Textual Analysis - Planning

Thesis: The representation of men through propaganda, with an element of weakness. 

Point: Unbeatable 
Example: Ethan Hunt climbing the big building for the mission (Mission Impossible 4) and the first fight sequence between Bond and Raoul Silva 
Analysis: MI4 and Skyfall, both movies send out this message about propaganda. In MI4 it's shown that no one can beat Ethan Hunt, his team and harm USA, where as in Skyfall the message is that no one can look at Britain to harm it, as James Bond can't be messed with. They're shown to be powerful and unbeatable. 
Synthesis: USA and Britain can't be messed with as they have the most powerful and unbeatable Ethan Hunt and James Bond. 

Point: Weakness 
Example: Ethan remembering his wife (ending scene) and ending scene in Skyfall
Analysis: Both hero’s are shown powerful and rough, but with their own weaknesses. This makes the characters appealing to the audience.
Synthesis:  (Comparison)- These two scenes are comparable because they might be rough and tough with strength but they are shown to have some sort of weakness.

Point: Male dominance 
Example: Bond staring at the Union jack in the ending scene. And Ethan jumping off the hospital building. 
Analysis: The action thriller movies are quite male oriented. Although women have a contribution, and are shown fighting and walking shoulder to shoulder with the men. However like a classical thriller, in both movies, they are used as a sexually attractive object onscreen. There's Bond juxtaposed against a fluttering Union jack , staring confidently out at the Kingdom - Mise en Scene. This can also be shown as the phallic imagery. Then there's Ethan Hunt  climbing  and falling from the buildings, which is another image of phallic imagery. These are some of the representations of how both movies are male oriented. 
Synthesis: (Comparison)- These two scenes are comparable because they both show examples of male dominance. They both show it through power and by using mise-en-scene. 

Point: Terrorism
Example: MI6 building being blown up in Skyfall and in Mission Impossible 4 , the famous Kremlin gets blown up. 
Analysis: Raoul Silva (antagonist from skyfall) and Kurt Hendricks (MI4 antagonist)  are both terrorists, who want to destroy the Nations and the people. However in Skyfall Raoul has a background story to backup his revenge from the MI6 and M, as his life was destroyed, as well as his face all for the sake of the organisation and M. Yet M didn't care neither did the organisation. Which is why he just wants to take revenge form M and MI6, but the Nation (Britain) is also under threat. On the other hand, in Mission Impossible 4, Kurt Hendricks is just a terrorist who doesn't just want to destroy USA but the whole world, under the threat of the ghost protocol.  But both villains use the terrorism tactics by blowing up buildings and streets, to keep everyone under fear and threat.  
Synthesis:  (Comparison)- These two scenes are comparable because they're clear examples of terrorist attacks, however in Skyfall it's for revenge, where as in Ghost protocol it's to spread fear and terror. 

Conclusion: Skyfall and Ghost Protocol both represent men as dominant and undefeatable. Both heroes adopt techniques that are more familiar with terrorists than law-abiding citizens but the use of propaganda enables the audience to justify this as a form of achieving the greater good. However, the male antagonist in Skyfall does make us question morality. The strong sense of national pride through propaganda helps to distinguish the male protagonist and antagonist as hero and villain, respectively. Moreover, the heroes themselves are representative of their nations; Bond is reserved, suave and resilient whereas, Hunt is driven, brawny and feisty.  The use of weakness and sensitivity within the heroes, whether due to a woman as in Hunts case or Bond’s physical ability, adds another dimension to the characters helping the audience to relate.