Beyond all Belief

Rating: 10/10 (25 February 2012)

I rarely start off with a quote but here we go, "It's only after we've lost everything that we're free to do anything." In my opinion this is one of the most powerful quotes ever uttered in a movie, and luckily for Fightclub, most of the other powerful quotes take their residence in the movie as well. " People are always asking me if I know Tyler Durden." And so starts the phenomenally acted, breath taking action movie Fight Club. Once you begin the movie you are on the edge of your seat taking in every shot, every line, every movement of Edward Norton and Brad Pitt. Fightclub inhabits your body, it becomes an addiction, a need. WIthout Fightclubs presence you feel empty. After watching Fightclub I felt empty, but most important I felt full. I had to watch the movie again to relieve the emptiness, and once it was over the second time I began to take the fullness and think.
Fightclub is a movie that makes you think about what you've done with your life, about everything, and especially society and mediocrity. Be prepared to realize that, as Tyler Durden says, "We are all part of the same compost heap." Firstly there is no actor that can ever compare to Edward Norton. Norton has a calm intensity that is riveting. Edward Nortons narration of the film made it at least ninety times better than any other movie I've ever seen. Listening to his voice is soothing and it adds a stage presence to anything he is speaking of. Edward Norton's character was like his other half, it felt natural, even Norton's body suggested his character traits. Without Edward Norton their would be no Fightclub. If anyone tells you that FightClub stars Brad Pitt, you can just look at them and inform them that they obviously haven't seen Fightclub.
Brad Pitt, though not the star of FightClub, adds so much character to the movie through his role of Tyler Durden. Brad Pitt's laugh was one of the most intense and maniacal laughs I've ever heard in any movie, no matter what genre. Tyler Durden was a character that was vital to the film that if he had been cast wrong the movie wouldn't be half of what it is today, and it's IMDb's 14th Most Popular Movie Ever Made. Luckily for Brad PItt he has a tendency to be perfect at these types of films. "We just had a near life experience", as Tyler would say.
Helena Bonham Carter has a darkness about her, it's extremely eye catching and well-done, it's almost an art-form. She continues to amaze me through her depressed, but loving characters who have such a violent range of emotions that you can barely follow her, but you have fun trying too. I love Marla and her role in the movie. Meat Loaf, and Jared Leto add to the story through their humorous interpretations of what could be heart-breaking characters. Both perform amazingly and add relativity to the film in their own special-little ways.
The story was written so perfectly that I couldn't find a single flaw in it. Every moment of the movie made me more attentive to the plot. The ending, and twists were constructed so effortlessly that you barely realized they were happening. Every moment, and every cut of the movie to a different moment in Tyler or The Narrartor's life added infinitely to the film. It was well made off of the novel and in the moments of deviation from Palahnuick's work it was only an addition to the watchability, or the possibilities of movies. It was a great shrine to the novel's excellence. David Fincher was fifty percent of what the film is. Every time the camera angle, or scene changes he adds something that surprises or informs the plot. Adding in the intricate detailed moments and flashes of image or sound controlled the movie's knowledge of anarchy, and Tyler. Fincher's shots made the movie first-rate, insightful, original, clever, and thought-provoking, not to mention kick-ass. Fightclub is power, and makes you think twice about life and society, definitely worth a watch no matter who you are, or what your beliefs are. Remember the first and second rules of Fightclub "do not talk about Fightclub." (It'll definitely be hard for you to follow those rules)