Sucker Punch – 2011

November 25, 2011 by JT
Filed under Featured, Film Reviews, Q-S

A young girl is institutionalized by her abusive stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the mental facility.

Directed: Zack Snyder

Stars: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish

What we think: Sucker Punch will pack just that, a massive visual punch, so hard you’ll be doubled over by the stunning action sequences the film has to offer, this is something that Snyder excels in.

Using a number of different scenarios from an alternative reality, concocted in the mind of Baby Doll (Browning), she plots a daring escape with the help of her fellow sexy inmates, and I do mean sexy.

This group include Blondie (Hudgens), Amber (Chung) and sisters Sweet Pea (Cornish) and Rocket (Malone), they teach Baby to retreat into increasingly ridiculous fantasies to escape the sinister fate that awaits her.

During a number of daring missions in which they tackle everything from Nazis, mechanical robots to fire breathing dragons they must aquire a selection of different items along the way each aiding them in their quest. All the time guided through by the Wise Man (Scott Glenn).

There is no denying that Snyder is one of the most exciting action directors about, and some would say that his story telling is not as strong. He leaves the back story played out in the opening credits, personally I don’t see anything wrong with that, in fact I think it is done very well.

Its clear though from the limited and brief interlude of a back story that Snyder was only thinking about making these dream sequences as elaborate as he possibly could and he certainly achieved that!

The girls battle through in next to nothing, short skirts, knee high socks and push up bras, its enough to give even the most avid film goer a hard on. Titillating, its close to a peep show with guns!

Given that this is Snyder’s own original screenplay I think he has done enough to hold his own. While not as engaging as say 300 or Watchmen it’s a definite A for effort, oh, and the soundtrack is not a bad listen either.

View the trailer