Year: 2011
Director: Zack Synder
Screenplay: Zack Snyder, Steve Shibuya
Starring: Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, Jamie Chung, Carla Gugino, Oscar Isaac, Jon Hamm, Scott Glenn
Synopsis is here
Sucker Punch wishes to be a riddle wrapped in mystery inside an enigma; full of dream within dream logic and ambiguous moments. To all critics bitching about sexism and female empowerment well Zack has flipped the script on you people! Babydoll maybe dressed in a school girl uniform but it's no way exploitative. This film is clearly is a full indictment of such easy to go to thoughts so say the Synder himself. One of the most insightful commentaries on the movie I read was by Scott Mendelson who asked in his second article on the film: "Is is possible to make a female-driven action fantasy without falling prey to certain misogynistic messaging?" This is one of the most observant questions asked about the movie I've seen. The short answer is yes. The long answer is yes but Sucker Punch is not a good example of one.
I like the point that is trying to be put across by certain supporters of the film. We should be able take in women in action films in many other ways than what we usually expect. The problem is that the characters within Sucker Punch are completely formless. They are simply mannequins dressed up in fishnets and school uniforms. What have these women have to say other than the fact that they're attractive and shoot guns? That's my problem. I don't feel bad for these girls being abused; it's not that I'm aroused by these girls and their outfits, but because for the most point I was bored. Clear and simple. It's great to have all these arguments about female empowerment and what the films all about, my issue is Snyder doesn't give me the characters or the story to make the talk that important.
Here is a film that isn't as clever as it wishes to be. The first problem is I knew exactly where this film was going the moment we enter the asylum. We have a plot that's not only on rails but with the only "surprise" being that we have a gang of girls kicking ass other anything else. It's all very well stating that it's us the audience who have dressed the girls up in these cliched fetish gear, however, if you have five girls that have no character then of course people are going to pick on the fantasy costumes. Especially if everyone in the movie are all talking about the feminine aspect.
What Synder places all his effort in his is action sequences that may feel derivative if your a video gamer but they have a sense of place that has been missing from action films for so long it's unreal. If one thing Synder doesn't get credit for is that, while he overuses slow motion and speedramping, at least I know what I'm watching. The set pieces are impressive on their own, they are unfortunately draped around generic "lets get to here to go here" screenplay, full of stilted dialogue and performed very flatly by it's young cast.
There's also the problem of consistency. While speaking to a colleague on facebook, he stated that he felt that Snyder is only as good as his source material. Sucker Punch helps give such a statement an element of truth. Watchmen and 300 were films that had Snyder bound by the source. The wonderful (now defunct) Creative Screenwriting had a great episode with writer David Hayter detailing Snyder's fight to keep almost everything in Watchman to the spec of the comic. Here in Sucker Punch Snyder has carte blanche and it shows. We have fire breathing dragons, Steampunk Nazi zombies, Ninjas armed with machine guns and fights involving a bomb heading towards a futuristic city. All this is placed with a 1950's setting with rock songs of various eras, all averagely covered and shoehorned into the background. The whole thing is overkill with the action sequences feel at odds with this girl that we know nothing about. So everything this girl dreams about doesn't stem from anything based within the character herself or what she sees (take away the items she needs to obtain), but because "fuck it. that's why".
If I have to say something the film's deeper meaning (if there is one, some fans have just liked it as a film where chicks kick ass..) then it appears that Snyder's film wants to have his cake and eat it. The women dress up in sexy garments but if you dare think it's titillating then your in the wrong. Your a fanboy that can't "deal" with the heavy subtexts that the film is bringing. "There’s no close-ups of cleavage, or stuff like that" states Synder. But the crotch shot of Babydoll as she slowly picks up the phallic Katana doesn't count (among other shots). Every man is lecherous within the film, as the film wishes to portray women within it as abused upon, but the film is put together in a way that makes it's point debatable. Sure Synder cuts out all the sexy dancing that leaves us dudes mesmerized, but by the end of the film the final choice made by a certain character troubles us in a way that feels cheap. I've read about the interference by the MPAA but still, there's still a feeling that what could be placed back in could still leave us at odds, mostly because all the "cool stuff" is pushed to the forefront.
It's great to have a interesting subtext. In a world of commerce, it's great to have something that one can mull over as well as enjoy. Snyder's film however is overloaded, misguided, flatly acted and when things aren't exploding (at times even when they are) the film isn't actually that interesting. Films like Fish Tank and Winter's Bone have said much more insightful things about women and their places/relationships within their respective worlds. Mainstream films such as Kill Bill and Whip It are also stronger with their portrayals of strong female protagonists. Snyder's film is slight, pop feminism pushed though video game lens. The intent is good the executon is beyond weak. Think of it when the Spice Girls were yelling girl power.
