Silent Heroes: Subverting Traditional Heroism in Cinema

This paper explores silence as a narrative technique in the selected films. Primary resources for the study are chosen from the Hollywood films “The Revenant” (2015), “Drive” (2011), and “A Quiet Place” (2018). “The Revenant” is a Western action drama directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu that portrays the life of the legendary frontiersman Hugh Glass, who was injured in a bear attack, betrayed, and left for dead by his hunting crew. Glass uses his skills to seek revenge on the hunting team. Another chosen film is “Drive”, a Western action thriller directed by Nicolas Winding Refn that delves deeply into the lives of a getaway driver and stuntman who develops feelings for Irene, the wife of a crooked man. The driver bids security to both Irene and her son Benicio. To protect Irene and her son from her husband and gangsters, he moves away to the other side of the law. The additional film chosen for the study is “A Quiet Place,” an American horror sci-fi film directed by John Krasinski that depicts the survival story of a family in a dystopian world. This family uses American Sign Language to communicate and protect themselves from being haunted by blind aliens. These three films highlight how silence creates tension, conveys themes, and unveils character depth. It explores how silence challenges audience expectations and overturns conventional narrative forms. By investigating the role of silence, the viewers can fully appreciate the remarkable cinematic experience. This paper guides us to a more profound understanding of the significance of silence in film.