The Panel:
Justin Fauteux, Incoming News Director
Alexandros Mitsiopoulos, World Editor
Sarah Murphy, Arts Editor
Wade Thompson, Incoming Visual Director
Zack Snyder’s latest effort Sucker Punch was released in theatres last weekend to lacklustre earnings at the box office and even worse reviews.
The new blockbuster from the maker of Watchmen and 300 follows a young woman named Baby Doll (Emily Browning) through her institutionalization and subsequent attempt to escape.
Baby Doll’s journey delves into layers of alternate reality in which the viewer struggles to connect the reality of the asylum to an imagined setting of a burlesque house.
This subplot acts as a gateway to surrealist, video game-esque worlds where Baby Doll and her fellow escapees must complete tasks to earn objects that will aid in their breakout.
Most of the panel agreed that the film opened strongly, however, the plot itself presents opportunity for an intricately put-together film that could have kept the audience engaged and guessing what was coming next.
But as World Editor Alexandros Mitsiopoulos pointed out, “the execution was poor.” Instead, Sucker Punch alternates between being extremely predictable and confusingly muddled.
Additionally, the script was painfully clichéd and the actors’ delivery didn’t do anything to improve this. Incoming Visual Director Wade Thompson compared the dialogue in the movie to “a third grade play,” stating that “any time a character had to speak, it was just painful to sit through.” Arts Editor Sarah Murphy said she found the dialogue cringe-worthy.
The panel unanimously agreed that the film was poorly written, while the performances and action segments instigated a little bit more contention.
Thompson was thoroughly unimpressed with the casting of the film’s villain, Blue (Oscar Isaac).“If there was a decent character actor that could have got his hands on that role, it could have been menacing,” he continued. “Imagine if fucking Gary Oldman was in that role.”
Murphy thought that the actresses playing the five main female protagonists didn’t hone their roles into something real enough to make audiences care.
“You could have had a more interesting dynamic between these girls who are stuck in an insane asylum with each other,” she said. Thompson, however, stated that he was satisfied with the leading ladies — even High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens.
Regardless of the flaws in writing and casting, Sucker Punch’s visual presence is undeniable. With four distinct action sequences (corresponding with the items Baby Doll needs to find), Snyder was able to deliver four unique and exciting worlds.
Baby Doll and her gang of hookers fending off everything from Samurai warriors and German soldiers to dragons and robots, prove to be the most entertaining moments of the movie.
Speaking about the layered approach and convoluted storyline, Incoming News Director Justin Fauteux said, “It reminded me of a really poorly done Inception.”
He also expressed that Sucker Punch was less well connected, with the characters being less likable: “It was a different take on an action-fantasy movie, but it just didn’t work. I didn’t give a fuck.”
Thompson voiced his frustration with the film because of its potential to have been a great movie. Mitsiopoulos was also disappointed, especially after getting his hopes up from the extremely well-made trailer
The only aspect of good filmmaking that carried over from the trailer was the music, which Mitsiopoulos was quick to praise. The rest of the panel agreed that the soundtrack was really well done, featuring reworked covers of songs by bands like the Smiths and the Beatles.
Despite an impressive soundtrack and innovative action sequences, the underwhelming mess that is Sucker Punch is ultimately unable to overcome the horrible dialogue and cheesy, predictable plotline.
