A well-crafted commentary on modern consumerism.

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2002)

Arguably one of the best made films to emerge in the last five years, Fight Club sets out to challenge the capitalist, materialistic society the Western world has created. While certainly surprising, although with enough clues along the way to tip you off, the much-hyped twist at the end is not as important as the underlying message, which aims to show that mankind is tricked into the desire for fashionable yet entirely useless designer goods. The story revolves around the campaign of an ever-growing terrorist organisation who seek to free the common man from the tyranny of consumerism and credit card companies. It's gripping, too, as we see the actions of the protagonists grow from petty vandalism to full-scale terrorism and beyond, and wonder just how the hell it will end until we come to the final twist, when events have spiraled out of control and are seemingly beyond the reach of the main character. Although comical at times, there does seem to be a serious message below the increasingly silly terrorist plots, a suggestion that we are indeed letting ourselves be tricked into thinking that the purchase of material goods is all there is in life. The performances of all involved are excellent, even Meatloaf, and the effects are stunning in places. Perhaps David Fincher's best film so far, it is very well directed throughout. It deserves your attention, and it deserves to be listened to.
Don't just see this as another gratuitously violent hollywood film, it's so much more than men bare-knuckle fighting in a basement.