Review of Sucker Punch (2011) by Dyllan R — 01 Mar 2016

Fantasy fodder for 13-year-old boys around the world, this movie has everything. From a manga inspired set design to video game action, scantily clad women to fetish objects, zombies to dragons and tommy guns to exotic dancing; there is nothing more a prepubescent boy with an hour and a half to kill could want for.

After a series of tragic circumstances including the death of her mother and the accidental murder of her sister; traumatized teen Babydoll (Emily Browning) is forcefully and wrongfully committed to the grim Lennox House mental institute by her wicked stepfather.

Rather than face the harsh reality of receiving a lobotomy within 5 days to tame her anti-social behaviour, Babydoll delves into her own imagination. Morphing the maximum-security hospital into a bizarre high-end burlesque brothel, Babydoll becomes the newest nymphet trained to dance, pleasure and fulfil the fantasies of an assortment of grotesque male suitors.

Sanguine in the concept she can escape a terrible fate at the hands of captors, Blue (Oscar Isaac), Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) and the High Roller (Jon Hamm), Babydoll befriends four fellow young female inmates convincing them to aid in her search for a map, fire, a knife and a key; the starting point for their journey to freedom.

Encouraged by Madam Gorski (aka Dr Vera Gorski) that they have what they need to succeed and be transported into a world of their choosing; The determined Rocket (Jena Malone), street-wise Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), steadfast Amber (Jamie Chung) and cautious Sweet Pea (Australian Abbie Cornish) join leader Babydoll in a fantastical race across a post-apocalyptic landscape.

Engaging in warfare against the likes of Nazi zombies, fire-breathing dragons, giant samurai and mechanized robots with a virtual arsenal at their disposal, the girls receive assistance and validation from a Wise Mentor (Scott Glenn); if they succeed it will set them free.

Finally allowed to concoct his own original, Director Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300 and Dawn of the Dead) is unapologetic about his influences. In a Tarantino-esque effort, Snyder marries Japanese manga, kung fu movies and WW2 histories in a comic book/video game look with costume-porn thrown in for flavour, how he managed to score a highly inappropriate American PG-13 rating is yet to be uncovered.

Exhilarating and disturbing all at once, this needlessly confusing and largely incoherent heavy-metal rollicking thrill ride of a film is constantly punctuated with jarring and unpleasant undertones like rape, child abuse, murder, lobotomies and general cruelty making it hard to digest as pop-culture escapism.

Similarly veined to the much more impressive and fascinating 2009 TV series Dollhouse from Josh Whedon, Synder's meticulously storyboarded fable of female empowerment with a strong protagonist dressed in Sailor Moon-style Japanese schoolgirl uniform trades wit and skill for tedium, crassness and complete lack of moral compass.

Coursing with overdone concepts and half-baked ideas there is simply to much going on and nothing matching up. The stunning environments look great but the actresses seem out of place against them, not as females but on account of the call-girl avatar come jailbait fetish getup.

The Verdict: Surreal with its unnerving dark themes, this kick-ass no holds barred action fantasy leaves audiences not only to decipher what exactly is going on in the story, but what is going on in the studio executives minds that allowed it to be made. Brave, degrading and devoid of any logic this gothic fable is purely for the boys.

Published: The Queanbeyan Age.

Date of Publication: 15/04/2011.