Review of Sucker Punch (2011) by Valerie P — 27 Feb 2013

Once more, I am a bit surprised by the average rating this film has received. In a world of Kill Bill and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon fans, I thought this film would have enjoyed more mass appeal.

We all know that writer/director Zack Snyder can really take his audience for a ride. His films are powerful, punchy, and visually captivating. Sucker Punch is no different. From the very beginning, we are grabbed by the hard rock soundtrack, action-oriented filming-style, and comic book resonance of the story.

A young girl is wrongly accused of attrocities committed by her stepfather. Locked away in a mental asylum, and soon to be lobotomised, she plans her escape. The journey she takes, however, is a fantasy of the mind; where the characters around her take on a different life within a sort of "gentleman's entertainment" club. The facets of her imagination fight a tough fight for their freedom, even as some begin to question the asylum's decisions.

It's a heck of a strange ride, but I found it highly entertaining.