Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Impressive effects, but mixed messages about women.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Sucker Punch
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 23 parent reviews
Based on 62 kid reviews
Kids say the movie is both entertaining and confusing, blending dark themes with girl power and stylized action. While some viewers appreciate its artistic undertones and strong messages about overcoming adversity, many are concerned about the portrayal of women and the film's mature content, leading to mixed feelings on its suitability for younger audiences.
- mature content
- girl power
- mixed reviews
- artistic themes
- inappropriate messages
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Thrown into an insane asylum after mistakenly killing her sister while trying to defend herself from her menacing stepfather, Babydoll (Emily Browning) preserves her sanity and dignity by allowing her mind to roam free in an otherworldly parallel universe where she's armed, dangerous, and stronger than anyone else. She enlists the help of four other young women trapped in the hospital: Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung), Rocket (Jena Malone), and Rocket's devoted sister, Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish). They must stick together to survive the disempowered Madam Gorski (Carla Gugino) and sociopathic Blue (Oscar Isaac) and his goons, and all before the High Roller (Jon Hamm) makes an appearance.
Is It Any Good?
Director Zack Snyder may be trying to seduce us into thinking that SUCKER PUNCH is a great movie, but it's not. He litters the screen with one fantastical fight scene after another, drains the color from all but a few set pieces (you know, to be artsy), and amps up the volume on the carefully calibrated soundtrack. Even though it sports amazing CGI effects and is certainly ambitious in its reach, the movie has no weight behind it, no compelling characters, no elegant storytelling -- in fact, no coherent story at all. (Why does the film place so much importance on Babydoll's dancing, when it never actually shows her doing so? Why not just give her an entirely different, mesmerizing ability?)
That said, there are a few notable strengths, Cornish being the best of them. She can sell pretty much any role, even this (almost). Her interactions with Malone are so authentic that they seem like they're in a different world altogether. But even her prodigious talents can't elevate this strange brew of a movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the movie portrays women. Do you think it reinforces stereotypes or undermines them? Who are the most powerful characters in the movie?
How do details like the characters' costumes and names affect how you feel about them? Which characters in the movie can be seen as role models?
What impact does the movie's violence have? Would it be different if it was more realistic instead of cartoonish? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 25, 2011
- On DVD or streaming : June 28, 2011
- Cast : Abbie Cornish , Emily Browning , Jena Malone , Vanessa Hudgens
- Director : Zack Snyder
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Pansexual Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Warner Bros.
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Run time : 109 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic material involving sexuality, violence and combat sequences, and for language
- Last updated : September 1, 2022
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