Unforgettable Fun

Rating: 10/10 (16 October 2014)

Gone Girl is a tour de force of modern cinema. It combines that best of both worlds; those worlds being 90s Fincher and 2000s Fincher. It has the intricate, multi-perspective narrative of The Social Network, the interplay of media and crime reminiscent of Zodiac, the playful surrealism of The Game, the brash blood and gore of Se7en. And of course, like Fight Club, it had that indefatigable story, twisting and turning at every point imaginable, and taking the audience on an unforgettable cinematic experience.
It was particularly joyful to see such well written female characters, the centerpiece being Amy Dunne played by the Hollywood newcomer Rosamund Pike. Like an amoral Lisabeth Salander, Amy presents a terrifying image of female vengeance. It was good to see a filmmaker known for his sausagefest films expand to include a more balanced cast where women aren't reduced to sexual objects (I'm looking at you, The Social Network). I hope this marks a new era of Fincher, one which balances intelligent, sophisticated filmmaking with loads and loads of dark, twisted fun. 10/10