More than I expected

Rating: 9/10 (26 March 2011)

To be frank, I only expected mindless B-movie action an graphics with scantily clad girls and phantasmagoria of kitchen-sink approach to fantasy battle scenes.
I got that, but there was something more. While there was a video game-like linearity and predictability to the plot, there were some surprises for me which made it a great experience. The cinematic battles (and the movie itself) feels like a mash-up of One Flew over The Cookoo's Nest, Matrix, Kill Bill, Lord of The rings and Heavy Metal all at once, transformed into a video game first and then onto the big screen. The fact that it worked so well on a visual level and actually fit together was interesting.
However, it's the overall idea was what got me: the idea of escaping to the world of fantasies while the world around you is unpleasant, and the interplay between the two. I see this movie as a contrast between the reality and the escapism of dreams and imagination, and how, ultimately, the real life takes upper hand. Granted, it could be implemented better without being a Kill-Bill-type movie, but that was an unexpected dimension in a movie of this type.
What probably got me most were the little details in the dreams which corresponded to the real-world details in a non-obvious way. While the girls were directly embedded into the dreams, it takes some thought to realize that the wise old guy is also a character from real life, and who that character is. Likewise, in the final scene you need to figure out which part is taking place in the imagination, and what that tells you about the events.
I could probably draw a parallel with films like Le Magnifique, where a writer played by Belmondo embeds real-life people he interacts with into his fiction, although that would be quite a stretch.
The movie would be appealing to video game-loving young guys, and, in fact, would probably make a great video game. It is deliberately over-the-top, male-oriented, with all the pretty girls, weaponry and stunning visuals.
However, I think there is a deeper back story about a weak girl who is overpowered by the circumstances of life around her, which. This story, which is easily overlooked due to abundance of visuals, which makes this movie stand out and work for a wide audience.
In short: I came for the girls, swords and zeppelins, but came out with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest.