Sucker Punch, while universally hated by critics and loathed by moviegoers alike, is one of the most innovative and original films made in years. I will defend this film until the day I die, probably because it will always have a special place in my heart. This movie sparked my love for Zack Snyder and his very unique style of directing, and is one of the main reasons why I wanted to get into film as a career. This film is full of very creative writing, and while 99% of people agree it is a flop, I believe it is simply misconstrued and dismissed as a generic "sexy" action movie.
The many reasons behind why the film community hate this film are the reasons why I believe make it great. So many amazing details and aspects of this movie were overlooked due to their focus on the misconception of sexualization. Believe it or not, this film contains many elements beyond the assumed "schoolgirl fantasy." The best parts of this film include the original writing, focus on female empowerment, and Snyder's beautiful, trademark style of filmmaking. The writing in the film is absolutely fantastic, providing a look into the mind of a young girl after her mother dies, she accidentally kills her sister, and is put into a mental institution. This movie illustrates how the human mind deals with severe trauma in order to survive. If you have a basic understanding of dissociation, then the entire premise is not only plausible but meaningful. Babydoll, played by Emily Browning, is the main character of the entire film, which is quite misleading especially in the final scene, when the audience realizes that Sweet Pea (played by Abbie Cornish) should have been their main focus. This shift of attention makes the audience wonder where their true intentions should have been during the entire film. The writing hid that twist very well, and while confusing, is cleared up in the conclusion. This movie was written at around the same time as Christopher Nolan's Inception, and while they share similar qualities (levels of reality in a hospital, trippy special effects), I believe that Sucker Punch was looked down on because of its inability to express its true message to the audience before its release date. Thanks, Snyder's marketing team.
Other small aspects that I absolutely adored were Snyder's design decisions and one of the best cameos they could have casted. As for the design of this film, Snyder utilized his trademark visionary mind to create some of the best fantasy sequences I have ever seen. There is something so unique about his style that is like none other that I am absolutely in love with. The combination of slow motion techniques and extremely-detailed choreography makes the action scenes so exciting and extraordinary. Another of the elements that made this film so intriguing is the fact that no blood is shown throughout the entire 2 hours of the movie. In the fantasy sequences, blood is represented through light beams, steam, dirt, and electric sparks. This might have been because of its PG-13 rating, but even in the extended, R-rated cut, that element is still present. This is a very clever use of violence, and I loved how it was shown. The final minor part that I loved about this film was Jon Hamm's cameo. If you are able to, watch the extended cut, because it gives so much more depth to his character of the High Roller (in reality, surgeon). While every other performance in this film is very mediocre at best, Jon Hamm really steals every scene he is in, no matter how little he is actually in the film.
The largest criticism that almost all moviegoers had about this film was its use of scantily-clad outfits. Because of this, the film was dismissed as a generic "sexy" action film, but I believe that it is so much more. Many people view this film as misogynistic and sexist, but I see quite the opposite. The main girls in the film are only ever seen in their revealing outfits during the fight scenes. The writing reveals that Babydoll is escaping her awful reality by going into these worlds, and her imagining the outfits is her embracing and utilizing her femininity in the film. Many men are seen ogling over the girls, and while they know this, they use it to their advantage. This happens in a few scenes in the movie, and I think that the writing really did the female characters justice. The only problem is that this film was very ahead of its time. Even though it came out only 7 years ago, the message would be a lot better received in today's culture. In the midst of strong female-led films like Wonder Woman and Atomic Blonde, this film would have boded a lot better. I love almost every aspect of this movie, and I think that everyone should give it a second chance and enjoy its (now critical) empowering feminist values.
Sucker Punch is one of the best action films ever made, as ahead of its time as it was. This hallucinogenic film is one of Snyder's best, and I believe that so much so that I have written multiple papers about it in my film classes:
I would absolutely recommend this incredible, mind-bending film to anyone. Just don't fall victim to generic Hollywood marketing techniques, because it will sway you away from seeing it. Watch this film with today's culture in mind, and I promise you will enjoy the hell out of this wild ride.
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