Uber stylish sci-fi actioner, described as "Alice in Wonderland with machine guns". This is the latest visual feast from director Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300).
About a girl (Emily Browning) who is institutionalised by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she is free to go where her mind takes her, and envisions a plan to help her escape the facility. Also stars Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish.
If Hollywood bean counters needed an example of why original ideas can make for unsuccessful films then Sucker Punch is it. The only difference between Zack Snyder’s supremely self-indulgent effort and his other films, however, is that he’s borrowed a whole bunch of stuff from elsewhere rather than delivering big-screen adaptations strong in spirit, if not exact detail (Watchmen, 300, Dawn Of The Dead). The actual obstacles to Sucker Punch’s success have nothing to do with it neither being part of an existing franchise nor adapted from a comic book, novel, TV series or board game.
First of all there’s the most vapid sexism seen in a blockbuster for some time, then add in the film’s inability to stimulate virtually any response from the audience despite bombarding the senses with special effects, half-naked girls and some extremely sanitised violence. Sucker Punch should be fun and frivolous but instead it is laboured and boring, Snyder so in love with his concept of the main character escaping reality into internal worlds of her own creation that he never bothers to stop and think that this is either unoriginal or that perhaps a female victim of abuse might not create a sexy brothel in her imagination where she and a group of skinny young prostitutes dress up in fetish clothes.
The film’s alternate realities may be lovingly crafted, but they can’t excuse how lame Sucker Punch is or, despite Snyder’s protestations, how callously sexist and disempowering its message is.
By Steve Newall, Flicks.co.nz
Playing like an extended trailer for the ultimate computer game for twelve year old hetrosexual boys, this is either a brilliant parody of mindless media sexism - or, um, mindless sexism! Mind you Zack Snyder brought us the oh so conflicted "300" which verged on gay soft porn... or was it fascist male body worship... or was it a brilliant parody of, er, mindless media sexism... Anyway, depending on who you are and just how seriously you take your pop-porn, "Sucker Punch" is either a fun, frenetic, beautiful looking and sounding teenage wetdream... or misogynistic nightmare. For me? It was a dog turd wrapped in bright metallic paper. It looked great - but once opened? Just a bad smell and a queasy feeling in the stomach as though I was the sucker who'd been punched... Two computer generated stars for the visuals and soundtrack though. If 'Sucker Punch' was five-minute pop video or an advert for aftershave, it'd be almost bearable... almost! If you're a twelve-year old hetrosexual boy? See at once!
Sucker Punch has a lot of potential, but never quite gets there. Its like its based on a book and it would have been good to have read the book before seeing the movie. But if you've got enough imagination to fill in the gaps then it is a great movie.
Visually amazing, great action and overall good fun!
I like it, plain and simple. If your after a movie that fills a boring sunday afternoon with action and a non tyical story line that will amaze you and open your mind to things never before even thought of then this is the one you want to see. HIHGLY RECOMEND.
Looks like only retards comment on here.
It's a hazard of this job that I get to sit through trailers and previews for months before any film has actually opened, and since February this one has been assaulting my eyeballs with ever more delirious promises.
Ambitious and visually impressive as a pop-video mash-up, but, lacking a strong emotional core, it doesn't quite cohere as a fully satisfying movie.
Certain to create a gaping divide between generational and aesthetic camps, Sucker Punch is a largely grim and unpleasant display of technical wizardry wrapped around a story that purports to be inspirational.
A wonderfully wild provocation - an imperfect, overlong, intemperate and utterly absorbing romp through the id that I wouldn't have missed for the world.
There is nothing here to enjoy, beyond the tiny satisfaction in noting that the movie lives up to its name.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Thursday, 7th Apr 2011.
Release date: April 7th 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
