Zack Snyder Explains the Meaning of Sucker Punch

Zack Snyder Explains the Meaning of Sucker Punch

Zack Snyder says he hopes viewers will "get a little bit f*cked up by" his new genre-bending action movie!

By bsprecher - Mar 26, 2011 11:03 PM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi
Source: ScreenJunkies




When director Zack Snyder directed comic book adaptations of 300 and Watchmen, comic book movie fans already had a pretty good idea of what was in store for them. However, his latest movie, Sucker Punch, though visually striking, seems to be a confusing mystery to most. In a recent interview with ScreenJunkies, Snyder explained just exactly what the title of the movie means.

I think sucker punch sums it up for me. Look, literally it’s like a mechanism in the film that kind of brings us back into reality I think. But I think on the other hand, because the movie is a slight indictment – it talks about geek culture and pop culture, it talks about the why of the action cinema and stuff of that nature – it’s also a sucker punch because I kind of designed it that you go to this movie for entertainment and you get a little bit f*cked up by it, hopefully.


Snyder went on to say that the plot is completely open to interpretation.

Oh, hugely. It’s all about that. She’s talking all about the movie when she says to Baby, “The dance” – meaning the action sequences – “should be more than just titillation,” which is in reference to other films I’ve made. When she says, “all that gyrating and moaning” which is basically all the slo-mo and all the action. It’s supposed to tell a story. Then she says, “My dance is personal. What is yours saying?” and “It says I’m going to be free” which is in reference to all the other, 300 or other action movies. The whole movie is like a show within a show and it’s all about the show within a show. Someone asked me, why are the girls dressed like that? I go, because if you’re indictment of male culture and on the other hand the idea that they’re in a brothel, so the people that are wanting the girls to dress like that are the men that go to brothel. When we see the action in the movie and the lights go down, the leering men sitting in a dark theater find girls that dress sexy and gyrate, and in my case that are gyrating with machine guns, that’s us! Anyway, and on and on.


Snyder said that he wants Sucker Punch to appeal to those looking for hidden meanings, as well as those fans who just want "crazy sh*t" in the movie.

I honestly think you can do both. I love crazy shit in a movie, don’t get me wrong. By the way, there is crazy sh*t in my movie. There is nutty, crazy shit in it but I’d like you to be able to have your cake and eat it too. I want you to be able to just go nuts and then also be able to sit with your friends afterwards and go, “No way, dude. You don’t get the socio-implications of this f*ckin’ movie.” And the other guy going, “I don’t know what the f*ck you’re talking about!”


Snyder also went on to talk about Superman. You can read what he had to say about his next project by clicking here or by following the link below.

Sucker Punch is in theaters now!







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bsprecher
bsprecher - 3/26/2011, 11:36 PM
I know that there are some people who will go to see Sucker Punch to discover those "socio-implications" that Snyder is talking about, but I think most will go for...


Name Links
TheSoulEater
TheSoulEater - 3/26/2011, 11:42 PM
Hmmm?
PartyHard
PartyHard - 3/26/2011, 11:42 PM
This is the problem with this movie. This is just Zack Synders wet dream that seems supper awesome to him, but doesn't actually make sense to anyone else. Some people people just shouldn't be allowed complete control over a movie.
Cross
Cross - 3/27/2011, 12:15 AM
the biggest problem with this movie is that [foo foo] Vanessa Hudgens.
Cross
Cross - 3/27/2011, 12:16 AM
@brazilianbatman

what did he say about iron man?
kakinurmawth
kakinurmawth - 3/27/2011, 12:26 AM
dude, this movie was great! The story was done before and there were a couple of facepalm moments, but the visuals and the metaphors for life were great. It was an intellectual view on life dressed like eye-candy. I thought this was awesome. There were 70 year old couples in the IMAX theater watching it with us younger folk...what other film will bring that kind of audience diversity. People who think it's just a story about a girl wjo fantasises about alternate realities will be disappointed and the film will make no sense to them. Go looking for great visuals and keep your mind open to broader implications brought on by the film.
kakinurmawth
kakinurmawth - 3/27/2011, 12:28 AM
Dude, Brent where you been?? Haven't seen you around here in awhile.
HeyVanity
HeyVanity - 3/27/2011, 12:34 AM
lol, funny considering his movie doesn't do a whole lot of story telling. I've been defending this movie due to the fact that it was an easy assumption that it would be nothing more than action, but he really thinks he went the other way with it, lol. That said, I enjoyed it quite a lot. There's definitely a difference between what this movie is in his head and what it actually ended up being to the rest of the world, though.
majinlogan
majinlogan - 3/27/2011, 12:34 AM
i like how people can hate on pretty much everything that exists
BruceWayneNewton
BruceWayneNewton - 3/27/2011, 12:36 AM
This movie wasn't bad at all. I def enjoyed the movie. It wasn't the best I have ever seen but it did make you think a few times. This movie is what going to the movies is all about. I didn't like the action (dance) scenes but the rest was great.
Vital
Vital - 3/27/2011, 12:37 AM
I thought it was alright. It was the shallowest 'deep' movie I've ever seen lol. The action scenes were obviously the best parts, and the story did have some major plot holes (not just saying that like a lot of other people do, but it really did).

Brazilianbatman, stop flexing and talking shit you don't have any talent compared to Synder. You have no room to talk dude. Would that be a fact since it's true? Or is it still an opinion?
HeyVanity
HeyVanity - 3/27/2011, 12:46 AM
"It was the shallowest 'deep' movie I've ever seen"

lol, that's a good way to put it. Thought it was damn cool, nontheless.
bsprecher
bsprecher - 3/27/2011, 12:56 AM
@kakinurmawth: I'm still around. I just have to choose between writing articles for pay or writing articles for free (CBM) these days and the pay gigs usually win out. I guess that makes me a "sell out." I still read and edit quite a bit.

@HeyVanity: To me, it sounds like he's trying to justify to highbrow critics his decision to make a gratuitous action movie with chicks in skimpy outfits. Just come out and say it, dude!
lnTylerWeTrust
lnTylerWeTrust - 3/27/2011, 1:12 AM
this guy sure loves crazy sh!t
RedeyeJedi
RedeyeJedi - 3/27/2011, 2:02 AM
Sadly, this movie was stupid.
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 3/27/2011, 3:29 AM


THAT MOVIE WAS AWESOME, IT WAS SO VISUALLY OVERWHELMING WITH ALL THE COOLEST STUFF, AS IF HE TOOK THE COOLEST STUFF WE LIKE AND MADE SOUP AND SERVED IT TO US HOT..DRAGONS, ORCS, ROBOTS, PRETTY GIRLS, ANIME, STEAM PUNK CLOCKWORK ZOMBIES..THIS THING HAD IT ALL..AND THE SUCKERPUNCH I THINK WAS AT THE END...ALL IN ALL, THAT MOVIE WAS BAD AZZ. BRING ON SUPERMAN.

JohnTom88
JohnTom88 - 3/27/2011, 3:33 AM
Dumb director who thinks he's so smart. It's good enough he's doing this before Man of Steel so WB/DC heads know they need to give a good script and a little direction to avert a disaster.
bsprecher
bsprecher - 3/27/2011, 3:35 AM
@ELgUaSoN: You said it (and showed it), brother!
CraptainAmerica
CraptainAmerica - 3/27/2011, 3:43 AM
@brazilianbatman. He didn't diss Thor or Iron Man...read the interview again. What's some people's issue with this? It ain't even an issue!
dahamma
dahamma - 3/27/2011, 3:49 AM
i really enjoy the movie. i think alot people dont like it because the story was really all in metaphors i suppose. Ppl want stuff handed to them. but this was like art. You can draw your own interpretation of the meaning for yourself. Which is why i liked it
jazzman
jazzman - 3/27/2011, 4:19 AM
@brazilianbatman

dude he was just joking even RDJ took shots at DC and Batman and everyone knows he was joke.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 3/27/2011, 4:54 AM
It looks AWESOME!

[frick] reviews!


Cool stuff @ BRENT! :)
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 3/27/2011, 4:54 AM
It looks AWESOME!

[frick] reviews!


Cool stuff @ BRENT! :)
Herosave
Herosave - 3/27/2011, 5:09 AM
@DAHAMMA

DING DING DING! Someone just got it right. And yes, don't worry about reviews, most of those people just want to see the guy fail anyway. It's a story within a story, with a lot of good layers to it. And yes, a lot of people were probably saddened that the story did sucker punch them with how deep it was going. I know I sort of felt that way by time it was all over. I felt entertained and a speechless at the same time because of the room for interpretation he provided.

Any dang way, I think Superman is in good hands, he'll have some help from Nolan and others. It'll be great. Honestly after seeing this movie, I think it should have been this guy that directed The Last Airbender or the Dragonball Z live action movie.
TANKGIRL
TANKGIRL - 3/27/2011, 5:27 AM
I love this guy better than OVERRATED HACK NOLAN but he kind to be criticize that why he needed to explain his movie

@ LEEE777 agree with you i hate review like in imdb and rottten tomates they give the movie 8.0 and when you watch it it shit
AEStark
AEStark - 3/27/2011, 5:38 AM
I went into this movie wanting wanting action with existentialism. I was disappointed. All over the place writing, Vanessa hudgens performance, the way the subtext was explained, it was all a mess.
Lovax
Lovax - 3/27/2011, 5:52 AM
I found myself a bit disappointed - I was feeling like I was watching something that had been put together by a bunch of people who had a lot of money, sitting around smoking some weed, who thought it would be a good idea to make a movie about this wet dream one of them had, after watching Sin City, Watchmen and Matrix. The battle sequences were...well, pretty damn cool (tho I could have done without the train / robot sequence). Had the entire movie been set in the world of her 4th reality, it would probably have been one of the best action / fantasy movies ever. Unfortunately, it wasnt. IMO. :)
wepx5150
wepx5150 - 3/27/2011, 6:10 AM
Good movie, not great! I enjoyed it and you really see the story above all the action which there is alot of. You can't just tune the story out which alot of people may try to do and just focus on T&A w/machine guns and swords. It's definitely made to make you think which it did for me and the story comes together nicely at the end....
Cross
Cross - 3/27/2011, 6:19 AM
@TANKGIRL

OVERRATED HACK? [female dog] please!!!

billnye69
billnye69 - 3/27/2011, 6:49 AM
I don't care what anyone says, I enjoyed Sucker Punch, great movie and graphics where top tier. And the fight scene on the train is my favorite fight scene in movie history. ^_^
blue18
blue18 - 3/27/2011, 6:54 AM
I actually LOVED the movie. The action was great, the story was amazing, and the special effects were spectacular. Not to mention some very beautiful ladies, and the presence of the amazing Scott Glenn. I perfectly understand what he said in the interview, which is good, because I was wondering about the significance of the title.
TANKGIRL
TANKGIRL - 3/27/2011, 7:01 AM
@ cross I am expressing my opinion i hate Nolan to be honest
steelrocks
steelrocks - 3/27/2011, 7:44 AM

I really enjoyed sucker punch! it totally rocked on IMAX, amazing visuals, the story is kinda interesting and I would totally go watch it again - even if the girls werent hot. Definitely buying the DVD.
TANKGIRL
TANKGIRL - 3/27/2011, 7:45 AM
I love David Fincher and god can't stand Michael Bay everybody have his opinion
dadarkknight
dadarkknight - 3/27/2011, 8:04 AM
@brazilianbatman

Dude how old are you, the reason I ask is because if you cannot comprehend what he is saying you are not going to make it very far in life. He was not talking crap about Thor, he was just saying how can you have b to c level characters(because lets face it Iron Man was a C level character until the movie came out) have movies out before Superman. Yes superman have not been in top form for a while but no matter what part of the world you are from, no matter the race, or age people know who Superman is. They did not know who Iron Man before the movie or do they know who Thor is, that why M studios is marketing the crap out of Thor like they did Iron Man. So stop putting words in the dudes mouth if you cannot comprehend what the dude is saying. I would have said the same thing as well, what if these two character had movie out with sequels before Spider-man had one movie out. Wouldn't think something is wrong with that picture.
whoa123
whoa123 - 3/27/2011, 9:51 AM
I loved Sucker Punch! Can't wait for the unrated DVD haha! Three words: DAMN THE CRITICS!!
NotThatGuy
NotThatGuy - 3/27/2011, 10:07 AM
Its more then bad reviews from CRITICS since we are critics to and it sucked!!! All glit and glimer and NO [frick]ING PLOT!!! The real meaning of Sucker Punch is BORING!!!
dadarkknight
dadarkknight - 3/27/2011, 10:09 AM
@brazilianbatman

Superman is not A list, you kidding right? Everyone knows who Superman is. Superman is universal. I bet if you take pictures of Superman, Iron Man, and Thor around your neighborhood( or any country)and asked someone who they are the majority of the people would know who Superman is in an instant. Superman is the granddaddy of all the super-heroes. Old people in their 100th know who superman is they even know is human name as well as his girl friend and nemesis. Im going to tell you the truth I do not know who Iron Man real nemesis is. Before the film I did not even like Iron Man and to be honest I still do not like Iron Man. The only good thing bout Iron Man was Robert Downey Jr and the funny thing he did not even play Tony Starks like the way he is in the comics from the few issues I read. Robert was basically playing himself. Tony in the comics was a major douche, no one did not like him. He was like Johhny Depp in the movie from hell. Roberts Starks was actually a cool person that you wanted to hang out with even though he can act like a douche sometimes. Then after the movies success they started to make the comics book version like the movie version.
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