...
EDIT: I still maintain that toning his character down did him no favors. The panic attack shit is laughably bad and probably the main reason why I will never fully like him. I much preferred his depiction prior to these changes.
Ocean may not have any personal experience of a panic attack, so maybe the way he pictures and describes it isn't accurate enough for those who have. I'm not one to know, so for me they look plausible and believable enough.
But the panic attack scene in the book club was to me one of the most beautifully made scenes of the game so far. Universally understandable and full of symbolism, some of which I may have not even recognized well enough.
Just let me recall it with some samples of the camera work, lighting and composition I liked the most:
First render: Medium close-up shot of sweaty looking Nika, description of the first signs of the panic attack. Background music switches to A.W - Darkness Inside. Perfect for the scene.
Second shot: Camera moves away from Nika (would this be a movie, it would be a lean-out), he becomes smaller, all alone in a large empty room. As if the room is becoming larger compared to Nika, swallowing him (Is that arc in the back meant to look like a mouth about to swallow him or is it just me?)
Next shot: Nika from behind, the lights seem to go out, darkness falls over his mind.
- side view of Nika leaning onto the handrail of the balcony as the strength to stand up is leaving him.
- Medium close-up of Nika in the darkness, instinct to flee overwhelming his mind.
- A view of the room from down below the balcony, Nika looking for a way to escape in panic. Considering to jump...
- Nika suffocating, falling down next to the handrail. A single eerie looking light in the darkness, straight into the camera.
- An angelic silhouette appears, surrounded by the light like a halo.
- A side view medium close up of Nika and a rather angelic-looking Sasha. The light from behind reflecting from her blonde hair (still a reference to a halo, I think)
- Sasha puts a pill on Nika's tongue. (Is this a reference to Christian Holy Communion with the pill as the communion bread?)
- And their hands in close-up as Sasha is holding his hand.
- Next close up of Nika and Sasha, the normal lights come back, darkness fades. Sasha's hair still lighted from behind.
- Sasha's concerned face, beautiful close up: "Better?" And the music switching to Vesky - Thinking Of You.
- Nika and Sasha from behind, standing side-by-side, facing the light from the windows.
- Sasha and Nika in medium close-up, with Sasha in front and in focus, Nika out of focus. Sasha's side of the image is flooded by the light from the front and back, Nika's side has still a dark background, but he's looking into the light now (if this image is not symbolic, then call me clueless).
One of the best scenes. Excellent work, IMHO. Even if the panic attack doesn't look real enough or the pill likely can't be what it was called, Sertraline or whatever. I don't care. This scene works perfectly, it's beautiful, I love it.
