The Characters: All of the principal female characters in Zack Snyder's action flick, led by Babydoll (Emily Browning), who enters a fantasy world in order to escape her real-life abuse. Why They're Offensive: There's a ton of debate about whether or not Sucker Punch is a sexist or feminist movie, considering the argument that Babydoll finds empowerment in her own mind when the real world doesn't allow it to her, and that these women kick tons of a**. But the film is basically a smorgasbord of masturbatory fanboy material: sexy, scantily-clad girls fighting back against their enemies amid video game-esque visuals. The women may seem capable in this world, but they're also thoroughly objectified throughout. Yes, Snyder claims that this is an intentional commentary on the misogynistic nature of fanboy culture, but when the entire film is littered with lithe female bodies, it's hard not to feel like his execution undermines his own point. Are teenage boys more likely to take the film at face value as a cool action film with sexy women in it, or actually think about their own objectification of these people? The answer is clear. Do They Ruin The Movie?: Only in part, because the film is pretty much an incoherent mess throughout anyway. The performances of the female ensemble are all solid, though.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
