Sucker Punch

Directed by Zack Snyder

Written by Zack Snyder 

Zack Snyder's film “Sucker Punch” is yet another attempt at snagging the attention of the testosterone pumped moviegoers who desire nothing more than to see scantily clad girls blow shit up. If the goal of this film is to be “action-packed” and recreate a Lara Croft level of sexiness, then it is a mild success. However, this film failed to even grab the attention of even these horny males hoping to see plenty of the film’s platinum blonde star Emily Browning (The Uninvited). It is the perfect example of how the singular combination of overt sexuality and violence do not make a movie successful. There has to be a connection with the characters and their goals, which is something this movie completely lacks.

The film follows a young woman named Baby Doll, played by the stunning and powerful Emily Browning. She has been framed by her abusive stepfather for killing her sister and is now being institutionalized in a mental hospital. The owner of the hospital, played by Oscar Isaac, is bribed by Baby Doll’s stepfather and asked to forge a signature of fellow Dr. Ver Gorski, permitting Baby Doll’s lobotomization.

The beautiful part of the film is the way Baby Doll copes with her rather dark situation. She uses her imagination to escape from the reality of her life, similar to Ofelia in Guillermo del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth.” She imagines herself as part of a brothel, along with the other randomly attractive crazies in the hospital. Whenever she “entertains” men or dances, she further escapes into several varying fantasy worlds.

In one of these worlds, Baby Doll meets the guidance of Wise Man played by Scott Glenn (Silence of the Lambs, Apocalypse Now). This man tells her that if she wants to escape, she needs to find a map, fire, a knife, a key, and a super secret mystery item! Luckily, if the audience has any memory at all, we can remember the opening of the film where Snyder shamelessly focused 10 minutes of camera time on each of these items. Now all Baby Doll has to do is rally her fellow hotties and get them all to team work it up and find the items…yay!

If this is the kind of storytelling you are into, then high five. For any of the video gamers out there, the plot may seem a little familiar. “Gather these obscure items and you will be led to your freedom!” The movie follows this “video game plot” only further emphasized by Baby Doll’s trips of escapism as she and the gang attempt to obtain the items. Each time they begin the quest of finding the next item, they embark on a different adventure that parallels their goals in a more fantastical manner. When they were trying to get fire, they invaded a dragon’s castle. When they wanted the map they infiltrate a zombie infested World War I trench-warfare scene. Logical right?

I am not by any means bashing  the creativity of Zack Snyder. This man brought you “300,” “Watchmen,” and “Dawn of the Dead.” However, there is the faintest possibility that this movie might have been a tad overdone and therefore incapable of reeling any audience members in. When the characters are being bounced from fantasy world to fantasy world, and the audience never gets to bond with them, how are we supposed to understand them let alone enjoy the film?

Go see “Sucker Punch” if you’re bored and want to see some stuff explode. If you want to see a quality movie, you’re looking in the wrong direction.