Our understanding of ourselves and our world can be challenged by powerful images

introduced in distinctively visual texts, however the images themselves may be meaningless
if not supported by the ideas behind them, the combination of the strong images supported
by simple, or even complex ideas are what make the images powerful and possible to
provoke our thinking. This is heavily evident in the 1998 German crime thriller film Run Lola
Run directed & written by Tom Tykwer. Tykwer has created a distinctively visual text in Run
Lola Run through the use of a non-linear narrative structure of the film, along with the film
being played in real-time 20 minutes within the narrative equates to 20 minutes viewing
time. The traditional structure of film has been altered in order to communicate the role of
chance in ones life. This is evident in the three separate narratives, or runs, which convey
the differing outcomes that exist due to Lolas actions in time and location. Each time, a
slight change in the path along Lolas run causes a significant change in the final outcome,
suggesting to the audience the importance of every moment and decision in time. For
example, there are remarkably different futures for each of the persons she encounters. We
see these scenarios of various characters in fleeting flash-forward cuts. Through these
differing outcomes and cinematic techniques, the film emphasizes the importance of chance
affecting the outcome as a whole. Tykwer has clearly challenged our understanding of the
role that chance plays in ones life.
Twyker has communicated the idea that time can be more important than we think. The
film opens with an extreme-close up of a pendulum slowly swinging back and forth, panning
upward to the fast-ticking clock. The constant, racing tick tock, tick tock evolves into a
suspenseful techno-orchestral soundtrack, and we see an animated Lola running and being
swallowed by various clocks, symbolising powerlessness against time. The combination of
these techniques invokes a feeling of suspense within the audience Twyker has effectively
foreshadowed the relevance of time within the film.
In each of the three runs, there is a constant recurring image of clocks and watches. Do
you have the time? Lola asks an old woman, yet ironically Lola doesnt have time to wait
around for an answer, and continues running. Lola is seen sprinting in splitscreen parallel
editing along with Manni and and an image of a clock. This use of dialogue, symbolism and
cinematic technique highlights the utter importance of time, invoking a feeling of urgency
within the audience. As a result, Twyker has thus portrayed that time can be more
important than we think, therefore challenging our thinking.