Sucker Punch

“We are the main attraction.” Women’s weapons, or one for all and all for one. Sucker Punch is an unexpectedly tricky film with more layers than those that are actually revealed to us. Instead of the standard experience of a genre spectacle (from spectating, especially by men, which is mentioned directly in the dialogue and highlighted with theatrical “framing”), Sucker Punch offers a similar experience as a video game, but it strips us of our power over the game, though in the end it also radically changes the principle on which the game is based. The fourth mission is not accomplished, or rather it is, but according to different rules than those of the previous missions, which in a video game would mean taking on a new game mechanism on the fly. Not to mention changing the player/avatar, which is of course based on the structure of the narrative and supported with hints in the mis-en-scéne (the poster with the inscription “My Dream is Yours”). Sucker Punch doesn’t use a video-game narrative only on its third level (which includes not only an introductory briefing, but also the final cut scenes, during which the player loses control over the controlled character); some of the protagonists’ movements and camera angles are repeated during the action scenes like in games; it’s worth noticing that the girls are wearing headsets during the action, as if they were game characters and players at the same time). The narrative is heavily influenced by video games from start to finish (deadline, tutorial and four missions with the goal of obtaining four objects) and its structure with multiple passable levels is very inspiring for all kinds of interpretation. Only during the second viewing did it occur to me that Babydoll actually serves the purpose of an interface, a means of interacting with the gaming world. Though saturated with video games, the film reaches the conclusion that it is impossible to keep escaping into worlds that are less and less real (the third mission is the flashiest and it contains no blood). The joy of watching a high-octane flick with fragile Lolitas and giant monsters is thus mixed with slightly guilty feelings. In order to finally understand how impudent/bold or, conversely, ill-conceived/chaotic a film this is, I’ll probably have to see it a third time. 80% (2011-04-03)

It's you... Nazis, zombies, robots, dragons, and samurais versus a group beautiful girls. In other words, six reasons why Sucker Punch could never succeed globally. It has everything you can imagine when you want in a big, opulent, bombastic blockbuster, yet the world couldn't handle such an explosion, because having all those winning strokes in one movie is just too much. Zack Snyder is clearly fulfilling a number of fantasies and despite a few reservations, I have to cheer him on. I could do without the somewhat forced contrast between the makeup-laden fantasies and the depressing reality (the latter of which, ironically, I actually liked more), but in the end, it's because of where the story is headed that the ending almost knocked me off my feet. Not only will I never see such a one-of-a-kind romp this year, I doubt I ever will again. And now, grab a katana and Baby Doll can start dancing. (2011-06-18)

The action scenes were all over the place to me, but I wasn't going to talk about that. It was more about how I absolutely loathed the way they alternated between a Hollywood-esque triumph over evil (or when Amber et al. were fighting) with scenes that were shockingly cruel, dirty, and "real". It didn't make me feel good, and considering that this was happening throughout the entire movie, I didn't have a lot of fun. But for the other sex, there are plenty of babes here, each different, so maybe you can even pick one to watch. Plus, the babes here carry guns too: every teenager's dream... and the second star is for the soundtrack. (2011-05-30)

I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack from this film—it’s on repeat even as I’m writing this review. The music is what really elevated Sucker Punch into something dark and unforgettable, turning its strange fantasy world into a unique experience. Emily Browning’s version of "Sweet Dreams" at the start sets the tone perfectly—it’s haunting and powerful, just like the film itself. The whole story is essentially a dreamscape that Emily’s character creates in her mind, packed with wild, over-the-top action sequences that are not just fun to watch but visually stunning. It’s full of impressive effects and keeps you entertained from start to finish. Sure, it’s mostly just a ride, but I loved it for that. I’m giving it four stars, even though the ending genuinely shocked me. It suddenly pulls you out of the fantasy and slams you back into reality with a brutally precise final monologue. (2012-06-13)

Snyder is fantastic with visuals and music (anyone who has seen the brilliant but sadly underrated Watchmen knows this), but for God's sake, never, ever let him write his own scripts! If I were to rate only the composition of shots, the imaginative details, the spectacular slow motion (which, I don't know how Snyder does it, I don't mind it in his case) and the the soundtrack (“Army of Me” by Bjork made me foolishly believe I would love the film), it would be worth a full score. But the decadent pop-cultural, cringeworthy, scripted ballast, which also pretends to convey some higher message, was impossible to digest even with a full brain shutdown. Snyder is a great craftsman, but he needs a permanent whip over him and a humility within himself, which, on the other hand, was not lacking in his almost reverential adaptation of Moore's “Watchmen”. (2011-04-01)