SUCKER PUNCH review... beautiful images, furious sound

Got to see a preview screening of SUCKER PUNCH late last night (not since Ghostbusters had I been forced to sit this close to the screen though... front row, left side, sore neck). Here's my review... (with only very mild spoilers)

Sucker Punch is ambitious.
As you may know, the story has layers, and the dream within a dream is where all the action takes place... or rather parallels in a hyper-real fashion the action in the second layer (which may or may not happen in the first layer).
Got all that?
Basically, it's this dream within a dream (because I don't want to call it a world, it's more like a limbo, or dream-scape) where all the epic visual shit we see in the trailer takes place. If you've heard about the movie, or seen much of the previews, I don't think I'm telling you anything you don't know going in.
It's all of these layers that allow for the fantastic action and costuming etc.; the steam zombie Nazis, the giant rail-gun wielding samurai, the dragons, etc, and the outfits, the costuming gone wild, all the cool stuff. All the stuff everyone wonders if it will all work together. So that's the big question, does it?
The short answer, no.

All of these levels, and the fantasy worlds tend to disconnect you from the story and the sense that any of this is really happening, or means anything. The characters feel too much like cut out dolls, or puppets, who rarely ever breathe... okay, well, actually, there's lots of breathing, but just on a surface level (as Snyder likes to decompress scenes in his trademark bursts), and not in a way that makes them lived in or brought to life in any realistic fashion. Oh sure they want to get out from under their oppressor, and they'll tell you that in flat line reads, of cookie cutter dialogue, repeatedly, as they stare at you with dead eyes (because they’re dead inside from their shackled existence). And they’ll use words like freedom, and fighting, or fighting for freedom… or their mystical guide, Scott Glenn, will pop up at each dreamland juncture, and dryly outline their objectives in the basest of words, punctuated by intentionally hokey cliches (yet it doesn't feel like it's played as tongue and cheek as it reads).
Not to mention, the PG-13 rating, on a film that already traffics in some mature subject matter and themes of abuse (sexual, physical, psychological), as well as giant action set pieces centered around war and excessive killing, means it's all watered down, or sanitized. You have multiple sequences where these girls are fighting armies, with blades, semi-automatic guns, grenades, bombs, you name it, but with virtually no bloodshed (because the enemies are all conveniently non-human automatons).
I imagine it goes something like this. Zack Snyder directs 300 (an R rated bloodbath of a film), sets box office records, gets a blank check to do whatever... okay, Watchmen, full on, true to the source rated R adaptation. It stinks up the box office. Studio, "Okay Zack, you've still got some house money, but this time you play by our rules." And we get the homogenized studio treatment we have here. (Not really a good formula for a visionary work by a director, Snyder practically does everything here, soup to nuts.)
And because of this, you don't really get too invested in any of it. It's just pretty pictures, put together in what's meant to be a clever or mind-bending way, but it all collapses without the special sauces (actual character, gore, blood, or anything with substance).
Then there's the music.

Zack Snyder should not be allowed to have anything to do with his own soundtracks or scores. He's terrible. Sure he can cut together a kick ass trailer to Silversun Pickups, or Nine Inch Nails, but Watchmen and now Sucker Punch are beyond laughable in their song selection. He goes out of his way to use music that's been used to death elsewhere, or here, using the brilliant idea to literally "cover" that up with cover songs, of songs that have been famously used, or used to death. A third remake of Sweet Dreams anyone? Or how about the Pixies "Where Is My Mind", you know, the same song that famously plays, to great affect, at the climax of Fight Club. Worst of all, it's a trippy Matrix style themed flick, so yep, White Rabbit is used. Stop, you're terrible. We all need to prey that he has nothing to do with the Superman soundtrack, I fear for what will become of the Superman theme, and what "clever" tunes ol' Zack has cued up for Supes. (Now, I have no idea, but perhaps this reeks of studio involvement, I don't think so since he likely had carte blanch with Watchmen and did the same nauseating shit (All Along the Watchtower anyone? Ever heard that in a movie?? Maybe that should be the climax… ugh), but either way, it's just as lame and disturbing).
So, song selection rant over, what's even worse about the soundtrack/score, is that the music is part of the visual/thematic formula that the movie settles into, and it's very distracting. Each action vignette is prefaced with the latest blaring cover track, which eventually fades to score, and the back to a reprise to tie up the scene. Nothing wrong in theory there, but the problem is they take the focus, there's too much emphasis on the music, it overrides the visuals, and again, the music is terrible. Zack's on record as being a Heavy Metal fan, so I'll assume that includes the movie, which is probably inspiration, to some extent, for this movie, as well as the soundtrack, the difference being, that was a really good and very contemporary soundtrack... again, this is neither.
I know I rant at length about soundtracks, but folks, think about it, sound and music are a HUGE part of good movie making. Name any classic or blockbuster film, 9 times out of 10 they have a great piece of music or score at the heart. Think Star Wars, think Jaws, or Psycho, etc etc, most likely you immediately think of their soundtracks, or at least tie those to your thoughts of the movie. Try and imagine Star Wars without John Williams’ score, if it had some lame synth space music of the era, it may still be a classic, but it’s an entirely different film. Go out of your way with the sound and miss, and you severely damage your film.

So, that's the bad stuff.
The good stuff?
It's pretty, and there's lots of cool stuff to watch (arguably most of which is in the trailer).
So, if you're really stoked by all the cool stuff that's teased, go see it on the big screen. There’s more of it, and it’s some damn cool stuff. Otherwise, Zack needs to stick to adapting strong source material, because Nolan he ain't.

You'd think by all my thoughts here I hated this film, and I didn't. I kind of liked it, but only with qualifications, and I really wanted to like a movie that's built around all this incredible shit a lot more. I get what Snyder was going for here, I mean most any geek does, Sucker Punch does indeed have a lot of cool shit going on, the hyper-reality of the dreamscapes and it's elaborate combat sequences, with multitudes of weapons, where you see and feel the action in exaggerated concussive force, or super-slo-mo, with shell casings falling at the camera, or characters flying 100 yards and collapsing into eruptions of earth and stone, it's visual candy, expertly rendered and staged from killer angles. And maybe, with all the cool it does have to offer, it's quite possible I'll like it better with repeat viewings, when I can just turn off all my hopes and expectations and enjoy it for what it is. I just might not be rushing back to the theater to do so.

MILDLY RECOMMENDED
Go and see it, have fun with it, just don't expect too much beyond the visuals.

Dance Baby Doll, dance! (SPOILER - she never does!)

Meanwhile at the Movies... are we unprepared?

A couple of new SUCKER PUNCH images...

After Watchmen, I need Snyder to bring more than just the pretty...
Here's hoping.
Oh, and yeah, it's Pulp Girls.

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... Watchmen sucks (and so does the movie)?!?

Best graphic novel of all time?
Please.
Most over rated?
Sure.
Comics blasphemy?
Maybe :)

Okay, yes, I read Watchmen, not when it came out...
I was reading comics way back in the 1900 and 80's.
Actually the mid to late 80's were the twilight of my comics youth.
By that time, I was in high school, and fast finding other distractions.
I recall, clearly, one of the last times I bought comics outside a comic shop, at a local 7-11, an issue of the original X-Factor... at least a few issues in... and the clerk looked at it, then me, and said "really?!" (or similar) with such disdain.
But, fuck her, I bought GI Joes til I was 16, that didn't put me off comics.
Just teenage trappings like, cars, friends, girls (or at least the fruitless pursuit).
Anyway, I remember Watchmen coming out, and all the buzz, and the graphic nature of it, looking at the first issue (I might have bought it, don't think so)...
It wasn't really for me.
You see, I always came at comics from a visual, visceral angle, and Watchmen, while being an amazing feat of writing, and art... just doesn't do much for me.
I'd rather sit with a book for 5 minutes and get my rocks off, not toil over the pages and dialogue... study the subtext, re-read, reassess...
nah.
Fuck that.
There are too many other comics to get to.
Movies.
TV.
Video games.
Music.
etc etc
So, I don't read books, and I don't generally like my comics literal.
Sorry.

Fast forward a decade, and I've gotten back into comics, having rediscovered them circa 1995, and my appetite is veracious (years away have me fully reinvested)... I go to all the area cons, buying stacks of dollar and quarter bin books, and I come across long boxes full of Watchmen... so, what the hell? Never read it, it's a classic, scoop em up.

And I read it, and I really liked it, just, not that much.
I see what all the critical favor is about mind you.
I appreciate the intricate nature, the symphony between writer and artist, the groundbreaking nature of it all.
But shit, it's a tough read, and, Ozymandias is the bad guy?!? Really? That's the big twist?? That's it?!
Okay, I mean, surface, high level, it's pretty straightforward, and sure there's all these other levels, and bigger messages and comments, and layers, but here's the main thing... the characters are all boring, unrelatable, and uninteresting.
Rapists, psycho's, naked blue gods, impotent middle aged men?
Wait, that does sound interesting?
But, it all just floats by, not really engaging me. Gibbons art is nothing short of amazing, but his style doesn't excite me, and the work is too dense, so all I have left are the characters, and they fail me...
Watchmen ultimately fails to engage me.

Now fast forward another decade and Zack Snyder, director-god, who's previous efforts, the incredible remake of Dawn of the Dead, and the bombastically bad ass 300 comic adaptation were some of my favorite movies in recent memory, he's going to be adapting the long unfilmable Watchmen?!?
Cool!!!Now, I saw the movie Saturday, anxiously waiting for it to come out, and my chance at the theater, and let me tell you, it's a great movie, and an amazing effort at adapting the most dense graphic work out there, but as much as I liked it, I still didn't love it. It still skims by, keeping me at a distance. Nothing really draws me in; the Comedian, as cool as he is, is irredeemable, and dies in the opening after all, and the only other awesome character, Rorschach, still wears the god awful trenchcoat and fedora... so you know, he can only be so cool. I mean, he's based on the fucking Question, lamest looking character ever...

So...
Is it good, yeah, sorta.
Is it great, well, maybe.
I'd really like to see the director's cut, and Black Freighter, and really get a proper look at it.

But most of all, aside from the failings of the characters, and cast (because Nite Owl and Silk Spectre are as boring and lifeless here as they are in the comic), my main problem with the whole thing is the utter failings of the soundtrack.
From the mostly nonexistent score, to the horrible on-the-nose AM radio pastiche they try to pass off as clever.
All Along the Watchtower?!?
Really!?!?!
I guess it was referenced in the comic, but damn, that was utterly played out 23 years ago, let alone now.
I guess if you have no recall for those things, or no experience with the usage of the music, or don't care for music, it could work for you.
But shit, that was terrible.
Luft Balloons? That's the best you could do?!?
Come on, this is a huge budget epic, give me sound to go with it!
Dark Knight, they kicked your ears in with sound and score.
Great movies need a great score!!!!

Okay, so there ya go.
Watchmen and all it's personal baggage for me, and I still mostly enjoyed it, and look forward to repeat viewings and expanded versions.
And I still recommend it, as it's a challenging translation of a challenging work that's certainly of merit and quality, that may just click on more cylinders for you than I.

And hell, I'll probably even read the book again some day.
But, I've got boxes full of those, so don't hold your breath...

RECOMMENDED

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES: Watchmen trailer

It's been floating around the nets, but just finally viewed it myself...

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

This is a touch longer than the last one, and still looks uberdy cooldidy!

And here's some cool Watchmen fan art I've seen recently!



Bon appetit!

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES... Watchmen hype

Could Zack Snyder's Watchmen adaptation reach to the pinnacles of cinema, just as the source material vaunted to arguably the highest achievement in comics?! Could we dare to dream??

Well, based on his mind numbingly cool remake of Dawn of the Dead (not perfect, but damn close), the zeitgeist that was his 300 adaptation, and the early buzz on advance screenings of scenes from the film, it just may be that he's done it again, and we could all have an orgasmic movie going experience on the horizon...

DC, those fuckers, are gonna sell a shit load of books, and the movie, even if it falls short, will be utterly enjoyable at the least. I suspect though, it just may blow our fucking minds...

Check out AICN's notes on the screening HERE and HERE