One of the most exciting scenes from The Departed

I think that the theme of the movie is deception. It has multiple simultaneous and interweaving storylines, making for a very complex plot; this scene is part of the climax of the movie, unwinding a new fold with every gunshot and subsequent line of dialogue. This theme is active because there are no recurring lines of dialogue which would didactically "give it away".

The two strongest elements in this scene are rhythm and space.

The beginning and end of the scene utilize suspenseful yet fast rhythms, containing most of the action in the scene. The middle helps to build tension and calm to viewer, making for a much more exciting and unexpected climax. There is a steady rhythm between the first, second, and third gunshot. This rhythm certainly reinforces the theme of deception because just when the viewer becomes comfortable, another fold of the plot comes out and surprises them. This happens multiple times; after the first gunshot, the viewer might be on edge but they also probably don't expect another gunshot in the scene.

The spacing in this scene is important as well. Most of the camera shots are somewhat basic, with a lot of open space. This forces the viewer to focus on the actors rather than a busy background. Towards the end of the scene there is an example of deep space (when DiCaprio has been shot and the other two are in the elevator) when the officer walks into the foreground of the shot. The viewer's eyes ping-pong between the two officers in the elevator and the other one outside. This use of space also reinforces the theme of deception because the camera shots are deceivingly simple. The viewer probably doesn't expect a complex scene with such basic spacing.