The initial opening long shots which are both silent and with a dark and empty mis en scene are desolate and builds a sense of isolation. This relates to the films slogan that in space, no one can hear you scream. The vacuum of space therefore isolates the protagonists, creating tension.
The ponderous long shots of barren landscapes and empty space is immediately followed by a highly kinetic montage sequence of hand held tracking and reverse tracking shots of the lead protagonist. The fact that she is running immediately establishes both a sense of urgency, and tension, because clearly she is running from something. Furthermore, the very dark and gritty mis en scene in these tracking shots of corridors emphasises the claustrophobia on board the ship and also highlights the fragility of the human condition, as we rely on light for our vision making us vulnerable in the dark.
The lack of diagetic sound for the majority of these chase montage shots also relates to the films slogan that in space, no one can hear you scream, because whilst the viewer can clearly see that the protagonists are in trouble, no cries for help can be heard. This highlights the sense of isolation and tension. Furthermore, the non-diagetic looping siren sound is also highly unsettling and creates tension in the viewer.
The fast pace of editing during these montage edits is also synchronous with the fast pace of the on screen action, building the sense of action. Additionally, the sporadic manner in which the montage of images is edited creates a dislocation of time and space, which unsettles the viewer as they cannot get a firm hold on the events they are viewing. This creates fear and tension.
A continuous use of clops during the montage of clips continually brings the viewer closer and closer into the action and panic, and increasingly tense. Eventually, the montage reaches a frantic climax in which the editing becomes even master, the MES more strange and unsettling and the camera even closer, and also with diagetic sound. Therefore, the viewer can is now longer a neutral observer that cannot hear the protagonists screams through the vacuum of space, but now another crew member on board the ship unable to make sense of what is going on around them. This creates lots of tension.
However, all tension is suddenly released, with one final long shot of a planet, which is now silent and with a dark MES once again. Viewers are now once again neutral observers of the protagonist’s plight, the vacuum of space once again isolating the protagonists, which is a nervy and unsettling end of the trailer for viewers.
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