Gearing up

Something occurred to me the other day.  It had been tickling the back of my mind for a while, but I've only just recently been able to wrap my brain around it.

In some movies, particularly action movies, we often see the main character or characters gearing up in preparation for the big climactic battle.  For example, Commando, when Matrix is on the beach at the island.

 

 

Another example is in The Two Towers.

 

 

A common theme in these scenes is a sense of impending epic victory.  They inspire confidence in us viewers.  We feel like our heroes are ready to slay all the dragons.  Or, if they fail, then at least they'll go down in triumphant and legendary fashion.

And this is what makes the baptism sequence from The Godfather so interesting.  The mood there is completely different.  It feels like ordinary men, not extraordinary ones, getting ready in pedestrian fashion.  We see the old, overweight Clemenza huffing and puffing his way up the stairs, and we're sort of wondering if he'll make it to the top before having a heart attack.  We see Cicci getting a shave at the barber's while waiting for his target.  We see Al Neri donning the police uniform and mopping the sweat from his face.

 

It's all very workmanlike.  It's the wiseguy equivalent of punching a clock.  These guys don't have any illusions about what they're doing.  It's just a job.  And since they don't look like heroes or larger than life or anything of the sort, we're not as confident that they'll succeed.  Instead of creating excitement and eager anticipation like in Commando, this scene builds suspense.  We're nervous.  And that's what makes it so awesome.  It's one of the best climactic sequences ever put on film.