koolcampus.wordpress.com

Sucker Punch is the kind of movie that will satisfy only the most hardcore action-fantasy film buffs, and alienate almost all others. The film was written, directed, and produced by Zack Snyder, who is best known for directing such graphic novel hits as 300 and Watchmen. Sucker Punch seems to be headed the way of Watchmen—panned en masse but lauded by a devoted few.  

The major flaw of Sucker Punch is its plot. The storyline attempts to go the way of an Inception– or Shutter Island-type psychological thriller, but instead it’s a weak excuse for Snyder’s action sequences. We are introduced to our heroine, the bleached-blonde beauty Baby Doll (Emily Browning) in a long, dialogue-less sequence in which we learn that her villainous stepfather has committed her to an insane asylum. This situation doesn’t last long, as she quickly escapes to a different mental realm—a mob-owned brothel where she is to be sold off in less than a week. Baby Doll befriends four other doomed girls with equally quirky nicknames, and they form an escape plan. This is where it gets tricky. Baby Doll develops some kind of superpower that manifests in the form of an entrancing dance. While Baby Doll dances, she imagines fighting for her life in a fantasy realm, and her gang is able to retrieve the items they need to escape.  

These fantasy sequences are the strength of the film. Snyder almost effortlessly blends Japanese, medieval, science fiction, and First World War influences in physics-obliterating fight scenes. Baby Doll is assisted by her gaggle of girls, all impossible beauties decked out in telescopic false eyelashes and corsets. They do battle with giant samurais, dragons, and alien robots. One thing is certain: Snyder is nothing if not imaginative. The art direction, cinematography, and choreography work seamlessly to provide thrilling action, and are bolstered by a powerful soundtrack, including work by Browning herself.  

Sucker Punch is worth a watch for the select few who are excited by the idea of First World War-era clockwork robot zombie soldiers, among other mixed-and-matched villains. The visuals effects are impressive but may seem scatterbrained and overwhelming to the casual viewer. Beyond that, there is only a convoluted yet predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and flat, sparse dialogue. The actors do a fine job considering the script—highlights are Browning as Baby Doll and Oscar Isaac as the scoundrel Blue.

Snyder’s latest work is by no means a masterpiece. But his imagination and uncompromising creative force hold great promise for a more well-rounded fantasy film down the line. In a world where the tried-and-true formula seems to dominate at the box office, originality certainly can’t go unappreciated.