Visually Gorgeous

Rating: 10/10 (29 March 2011)

"Sucker Punch" is gorgeous. And I'm not just talking about its quintet of leading ladies, who are all undeniably attractive. Every shot of the movie is absolutely drool-worthy.
It's no "Citizen Kane" or "Casablanca." But who expects it to be? Anyone familiar with director Zack Snyder's previous films (the remake of "Dawn of the Dead", "300", "Watchmen") or anyone who's seen a trailer of the movie, should know exactly what to expect.
It's hard to describe the plot because there's plenty open to interpretation. The movie follows a girl, played by Emily Browning, known to the audience mostly as "Babydoll." Locked away in an insane asylum, she and/or the other girl(s) cope with reality by retreating into one or more levels of fantasy. Now's not the place to get into my interpretation of the plot. Suffice it to say the "story", while being a little bit deeper than what you'd expect from your typical action flick, is still just a line to hang jaw-dropping action scenes on.
As Snyder's first completely original screenplay, "Sucker Punch" is exactly what you would expect from the imagination of the man who directed "Watchmen". Almost every male fantasy conceivable is brought to life on screen, from the beautiful women (obviously), to samurai swords, epic fantasy and science fiction landscapes, heavy artillery, evil robots, and more. Snyder doesn't exactly have a flare for dialog, and some of the lines feel clunky. So, thankfully, not much talking is done. The dramatic opening sequence, after a little bit of narration, is silent except for a cinematic cover of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)", telling the audience everything they need to know through action and the actor's expressions. Similarly, not much talking gets done during the movie's big action set pieces, definitely the highlights of the film.
As with Snyder's other films, it's easy to compare the way certain scenes are shot to a video game or a music video. The soundtrack is perfect, incorporating covers of classic and modern rock songs perfect for each scene they accompany, including some performed by Emily Browning herself in an enchanting, haunting voice. Even the incidental music adds to the movie's excitement.
Being a movie with five major characters that's less than two hours long, not all of the characters feel fully developed. Jena Malone as "Rocket" delivers the best acting performance, sharing most of the movie's dramatic scenes with Abbie Cornish as "Sweet Pea." Vanessa Hudgens as "Blondie" actually does surprisingly well during the action scenes, but her voice still seems too sweet for this kind of role, and she's not going to help audience forget she's a graduate of "High School Musical" anytime soon. Emily Browning does a fine job with the leading role, conveying more through her big eyes and pouty lips than any of her lines. Jamie Chung as "Amber", personally my favorite character, sadly gets very little screen time. As far as supporting performances go, Carla Gugino delivers yet another solid acting job, Jon Hamm adds a touch of class, and Scott Glenn intrigues as the mysterious, homespun wisdom spurning "Wiseman." Oscar Isaac is noteworthy as a nasty who doesn't seem like a typical Hollywood villain but an all-too-real sleaze ball audiences should love to loathe.
But for the most part, dialog and story aren't Zack Snyder's strong suits. The CGI is breathtaking, the action choreography's plenty of fun, the girls all look great, and the cinematography is a feast for the eyes. And not just during action scenes. Each time the camera panned around the murky corners of the asylum, I found myself turning my head to try to see what was coming. "Sucker Punch" may not be for everyone, but it delivers everything the marketing promises. It's a visual feast with a script that, while not sensational, manages to be just good enough to stay out of the way.