Dissecting Zak Snyder’s Sucker Punch… Again…
When I saw Sucker Punch
When I posted my review I attempted to explain my theory in the hopes that others would contribute and many have. To date, ‘Imagination & Sucker Punch Explained‘ has received more comments than any other post on this blog.
These aren’t just tiny comments either, they are in depth theories that delve deep into Zak Snyder’s mind bending tale.
What is Sucker Punch about? Is it Sweet Pea’s story or is it Babydoll who anchors the narrative? I’ve decided to collect some excerpts from the wonderful comments to get a better understanding on the film.
For the complete review including the full comments click here.
MAJOR SPOILERS BELOW
“I believe that it was Sweet P’s imagination. The imagination is taken deeper in order to deal with what they’re being forced to do. It is Sweet P’s way of fighting. In her mind she is fighting through the “grotesque missions” (sex,sexual acts,dirty dancing) in order to achieve their items and ultimate goal of freedom.” L3FTY
“Baby doll, knowing that actual escape is impossible, copes by imagining that she is sweet pea getting onto the bus. that is why the bus driver is the same guide as in the rest of her fantasies and the billboard on the road at the end says that the bus is headed for “paradise” falls” BRIAN
“In this case Snyder just wanted an excuse to incorporate the pretty things from his imagination which he can’t fit anywhere else.” NASTEE
“I don’t think Sweet Pea is still in a dream world at the end, nor do I think Baby Doll was imagined. If you remember the very beginning it mentions guardian angels and how they can take any form or be anywhere for us.” JAGAMAR
“The narrator was Sweet Pea, and she talks about “guardian angels”, I believe that the story is narrated by sweet pea about baby doll, because baby doll ends up being her guardian angel.” BRENDAN
“Baby Doll was imaginary, and that everything after the opening part where Sweet Pea is talking about the Guardian Angel is imaginary. I also think that Rocket is already dead and that Sweet Pea is coping with it and the movie is about her mental recovery…” RYAN
“On the first level down, Baby Doll just sees the asylum for what it is, and on the next level down, she sees what she wants to see.” BD
“I don’t think it’s imaginary. But I do see that Babydoll and Sweetpea most likely get their strength from eachother and in the ‘fantasy’ world, which seems like the only thing that keeps either Babydoll or the both of them sane and gives hope.” DANIELLE
“The movie is Sweet Pea’s imagination. The ending is Sweet Pea’s lobotomized imagination.” CLARKE
“Every action she has in her real life (The mental ward) is exaggerated in her mind so she can cope, and create reason to go on… while in this world, she exaggerates it more (The video game world) to again, deal with her nightmarish world” DEVONCADAVER
“Baby was burdened with guilt of killing her sister. The only way for her to be FREE of this guilt was to be lobotmised which erases yor memory pretty much. Thats what she realized at the very end” DAVEYO
“This movie in itself is Sweet Pea’s attempt at telling Babydoll’s story with her own damaged mind.” ZACHY
“The whole of the film is played out in Sweepea’s head, the asylum represents her accepting the fact of her mental problems, the bordello might represent punishment for her “crime” and helplessness in the face of circumstances – this points to her knowing, on some level that the loss of her sister was beyond her control, but feeling guilty anyway.” MUKKINESE
Mr. Zeaver brings up what might have been Zak Snyder’s plan all along:
“Maybe this is the Sucker Punch Snyder was looking for. For people to create their own opinion much the like the movie’s theme of imagination, people imagine how they think it ends or what it means.” MR. ZEAVER
WHAT DO YOU THINK SUCKER PUNCH IS ABOUT?
Head over to the review and add your theory.
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I think the actions sequences are those that bring most criticism for misogyny, so I would like to address them.
We see the women dressed in a “sexist” manner, especially Babydoll, who wears a “sexy”, Japanese, school-girl uniform. It is easy to see this as sexploitation of the women and on one level that is what it is meant to show, but think a little more deeply. The vision of Sweetpea as a helpless, cute, but sexy little girl is that of the step-father, whereas she is actually a courageous and strong woman…who is sexy. It is no coincidence that Snyder chose the tiniest of women in the cast to play Babydoll, this challenges the male viewer, putting us in the same, lascivious, position as the creepy, bad guy. The various costumes worn by all the women in these sequences remind us somewhat of the kind of costumes worn by modern pop divas in videos, which are obviously meant to titillate, but there are significant differences. The costumes are mostly black, there is no pouting come on and no “money shots” of tits and arse. Sure the leaping around showed some flashes of crotch, but there are no thongs or white panties here, these are serious women doing a serious job, you treat them as helpless playthings at your peril.
I don’t think Babydoll was imaginary. I think that when she went to the asylum first she saw it as it was. Then she imagined it differently, not exactly how she wished it was… just more interesting. (example: she imagined the fat guard man with the dragon lighter as the mayor with the fancy gold dragon lighter) I do think she could have been Sweet Pea’s guardian angel, but still a human being. I also think that at the end (when Sweet Pea was getting on the bus) that’s what Baby’doll was imagining while she was sitting in the chair which explains the bus driver is the wise man and the boy in front of her was the boy from the war and why they were heading to ‘Paradise’