Sucker Punch (noun): a blow made without warning, allowing no time for preparation or defense on the part of the recipient. It is usually delivered from close range or from behind.
“You will be unprepared.”
In the movie, our protagonist, Baby Doll, is sent to a mental institution after her abusive stepfather falsely accuses her of attacking him and killing her sister. Locked in a physical and mental prison, Baby Doll seeks freedom. She must escape into her imagination to obtain the tools she needs to escape. Helped by four friends and their guardian angel, she begins her journey towards survival.
The opening sequence felt like a sucker punch as I witnessed two deaths, attempted rape, brutal murder, and child abuse. Brutal yet brilliant, I felt immediately sympathetic for the protagonist and disgusted by all the evil. I was engrossed. Unfortunately, this level of suspense and character development was not sustainable. The rest of the movie played out like a poor recollection of a dream: “Um...and then this happened. And I’m not sure why, but he was there. And so anyway, we did this. And then....” And on and on it goes. The muddled plot annoyed rather than engaged. The story, which desperately tried to be clever, flipped back and forth between three different realities with no explanation or reason. I was left with the insurmountable task of figuring out what exactly was going on. Finally, in the third act, the filmmakers attempted to sucker punch the viewers with an unexpected twist. While the twist was interesting, the characters had so little depth or development that it was hard to care about their stories.
Thus, this attempt felt more like a sucker poke.
The dialogue was sub-par—and unintentionally chuckle-producing—as the screenwriter attempted to set the record for most cliches/platitudes in one movie. The acting was adequate, with no stand-out performances, either good or bad. The soundtrack was loud and bombastic, and score was almost entirely replaced by remixes of pop songs. This detracted from the movie, especially during the action scenes.
But let’s face it, it’s clear that nobody is going to see this movie for its plot, dialogue, soundtrack, or acting. It’s all about the action. And, boy, is the action a treat for the eyes. Zack Snyder is no stranger to action sequences, and working within the limitless possibilities of a “dream world” allowed him to shine. Ninjas, Nazis, robots, zombies, orcs and dragons are the enemies the protagonist must defeat. Each battle is beautifully choreographed, each one featuring more slow-motion destruction than the last. The colors are brilliant and the sets fantastical. The stunts are impressive and “wow” inducing. You will not be disappointed with the array of weaponry, creature animation or constant explosions. Action saves this movie from obscurity making it worth seeing for these scenes alone...almost.
What I was unprepared for was the content that fills the gaps between action scenes. While never graphic, the audience witnesses three attempted rapes, brothel living (and some discussion about the profession), loads of immodest attire, and infrequent profanity. The violence outside the dream world is brutal and leaves the viewer sick and disturbed, detracting from the wonder of the choreographed fight scenes.
The action sequences look great but the rest of the movie can and should be missed. I was amazed by the action but underwhelmed by the story, which left me with an overall distaste of what I had just seen. It’s occasionally fun, but more often shallow and bad.
Don’t be suckered into thinking this movie packs much of a punch.
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