Analysis of special effects used in opening sequences

Guardians of the galaxy (2014):

Why would the director choose to use special effects?

I think that the director has done this so that the audience is more immersed in the film, and so that the film can provide a higher form of escapism for them. Also the fact that the action involving the special effect would not be possible without it. Using special effects also increases the films production value and makes the films quality higher.

How does it denote genre?

The special effects used in this scene could signify the genre of the movie by using some iconography of sci-fi movies (aliens, space drafts, abduction etc.) so that the audience can easily identify the genre of the film.

What effect does it have on the audience? 

The audience is more immersed in the story, which means that they are more involved in the plot of the film, which provides more escapism for the audience and makes the movie more enjoyable as the audience can escape from the troubles of the real world.

Are the special effects conventional for the genre?

The special effects used are very conventional for the genre of the film, as in sci-fi films, the theme of aliens and abduction is very often featured and is regularly used in many films of this genre. These type of special effects (CGI, SFX) are also commonly used in the sci-fi genre because they allow the director to produce a more believable product.

Star Trek (2009)

Why would the director choose to use special effects?

The director could have chosen to use special effects in the film to provide a level of escapism for the audience, as the more immersive and believable a movie is the more an audience is likely to be immersed in the movie and make what happens in the film more believable, which will mean that the viewers are more likely to care about the characters and the movie in general.

How does it denote genre?

This movie also shows some iconography of the sci-fi genre as special effects are used to make the spacecraft and the planet in the background of this scene, both of which are conventions of the sci-fi genre, as aliens, space and space craft are regularly featured in science fiction films.

What effect does it have on the audience? 

The use of special effects means that the audience feels more involved in the movie, which provides more escapism and allows the viewers to leave reality while the film is playing and 

Are the special effects conventional for the genre?

These special effects are very common to the genre of the film as CGI and SFX make it easier for the production team to edit in the special effects over the footage that has been captured.