Introduction
Even though violence is a vice in almost all societies across the globe, it is always difficult to completely evade this phenomenon. Violence has often been used as entertainment, competition, and domination over others (Martinez et al. 671). It was involved in competitive games in Ancient Rome, such as gladiatorial games, mostly in the form of “human sacrifice to the spirit of the dead” (Hage 34). They were spectacular performances in which people fought to the death as they competed and entertained the audiences.
In modern times, real pictures are combined with virtual pictures of a violent world in the media. Virtual representations of real scenarios acquire a different, more convincing meaning (Grant, 171). From the point of view of the young audience, screen images of violence are perceived as reality, which can determine the impacts on perceptions and behaviors.
Scholars have attempted to explain that violence as entertainment in films attracts a huge audience. Viewers are not necessarily attracted by violence per se, but they expect some benefits, such as suspense and thrill (Martin 2298). Violent content attracts viewers because it satisfies truth-seeking motivations through meaningful insights into certain aspects of humans (Mariani 7). Hedonistic pleasures are part of the story of why people willingly expose themselves to scenes of violence (Martin 2298). Moreover, people are likely to watch such films if they feel there is meaning in confronting violent aspects in real life (Mariani 6). In the 2015 American film Sicario, violence is used as entertainment to appeal to the audience. The audience is introduced to the possibility of violent content as the film starts with an opening note explaining that “sicario” is slang for “hitman.” The film opens with two pointers of a violent world. One indicates a discovery, while the other points to a possible explosion, thus setting the stage for a satisfying thriller for the audience. Therefore, the filmmakers create a scene in which the audience expects suspense and thrill, which helps to attract viewers’ attention (Mondal 1). Consequently, analyzing a film of the kind of Sicario is both a literary and psychological/sociological approach. Here, the idea is to examine how and why people are attracted to violence that includes scenes of excessive violence and deaths, yet these are social vices that people avoid in real life.
Theoretical Perspective of Application of Violence in Films
Before embarking on on-screen violence, it is important to address the question, “What is violence?” The Oxford English Dictionary defines violence as the exercise of force to inflict injury or cause damage to persons or property. From a psychological perspective, violence is driven by negative emotions, such as anger and fear, that make a person to exhibit aggressive behavior towards people or property. Also, psychology views violence as a behavior that is reinforced by feelings of power and dominance where a person may draw pleasure from inflicting injury on others, which explains behaviors such as bullying (McNeill). From a sociological perspective, like other behaviors, violence is contextual and influenced by patterns of socialization. Socialization refers to the process through which a person learns and adopts the norms and customs of a society. Considering this, a person will engage in violent behavior because they have been socialized to view it as an appropriate response (Ritzer and Stepnisky 59). Thus, violent behaviors vary from one place to another because they are primarily dependent on how a person has been socialized.
Violence is graphically depicted in the 2018 film Sicario, a thriller film about an FBI task force that is committed to tackling the drug trafficking problem in Mexico. Throughout the film, there are strong and gruesome violent incidences that result from killings, fighting, shootings, and explosions as the FBI task force strives to take out drug lords. The film opens with indicators of a violent world that happens in suburban America. The FBI agent, Kate Macy, is investigating a kidnap victim and, in the process, discovers a dead body after a shotgun blasts a hole in the wall of the house. She soon discovers the home is filled with corpses. The discovery of the bodies depicts gruesome violence done by individuals who view violence as a means of communication. In the film, the viewer discovers the actions of the Sonora Cartel which kills and hangs bodies in public spaces, showing how it has normalized violence. The violence of the cartel is a learned behavior, as individuals who commit the acts do not show any remorse. They view it as a means of making threats and sending a message. Thus, one can argue that the cartel members have been socialized to view violence and murder as means of making threats and sending out a message.
On the other hand, the violence can be explained from a psychological perspective when one considers the actions of the FBI agents. Their violent acts are driven by negative emotions, which develop after learning about the horrible murders and tortures committed by the Sonora Cartel that have crossed the border. For instance, in the opening scene, Macy takes out a target as he unloads a gun in her direction. Macy’s actions can be attributed to the negative emotions she has developed upon learning that the target has kidnapped a person and committed other horrible acts. Macy and other members of the task force exhibit negative emotions throughout the film, which make them commit to violence, which is a major element of the intense scenes in the film. Thus, the film depicts both psychological and sociological perspectives of violence.
Entertainment through violence is not new. Rather, when used to entertain, blood, violence, and even death have historically pulled crowds. In ancient Rome, crowds would flock to the carnage in the Colosseum, and in later centuries, public executions of criminals were a form of entertainment in medieval Europe (McCarthy-Jones B4). Nowadays, violence exhibited on screens attracts millions of viewers worldwide, especially in films. In a recent study of high-violent films, it was established that 90% had a section or scene where characters are involved in violent acts (McCarthy-Jones B4). The question of interest in research is why people are attracted by scenes of violence in entertainment media.
Previous studies have shown that people are not necessarily attracted to violence per se. Instead, audiences are drawn to violent content as they expect other benefits, such as the creation of suspense and thrill. From previous studies have shown that hedonistic pleasures form only part of the larger story in a film about why people willingly expose themselves to scenes of aggression, violence, and death (McCarthy-Jones). Portrayals of violence on screens appear to attract large audiences because they promise to satisfy motivations of truth-seeking. Various theoretical and conceptual models have been used in many studies to explain this phenomenon.
The reversal theory, also called the theory of psychological reversals, applies to emotions, personality, and motivation. This theory emphasizes the changeability and inconsistency of human behaviors and experiences (Apter 43). The core principle in this theory is that people tend to reverse how they feel about something and their approach to situations through reframing. The theory examines the relationship between emotions and motivations, known as ‘emotivations’ (Apter 43). People move from one motivation style to another and, in the process, want different things and see and experience things differently. When motivations are satisfied, a person feels good but changes to bad emotions when frustrated (Apter 43). A person can simultaneously be playful and serious or hold competing values at different times.
This theory can provide a rationale when exploring violence in Sicario. Essentially, the reversal theory explains that people can simultaneously behave in paradoxical or contradictory ways (Apter 47). Among the many paradoxes of human motivation and emotion is the paradox of enjoying bad or negative things. In violent films, people enjoy acts of aggression and violence by some characters against others. By watching acts of violence, one is motivated to satisfy the desire for such things as revenge as created in the movie. Nevertheless, there is a paradox: the same person does not approve of violence in real life. This is an important piece of narrative in Sicario, where violence is emphasized as inconsistency and framed through different perspectives.
Screen Violence in the Modern Cinematography
Sicario is one film that exemplifies the use of violence in the entertainment sector. Understanding what violence means in contemporary cinematography and how it is woven into contemporary cinema is vital to understanding the violence in Sicario. Ramesh asserts that its culture determines the ethical standards and desires of the 21st century. Screen violence can be defined as aggressive behavior toward a character with the risk of injuring him, as shown in films, TV series, or games (Ramesh 1). Unlimited freedom promotes the development of a specific personality and a culture consumer. The advancement of science and technology, which transformed labor into a leisure activity, is another factor.
In movies, violence is shown from both a moral and physical standpoint: Persuasive and amusing depictions of violence are not the goal; a moral evaluation of evil and moral teaching is. The life of human beings is seen as a hilarious journey because they must confront the futility of existence and must constantly guide themselves through life and the hardships they face within their lives. Hollywood films like Westerns, where the hero is compelled by society or circumstances to deliver justice through violence, maintain the role of on-screen violence (Hill 23). In cinematography, the general vector of change in the representation of violence, like painting, is directed from aesthetically smoothed images to spectacular, vivid scenes, which became characteristic with the beginning of the era of postmodernism. This is essential to the violence embraced by Villeneuve in his works. In Denis Villeneuve’s movies, violence is inserted into the story so that it starts to be seen as organic in this particular work, receives little attention, and is taken for granted because of its ridiculousness, lack of concentration, or, opposite, its excess. There are numerous possible eradication strategies.
The concept of violence as a phenomenon, extending beyond the comprehension of violence as an act, is explored in several other movies, including Sicario. The general public interprets violence in a strongly negative way. However, it offers a vast area for creating a foundation for this phenomenon’s interpretation. It is not uniform, like many philosophical occurrences (Goldstein 171). According to conventional wisdom, historical violence is the monad of history, its sole basis, of which the overall impression of time is created. History involves complicated cause-and-effect interactions, increased by specific territorial-climatic and anthropological factors, rather than just the aggression of the top over the poor and the weak over the strong.
Types of Screen Violence
To consider the definition of violence in different films from different directors, one can call the films of Alex van Warmerdam, which are full of violence and death, which occur unexpectedly, illogical and optional. Therefore, they are perceived by the viewer rather coldly. Another type of violence in cinema is exaggeratedly bloody scenes, which, unlike the previous example, cannot leave the viewer indifferent. However, they will not evoke such emotions as shock and disgust either. A striking example is the films of Quentin Tarantino of the Hollywood period. The third type of cinematic violence is scenes that are shocking with physiological naturalness and contain frightening images (Srjan Spasoevich Serbian Film). The spectacular violence in question is in demand and widespread in today’s culture much more than the non-spectacular type of representation, including, for example, documentary films and photography. While non-spectacular violence is often used to protest and call for social and political change, the spectacular one appeals to intrapersonal problems and conflicts, as well as to the aesthetic feelings of the viewer. Sicario, in its turn, employs an intra-perspective approach to violence, not resorting to the limits of non-spectacular violence, but at the same time not exaggerating the bloody scenes, closely connecting them with the director’s perspective.
Analysis and Discussion of the Movie Sicario (2015)
Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Sicario is an excellent example of a film that reveals the concept of violence in life, depicting violent actions as they would appear in real life. The film contains many scenes of violence. Still, there are elements of a psychological thriller and well-motivated characters whose actions can be analyzed to understand and explain the violence. In the example of this picture, scientists can analyze the use of violence in cinema and understand why people like to look at it.
It is important to employ various analytical tools to properly understand the film. This will aid in the proper positioning of violence within the overall conception and vision of the director. Strategic approaches – indicate how the subject will be comprehended, e.g. within which settings the violence will be positioned. From the methodological point of view, it is important to define violence and indicate the theoretical background and position the reversal theory in the appropriate settings. Moreover, indicating the context will help to determine how the movie employs various forms of connection with the viewer.
All the works of Denis Villeneuve are distinguished by a particular attitude to the display of the surrounding world. Even the fantastic films Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 try to make the story as down to earth as possible, to make it closer to the realistic attitude familiar to the viewer. The reason for such a passion for realism is Ingmar Bergman, who changed the perception of cinema for the then-young student Villeneuve, forcing him to change science to the cinema at the university (Mondal 2). This led to a fascination with details of the environment, closely incorporating them with the key elements of movie plots.
Villeneuve Filming Methods
Each of Denis Villeneuve’s movies takes us on a journey of illumination with his characters. Villeneuve enjoys giving his characters and audience members a sense of suspense or uncertainty. Cinematography is one of the major tools he uses to do this. When the protagonists in the movie are in peril, Villeneuve’s use of negative or empty space is another distinctive Villeneuve trademark (Mondal 2). With his story and coverage, Villeneuve keeps the viewer in the dark, both literally and metaphorically. His use of shadow and light is outstanding and to keeps his movies enigmatic, making extensive use of silhouettes and shadows. Both the vivid colors and the mystery that Villeneuve conveys to the audience through the use of shadows are felt by the viewers in different ways.
An illustration of the unique work with light can be a scene in the film’s middle where Kate sits against a white wall in a light-colored robe (Villeneuve 1:50-1:52). The light in this scene is set so that no shadows are left in the frame. By this, the director symbolically shows that she has no secrets and no longer hides anything from the viewer. At the same time, Alejandro is hidden in those, and his figure is barely visible. Thus, his secrecy and variability of character are emphasized. The viewer subconsciously becomes clear about which character can be trusted and which is not yet.
The director creates tension with unusual shooting angles, color contrasts, music, and sound effects. His cinema makes the viewer go along with the characters in search of truth, and after watching, it leaves them with questions that need to be considered for a long time. Villeneuve’s methods for connecting the viewer with the narrative and the image on the screen are revolving around violence. The director believes that the shocking realism of the murders and beatings helps the audience feel the characters’ emotions. Especially in this, Villeneuve is helped by car accidents. Accidents occur in his debut film August 32nd on Earth, Whirlpool, Polytechnique, Enemy, and even Blade Runner 2049. One of the most memorable scenes in Sicario (the opening sequence, filmed by one frame) occurs on the border where the heroes are stuck in traffic. The director explains this by saying that car accidents are the most familiar cases to humanity that can lead to death (Mondal 1). Moreover, Denis Villeneuve has a way of making his audience confused, anxious and uncertain with his filmmaking techniques (Hage 33). The film Sicario shows a typical structure of consciousness that moves people in most life situations. It lies in the plane of the mind and is based on a logical analysis of the situation, the identification of objective patterns, and the development of an adequate model of behavior. We can conditionally call such a structure of logical consciousness.
Analysis of the Psychic Aspects of the Film
The contrast between good and bad, as well as between friend and foe, serves as the movie’s core idea and centerpiece, helping the spectator relate to the characters and react to violent moments more effectively. Within these settings, Villeneuve’s gradient that stretches from good to evil does not change from light to darkness. The life of special agents on the Mexican border is a gradient of shades of black. No matter how to correct the main characters’ moral qualities, when the external environment in which they have located changes, they themselves have to change and become murderers (Altamir 78). Villeneuve in Sicario oppresses morality with the help of situations he creates for the main characters.
In the film, the characters Alejandro and Matt think logically. From the beginning, the film’s main character has established herself as a person with sound moral principles who will not resort to unnecessary violence. This is consistent with Altamir, “Women are more afraid of crime” (p. 77). In the film, the viewer can see how these heroes jointly solve many complex problems and achieve success despite numerous obstacles from people guided by thinking with a predominance of emotions and reason. These people include the heroes of the film, Kate and Reggie (Mondal 1). Their type of consciousness is subjective, emotional, and lying in the field of the mental. It can be conditionally designated as mental. They are entirely at the mercy of their personal experiences and subjective ideas, which makes their actions inadequate, destructive, and predictable.
These two types of consciousness correspond to the classical philosophical division of the personality into mind, soul, and body, which form a hierarchy. At the top of the hierarchy is the mind, which is the ability to intuitively contemplate ideas, values , and meanings and see their logical connections (Mondal 1). This is thinking in the highest sense, as it is as objective as possible and does not depend on subjective views and preferences. A step below is the soul, the psyche. It combines such abilities as rational thinking and emotions, which are related to the subjective components of personality.
Alejandro and Matt, in their actions, strive to increase consciousness to see the situation as clearly as possible. They introduce this clarity to other group members, increasing overall adequacy. Therefore, when Kate joins the team, they are teacher-intentioned to take her through a specific experience that would allow her to look more soberly at their work and as a result, at life in general (Mondal 1). However, Kate does not want to study because she is guided by mental attitudes that suppress consciousness in a person. Alejandro sees this perfectly, so he does not seek to explain anything to Kate in words. A person guided by the psyche treats words irresponsibly because, usually, words for him are a means of self-justification (Mondal 1). In general, for such a person, a word, a concept, or something that belongs to the sphere of an idea does not have an essential meaning. Therefore, Alejandro tries to immerse Kate directly into living situations that would help her come to greater consciousness through mistakes and their recognition (Mondal 1). Alejandro tells her that she will not listen to him, so she needs to keep track of what is happening, the actions, and their consequences.
However, like Reggie, Kate does not trust Alejandro and Matt because they unconsciously fear and despise such people. Such people, aimed at logical objectivity, can expose their false masks and, in a sense, are a threat to them. Therefore, Kate and Reggie are doing their best to prove to themselves and others that every objectively thinking person pursues his subjective interests and only thinks about how to humiliate or harm them. This becomes the representation of reversal theory, admitting the changeability of the behavior, which sometimes can be explained only by the inner perceptions of the human.
For a person with a mental, that is, a subjective system of consciousness, objective reality is limited only by its external manifestations. Therefore, the actions of people of this type primarily aim to create appearances (Williams 163). Such people work to create some external image, and their thinking is occupied solely with justifying their actions to strengthen this image. In addition, people with a mental system of consciousness are guided exclusively by the external, formal side of the rules and regulations they learned at the stage of training. The highest value for them is strict adherence to instructions. Their ideals are built on this, and their morality is based on it. They try to follow the letter of the law without rising to the objective spirit, which sees the limitations of the prescriptions and the impossibility of embracing all the phenomena of life with their help.
Therefore, Kate and Reggie are trying with all their might to play the role of moral and honest people pursuing idealistic goals. Moreover, although objectively, their actions testify to the contrary, their main thing is to maintain visibility and insist on their own – formally correct – interpretation of what is happening (Mondal 1). As a result of this attitude of consciousness, in the eyes of Kate and Reggie, all people who play this hypocritical game will be good. Consequently, Reggie considers the policeman working for the mafia a good guy, and Kate immediately shows sexual interest in him (Villeneuve, 54:00-55:34). This can make sense since they have many similarities in their attitude.
However, at the same time, subconsciously, she contempt the policeman because she intuitively knows that he is also a hypocrite as she is, showing her own dark side. Kate’s hypocrisy is manifested in the fact that she wants to fight crime only in such a way that she is thought of positively. She admits that legal actions do not affect the fight against organized crime. However, Kate does not want to change because her reputation may suffer. At the same time, fighting without changing the strategy leads to increasing number of victims. This makes Kate the exact opposite character of Alejandro, who is primarily thinking about how to destroy evil. Therefore, subjectivists internally despise almost everyone with a mental type of consciousness. Nevertheless, they will be especially hated by people who think the opposite of them—those who will expose their game and point to the actual state of affairs.
Hence, in her confrontation with Alejandro and Matt, Kate is trying to prove that they are acting dishonestly and unfairly, that they are bad people with low motives, and that she is a model of dignity and honesty. Therefore, she justifies her resistance to more developed professionals and unwillingness to learn from them (Mondal 1). Moreover, considering herself better than successful masters of her craft, she increases her self-esteem. Kate, therefore, will strive to do everything to drown out the voice of reason – that she is inadequate and her actions are immoral because they harm the common cause. This reversal attitude is a key underpinning of the theoretical foundation of the analysis, which represents the inconsistency in human behavior and shaping the violence around.
Representation of Violence
The impact of violence in cinema has been the subject of ongoing debate for decades and often resurfaces after shooting tragedies. For example, after the 1999 Columbine massacre, critics questioned the role of shock rocker Marilyn Manson and other violent music played in the high school shooting. In 2007, similar questions arose after the Virginia Tech shooting when it was revealed that the shooter was an avid video game fan whose gaming preferences leaned towards violent shooters (Mondal 1). After two separate shootings at a movie theater in Colorado and an elementary school in Connecticut, attention is focused on the effects of film violence. On July 20, 2012, a gunman opened fire on a movie theater showing The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado.
In Sicario, the director takes an approach to show the violence, with all its components and consequences for the main characters and their environment. Moral questions are brought to the fore, making the viewer look for answers and be shocked by their directness. Right from the start, the audience is introduced to the concept of violence in the content. The filmmakers ensure that they provide indicators that there will be multiple scenes of gruesome violence in the depicted world, perhaps to attract and retain the audience’s attention. A note is provided that describes the title of the film and also associates it with violence (Martin 2298). It explains that “sicario” is slang for “hitman” in Spanish. The provision of a possible violent world and an explosion at the same time serves to set the stage for the satisfying thriller in the context. The world the filmmakers create is unpredictable in that violence can erupt abruptly and at any moment.
In the film, none of the parties is entirely on the side of evil or good, and there are many gradations of determining the moral aspects and qualities of the characters. Throughout the film, one can observe how the main character Kate, changes (Mondal 1). Simultaneously, changes do not occur without reason but under the apparent influence of external factors that shake it. Because of this, she loses faith in the justice system, which has to resort to cruel methods to solve problems. Similarly, the main character subconsciously understands that such tactics make sense because they show excellent results.
At the film’s start, the director exposes the audience to the kind of violence expected throughout the story. There is a large explosion that shows a man thrown by the force of the blast (Sicario 3:04). After the dust settles, the viewers see the victim dragging through the dirt with his head covered in blood (Sicario 3:14). A human hand, severed by the bast, is shown lying on the dusky ground (Sicario 3:44). The presence of the human hand indicates that there might have been several victims at the scene. In addition, an injured woman is revealed, with her head and shoulders bleeding profusely.
At the Mexican border, the film depicts various scenes of violence and death. Many people are shot at the border in just one scene, with the film showing a man being shot in the face through a window (Sicario 7:23-11:34). This scene also depicts the use of guns by the American security forces and the Mexican and some American drug cartels. Almost every character is armed and ready to shoot at any moment. The drug cartels and their subjects shoot several people at the border, and the bodies are shown lying in an open field.
In another scene, Alejandro shoots the family of a drug lord to revenge for the murder of his relatives (Sicario 21:16). In the scene, violence is perpetrated by a victim of violent actions on other innocent people. The audience can see that the family of the drug lord is innocent, yet they are exposed to violence because the patriarch is a criminal. Alejandro is subject to emotions and a thirst for revenge. Therefore, his meaning fades into the background. At the same time, he wants the villain to feel the same emotions that Alejandro once did (Sicario 23:17). The concept of morality and violence in Sicario is also emphasized using a suitable color filter that subconsciously presses on the viewer’s psyche. The events in the film themselves change and reshape the moral attitudes of the main character, after which she is ready to make a moral compromise.
While the film’s violence is overly realistic and believable, the agents’ actions seem justified in some cases. They find themselves in difficult conditions where people change through complex moral dilemmas. Sicario appeals to each viewer’s moral code, forcing them to think and form an opinion about where violence is used legally and where it is not (Mondal 1). However, some moments overflow with violence without benefitting the group’s mission. For example, in the scene in which Alejandro shoots the children of the drug lord in retaliation for the fact that he killed his family (Sicario 23:18), the episode of violence does not bring any benefit to the overall goal. Still, it only satisfied the bloodthirstiness of one of the agents. At the same time, the scene of violence is because it partly shows what one act of violence leads to. A second one will follow it, creating a chain of cruelty that leads to numerous deaths.
In another scene, the film depicts mutilated corpses on the walls of a building. The camera focuses on these bodies to provide detail of the manner of death, which is attributed to violent murder (Sicario 33:27-36:08). The faces of the victims are covered with plastic bags coated in coagulated blood. The viewer can see several sustained shots of the bodies, which is thrilling to the audience. Following this scenario, the film shows numerous members of the SWAT team vomiting outside the building, an indication of trauma (Sicario 38:11).
Key Considerations on Violence in Sicario
Sicario is one of the finest instances of how the mere fact that violence is depicted in movies does not violate moral or aesthetic criteria. According to Villeneuve’s interpretation of his films’ cinematic images, it cannot and has no right to be peaceful or angelic (StudioBinder 4:52-8:24). Like many other movies, Sicario revives violence as a historical fact, one of the motivations for man’s enduring drive for dominance. Furthermore, Sicario would not be any more credible than fairy tales if it attempted to convey a storyline in which there is no room for violence without using violent moments. Through the use of the story, the film aims to understand and explain the causes, manifestations, and effects of violence, demonstrating a complete approach to the problem.
Sicario does not in any way emphasize violence as the key representative of the plot and overall concept of the movie. Instead, it makes an effort to grab the audience’s attention. It serves as the narrative backbone and is essential to how events unfold. While conveying the core of violence, the filmmaker was careful to preserve its beauty. The protagonists in the movie are constantly threatened with violence, and each choice they make might have a negative outcome. According to several research, the narrative that centers on murder and continual violence is the one that best maintains viewer attention (Mondal 1). This may make sense, but Villeneuve takes it a step further, identifying violence and violent action as a crucial motivators. This can be seen in the example of Alejandro who takes revenge on the head of the mafia for the death of his loved ones.
A skillful interpretation of the film may frequently justify the use of violence in a scenario. The expectation of the audience during the movie is what happens, and the producer does not have a complex plot that makes it hard for the audience to grasp the main plot (Mondal 1). The audience interpretation is what is used to decide the meaning of the movie; the effects of violence are to be understood from the viewer’s perception and not what the producer intended to show. In most cases, the results of the scenes in the movie leave a tormenting effect on the audience and the moments that the viewer’s emotions are affected by experiencing the scenes in which punishment is given to the actors.
It is crucial to recognize the repercussions of violence in Sicario in order to properly comprehend how it is used and how crucial it is for creating a connection with the viewer. Sicario employs the reversal theory to subtly blend various forms of violence while also cautioning against it. The warning against violence is demonstrated by the fact that the film shows how negatively it affects people’s lives. According to the theory behind catharsis, a person’s failures in daily life may lead to irritation and, as a result, violent conduct (Fox 4). To prevent the viewer’s antisocial conduct from materializing, the movie makes an effort to control violence through demonstrating the negative consequences of violent actions. Thus, the violence in the movie aims to lessen the possibility of cruel conduct.
Sicario appears to be nurturing the development of an aggressive action ready. This is a reference to the perspective on aggressive conduct that develops as a result of, on the one hand, the spectator being aroused by violent scenes (Goldstein 178). However, the notion that violence in interpersonal relationships is acceptable when specific occurrences are present seems to be somewhat unreasonable. Even if there have been many violent fights, each one has had an effect that cannot be undone.
Films featuring excessive violence are usually condemned because, through associating with the character in the film, the spectator unwittingly or consciously adopts certain habits. He can later apply the knowledge on the screen to a genuine circumstance. The lesson here is that being exposed to violent figures in popular culture increases the risk of engaging in antisocial conduct (Goldstein 178). Villeneuve highlights the reversal theory and the fluidity of violence because there is no cure for violent actions. Reinforcement theorists contend that most people are unaffected by screen violence because they are not predisposed to antisocial conduct (Goldstein 178). This factor protects people from the influence that violence in films can have.
Classification of Violence in Sicario
In the modern scientific community, screen violence refers to any form of violent image or action on television, film, video, and computer games. This includes real-life violence documented in documentaries or shown on the news, violent actions images and actions in films, cartoon violence, and virtual violence scenes and actions in computer and video games (Anderson et al. S142). Most of the violent scenes in these categories reflect the kind of violence and aggression that may occur in society due to various reasons. Some violent actions and images include explosions, physical violence, gun shooting, use of weapons, and murder (Anderson et al. S144). Moreover, there has been consideration of psychological, mental, and verbal violence in the extant literature, which includes the use of aggressive and abusive words against the victim (Hill 27). Consequently, these classifications of violence ought to be considered when categorizing the violent actions seen in the film Sicario.
In this film, acts of multiple scenes depict different kinds of violence perpetrated by all parties- drug cartels, the law enforces, and common citizens. Gun violence, murders, explosions, use of crude weapons, physical fights, and other scenes that depict violence are common throughout the film. Noteworthy, physical violence is more common in the film’s language as different characters seem to use such acts to achieve certain goals, such as revenge. Furthermore, non-physical acts such as the use of abusive language are common. This kind of violence does not yet bear pathological passion but rather corresponds to Erich Fromm’s acceptable type of violence, which is reduced to a display of dexterity. The “game” of this violence is played with the viewer, even though the destruction of a conceptual barrier between the movie and viewers it is not necessary in this instance. The main thing is the hypnotic involvement of a person in the process of screen violence (Mondal 1). Its rules are simple and strict at the same time. Such violence is usually supported by various technical means: special effects, explosions, slow-motion effects, and other editing techniques (Fox 3). Then, it must remain within certain limits; the violence is not presented in its most extreme forms, submitting to the certain moral limits.
The game with the viewer is based on the principle of “closer – farther”: violence is always outwardly painful, but it is not committed to the viewer and does not invade the comfort zone. It is universal, absorbs all attention, and goes from visual to auditory forms and vice versa, but never goes borders. The essence of this element in the movie is to comprehend the viewers’ feelings and perception of the plot but not to guide him. The movie is not attempting to provoke violence or serve as a blueprint for similar actions. It sets its own borders by emphasizing the consequences of violent actions and what it takes to live through it.
The violence of intimacy appears in the cinematic arsenal as the most shocking and, simultaneously, the most natural form of the aestheticized cruelty of the movie screen. Such violence returns the director’s power over the viewer, so most examples of intimate violence relate to auteur cinema (Mondal 1). The spectator, accustomed to genre cinema, to the fact that the screen is not only a means of transmitting an image but also a defense, finds itself in a shock situation when the director connects the incompatible.
Reasons why Violent Scenes Entertain People in Movies
Naturally, people like watching violence because it is one of their ancient instincts. Once upon a time, nature introduced it into living organisms as a conservation tool: someone else’s experience helped to avoid dangers (Fox 3). However, since then, man has come a long way in evolution, adopted moral precepts, created masterpieces of creativity, and reached the heights of the spirit.
People usually do what pleases them or helps them avoid suffering. Watching scenes where another person is hurt causes most viewers to feel their pain subconsciously. At the same time, people do not like such sensations (Fox 3). From this, it can be assumed that there are two reasons why people like to see other people hurt: they either do not feel the pain of others, or they feel it, but it pleases them. There is another reason: even in the most harmless person, another can see a hidden threat to himself. Viewers, for example, may experience negative emotions for a character and therefore, enjoy when he suffers.
The changeable nature of Sicario can be one of the cause for enjoyment of its violent plot. The viewers can not expect how the plot will turn and the style of the director emphasizes that something can occur in any second. In the movie, there are no black-and-white heroes, and their motives are not shown to full extent. Therefore, the viewer can feel pleased when the violent action starts because of the seemingly unimportant event or psychological gesture.
The more people contemplate violence on the screen, the more they get used to it, and this becomes the norm, increasing tolerance for violence. For the violence in the films not to feel so disgusting, one can resort to its derealization because the less reality of violence causes less rejection (Fox 3). That is why the viewer, with great pleasure, will look at scenes of violence in science fiction films rather than realistic films about the war based on actual events. The film Sicario, with all its aspects, indicates its reality, and it is not difficult to imagine the events shown taking place in real life. Therefore, the scenes of violence in this film cause unique feelings of suspense, surprise, excitement, anticipation, and anxiety in the eyes of the viewer. Although the storyline in Sicario is fictional, the events shown are very realistic in depicting the work of special agents in the fight against drugs (Mondal 1). Thus, the emotions that the viewer experiences when watching the film are closer to real ones, which leads to a sharper reaction. Thus, the viewer feels that the film was shot perfectly because the scenes shown in it are realistic and reflect reality.
Combining real-life situations and talented use of modern technologies for screening proved to be the best course for action for the movie and its admirers. The viewers appreciate a mundane setting, correlated to the current issues, but depicted in an intriguing manner. Most of Villeneuve movies are aesthetically pleasing and filled with perfectly staged violent action scenes. Curiosity is another reason why people enjoy watching violent scenes in movies. People often stop on the streets to look at car accidents. In addition, many people look at scenes of cruelty and death to test their psyches for strength (Fox 6). Even though fear causes unpleasant emotions, it attracts people by becoming addicted to this sensation (Mondal 1). People are also often drawn to death scenes in movies because it is a phenomenon they do not understand, and they want to see what happens and get used to their mortality.
Often people watch violent films to feel a sense of control. The viewers have the opportunity to experience violent events while being in a safe place and not being in danger. In some cases, scenes shown in films can resonate with real-life threats in people’s lives (Goldstein 177). In such cases, people watch violent films, suggesting that they are gaining experience for future tests that may happen in their lives to control dangerous situations better.
Although a particular category of people described above enjoys seeing others get hurt, this is not typical behavior. Regular television viewers look at violence for various other reasons that have to do with the film’s plot, the director’s skill, or the way the story is told. All these factors add to the film a degree of tension and drama that sets people on specific emotions. People feel better when faced with something that scared them before and overcome the feeling of fear in themselves.
Sicario, in this sense, represents and combines all the categories and criteria described to provide a viewer with perfectly shot and aesthetic violent action scenes. It nurtures curiosity, leads to dislike of changeable personalities and narrative, at the same time making connections to the viewers since the very beginning. Therefore, the violence represented in Sicario can be understood as an essential part of the movie’s essence, which guides and develops the understanding of the director’s vision.
Conclusion
Violence in films and popular culture has always attracted large audiences. This happened for several reasons investigated in this work. People like to watch violent movie scenes mainly because of self-preservation. From the time when a person begins to develop, instincts tell him what to do (Goldstein 174). The audience is interested in what will happen if some action happens to a person that will lead to severe injury or death. This is because most people do not experience it in real life.
In the total number of average viewers who enjoy watching violent scenes in films, a separate category that differs from them can be distinguished. One who takes pleasure in watching the humiliation of another and inflicting pain on another is a sadist. Sadists feel another person’s pain more than others and enjoy it – at least as long as this pain lasts. After that, they may feel inadequate. In the public mind, sadism is associated with murderers and executioners, those who torture. Usually, they like violent films, are delighted with fights, and are interested in torture. There are a few such people, but not enough to ignore them. The on-screen violence of intimacy is still representative. It does not stab or cut the viewer but displays violence so that the viewer’s inner sphere merges with the external factors of cinema. The tools of such violence are less diverse than those of the game and institutional types.
Denis Villeneuve suggests that cycles of violence are a fundamental aspect of human civilization. The films by Villeneuve just demonstrate that these cycles really occur rather than defending or denouncing them. It is totally up to the observer what meaning he or she makes of their existence. Cycles of violence begin at a certain point and, once they do, they feel at home in the background of daily life, regardless of the causes—ineffective legal systems, progressive crusades, or clashing philosophical views. Villeneuve prefers to educate the audience about the cycles on which he bases his movies rather than glorifying them. All of these cycles originate in various locations, but they all come to a tragic conclusion there. If this type of brutality is indeed the foundation of the society, action must be taken. People employ violence because they cannot think of any other method to accomplish their objectives, and as long as this is the case, daily cycles will continue.
Sicario refers to violence in all its manifestations, whether justified or not. The main characters are guided by their emotions and survival instinct. Violence was considered in the example of the film Sicario, directed by Denis Villeneuve in work. The film used violence frequently, and at some points, the scenes were gruesome and realistic. Nevertheless, the picture gained worldwide recognition and won several prestigious awards. The fact is that the violence there is shown so realistically that it frightens and repels the viewer. It makes people admire the work done and the vision of the creator. Nevertheless, this is only one aspect of why Sicario has gained such fame. The picture skillfully addresses its viewer through the psyche. Sicario shows how the characters change, especially the main character, which can be explained by the reversal theory. The director, being in line with the theory, emphasizes the changeable nature of violence and how human perspective can shape the behavior. At the same time, the film mainly appeals to the viewer psychologically, forcing them to ask themselves questions about how each of them would act in a similar situation.
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