Wow. A unique and original movie experience.

Rating: Null/10 (7 April 2007)

As you might see from other reviews, "Fight Club" resonated strongly with a lot of people. To appreciate it fully one should really see it at least twice.
It's a smart, beautifully crafted work which breaks barriers of normal narrative Hollywood fare. It's not for everyone (most every frame is saturated with high-octane testosterone), but if you've ever had that feeling of dissatisfaction in your life... the sense that you held back and/or wished you pushed yourself further- "Fight Club" will likely hit a chord.
Like most of David Fincher's films, it's a very dark, violent and dreamlike movie, but "Fight Club" also has quite a lot of humor in it. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are perfect in their mirrored characters as is Helena Carter as the edgy girlfriend/sex object. Amazingly, with all the darkness, blood and grittiness- it's somehow extremely refreshing to watch... mainly because of the very primal way it addresses human behavior.
Going into the theater, I didn't expect to like "Fight Club" all that much, but it quite simply blew me away. Although there are some very uncomfortable parallels to terrorist cells and destruction of buildings (it was made before 9/11), the main theme is wonderfully compelling.
For me it's all about what we often deal with in life (and a theme which many movies try to express) and that is- death. More specifically, the fear of death. As in one of my other favorite movies, "Defending Your Life", it addresses how fear can handicap our ability to truly enjoy the short time we have on earth- and how, when we allow ourselves to loosen the reigns, we worry less and live more fully. Whereas "Defending Your Life" expresses the point in a comedic way, "Fight Club" is right in your bloody f@*%ing face with it.
Fincher seems to do his finest work with Brad Pitt -as I think this and "Se7en" are his best films to date.