Generation X's cry for freedom

Rating: 10/10 (18 August 2015)

This may well be one of the most important films ever made. It marks the creative pinnacle of the great David Fincher and the film's critical and commercial failure at the time essentially marked the end of his highly productive period, it was all downhill after Fight Club. Driven by two stellar performances by Edward Norton and Fincher regular Brad Pitt, this is the closest to a live action revolutionary manifesto you are ever going to get from Hollywood. What would happen if gen-X woke up one morning and decided they have had enough with being white collar slaves, shopping from IKEA and living gloomy lonely lives in condos? Mischief, mayhem and of course... soap. Fincher and co. are on fire in terms of creativity and this shows in every aspect of the movie, direction, special effects, soundtrack, killer one-liners, hardly a scene passes without something hilarious, visually breathtaking or immensely quotable taking place (this must be the most quotable film this side of the 80's). It's also philosophically dense and with it's hardcore anti-consumerism stance would make a great companion piece for Into the Wild. Or V for Vendetta.
The real triumph of Fight Club though is that it takes a page from Tyler Durden's playbook and maintains a carefree, defiant and feel-good attitude, even when the s**t hits the fan and although Fincher is known for a tendency towards darkness, he is not willing here to succumb to the doom and gloom of Seven and it's this optimism that makes Fight Club a winner. Turn of the century film-making at its very best.