Sucker Punch (2011)

In 7 words or less: Guns, babes, swords and mental asylums

What's it all About? A young girl is institutionalised by her step-father after a horrible family accident. He bribes an orderly to forge papers and have her lobotomised so that he will inherit the family fortune. The girl, Babydoll, has five days before the operation and so hatches a plan to escape. It is here that the lines between reality and fantasy begin to blur.



Best bits? The second dance sequence involving a WWI steampunk setting where the girls storm the trenches of occupied France is heart pumping stuff. As is the bomb-carrying train scene. Kabloom!

Weren't these guys in Big Trouble in Little China?

Did it make you think thoughts? Sexy, scantily clad ladies running around shooting big guns and messing around with swords. How can this possibly fail? Well, it tanked at the box office and took a beating from the critics but hey, we all know those guys mainly suck. Right? 

Hello ladies

The trailer had me initially intrigued and the fact that director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) was attached to the project added to my interest. We get a nice opening set to music that sets the scene. From there, the lines of what is reality and what is imagined begin to blur until we get a wholly realised fantasy in which when Babydoll dances she transports herself and others into crazy action orientated smash down fests. 

Marry me? All of you?

I'm sure some will say that there is too much slo-mo, the action scenes are repetitive and Snyder borrows heavily from the effects he used in 300 but I really liked their balls out nature. Also some might criticise the plot as being a bit complicated and clumsy. Balderdash I say. It does get much clearer on repeated viewings but even the first time around, unless you're a complete doughnut, you'll be able to follow it. 



Would you watch it again? Definitely. This is very much a grower and I'm not just talking about the effect of the on-screen eye candy. Oi Oi!

Rating (out of 100%): I give the oddly named Sucker Punch an underrated 82%