I had a pretty obvious emotional reaction to this movie - I was utterly and completely appalled. They may as well just televise the explicit rape and exploitation of women then illustrate their ultimate solace as a lobotomy. - OH WAIT THEY DID.
Seriously folks. If you haven't seen it, and clicked the link I'm sure you have already seen the movie, don't care or won't see the movie, and so you should know - This movie conveyed images of explicit human depravity, followed by an altruistic sacrifice that ended in a fantasized conveyance of the story whose entire expression was that there is freedom in a lobotomy. Literally. Lobotomy. "Turn off your brain, and you will find peace."
Now, I feel I should explain my perspective on Art.
Being a Romantic, (not in the sense of romantic love, but in the sense of art) I tend to focus on powerful, compelling emotions that inspire and motivate, as well as the bigger message conveyed, or the bigger goal of the art. - "What are you trying to say? What emotions are you trying to inspire or spark?" The conveyance in art is an emotional association implicitly, but is explicitly intended.
If art is to be expression, then I would ask if the goal is to simply interpret whatever you want from it, or if the goal is to interpret what the artist is expressing? "Modern Art" of the 1980's-2000+'s brought about the notion that art is what you interpret, not what is conveyed. Now, I realize most people will interpret art a little differently from person to person. I get that. I get inspired and driven when I hear metal, others think it cacophony or just angry. Our emotional reactions are based largely on learned and automated value judgments we make as soon as we see art. The problem I have however is that there MUST be some commonality between us, logically, biologically, and emotionally. - This is after all, what makes us Human. Perhaps not our hearts. Perhaps not our values. But...
I want to know who finds rampant exploitation of women, explicit murder, mental institutions and the idea that there is some freedom in lobotomization and archaic human sacrifice, to be an emotional association worthy of art. I don't see the artistic value of human depravity, in film or anywhere else, and I don't see how pain and tragedy is art.
I watched the Hangover recently and saw a scene about one of the characters having been restricted from being within 100 feet of a school and thought - This isn't funny, it's really fucked up. There's no humor in that.
To me, what we look for in art is a desire to feel one way or another - an inspiration, and perhaps there's a depressive association in this "art" yet it makes me wonder - Is this what you WANT to feel? Perhaps this is my problem with Trent Reznor and Radiohead as well - It INSPIRES depressive and painful emotions, and I can't help but ask...
"WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO FEEL THIS WAY?"
I understand very well that it may be HOW you feel, but my question again is - do you WANT to feel that way? This is my perspective on art; How do I want to feel, and does this inspire me to those emotions? Does this represent the goal, or the good? If it doesn't - Does it tell a story about reality? Does it display something that should be changed or convey a message of value?
Sucker Punch did NOTHING of the sort, and was the polar opposite of everything I hold to be good. It conveyed;
A. Wanton Exploitation of Women and treatment of them as sex-toys.
B. The only solace in existence is to evade reality in a dream.
C. There is value in self-immolation and personal destruction for the sake of another.
D. The ultimate happiness is not the end of depravity, but to lobotomize your mind and disconnect, because such depravity is the core of the story (existence.)
E. Tragedy for the sake of invoking sadness.
I realize there are many who find artistic value in tragedies, and sadness. I ask the same question from before - Do you WANT to feel sad? Or is life so cush, that watching a tragedy is the only way to experience it? I've often marveled at those who find art in depravity and sadness, and wonder what their emotional reaction is - Whether it's association or comfort, or perhaps both. I also wonder - Is it a reflection of our affluence; Without real, significant pain in life, do we seek it in art as a psychological balance? Art is one of the many ways in which I think my perspective on reality vastly differs from most, potentially as a result of my mothers death when I was young, and other factors. That's just a theory though.
In the end, I would have walked out on this movie within fifteen minutes, had I not wanted to keep being with the friends I accompanied. I stayed and my explicit emotional reaction occasionally brought me to a tear, had me feeling terrible, and ultimately left me asking - "What is left to call good?" This movie was simply cruel and tragic. I would have been overjoyed if they ended it with some sort of Perfect Blue caliber reality swap up. But no. It was just sad.
Maybe the mission was accomplished?
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