Isabella Santini

English 1301-130 Dr. Sharity Nelson

5 December 2023

“Visual Analysis of Unbroken the movie poster”

The movie poster for “Unbroken” was published in 2013 by Universal Studios. Its purpose was

to capture the attention of movie watchers by providing a powerful representation of the film’s

themes and its central character's life through visual text. Their poster displayed a close-up shot

of the protagonist in the center. Behind the protagonist, the movie poster is intricately divided

into three distinct sections, each capturing a different pivotal scene. The whole movie poster is

portrayed as overcast and tumultuous as there are no vivid colors and only gray clouds. This

movie poster aims to show a story about a man who will endure great hardships and trials he

encounters and how he overcomes them. This poster conveys this story through visual

components of the main character in the foreground who is standing in front of a background

that is distributed into three segments that showcase different scenes from the film.

Universal Studios uses visual components such as the man standing in the center of the

poster to communicate that the protagonist is resilient and has an indomitable spirit and

unwavering determination to overcome adversity. Universal Studios achieved this by portraying

a close-up shot of the protagonist with a determined and steadfast expression that is visible on

his face. He looked off into the distance with his jaw set and his hair neatly trimmed wearing a

white t-shirt tucked into a zipped-down jumpsuit. He is seen to be very relaxed yet standing in a

very serious poster, as well as his hands in his pocket this is an assertive body language. The

Sunlight Can be visible hitting him on his left side exemplifying the features of him on the left.

The studio’s use of this visual component allowed them to convey the message of his

indomitable spirit and unwavering determination to overcome adversity.

Universal Studios set out to depict the tremendous trials and hardships of "Unbroken’s"

protagonists, by displaying a tile on the poster that showcased a hardship that the protagonist
endured. Pictured on the upper side of the poster is a tile that exhibits him filthy, shirtless, and

sustaining a hefty piece of timber above his head. There is nothing out in the distance, it is gray,

he also has his back on the poster and his face is not visible. The visuals used utilize a gloomy

color, and his holding the piece of timber helps to depict a trying time in the life of the main

character which helps convey the story's underlying message of trials. One can gain an

understanding of the poster’s main idea by demonstrating the grit and determination the

protagonist has, through hardships.

The visual component of the last two tiles helps powerfully depict the story and message of

Hope and hardship the protagonist endures. The second tile section is placed right below the

first tile and is layered beneath the close-up shot of him. He can be observed donning a uniform

while expressing a look of exhilaration across his face while crossing the ribbon at the finish

line. His body is also leaned forward as he crosses the ribbon and there is no one behind him. A

crowd of jubilant people are standing behind him, applauding. In the third segment which is

placed at the very bottom of the poster under the second segment, layered under the close-up

shot of him. He can be seen adrift in the vast ocean, aboard an inflatable boat with two other

men beside him. The boats are identical in shape and color, and they all are wearing the same

clothes. He is seen aiming a gun towards the sky, surrounded by an endless expanse of water

with no human presence or land around. The first trial demonstrates victory as he is seen

victorious, and the secondary segment exhibits hope as he is hopeful of survival by pointing the

gun.

The visuals used in the movie poster "Unbroken" aimed at powerfully depicting the story and

message of Hope. Universal Studios selected film photos to demonstrate the personal triumph

story of the protagonist who endured the harshest of hardships and trials but who overcame

them. The first picture displays a close-up shot of the protagonist's determination to overcome

adversity through his body language. The second picture focuses on Zamperini lifting a wooden

beam after having endured the ultimate test; he is seen lifting the beam to demonstrate grit and
determination. The story continues with the second tiel a visual showing Zamperini in uniform

crossing the finish line in victory. Victory is then followed by despair as the third tiel visual

displays the protagonist stranded on a boat. The visual text in the "Unbroken" movie poster

seeks to powerfully share the message of Hope throughout trials. The images found on the

movie poster deliver impacting images depicting harsh events which lead the viewer to witness

the hardships the protagonist endured and throughout those trials the enduring, hope, and

overcoming that was experienced.

Figure 1. "Unbroken" Movie poster published by Universal Studios

Work Cited

“Unbroken movie poster Published in 2013 by Universal Studios”