Sucker Punch (Warner Brothers)
Truth In Advertising
The new Zack Snyder film is titled Sucker Punch and that is truth in advertising as the poor quality of this movie is like a sucker punch to your head. The film is Inception like in that it is a story within a story within a story BUT it is lacking the well honed plot and the superb acting that Inception had. The Sucker Punch plot is totally messed up and the acting is rudimentary.
Basically the story involves a young woman named Valerie (Emily Browning) who lives with her sister in a depressing house. Her mother has just died and her stepfather wants the two girls out of his way so he can inherit their mothers fortune. There is a fight between Valerie and her stepfather and the younger sister is killed in the process. This allows the stepfather to have Valerie committed to an insane asylum.
Once inside the asylum world two begins. This is a world where Valerie, or Babydoll as she is now called, works in a house of prostitution. The madam is Vera Gorski (Carla Gugino) and the girls include Sweetpea (Abbie Cornish, her sister Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgins) and Amber (Jamie Chung).
Babydoll is forced to dance for the entertainment of the clients. When she dances she enters the third world where she and her friends are sent on missions by the wise man (Scott Glenn). They are told their adventures will lead them to freedom. These adventures are battles that take place in a war torn world.
Make any sense Nah. The visuals are good as Snyder is the master of using the green screen and having his actors play their roles against amazing backdrops. But is it interesting or understandable I dont think so.
Cornish is the only actor who seems to be making something of her role. She makes a valid effort. Everyone else seems to be just enjoying the games. Jon Hamm (Mad Men) pops up at the end for a surprising cameo.
The film is rated PG-13 for violence and profanity.
After 300 great things were expected of Snyder but nothing occurred. His follow up film Watchmen was a mild success but nothing great. Now with this loser his career may really be in trouble. Another case of high expectations and low results.
In any event dont succumb to the lure of Sucker Punch. It is not worth your time, effort or money. It should be delivered to your Blu-Ray store in rapid time.
I scored Sucker Punch an aching 4 out of 10.
