The Lazy Reviewer on: Sucker Punch
March 27, 2011"You will be unprepared." they said, and unprepared I was indeedy.
First, let me start off by saying I had been eagerly anticipating the film ever since I saw the first of many teasers come out. I mean come on, hot babes, samurais, robots, dragons, Nazis, humongous explosions, stunning visuals, and badass fight scenes! It's not that often that you get all of those in one go.
Now, on to the good stuff.
What I liked about the film: Oh man, where do I start? The obvious one, of course, are the visuals. Every scene is like a beautifully-painted... uh, painting. The costumes were amazing as well.
Another thing would be the fight scenes. Each sequence was well-choreographed and nicely executed. Every time Babydoll came on and started kicking ass with that awesome katana-and-handgun combo of hers, I subtly pumped my fist.
Hello, one of numerous Emily Browning panty shots!
One more thing worth mentioning is the rocking soundtrack. Whether it's an intense Skunk Anansie beatdown or a mellow Emily Browning (yes, she lent her vocals to a few songs) number, the song choices were just perfect.
What I didn't like: Just one, actually. Going into the theater, I was already in a The Expendables mindset. Remember that one? When it first came out a lot of people bashed it and said it was stupid and unimaginative. I remember laughing to myself and thinking "Idiots. It's Stallone and other badasses and guns and explosions! What did you expect, Oscar-worthy material?" To me, Sucker Punch was a bit like that: a fanservice, only in a more attractive package.
The difference between the two is The Expendables didn't try to be profound. It didn't try to make thought-provoking statements. Sucker Punch attempted to do those but sadly fell short, which is a shame because I really thought the story had massive potential. Also, if it weren't for Emily's adorable please-save-me looks, I wouldn't have felt empathy for her. They could have delved a bit deeper into each of the personalities of the characters, forge a connection with the viewers. To me, that would have made the story a bit better.
All in all, I'd say Sucker Punch was a good, not great, film. Definitely worth watching. Just don't expect much.
5 comments
nice review.
ReplyDeletedont you think it is a candidate for best OST?
"Sucker Punch attempted to do that but sadly fell short, which is a shame because I really thought the story had massive potential." - This is why I somewhat felt shortchanged by the movie. I loved the visuals, the mix of various fantasy settings and the OST, but I wanted more from the story.
ReplyDeleteYay! This makes me want to watch it even more. :)
ReplyDeleteMy best friend tried to talk me out of it, saying it's "basura." It must have slipped her mind that I enjoyed DOA: Dead or Alive. :))
"What did you expect, Oscar-worthy material?"
YA! I just like watching pretty things. :)
WARNING, SPOILERS
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with you about including more detail about the characters. Both Amber and Blondie were throwaway characters (as evidenced by their fate later in the film). The main protagonists of the story was Baby Doll, Sweet Pea and Rocket and they were the focus of it. The others didn't really need character development.
I felt the intro of Baby Doll's real world reason for being in the asylum was enough to elicit sympathy from the viewer. Thinking about that last moment before the switch to the alternate reality still makes me cringe and that sustained me until the end.
Not really sure what "though-provoking" statements you thought the filmmakers were trying to make. It was nowhere near as pseudo philosophical as the Matrix movies were, and nothing like what Inception tried to do. As I saw it, it was just a story about a traumatized girl and the fantasy she retreated into, no silly social statements attached.
Promking: I guess. I would have loved more songs though.
ReplyDeleteKat: You and me both. :D
Freul: Have you seen it yet?
Slangards: I wasn't referring to Blondie and Amber, honestly. I know it was revealed that Rocket ran away from home etc, but I would have loved to see some sort of backstory about Sweet Pea and her. As for the "thought-provoking statements", I guess I may be a little guilty of overthinking as well. I just felt that they implied some sort of "beaneath the surface" idea but then again, it could be just me. Also, women empowerment where? =))