Film Review: SUCKER PUNCH (2011)

Director: Zack Snyder
Writers: Zack Snyder (story/screenplay), Steve Shibuya (screenplay)
Running Time: 110 mins (approx)
Certification (UK): 12

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy
UK Release Date: 1^st April 2011

Watched on Sky+ Sunday 15^th April 2012.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE MAY BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

Although I may not be the target audience for this film, I decided to give it a viewing because of the very mixed press it got at the time of release. I must say I did find it interesting, but ultimately it left me with far more questions than answers. I’m usually pretty good at following the most complicated of plots, but this one was all over the place and, what makes matters worse, never really resolved itself by the end. But more of my thoughts after this very brief summary… That’s if I can think of a way of putting it that makes any sense.

Having lost her mother and having been framed for the murder of her kid sister, Babydoll is put into a mental asylum by her evil stepfather. Here she finds her only escape is into a fantasy that she invents. In this fantasy all the inmates (all girls by the way) work in an upmarket bordello (whore house to those that aren’t familiar with the term). The girls are to put on shows for clients in a little theatre and they are supervised in this by Vera. The other girls are; Sweet Pea, Rocket, Blondie and Amber, and they all have their own reasons for wanting to leave (apart from the obvious – of course). In one of her flights of fancy, Babydoll is told by Wise Man that the High Roller is coming for her in five days and she must find five items in order to escape. These are; a map, fire, a knife, a key and a fifth object that he cannot (or will not) tell her. And so the girls begin their quest to retrieve these objects and each time one is being retrieved, Babydoll dances and another fantasy is played out. Will they get all the objects in time for Babydoll to make her escape? Well, I guess that would be a bit of a spoiler and so I’ll leave it there before the Spoiler Police catch on to my rouse.

There is some really spectacular CGI in this film and the fighting sequences are all very well done. It’s a shame the narrative couldn’t live up to the visuals though. As far as performances go, well everyone did a pretty good job without anyone really standing out. So honourable mentions must go to; Emily Browning as Babydoll, Abbie Cornish as Sweet Pea, Jena Malone as Rocket, Vanessa Hudgens as Blondie, Jamie Chung as Amber, Carla Gugino as Dr. Vera Gorski, Oscar Isaac as Blue Jones, Jon Hamm as High Roller/Doctor and Scott Glenn as Wise Man.

I finished watching this film with the feeling that I had just watched a bunch of music video’s patched together with a very flimsy storyline. Admittedly, they were very spectacular music videos with some spectacular effects, but I didn’t feel it made for a film. There was no way I could form any connection to any of the characters because there was no time. The action comes thick and fast and, although there’s a lot of talking in between, little of it serves to explain what’s happening or even why. Over all, great to look at, but with little substance… I guess those that get their kicks from watching scantily clad young women with big guns will like it, but it really didn’t do a great deal for me I’m afraid.

My Score: 5.7/10

IMDb Score: 6.1/10 (based on 99,643 votes at the time of going to press).
http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0978764/

MetaScore: 33/100: (Based on 29 critic reviews provided by Metacritic.com at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer’ Score: 23/100 (based on 196 reviews counted at the time of going to press).

Rotten Tomatoes ‘Audience’ Score: 47/100 (based on 83,935 user ratings counted at the time of going to press).
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sucker-punch-2010/

If you’re crazy enough… You can find me on Facebook at:
http://facebook.com/andy.steel3

FAVOURITE QUOTES:
Sweet Pea: There are armed guards everywhere! And if Blue finds out, we're dead!
Rocket: We're already dead.

Wiseman: Don't ever write a check with your mouth you can't cash with your ass. Oh, and one more thing... don't wake the mother.

Dr. Vera Gorski: I want you to dance.
[Bjork's "Army of Me" playing over speakers]
Dr. Vera Gorski: ...
[Music stops]
Dr. Vera Gorski: If you do not dance you have no purpose. And we don't keep things here that have no purpose. You see, your fight for survival starts right now. You don't want to be judged? You won't be. You don't think you're strong enough? You are. You're afraid. Don't be. You have all the weapons you need. Now fight.

Sweet Pea: And finally. This question. The mystery of whose story it will be, of who draws the curtain. Who is it that chooses our steps in a dance? Who drives us mad, flashes us with whips, crowns us with victory when we survive the impossible? Who is it that tells all these things?

LINKS:
(Note: All were working at the time of going to press)
Official Site: http://suckerpunchmovie.warnerbros.com/dvd/
Trailer:

Film Review: WATCHMEN (2009)

Director: Zack Snyder
Running time: 155 mins (approx)
Certificate (UK): 18

UK Release Date: 6th March 2009

Watched on DVD Tuesday 9th march 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: POSSIBLE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

First of all, I must say that I have not read the graphic novel by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore. With that out of the way I can now get on with the business in hand. It’s kind of weird watching this film, its set in 1985, but not a 1985 that we would recognise. For a start Richard Nixon is president of the United States, there’s a lot of tension between the US and the USSR, oh and there are superheroes about (seemingly only in America though). These superheroes have been discredited and are banned from wearing their disguises. So most have gone into retirement, hoping to keep their identities secret.

It is night and one of the superheroes, The Comedian, a.k.a., is disturbed by a knock at the door. A man comes in and a fight ensues, a fight that culminates in the death of The Comedian. The following day, another Superhero, Rorschach begins to investigate the murder. He calls on Nite Owl II, a.k.a. Dan Dreiberg, and also Dr. Manhattan, a.k.a. Jon Osterman and Silk Spectre II, a.k.a. Laurie Jupiter, looking for information but he seems to be getting nowhere. The story is broken up with lots of flashbacks giving us the background to each of these characters, some of which are descendants from previous Superheroes. We also meet Ozymandias, a.k.a. Adrian Veidt, a Superhero who has revealed his identity and is working to find a cheap energy source for the world. It’s a very complicated plot, so I won’t go any further, you have the bare bones of it there… And no spoilers so far!

A really well made film with some really great special effects, CGI and some brilliant fight sequences, hats off to the stunt guys for that. It’s visually quite stunning as well, I don’t know a lot about the technical side of cinematography, but, for me, they got this one just right! Decent performances from all of the main cast, honourable mentions go to Malin Akerman as Laurie Jupiter / Silk Spectre II, Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan / Jon Osterman, Matthew Goode as Adrian Veidt / Ozymandias, Jackie Earle Haley as Walter Kovacs / Rorschach, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake / The Comedian and Patrick Wilson as Dan Dreiberg / Nite Owl II.

It’s a really interesting film with a lot of philosophy and politics and some really dark comedy thrown in. I found it quite enjoyable, although it was just too long; if it had been cut to two hours I feel it would have been better. So, overall, a really enjoyable film with some great action and effects, only let down by its length, even so, I still recommend it to you.

My score: 7.9/10

LINKS:
IMDb Site: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0409459/
Official Site: http://www.watchmenmovie.co.uk/intl/uk/dvd/index.html
Trailer: http://uk.imdb.com/rg/VIDEO_PLAY/LINK/video/imdb/vi3326279705/