Textual Analysis – Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan

Mongol: The rise of the Genghis Khan is a magazine review that has been featured in ‘total film’, a well-known film review magazine. The product has been featured with a quarter of a review on the product, allowing the audience to identify (uses and gratification theory) with the product.

The text is the most significant aspect of this article, due to it dominating the image on the far right of the page. The review follows the stereotypical house style of the magazine, for example, all the text is the

same font and size as the other reviews. The five star rating and the black box centred in the rule of thirds has been represented

as the same as each other review. This allows the audience to identify with the magazine that the product has been featured in. The review appeals to a wide range of people, creating a mass audience as the

review has a section ‘in short’ for those who are in a rush and want to skim read a product.

The product is set before the time of today, this has been identified (uses and gratification theory) by the image used, for example, the use of the horse greatly signifies this as horses were the main source of fighting before the 1920s, when technological advances of vehicles came into play. The group of horses and characters signify the important of a

unit and working together during war, reinforcing the ideal of an ‘army’ as they all join as one to protect their homeland. Moreover, the use of natural colours such as the browns and greens, allows the audience to identify (uses and gratification theory) with the stereotypical conventions of the colours of war. These colours connote nature and the natural order of

things, representing that war is in need to be fought for the world to go round. Furthermore, the caption under the image allows the audience to gain factual information (uses and gratification) about what they are represented with.

The magazine review has been featured with four other reviews over a double page spread. This decrease its significance as a product as most of the audience will skim read the product. However, this is challenged by the fact that it is the first review the audience are witnessed with and, therefore, will potentially spend a more time reading the product. The product review also has the highest rating than the rest of the reviews represented on the page, meaning the audience are automatically enticed to look at the product as they want the best possible product.

Textual Analysis – Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan

As represented through the main image, the article is mainly dominated by the use of the text, this allows the audience to be enticed through certain scenes spoken about within the product, therefore, tantalizing them to want to go and watch the product as they are left on an enigma of unanswered questions. Moreover, the text has been represented bold and of a medium sized font in order to drag the readers eye, evidently portrayed within the black box, contrasting that of the other text due to it being on a different coloured background, representing a binary opposition between the two. This further entails a narrative as the audience may wonder whether opposition becomes an evident factor within the product. Key quotes have been written into the article in order to entice the audience further to want to watch the product. Although, the text dominates that of the image, the text still does not reveal all about the product as they want people to come and watch the final production. The article has been written in a format of columns in order to give it a sense of structure, potentially representing the narrative flowing through the product in a systematic order.

Conclusively, this product stays within the stereotypical conventions of house style and although it being a short review, the product entices the audience in many ways, for example, with the coloured pictures and the star ratings.