Sucker Punch stands out to me as a movie less comparable to the many versions of Alice in Wonderland that have been released over the years and more similar to Labyrinth. Where Labyrinth supplies its charm through whimsy and sarcasm, Sucker Punch comes directly for your jugular with some of the most beautiful visual effects I've seen in many years. The music, of course, does a lot to ground me as engrossed with the film, as it's beyond excellent; one or two of the covers should become the new standard for how certain songs are performed live. The women, of course, are all rather beautiful, and while Babydoll's monologues come off as a bit wooden, most of the acting is rather good; the standout is the main actor in the film, Oscar Isaac. The action scenes, on top of being over-the-top and full of adrenaline, also effectively keep the tension going, and every setting is as thrilling as the last.
But the script for this film is absolutely a vehicle to deliver all of the above; the character development (outside of Isaac's character) is virtually nil, and the opportunity is clearly squandered, as the actresses portray potentially interesting characters. A friend I saw the film with was disappointed that babes Amber and Blondie never developed; certainly, they're ancillary characters, but the core of the character is interesting, so it's a shame most of the characters didn't develop more. Meanwhile, the thematic content of the film is effectively laid out for you in the trailer; there's no surprising kernel of rather real humanity in the film a la Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, though you definitely sympathize with the characters throughout.
All in all, the fact that I was so entertained by Sucker Punch seems in direct opposition to me being so disappointed with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith or, really, all of the Star Wars prequels. I mean, the casting is miles better (sorry Samuel L. and Hayden Christensen) and the action sequences are not undercut by the film itself, but is that really all that kept me from enjoying those films?
Beyond being a super-thrilling action film, Sucker Punch seems like a great experiment for the post-Inception world. It's a test of what Inception actually accomplished, in many ways; Inception largely asked the average moviegoer to ask for more out of their action films, to be stimulated intellectually as well as being simply entertained, and to reject "simplicity" in storytelling. It'll be interesting to see whether the film becomes considered a thrilling action movie to be remembered as part of Snyder's catalogue or as a vapid film only memorable for its soundtrack.
But the script for this film is absolutely a vehicle to deliver all of the above; the character development (outside of Isaac's character) is virtually nil, and the opportunity is clearly squandered, as the actresses portray potentially interesting characters. A friend I saw the film with was disappointed that babes Amber and Blondie never developed; certainly, they're ancillary characters, but the core of the character is interesting, so it's a shame most of the characters didn't develop more. Meanwhile, the thematic content of the film is effectively laid out for you in the trailer; there's no surprising kernel of rather real humanity in the film a la Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, though you definitely sympathize with the characters throughout.
All in all, the fact that I was so entertained by Sucker Punch seems in direct opposition to me being so disappointed with Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith or, really, all of the Star Wars prequels. I mean, the casting is miles better (sorry Samuel L. and Hayden Christensen) and the action sequences are not undercut by the film itself, but is that really all that kept me from enjoying those films?
Beyond being a super-thrilling action film, Sucker Punch seems like a great experiment for the post-Inception world. It's a test of what Inception actually accomplished, in many ways; Inception largely asked the average moviegoer to ask for more out of their action films, to be stimulated intellectually as well as being simply entertained, and to reject "simplicity" in storytelling. It'll be interesting to see whether the film becomes considered a thrilling action movie to be remembered as part of Snyder's catalogue or as a vapid film only memorable for its soundtrack.
