Many people will disagree with my comment on this film. But I will fight for my right ...

Rating: 5/10 (21 October 2007)

Just like that other Brad Pitt-movie "12 monkeys", "Fight club" is so weird that it becomes hard to fully enjoy it. Both movies are considered classics, yet I fail to see why. A few years back, I thought these were truly awful but in time I learned to appreciate them a little more. Still: I simply cannot shed that feeling of disappointment and therefore, to this date, I don't consider either one of them to be as brilliant as some other classics such as for example: "Pulp fiction" or "Memento"
And it all started so well. The story is about a man who suffers from insomnia and desperately tries to escape his boring existence. He meets a charismatic soap salesman and starts organizing the ultimate form of excitement with him; which they call Fight Clubs. These are hidden places where normal young men fistfight each other to get rid of whatever aggravation they possess. The liberating effect of these brutal fights actually brings these men closer together and is the beginning of a very strong yet dangerous companionship.
The huge plot twist of this dark and controversial movie is as unexpected as the one of "The usual suspects", but that doesn't mean that it is just as good. Basically: this change is so bizarre and far-fetched that it almost entirely destroys the movie for me. I simply couldn't bring myself into believing that a thing like that could actually happen. Also: looking back at everything that had transpired before, I sincerely felt that it just didn't make any sense anymore. Furthermore: I hate movies that create a beautiful truth and then tear it all apart instead of letting you enjoy it a little more. I like surprises when watching a movie, but I don't like being left empty-handed at the end of a movie. I find such dishonest endings to be a huge letdown almost every single time.
The acting of the two leading men is good, but I have seen a lot better by both. Edward Norton's finest performances will most likely always be in the two-faced court drama "Primal fear" and the classic, shocking "American history X". I also like him much better in some of his other movies such as "25th hour" and "The score". Maybe his character in this film wasn't interesting enough but something about his acting didn't quite get the fullest of my attention. On the other hand: there's Brad Pitt who's acting seemed better, but even he did far more compelling stuff in "se7en" and "12 monkeys". The best acting performance in this movie however came from Helena Bonham Carter. I had never seen anything quite like this from her and she was really good. There's also Meat Loaf in the unusual role of Bob.
In short: If it weren't for the obscure darkness near the end, I would probably like this movie a lot better. It certainly is a unique movie and that seemingly makes up for an interesting experience, but the weirdness of it all gets in the way at some point. I personally lost touch with this film because some things don't seem to add up here. Nevertheless: I will always recommend this movie for those who are open-minded and eager for something new.