A Social-Commentary For The New Era

Rating: 9/10 (30 September 2007)

Addressing the ploys of consumerism and materialism, Fight Club created a distinct manifesto of liberation during the last few months of the '90s. Its impact is yet to of worn off and with each passing year the imperative social-commentary becomes more popular. At its time of release, Fight Club was widely misunderstood, due to the "graphic" depiction of nihilism which is expressed through the film and was hailed by some as misogynistic. Although it did not receive much attention around the time of release, the rise in DVD sales helped to propel popularity and eventually resulted in Fight Club becoming a cult picture.
In 1996, Chuck Palahniuk wrote Fight Club, a novel which held the inevitability of an adaptation. It was only three years later before Fight Club was released as a motion-picture. Twentieth Century Fox acknowledged that the film was going to hold a mass appeal and garner a much deserved following of fans who could relate to the picture's satirical take on the woes of modern life. Emerging talent David Fincher was chosen to direct the adaptation (though remaining hesitant because of his experience with Fox on Alien³), while Jim Uhls wrote the screenplay. Edward Norton was chosen to star as the film's protagonist and Brad Pitt (who Fincher had previously worked with on Se7en) was cast in the key supporting role. It was from here that David Fincher gave birth to his undisputed masterpiece.
Telling the tale of a nameless, thirty-something office-worker (often referred to as The Narrator and performed by Edward Norton) who has lost all motivation and self-respect, the picture chronicles his journey through enlightenment. Starting off as a spectator and consumerist, The Narrator's venture begins with his sudden addiction to anonymous self-help groups. It is from the testicular cancer and alcoholics anonymous groups that he gains pity, and because of being an unexposed faker can wallow in the sympathy he has craved for. On a business trip, The Narrator encounters Tyler Durden, a soap-salesman who he chooses to befriend. The two friends soon assemble a fight club, where men endure bare-knuckled, underground fighting. Essentially, the group (which becomes a guerrilla organisation) is a metaphor for "feeling alive" and allows men to feel the utmost level of masculinity.
Fight Club does not promote violence, deprivation, anarchy, communism or even mischief; it merely works as a representation for turning a mundane, forlorn lifestyle into a way of venting out primitive frustration. The numbed office drones depicted in the film realise that their lives are meaningless and are prepared to go through pain to receive clarification that they still exist both mentally and physically. Fighting is an embodiment of man's most archaic and rebellious instincts. Man's aspiration for chaos is symbolised through Project Mayhem, (the mischief group, built upon members of the fight club) and the disdain aimed towards materialism is etched inside the personality traits of Tyler Durden. Laden with justifiable transgression, the film portrays its hatred of consumerism through subtle character interactions, repressed emotion and glaring visuals (e.g. Ikea, Starbucks, Soap), which are often an amusing arguably contradictory- disparity of beliefs. There are a number of themes below the surface of the picture (such as homosexuality) which should be taken into consideration when in search of understanding.
Filmed in damp, dirty lighting and mixed with "ultra-cool" editing, viewers will find it difficult to resist the overwhelming generosity of aesthetically pleasing film-making. The satirical temperament of the picture is empathised by the characteristics of the film's subtext. Fight Club is thoughtful, exhilarating and amusing, so the absurd visual stance is best suited for a film of its genre. Characters will often break the "fourth wall", letting viewers relate to the ideas more freely. Welcomingly peculiar visuals are an extra ingredient for keeping the viewer instantly immersed. Since the film contains such robust characters, it is hard to deny the charm of the narrative style. When you have each performer delivering witty, anti-conformist sentences then it is impossible to become detracted or disconcerted. In fact, the three main protagonists are some of the finest ever written. Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter provide what are three of my favourite performances from the '90s, which should be rank among the most exciting and versatile.
Sadly, it is within the second act that the picture misdirects its testosterone. Of course, none of the entertainment value is lost. Instead, the nature of the film suddenly becomes a plunge into non-stop anti-capitalism, which in my opinion becomes overused to a slight extent. Fortunately, this does not linger and the narrative turns back to being the journey of self-discovery it started out as. Nothing can stop Fight Club from being a film I love to watch. Its vigorously entertaining ambiance provokes exhilaration and reflection that few films can match. The notions and philosophies of such a statement may be too testing for a number of viewers to grasp; nevertheless, the stinging candour and acrimony should not be ignored.