Can you distinguish right from wrong?

Rating: 10/10 (4 May 2000)

Its amazing how varied peoples take on what this films message is. Some take it at its simplest face value, "consumer culture bad, violence good, duh!". A lot of people (though know one I know personally) think its pretentious. Over all to say that this film implies that any one thing (consumerism, violence, conformity, mob mentality) is good or bad is a very shallow interpretation. Real art usually doesn't carry a obvious message like "making fun of people with cancer is bad" or "over coming fear is good". Life is more complex than that so what could a film that made such obtuse statements have to offer. There are all kinds of interesting things going on. Some may think it pretentious, but I enjoyed scenes like the one in which Pitt whispers to Norton from the basement "this conversation is over".
This film seems to have many levels. The "consumerism bad" level seems obvious (though done well) but its a set up for the next level and so on. The protagonist pitiful consumer, worker drone existence leaves him spiritually bankrupt. This leaves him ripe for the attractive (somewhat Buddhist in a way) philosophy espoused by Pitts rock star like uber man. Its justification for the Id run wild. Of course it is ultimately destructive when taken to extreme but at the same time their are some undeniable truths in the things Tyler says. Fight Club explores many themes but it does not take any stands on what is right or what is wrong. That's up to the viewer and that is why people have such different takes on it. To me that's good film. In some scenes the violence is disturbing and you want it to leave the screen, in others it is beautiful and glorified. This leaves the responsibility of interpretation to viewer. Ideas are dangerous in irresponsible hands but because some lack the capability to distinguish between hypothetical ruminations on the nature of violence and a call to blow up their high school, does that mean that movies have to always clearly state that murder is wrong.
If you can't figure out that you shouldn't be watching.