Sucker Punch Forum

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So I was lucky enough to get an advance screening of the latest movie by Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) Sucker Punch and what I watched was exactly what I expected to see from a movie directed by him, a spectacle of CGI and a decent storyline. Sucker Punch is a movie about Babydoll ,played by Emily Browning, who is placed into a insane asylum and in there, she begins to devise a scheme to escape with the help of Amber (Jamie Chung), Blonde (Vanessa Hudgens), Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) and Rocket (Jena Malone). The asylum is run by Dr. Vera Gorski (Carla Gugino) where Babydoll is watched over by an orderly named Blue (Oscar Isaac)
 
The movie is broken into 3 layers of "reality", Insane asylum, brothel and fantasy world. The story starts with the insane asylum and goes to the brothel and from there the movie switches between brothel and fantasy world. The way the characters enter the fantasy world is whenever Babydoll begins dancing. It is an interesting way of signaling the change and the shots of the changing scenes is impressive. In the fantasy world, Babydoll is told by a wise man played by Scot Glenn how to escape. She must find 5 items, a map, fire, a knife, a key and one last thing that Babydoll must find for herself. 
 
The story is made more interesting by mixing the reality to a fantasy world that Babydoll creates and those fantasy sequences are one of the best parts of the movie.
My favourite is the very first time Babydoll goes into the fantasy realm and fights the samurai's that are showcased in the trailers. The story seemed to drag whenever it wasn't in the fantasy realm. The movie takes too much time between fantasy sequences to sit the audience down and explain that there was still a story behind all the craziness. It did help flesh out some of the characters but it was too much down time between the action and the story telling. Not to say it was the worst story I have ever heard, but it isn't the best either.
 
The actresses themselves were not much of a stand out. They all did decent jobs with Abbie Cornish and Jena Malone being probably the best of the cast of actresses just because of their chemistry as sister's in the movie and their ability to tell their story through their actions with one another. As you would expect from a Zack Snyder movie, the action sequences were well made. They were fast-paced and well shot and most of them did not overstay their welcome on the screen like some of the Brothel sequences.

A couple questions- how was the split between the "real world" and the fantasy world? Was there more of the former or latter? 
Also, did you enjoy the film overall or was it a bit lacking? I can't get a real sense of the film & I'm not all that excited for it, mostly because I know nothing about the movie except that there are pretty girls in bustiers shooting stuff in a steampunk-ish world.

@VinceNotVance: I was able to see it early as well.  There isn't much time spent in reality at all during the movie, mainly the beginning and the end.  It actually has two depths of the imaginary world.  The bulk of the story is them imagining the asylum is a 1930's club where the girls are all dancers.  The club setting pretty much becomes the backdrop for it all.  Then the second level of fantasy is when they "distract" the person they need to steal the items they need to escape.  They have Babydoll perform a dance to distract the person, then it transitions into the second level of imagination where they fight their way through the various WW2, fantasy, and futuristic settings to aquire the item.  It was a bit much to take in at first as the transition from reality to the 30's club just kind of happens at a point when she is brought to the asylum.   And the film kind of becomes a bit repetitive where they go into the action worlds, then back out for a little bit of the 30's, the back to the fantasy, and back to the club a few more times. 
 
I definately liked the action and the stylistic settings made it interesting, but its pretty much just an action movie.  In a way it kind of made me feel like I was watching a video game or something.  With their main goal to escape, but they have to go to various themed action levels to get these 5 items in order to do so.  They change it up a bit towards the end to make it not so repetitive, but I felt that it happened too late.  Definately see it if youre in the mood for some over the top action and visuals.

@VinceNotVance: 
 
It is more real world than fantasy world. It was a bit lacking to be honest because during most of the real world scenes i would be thinking to myself "when do we get to see more fantasy world".At this point now that i think more and more about it i probably would just skip it until it is on blu ray or dvd to rent or even when its on netflix.

@foxmulder: Ok so it sounds to me like this movie is more about the action and theme rather than the a plot or complex characters. Is the action good enough to justify seeing in theaters or am I better off waiting for it to come to Netflix?

@pat4327:  Netflix

Actually, that "real world" was just the "brothel" fantasy of the insane asylum. While she was in the brothel everything she was seeing was happening but it was much more dingy and less garters and pimps. My problem with the brothel fantasy layer is that it's never explained to the audience. It just kind of happens and you're left confused as to whether it's real or fake. This might have been intentional but I know that most of the people I went to see the movie with were completely lost as to what was going on.
 
The fantasy action sequences are incredibly beautiful and well shot but lack any real punch or sense of danger. The girls, of which in my opinion there were too many, hack and shoot their way effortlessly through everything. They were all also incredibly wooden and one dimensional to the point where I would be hard pressed to name you anyone but Sweet Pea and Baby Doll. Overall, it was a movie that had some incredible highs that were tied together by a nonsensical and poorly conveyed plot. I would probably wait till it's on Netflix.