Mishmash

Rating: 5/10 (29 June 2011)

This movie seems like mix of everything and i also have a mixed emotions after watching it.
My initial thought was that someone just threw a bunch of scenes together, like a bet of some sort - bet that he can make a movie with dragons, ogres, samurai, Nazi soldiers (steampunk Nazi soldiers to be precise), giants, mafia-like characters, lunatics, brothel/strip club...and i was partly right.
Movie has weak acting, i couldn't relate to the characters at all, just watching how the plot uncoils, and it wasn't too interesting. Movie was rather predictable, although many might not understand that "second" dimension of it (and i'm talking about dance/rape scenes, divided personality etc...). Hell, i'm not even sure i got it right there, but that was my vision of it, and as i said, i have mixed emotions about it.
At one point i thought "Wow, there's totally new dimension in it.", but that effect wears out after some time, mainly because of bad acting and cliché uninspired dialogue between characters, and fact that movie doesn't offer a twist of some sort, it just follows the linear and obvious path.
What pulls out this mixture is a soundtrack. I really liked it, and it was appropriate IMO. Music adds to the atmosphere, and it's probably the part i liked the most in this movie. Action scenes are nice as well, but too much CGI ruined it for me, made it too much game-like. It's like looking at some game advertisement, and camera angles just add to it.
I've also heard that Extended version is better, but i didn't watched it so can't tell.
Overall, it's too mixed up, i believe movie will attract mostly male teenage audience and they'll like it, but for me it didn't do. Unwitting of that "second" dimension i would like it even less, but that was a bit different approach then expected and i give Snyder credits for that. Visually movie looks good, but action scenes somehow didn't suit me, acting too, and good soundtrack (almost regular in Synder's movies) doesn't pull it.
Movie had all the chances to become a classic, but i don't think it will. Bad acting and uninspired dialogues ruined it. Visually it looks good, but with too many "ingredients" it fails to deliver. It's mishmash of everything and while some things look great, others ruin it. Therefor just average rating from me, although its potential was much bigger.