Title, Year: Sucker Punch (2011)
Director: Zack Snyder
From the first trailer for this movie, I was certain it would be the kind of thing that you either love or hate. I was right. I’m wondering how Zack Snyder (director of such visual fare as Watchmen, 300, and Legend of the Guardians) was able to secure financing for such a long-shot premise. It’s obvious that he has real friends at Warner Brothers, the distributors of all the above mentioned movies as well as Sucker Punch. That backing extends to Warner Brothers handing over the directing reigns for the next Superman film to Snyder. I, for one, believe the confidence in Snyder is warranted. Although, I did cringe a bit when I found out about the Superman selection, merely because his style is so controlled and centered. I don’t want Superman to feel like a cousin to 300. Oddly enough, Sucker Punch gives me hope.
With his name all over the credits, this film is obviously a labor of love for Snyder. The storyline has holes and the ending leaves something to be desired. (Spoiler Alert!) Snyder brings us the story of “Baby Doll”, a teen whose mother has just passed away and, in an effort to defend her sister from an abusive step-father, she accidentally slays her sister. Baby Doll is sent to an insane asylum where she takes refuge from further abusive situations by entering into a fantasy world within her mind. It’s the fantasy scenes that drive the movie. Teamed with four other girls at the asylum, they tour through war-time obstacles, dragons, monsters, and robots in order to survive. The crux of the movie is this will to fight that the girls maintain, no matter what comes there way.
Does the movie work entirely? Not really. Did I understand everything the film was attempting to do? Possibly, but again some of what occurs is kind of unclear by the ending. Was I amazed by the overall visual aspects of the film? Absolutely, Snyder weaves together a string of scenes that mix thumping music with high octane action in a skilled manner. I applaud the decision to use a Bjork song to score the Buddhist temple fight scene. This was the high point of the film for me.
In the end, I think the mark this film makes is to secure the fact that Snyder is a big-budget action force to reckon with behind the camera. What makes him unique is that he has ideas for films such as this…that stretch the limits of an action film. Even though it doesn’t always work, Sucker Punch is important for the hint of what’s to come from Zack Snyder. I’ll be excited to see that.
