Fight Club follows the dive into insanity of a man trying to escape his own anarchy.

Rating: 9/10 (27 September 2017)

Fight Club follows the dive into insanity of a man trying to escape his own anarchy.
Even in the daylight this film manages to create darkness. The whole film consists of dimly lit, menacing scenes portraying the unknown as the narrator, Jack, loses his sense of reality. Actions of his alter-self, Tyler, are completely unpredictable and often unmemorable to him. His psychological state is constantly re-enforced by the mystery set forth by the film's cinematic elements.
The major theme of the unknown that we see in this film aligns with the conventions of a typical film noir. Their rundown home, the violence of their "Fight Club", and the eventual creation of a cult-like "army" all appeal to the theme of emphasizing the darker aspects of human condition. Outside of the cinematic elements, the role of a femme fatale is fulfilled by Marla. Introduced as an annoyance to Jack, she eventually becomes the only piece of reality he has left - aiding him in returning to reality by the end of the film. Though she was more known to his alter-self, ultimately his decisions throughout the film are driven by his interest in her.
Emphasizing character emotions, this film doesn't consist of many long shots. In the fight scenes, close and medium shots allow us to associate ourselves with the emotions of the characters as their aggression erupts in front of our eyes. Within these shots, the limited lighting is directed onto the bodies of the characters without reaching their faces, de-personalizing them to us as they have done to each other. This focused lighting shows that their club acts as another world to them, their realities temporarily forgotten. Throughout most of the film shots are done in a realistic style. It is only in the end, after Jack's reality has become apparent to him, that the film switches to a formalistic style. This style was most prominently featured in Jack and Tyler's fight scene as Tyler's power is exaggerated.
Production design is a major element of this film. Within the fight scenes the shirtless costumes are used to portray the characters as the vicious animals they have become. Outside of the "Fight Club", the next primary usage of costume is seen when Tyler begins building his "army". The all-black costumes his followers are made to wear reflect the attributes of the mindless cult that he is running. Particular to the main characters, Jack and Tyler, their costumes seem to contrast with each other. Jack is mostly seen wearing plain, casual clothes while Tyler wears more vibrant, exotic outfits. This contrast is used to symbolize the separate personalities - good and evil - of the single person they are.
Another evident element of the production design was the claustrophobic urban setting. This was employed to create the darkness necessary in portraying the film noir theme of the unknown. Tyler's rundown home in an abandoned district symbolizes the characters' alienation from society. It re-iterates the idea of the new society they have created for themselves, living by their own rules. Within that home, the disgusting conditions they subject themselves to represent their loss of sanity and the overall anarchy their world is evolving into.
Combined, these elements allow the audience to associate with the characters and feel the distancing from reality that the characters themselves are experiencing. With having the ability to to experience the plot rather than just witness it, I consider this to be an excellent film.