Sucker Punch'd

This post should probably wait until morning, but I can't sleep and I'm pretty much writing it in my head as I lie awake in bed (which I seem to have a habit of doing), so I might as well do it now.

I keep saying this isn't a movie review blog, and yet this is the third such post in a row. Ah well, so is life. There'll be a more personal, relevant post coming at some point, along the lines of "so hey, I finally moved to California like I said I was going to..."


Anyway, Sucker Punch. The reason for this post.

I went into Sucker Punch with certain expectations. It's Zack Snyder, which means hardcore action and beautiful, if almost entirely digital, visuals. It's also Snyder's first movie that isn't a remake or adaptation, so I knew not to expect anything truly impressive story wise.

The result? Snyder met all of my expectations. The action sequences were stunning, featuring his trademark slow-motion long takes and his skillful use of color palettes. The acting wasn't great-- it's clear the actresses were chosen for looks over ability (Emily Browning was enchanting to look at, but ruined it every time she opened her mouth). That said, Carla Gugino, Jena Malone, and Oscar Isaac did fantastic jobs. Jon Hamm was good too, but he was in so little of the movie I don't dare count him.

I could go into more detail about the movie's failings at a coherent, understandable storyline, but I will spare you the spoilers because, if you like Snyder's aesthetic, you should see this movie. It's enjoyable and worth the price of the popcorn.


As I watched this movie, I realized something about Zack Snyder. Sucker Punch, like Watchmen before it, had an amazing soundtrack full of haunting covers of already classic songs (some of which, I just discovered, were actually performed by the cast, so, well done on your versions of 'Sweet Dreams Are Made of These' and 'Where Is My Mind,' Emily Browning. You have redeemed yourself.).

But think about this: Intense, picturesque, beautifully composed shots + action sequences which (thankfully) require little dialogue + quick, concise storytelling + music? Add those together and you get a pretty good music video!

Music videos, like other forms of short film, need to tell an entire story in a very short amount of time. This requires a condensed plot, increased stakes, and a reliance on visuals over dialogue to tell the story. You don't have time for a lengthy story progression or any in depth character growth. You need to say what you need to say without pulling any punches (pun slightly intended). I was not surprised to learn that Snyder has actually directed some music videos and commercials (often another example of short-form cinematic storytelling).

And, in the end, that's what Sucker Punch was: a series of really great music videos interspersed like commercial breaks or musical interludes throughout an otherwise raw and thought-provoking short film about lecherous men taking advantage of beautiful but otherwise empty and broken, weak-and-yet-strong women. That or it's making a statement on the horrifying treatment of the mentally ill. Not unpleasant, but not a cohesive feature-length film.


Now, you know me, I'm a stickler and a nit picker, so I couldn't finish this post without harping on about a few details. Feel free to ignore this next section.

Point 1: The movie takes place (at least in part) at "Lenox House for the Mentally Unstable" in Brattleboro, Vermont. Fun fact: there actually is a psychiatric hospital in Brattleboro. I realize that the movie is meant as fantasy, so they naturally portray Lenox House as harsh and seedy, entirely unlike the actual Brattleboro Retreat, which is one of the oldest, most progressive and patient-friendly psychiatric hospitals in the country. I'm not going to complain about that. I just thought it was interesting to point out.
If you want a movie about life in the loony bin, watch It's Kind of a Funny Story.

Point 2: Babydoll (Emily Browning)'s dancing is a major plot point in the movie, but all we see of her dancing is a few awkward shifts from foot to foot and maybe a little hip movement. Yes, the point is that her dancing is her escape into the fantasy world of her mind, but the fact of the matter is, back in the "real" world, her dance is apparently so wonderful that all men who see it are instantly hypnotized or some bullshit like that. If you want us to believe that, want us to suspend our disbelief on that point, you should have at least given us a little glimpse.

Point 3: The movie ends with a character (I won't say who) boarding a bus destined for Fort Wayne and leaving Brattleboro. The bus driver lies to some state troopers to cover the fact that she doesn't have a ticket by saying she's been on the bus since Hartford. Any bus route that would take you from Hartford, Connecticut, to Brattleboro, Vermont, then on to Fort Wayne, Indiana is a really fucked up route.

Point 3.5: As the bus drives off into the sunset (of course), we see a landscape of rolling hills covered in wheat. A very midwestern view, and one I would expect on a bus trip to Indiana, but NOT anywhere CLOSE to Vermont. I've driven through Vermont enough times to know that there are no rolling hills, and any amber waves of grain are few and far between. It's a stupid point to get bothered by, but it just feels to me like Snyder forgot where he set the movie in the first place, and somehow between the beginning and the end, Lenox House went from the oldest city in Vermont to rural Ohio.


Aaaaaaaaanyway, I digress. Sucker Punch was an enjoyable film. Wait, revise that. Sucker Punch was an enjoyable collection of music videos, trying to tell an Inception-esque, escapist story of a fantasy world within another fantasy world. Still, like I said, if you liked Snyder's other movies, you'll probably like Sucker Punch at least a little bit.

All I can say is that his Superman reboot will most likely be better, and he should probably stick to what he's good at and let somebody else handle the writing from now on.