Love it, hate it, get it, don't.

Rating: 8/10 (29 May 2011)

(*This review may contain spoilers*)
I have not seen much of Zack Snyder's work before, but I seriously enjoyed this movie and I think he did a brilliant job. It is fantasy. It is bad ass. It not meant to be realistic. It is a result of pure imagination and beautiful girls that kick ass - and that concept seems to be eluding many critics out there.
The movie revolves primarily around a girl known only as, 'Babydoll'. After the traumatic event (orchestrated by her shady stepfather) of her mother's death, followed by her sister's, she is institutionalised. It is unclear how this happens, be it by shady dealings between the stepfather and the boss of the asylum, 'Blue', or if she really has broken. It seems to be both, because as the next scene begins, so does the audience's experience of her desperate and imaginative psyche. She is determined to escape, and she enrols the help of the other girls in the asylum to do it.
Visually, this movie is a treat. The cinematography and structure are fantastic, the use of metaphors and parallels was a genius move, and the battle scenes very well done and exciting to watch. It appears to be set in present time, but with definite links and hints to the past - especially the asylum and it's brothel-like set-up, not to mention the futuristic Nazi-style German soldiers - and an almost anime/cartoon element to the costume, weaponry, and colouring. It's not a masterpiece by any standards, but the performances were very good, and you do feel for the characters and become involved - more so with Babydoll than the others, but that is because you know more about her. Little more is learnt about the others. Special notice should be paid to the music in the film - the soundtrack. It was incredible, and went a long way to making the movie. I had chills.
Overall, it was a fantastic adventure filled with imagination, fantasy and fight scenes. Harmless, but nevertheless impressive fun I would watch again and again.