Film Review | Narrative Theory and Film Structure | Paul

Fig 1 Movie Poster

Inciting incident

The story of Paul begins with Clive Gollings (Nick Frost) and Graeme Willy (Simon Pegg) travelling around the U.S looking for famous UFO sites and visiting comic-con in their rented RV. Eventually the two reach the famous "Black Mailbox" where a black car speeds past and flips, in this car previously contained Paul (Seth Rogen). It happens that Paul is also an Alien. Paul explains how he needs Graeme and Clive's help so that he doesn't get killed, Graeme agrees to help Paul despite Clive already fainting and urinating himself.

Fig 2. Clive standing next to Black Mailbox

Lock-In

Soon after setting off with their new on board fugitive a mysterious black suited man called Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) appears to investigate the scene and discovers the urine puddle made by Clive. Agent Zoil calls into base and receives orders to eliminate Clive and Graeme so that Paul can be apprehended.

First Culmination

There comes a point in the journey to drop off Paul where Paul quizzes Clive by asking "what his beef is". This is down to the fact that Clive has been irritable since Paul's arrival. From this conversation Clive admits to Paul that he is overly jealous of Graeme's and Paul's friendship , and that he is abnormally embarrassed that when he first met Clive he fainted and then went on to urinate himself. Paul jumps to attention and tells Clive that all of them are in it together. As Clive accepts what Paul has to say and with no arguments happening within the group, they are a robust team now.


Main Culmination

After a few action-packed events Paul and company manage to get to the pickup point. This is the spot where his alien friends are going to pick him up. The government have already managed to get to the rendezvous point and the leader for the government agency that Zoil works for appears. She is played by Sigourney Weaver (Alien Frontwoman). At this point it looks like everyone is going to die and fail their task.

Fig 3. Gunshot directed at crew

Third Act Twist

Ruth's father shoots a shotgun at Paul but Graeme takes the bullet  and dies. It's left
To Paul to try risk his life to save Graeme through the power of "cellular revivification" better known as healing... Paul appears to be dead after the procedure but is still alive, Graeme ends up getting the girl and Paul is saved and travels back to his home planet.

Image Sources

Fig 1. Interstellar (2014) [Film Poster] At: http://www.interstellarmovie.net/downloads.php# ( Accessed on 02.02.2017)

Fig 1. Paul (2011) [Film Poster] At: http://collider.com/paul-poster/ (Accessed on 11/01/2017)

Fig 2. Clive standing next to black mailbox [Film Screenshot] https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/498562621221224429/ (Accessed on 11/01/2017)

Fig 3. Gunshot directed at crew [Film Screenshot] At: http://www.wilsonwebb.com/paul-2011/ (Accessed at 11/01/2017)