number of religions with resurrection and regeneration. All of these ideas of the colour green are found in David’s character. Being the ‘hero’ of this story His role is to protect life, his power which he uses to do this is, of course, his unhuman strength, which means that he is not injured by force which is reminiscent of greens religious connotation of Regeneration. Just as David is represented by green, Elijah is represented by the colour purple. Purple ids a colour most commonly associated with royalty, Independence and wealth. Through his general appearance and manner he immediately give of an Aura of wealth, which fits with his role as the

villain as villains often see themselves as superior. Shyamalan used colour as a technique from the beginning of the film, paying attention to small details. For example the only two characters in the film to where purple as Elijah and his mother (in the scene when she gives birth to him). This helps the viewers to see Elijah as a somewhat isolated character as he gets bullied for his condition he sees himself as being different and therefore separates himself from the world. From the moment of his birth the film set him up to be different, which is a common trait found in villains as they feel forced into isolation. Most of the other characters are seen in dull muted colours which helps draw the viewers eye to what is important by painting it in bright colours, literally highlighting what their focus should be on. In the scene where David is at the train station couloir is used once again as he tests his powers out in the field. Every time he locate someone who has committed some form of rime the colour of their clothing changes from a muted tone to a pop of colour which draws the audience’s attention, much like the use of colour in traditional comics. Thus technique has been used to help depict to the audience how David is just starting to see the world in a new light, or colour as the film presents it.
Looking at this film, comparative to the norm within the genre there is a distinctive lack of special effect in regards to action scenes. Most films within the superhero genre use a surplus of flashy effects and explosions, however most of the real battles in ‘Unbreakable’ are psychological. Elijah’s mother explains to David the way that Elijah described this by saying ‘there’s always two kinds; there's the soldier villain — who fights the hero with his hands; and then there's the real threat — the brilliant and evil archenemy — who fights the hero with his mind’. This quote perfectly describes both Elijah’s role as a villain as well as describing this film in term of the category this film fits into within the superhero genre. Shyamalan has use a lack of special effects to highlight this, focusing on using less obvious technical aspects such as colour, reflections and framing. The use of these subtle cinematographic techniques combine with the lack of a full on combat action scene makes Shyamalan’s signature plot twist more satisfying. Within the film he uses other technical aspects to foreshadow the end, however the viewer must actively watch in order to correctly piece together the puzzle. This is a clever way of making the film more psychological and challenging to an audience as it offers them the clues, but won’t reveal them in too obvious a manner making it a great film for anyone who enjoys a mental challenge.