David Fincher has marked himself as one of the most original directors in the field after the brilliant Se7en and the intriguing The Game. I must admit that I see Fincher, not Tarantino as the young Stanley Kubrick. This is not to imply that I dislike Tarantino - he stands fourth in my list of ten favorite directors, beating Fincher by three places. But Fincher's dark style, his obsession with the darkest areas of society and psychology place him inside the field of the brilliant Kubrick (who takes #1 in my favorite directors list, by the way).
But enough on the directors - on to the movie Fight Club. The true best movie of 1999 (not the weak, overblown, pseudo-intelligent movie like American Beauty), it features energetic performances by Brad Pitt, who may yet redeem himself of his "pretty boy" days (he he did it once with Se7en; now I truly consider him to be a talented actor), and of course, one of the best American actors, and the best of the young American actors, Edward Norton. Norton is still not Pacino or De Niro, but give him time to become 40 - with such great movies in his pack as Primal Fear and American History X, and now this masterpiece, he still has a great future ahead. And last Helena Boham Carter - except Fight Club, I haven't seen a single movie with her, and as I understood it, I haven't missed much. She may not give such an outstanding performance such as Norton or Pitt, but in the role of Marla she while not amazing, but definetely satifying.
The movie starts off with an original credits sequence, designed as a brain fly-through (you have to see it to appreciate) and jumps, head first, into what is Fight Club. As of right now, I WARN YOU:
SPOILERS!!! THE FOLLOWING SECTION OF THE REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE OR FOR THOSE WHO WOULD SPOIL THE MOVIE FOR THEMSELVES (BIGGEST MISTAKE OF THEIR LIVES, BY THE WAY)
I have not read Palahniunk's (I think I mispelled his name, but what the heck) novel, so I will comment on the script. The script does excellent job, especially with those little details that become much more obvious when we learn that Tyler does not exist and is only the fruit of Jack's insanity. For example, once we see, in Jack's revelation scene, how he was fighting himself in the parking lot, we understand such a line as "For some reason, I though of my first fight with Tyler" in the scene where Jack beats himself up in the boss's office (as he crashes on the cabinet). Or why Marla was upset at Jack when he ignored her at the first scene when she comes to his house.
This movie is definetely worth a second view (at least). Of course, this movie is not recommended for those of you who are weak of stomach (don't like to see close-ups of a man gets his face re-organized), or for those who are afraid to discover something new and unpleasant about themselves. I have recommended this movie to all of my friends, to my entire class in fact, and only a few have liked it. Why? Because most are afraid of the dark message this movie gives us. About the necessity of confronting our own demons before they grow to consume us. About our ignorant, blind-at-will, consumer society. About us. About the things we don't want to know.
For you worried parents: if you are so worried that your child will see blood and gore, then please understand that he must see this movie. The movie that truly will cause him to think about the true essence of blind violence. Trust me on the fact that it is less gory then (pathetic) movies like "Scream", simply because of the deep thought that lies behind the bare knuckles.
But enough on the directors - on to the movie Fight Club. The true best movie of 1999 (not the weak, overblown, pseudo-intelligent movie like American Beauty), it features energetic performances by Brad Pitt, who may yet redeem himself of his "pretty boy" days (he he did it once with Se7en; now I truly consider him to be a talented actor), and of course, one of the best American actors, and the best of the young American actors, Edward Norton. Norton is still not Pacino or De Niro, but give him time to become 40 - with such great movies in his pack as Primal Fear and American History X, and now this masterpiece, he still has a great future ahead. And last Helena Boham Carter - except Fight Club, I haven't seen a single movie with her, and as I understood it, I haven't missed much. She may not give such an outstanding performance such as Norton or Pitt, but in the role of Marla she while not amazing, but definetely satifying.
The movie starts off with an original credits sequence, designed as a brain fly-through (you have to see it to appreciate) and jumps, head first, into what is Fight Club. As of right now, I WARN YOU:
SPOILERS!!! THE FOLLOWING SECTION OF THE REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE OR FOR THOSE WHO WOULD SPOIL THE MOVIE FOR THEMSELVES (BIGGEST MISTAKE OF THEIR LIVES, BY THE WAY)
I have not read Palahniunk's (I think I mispelled his name, but what the heck) novel, so I will comment on the script. The script does excellent job, especially with those little details that become much more obvious when we learn that Tyler does not exist and is only the fruit of Jack's insanity. For example, once we see, in Jack's revelation scene, how he was fighting himself in the parking lot, we understand such a line as "For some reason, I though of my first fight with Tyler" in the scene where Jack beats himself up in the boss's office (as he crashes on the cabinet). Or why Marla was upset at Jack when he ignored her at the first scene when she comes to his house.
This movie is definetely worth a second view (at least). Of course, this movie is not recommended for those of you who are weak of stomach (don't like to see close-ups of a man gets his face re-organized), or for those who are afraid to discover something new and unpleasant about themselves. I have recommended this movie to all of my friends, to my entire class in fact, and only a few have liked it. Why? Because most are afraid of the dark message this movie gives us. About the necessity of confronting our own demons before they grow to consume us. About our ignorant, blind-at-will, consumer society. About us. About the things we don't want to know.
For you worried parents: if you are so worried that your child will see blood and gore, then please understand that he must see this movie. The movie that truly will cause him to think about the true essence of blind violence. Trust me on the fact that it is less gory then (pathetic) movies like "Scream", simply because of the deep thought that lies behind the bare knuckles.