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| Multiple personality disorder isn't normally this pretty. But that's one of the keys to this misunderstood art/action film. |
We've waded through a lot of hateful reviews of Sucker Punch, both on Twitter and from established film critics. And we have to admit that - thanks to misguided marketing - it really wasn't the movie we thought we were going to see.
In many ways, it was much better. That's not to say it was particularly fun to watch. It provoked intense emotional distress and disgust. But, ultimately, we connected with its message - something that most people seem to have missed amidst all of the bursts of machine gun fire and panty flashes.
| "If you're going to hate Sucker Punch, hate it because it's a pretentious art film - not a hollow action movie. Hate it for the right reasons." |
If you left the theater scratching your head, you were probably not in the right mindset to comprehend what was really going on. It took us some time and a couple of viewings to work it all out. And, honestly, we don't care if you love the movie as much as we've come to, appreciate it on its merits or continue to revile it. But if you're going to hate Sucker Punch, hate it because it's a pretentious art film - not a hollow action movie. Hate it for the right reasons.
And if you are going to give it a fair shot, don't go in with the expectation that it's a special effects thrill ride full of hot chicks doing racy stuff to make you and your paramour get all hot and happy. This is not a sexy date night film, or even a slinky action flick. You will not enjoy it because there is no real joy in it. It's an artistic statement - a deep, dark and visually stunning diatribe if you will - about abuse and its effects on women. See it if you want to have meaningful discussions afterward, but don't expect it to induce a wild night of romance.
Consider this your guide to "getting" Sucker Punch. I'll keep the plot spoilers to the bare minimum while providing the context to understand and appreciate the message of the film and removing any biases you might have going in.
First off, the title Sucker Punch is deliberately ambiguous and really refers to how director/co-writer Zack Snyder wants you to feel after viewing the film. If you comprehend its full meaning as we did, you'll feel like you've been slammed in the solar plexus, which - at best - might leave you feeling intellectually stimulated (if not a little nauseous) as you grapple with its layers of connotation and message.
Many of the people who shared our most recent screening walked out discussing their love of the "awesome battles with zombie steampunk Nazis" or how "the action sequences were banal." You'll note the very polarized reactions, but the common denominator? Neither party in this discussion seemed to have a clue about what was really happening. Likewise, many reviewers have mistaken the fantasy action quests as a statement on female empowerment. This misses the point entirely.
| "Babydoll's view of the grungy hospital reminded us of BioShock 2, where a key character sees Rapture in a very idealized manner rather than the gruesome reality." |
Babydoll is a schizophrenic. Years of abuse by her stepfather have caused the 20-year-old woman to lose her grasp on reality. She goes to other places when reliving horrible, sometimes humiliating memories during public therapy sessions on stage at the Lennox House for the Mentally Insane. Our take is that the men are riveted to graphic descriptions of the stepfather's rape of her - just as they might be to an erotic dance, which is how Babydoll imagines it in her stylized bordello fantasy. This emotionally honest visualization gives her the necessary distance to share these painful moments in the real world of the asylum, just as these types of escapes may have helped her survive the acts themselves. Babydoll's stylized view of the grungy hospital reminded us of a similar sequence in BioShock 2, where a key character is shown to see the world of Rapture in a very idealized manner ("Look, an angel, Daddy!") rather than the gruesome reality.
In Babydoll's case, she views the patients' objectification for what it is: prostitution. People pay the orderly to have sex with the girls there, probably while they are heavily medicated. Shortly after her arrival, Babydoll envisions the asylum in slightly more palatable terms simply by seeing the truth of the place. While ostensibly there to help the girls, it's devolved through abuse of power and corruption to become essentially a brothel. As the doctor/Madam says to the orderly/Blue in Babydoll's fantasy, "I teach them to survive you."
But Babydoll isn't merely escaping. If you look at the clues planted in the beginning scenes, it's clear that years of abuse have driven her mad and then her deadly mistake pushed her over the edge, right into a psychotic break from reality. The pain of her memories is too much for her to face directly, so she slips off to another level where she battles her demons with all of the fragments of her personality on a journey to escape the pain of her existence.
That's right, I said Babydoll does all of the fighting. Sweet Pea, Rocket, Amber and Blondie, all of the girls who assist her in her fantastical escapades? They are all the same girl. They're all Babydoll.
Obviously, the movie is open to interpretation, but that's our take on it - and the only one that really makes sense after the big denouement. All four girls who join Babydoll in both levels of her escapist realms are based on real people at the asylum. But they are not involved in her real world actions, though one does benefit if you take the doctor's word as truth at the end. Inside both the bordello and the battle scenes, the four ladies represent different aspects of Babydoll - her inner strength, her weakness, her protectiveness of her sister - and she uses them to work through her internal struggles as she acts out in the real world. Ever wonder how Blondie got her nickname when she's not even blonde? It's starting to make sense now, isn't it.
| "The talismans Babydoll collects to attain her freedom each symbolize a stage in the Kübler-Ross grief cycle." |
And here's the real key to the whole thing. The talismans Babydoll collects to attain her freedom each symbolize a stage in the Kübler-Ross grief cycle:
- Denial (Map)
- Anger (Fire)
- Bargaining (Knife)
- Depression (Key)
- Acceptance ("mystery item")
The Wise Man (played by Scott Glenn) lays it all out: "You will need 5 items for this journey... The fifth thing is a mystery, it is the reason, it is the goal. It will be a deep sacrifice and a perfect victory. Only you can find it, and if you do, it will set you free."
Oh, and if you're wondering, we believe The Wise Man represents a favorite uncle who no doubt spouted all sorts of little clichéd wisdoms at each holiday visit, such as this chestnut: "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
Director Zack Snyder has said that the movie was nearly taken away from him by Warner Brothers, and that he recut it himself to preserve what he could of its integrity while creating an edit that met the studio's criteria for release. This includes the more marketable PG-13 rating, though honestly even the current cut of the film should be an R. We saw a number of parents taking their very young kids to see Sucker Punch, probably expecting something more along the lines of Dragonheart than Hard Candy. To be fair, most of the movie's subtext sailed right over the heads of the adults in the audience, so it's doubtful the kids picked up on it. Still, the movie is intense and gruesome in places. I saw one child clutching his head and looking shell-shocked during a particularly difficult scene.
| "It's not pretty. It's not fun. You may not even like it. But that's not what Sucker Punch was meant to be." |
No doubt, all of these compromises designed to broaden Sucker Punch's audience muddled the movie and delivered poor word of mouth and ultimately a strong bias against the film by those who did decide to give it a try. Our hope is that the promised director's cut DVD - along with viewing on smaller screens, which will make it less immersive and easier to keep some analytical distance - may improve Sucker Punch's comprehensibility and help it find an audience that grasps its true purpose.
Our own second time with Sucker Punch was much more interesting because we were actively engaged in discerning its depths and meaning. But, again, it's not meant to be a fun film. Rather, it's perfect for late-night debates on the finer points of its interpretation and how it comments on the role of women in what remains a male-dominated, media-fueled, highly sexualized society.
Yeah, it's not pretty. It's not fun. You may not even like it. It's certainly not enjoyable. But that's not what Sucker Punch was meant to be. It's intended to hold a mirror to the ugliness that is abuse. In its compromised state it may not fully succeed, but it's still an interesting mess that you might find compelling. If you look at it right.
If you got to the end of that movie feeling gut-punched and intellectually stimulated you are watching movies in general wrong.
Or maybe you expect too little from your movies.
I actually like it when a movie challenges me and provokes a strong emotional response. Maybe I'm in the minority, but mindless action flicks bore me. I want movies to make me think.
Great article Dave! The part about the Kübler-Ross grief cycle was really interesting, I never realized any of that before.
alright enough.. you've intrigued me. I won't read this until I watch SuckerPunch.. but now I am officially gonna watch it.
That pull quote - "If you're going to hate Sucker Punch, hate it because it's a pretentious art film - not a hollow action movie. Hate it for the right reasons."
is often how I feel about stuff like the 3DS or Guitar Hero.
sorry kind of a not to important question but was town destination on the bus fort wayne? I only ask because I saw it in fort wayne and was curious. I cant imagine they have a different cut of the movie for each city but I still wanted to know if it was an odd coincidince.
It's a coincidence. I actually remember the destination on the bus being Fort Wayne (I have family in Indiana). Besides, it would be far too costly to customize film prints for locales.
The real question is: What does Fort Wayne symbolize for Babydoll's projection for Sweet Pea - the strongest version of herself and the sister/protector she could never be?
So I went to the theater the other day to watch Sucker Punch and I must say I personally wasn't disappointed. I have read many reviews that state things like "this movie sucks..go see it and wait for the sucker punch to your wallet" and "uhhh what?!???" I will say this, I too was someone that thought this movie was going to be action packed. The first previews I watched about Sucker Punch reminded me of a video game... I remember telling myself that. I'm not going to throw out spoilers, but the movie is not a straight up action film like the trailers portrayed. Did this disappoint me? No of course not. I never believe what trailers show.. I knew there had to be something more to this movie. After reading Gamewatcher's review on it I knew that I wanted to see the movie even that much more. Sucker Punch DOES have it's action packed moments that are quite impressive and spectacular, BUT the movie isn't an action film. I would say that Sucker Punch is dark, gloomy, beautiful (in it's own way, again not spoiling.. You will know what I mean if you watch it) and definately will make you use your mind. The movie has soooo many layers that you will think multiple things... I am not saying it is confusing, although it may be if you take everything the wrong way. If you do decide to see this flick, go into it with an open mind and read into the meanings of things a bit more than what the plot is playing out before your eyes. I am sure many of you will have various opinions on what exactly is going on, and I know your opinions will change the more times you watch it and the deeper you dig into it. I read over Gamewatcher's post again after watching the movie to see if we understood some of that same things and if anything was taken differently. I recommend everyone to do this because it is interesting to see how other people take things. I recommend this movie to you all, but again don't expect certain things or you will be disappointed. Take the movie for what it is and understand it because it IS a good movie.. If you're going to judge it, judge it for what it does portray rather than what it didn't. Hopefully more of you post your thoughts after watching it! I love reading this kind of stuff! ---BGN FTW!
I have seen Sucker Punch within a different state of consciousness. And the meaning, the purpose, for the movie, as you describe it, is very different for me. My theory has some similarities with yours, but your point is wrong. All up to the point where you are about to conclude, and make your statement (your point) it goes wrong.
This movie is about our society, about how we can change it like Babydoll changed her system (her mind). He tells us at the end, to stand up and fight, to make a difference in our lives. It well can be about abuse aswell actually, but that's not the real point. Zack is trying to tell us to fight for our freedom. We are all trapped in this society, this systemic civilization. People, creative and loving and intelligent people are going to waste because of money and power. Out world has seen a radical change of power. Sucker Punch is trying to open our minds. Break the illusion of a happy, fulfilling life of fake impressions and deviant behaviour. Fight for our right to freedom my lads, that is what this movie is all about. Peace out.
Nice article & view!!I was open minded, but I did not take this far, tnx for sharing.
This was a great read I sat down and watched Sucker Punch and when it finished I could not decide if I enjoyed it then an hour or so later it all hit me! pretty much everything in this post is what I came up with and once I had understood the film I loved it!
if by some weird chance anyone is reading this make sure you either go back for a double dip of the directors cut or see it that way for the first time. Many things that he had to unfortunately had to leave out to get the pg13 rating. Nothing over the top but some stuff that definately filled in some gaps in the story line.
I will say that we don't know what happened to all the girls, Sweat Pea escaped obviously but that could be in reality or mentally. The film is about dissociation and overcoming what holds you back. To not be afraid of the obstacles in your way, your mind is the key to breaking it down.
She met all the girls in the Asylum, they possibly did help her along in the journey or she could have recreated them in her mind in order to feel support. The film can be interpreted many ways. for me, it hit home because I'm dissociative.