Sucker Punch: worst movie of the year, or just not the movie you signed up for?

I loved Zach's DAWN OF THE DEAD and 300. I didn't think the characters were that shallow in the latter. Can anyone think of a better role that Gerard Butler has played? King Leonidas is awesome, as were the boyhood scenes showing his progress. The Persian god-man was creepy and memorable, as were the hunchback, the one eyed guy, the wife, the politician, etc.

Though the battle was based on some interesting history, I really liked the playing up of the fantasy bits. Interesting scenes throughout - the tree of the dead, the wall of bodies, pushing elephants off a cliff, arrows that black out the sky, etc.

That said, I wish Zach would do more live action like DAWN OF THE DEAD. I don't like WATCHMAN and SUCKERPUNCH was my pick for year's worst, even before this thread came up. I fell asleep the first time through, it was so boooorrring, I was in and out. So, I watched it again, to see if it was just me, but the visuals were just meaningless when the writing could not entice me with interesting characters, story or........heck, I didn't even think it had a compelling scene and that's bad! Usually, I can take something away from a movie. Like someone said, there were no stakes in the battles - the girls could jump 80' out of a helicopter, land in their heels, do wire assisted flips, take on dragons and not get hurt. When I play video games, there are stakes - I get hurt, see my bot comrades die and always lose at some point.
 
JoshL said:
Wombat, that quote you pulled up brings the discussion back to my thoughts on reading rayw's original review on the review thread. The action is, throughout the movie, vaguely uncomfortable because we can remember what's going on outside the game/fantasy sequences. As Snyder said "the men in the dark are basically me"...it's not without self awareness. He's saying that he wanted to make an extreme fantasy action film (because as a sci-fi geek he, and I, love that sort of thing). But he also wanted to be aware, and with the ham-fisted metaphor what "exploitation" really means.

That message is definitely for the fantasy/gamer crowd (of which, both Snyder and I are definitely part of). And I do think that is part of why people are reacting to the film as strongly as they are. It's saying "hey, do you enjoy this stuff? I do too. But let's be aware of the unfortunate implications that lie behind this sometimes". It is a message for that demographic, from that demographic. But it's not a comfortable message or one we would necessarily like hearing. It could have been clearer about that, but if it had, or been marketed more clearly, it wouldn't have been a "sucker punch" for the audience, so I have to think that was part of the intent.
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Yeah, it's definitely got some kind of weird self-awareness going on. Snyder admits as much later in the interview.

But that makes it worse. That's why it comes across as such a mess. I think it would've been a better movie had it stuck to one side of the issue and been made as either a great, mindless exploitation film without the hammy message or it drove home the point in a less ... gratifying way, I guess.

Wait a minute. I just realized that that was his intent, in order to give the movie a truly feminine touch.

SNYYYDEEEEEEERRRR

I like thinking about movies. If a movie inspires me to think about it, I consider it a good film. Again, I'm not saying that this is Inland Empire or anything, but it DID give me things to think about. So on one hand, it is flawed in not being clearer about the messages that it had. On the other hand, being vague made me think about what I'm watching, rather than spelling everything out for me, which I appreciate. I am unsure as to which approach is, if either are, "better". Again, no wrong opinions!
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Same with me, but I didn't find that the movie gave me much to think about. Mostly it just slightly upset me because of how silly it was. I really like Snyder, too. Dawn of the Dead and 300 are fun to watch for me, and his adaptation of Watchmen was both faithful enough to the source material while making intelligent decisions about how to convert it into film. I was kind of expecting more from this movie, so that initial disappointment is still with me, I guess.
 
Wombat said:
SNYYYDEEEEEEERRRR
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hehehehehe...and what I was mentally picturing as you said that...

snyder.jpg


But, yeah, hard to follow Watchmen. Doubly so if it's the first thing you've written, versus an adaptation of what is arguably one of the most well written graphic novels ever!
 
Flicker Pictures said:
I'll need to see this flick so I can bitch about it, too. I'm missing out on all the fun. :lol:
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kinglis said:
There is not such thing as bad advertising :), still I'd probably never see this flick.
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I certainly advise against making it a priority, even as a time filler lark curiosity.
Seriously.

The last decent movie I've seen was LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS.
I can't even remember the last SciFi/Fantasy film I enjoyed.
KUNG FU PANDA 2, maybe?
 
Holy crap, this thread is blowin' up. I'm kinda in point-and-shoot mode, right now, so I'm too impatient to read the new posts and properly reply. Next time my brain is ready to actually read something, you can rest assured, you'll get another two cents! :D
 
Okay, I read all the new posts, since my last real comment, and I think I align with Nick's thoughts the most. Except for the part about Snyder having never made a good movie. "300" didn't do it for me, but I like "Watchmen" and "Dawn of the Dead", quite a lot.

Anyway, as to the Sweet Pea bit, like Nick, I just didn't see it. But that doesn't mean it's not there. I'm actually curious enough that I'll probably re-watch the beginning and end.

Anyway, I interpreted the ended quite differently. The scene in which Sweet Pea is getting on the bus, to me that felt like yet more of Baby Doll's delusional fantasy world. Like all of the stuff in the brothel world, it has fantastical elements. It has the same ultra-bright color scheme as the brothel world, and it has the magical all-knowing bus-driver/guide. That made me think that it's simply a thought in Baby Doll's mind. Baby Doll is having a delusion of grandeur, imagining herself an angel.

I guess it's also possible that this is exactly what Snyder wanted, different people seeing different realities and interpretations.

Also, I agree with Nick. We should discuss a better movie, all in-depth and shit.

Also, also, I can't wait to see "Attack the Block". It just came to Richmond, finally.

Cheers!
 
Kholi said:
Have seen it four times, might go back for a fifth in theaters before the Blu Ray drops.

Best movie of the year for me.
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I was lucky enough to take my family to see ATTACK OF THE BLOCK at the theater, last Thursday. I knew it was going to be good, but they had no idea what I was dragging them to. They loved it! Even the marquee said "ATTACK OF BLOCK." Bunch of dimwits at these theaters. The movie that hasn't even grossed a million in the USA (5 million worldwide). This is an example of marketing injustice and a confusing title.

Possibly the best of the year for me, too! Nothing too fancy, just some solid writing and characters.
 
Scoopicman said:
I was lucky enough to take my family to see ATTACK OF THE BLOCK at the theater, last Thursday. I knew it was going to be good, but they had no idea what I was dragging them to. They loved it! Even the marquee said "ATTACK OF BLOCK." Bunch of dimwits at these theaters. The movie that hasn't even grossed a million in the USA (5 million worldwide). This is an example of marketing injustice and a confusing title.

Possibly the best of the year for me, too! Nothing too fancy, just some solid writing and characters.
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It's been titled "Attack The Block" over here, seems a strange change to make for folks across the pond.
 
I don't think it has been renamed, after all it's the Block that's being attacked not the block that's doing the attacking.

I was really underwhelmed by it. I had really high expectations and was a little disappointed- it's good but I don't think it worked that well.

I'm curious to know how much of the dialogue an American can understand...?
 
NickClapper said:
I don't think it has been renamed, after all it's the Block that's being attacked not the block that's doing the attacking.

I was really underwhelmed by it. I had really high expectations and was a little disappointed- it's good but I don't think it worked that well.

I'm curious to know how much of the dialogue an American can understand...?
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All of it, my way.

But, what's strange is that in your territory it seems to have been dismissed, but over here it's playing VERY strong.

I guess it's a regional thing.
 
chilipie said:
It's been titled "Attack The Block" over here, seems a strange change to make for folks across the pond.
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It still is! Typo - my fault. Will not happen again.

ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK ATTACK THE BLOCK........:lol:
 
NickClapper said:
I'm curious to know how much of the dialogue an American can understand...?
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Sometimes there is a phenomenon where say.....EL MARIACHI probably gets a lot of respect for being performed in spanish, whereas had we heard it in American english it might not have been impressive. Same goes for foreign slang to some extent. We're not used to it, so it is different and entertaining.

Also, ATTACK THE BLOCK shows minority kids in a way that I haven't really seen from the U.K. before. I really liked Moses' character. I like seeing European, Australian, etc. movies. I remember that the summer that Jodie Foster's CONTACT came out, I found myself more caught up in a Pete Postlethwaite movie called, BRASSED OFF.
 
I actually really enjoyed the movie, had super low expectations of it, but I loved the look to the film and also just the concept was cool for me.
Just a different movie, and let alone hot girls made it awesome. Wish we could see Emily Browning dance though, that kind of sucked.
 
I went in the theater with hig hopes for this movie and was disappointed...but it was not horrible.

The story concept was very original and very unique...my issue is not with the story or with the acting...

My issue was with the weak action scenes. Americans have a way of killing the art of fighting in movies...to much flash, not enough finesse.

I give the movie a 7/10

PS I bought the bluray
 
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