review by Silent J
Fight Club 1999
Reviewed Apr 14, 2012
Silent J’s review:
"First rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. Second rule of Fight Club: You DO NOT talk about Fight Club!"
How bout we break the first two rules of Fight Club and talk about it? We probably should'nt, but it's so damn good you can't help but talk about it.
David Fincher does a brilliant job adapting Chuck Palahniuk's amazing book into an even better film. Edward Norton is excellent as always. Brad Pitt slips into his best performance and creates an iconic, unpredictable, intense, and dynamic character. Both have exhilarating chemistry. Helena Bonham Carter is amazing. Don't even get me started on the awesome soundtrack. It's just that good. Insightful, satiric, funny, involving, thought provoking, exciting, vibrant, and just a pure adrenaline rush are words that come to mind when thinking of Fight Club.
People speculate what the real message of the film is. Some even say that the message gets lost in the badass-ness. I think that message is to just take control of your life or you'll end up like one of Tyler's disciples/Fight Club members. Wise words from a superb film.
Great review!
I also think it's about the power and danger of the individual. It shows what one man can do by merely filling a gap in people's lives.
And it's a badass bleak as fuck stylistic masterpiece.
That's a great way of seeing it. Beats the Hell out of my little theory! I also think you can see it as how one man's idea can lead to destruction or paradise. Tyler's idea of Fight Club was a paradise for men who struggled to find happiness in their dull lives, like the Narrator. His idea of Project Mayhem brought pain to anyone involved, or at least anyone against them. The only reason his diciples don't leave is because even when things get fucked up, they feel excitement, relief, and an escape from their boring lives. How does that sound? I may have explained it badly, but your theory is great too! Maybe I'm overthinking it a bit.
The thing is, it's about all of that I think! I've seen the film numerous times and read the book a couple of times as well ( my review is here . It is essentially very existentialistic, so all of those things aply, not to forget the assault on zombie-esque consumerism.
You make some very good points. Great review too. Like you said, it's existential so all theories can apply. Best of all, like you said in your review, Fight Club is a classic Fuck You film that is aware of itself, aware of what it's saying, and does'nt care if anyone agrees or not. I think that's brilliant and I doubt anyone has or can ever come close to making such a film like that again.
Palahniuk's books practically all have that quality. Fincher should definitely make another one based on his books.
I would actually love to see Fincher tackle Palahniuk's second book, Survivor. It's a fantastic book that Fincher can do something interesting with.
Someone on this site once told me it was in the works a couple of years ago but was canceled due to 9-11 sensitivities.
Who knows, maybe it'll happen sometime!
I think your second theory is better, and I read Dirk's theory too. But yet, I don't think there is a message. You can, indeed, say that the story deals with all these subjects, but if we need to put it in a few words, I guess its about individualism and consumerism, both taking control of our self, showing our most brutal and competitive sides that, in theory are strong virtues but the movie shows as the main weakness of our society, and show how tempting they are, if we take a look in all those men who were following the protagonist. However, I think the movie is more an analysis then a critic. And I said too much already. :D
Best Rom-Com ever made!
@Walter That's another good point but like Dirk said, all theories can apply. It all matters on how the viewer sees it and what they gain from the experience.
@Liam Lol It's definetely one badass Bromance!
Yes, SilentJoe13, as an analysis - a very good one - we can see it from every single point of view and it will always fix. Oh, gosh, I need to rererewatch it again!
I was actually trying to get at the Jack/Marla relationship :p it's actually interesting that the part of his subconscious that is ruining urban living is also bringing closer to the woman that he believes he shouldn't be a part of, yet they are both so similar in their cores
"You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your fucking khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world."
You're not your possessions.
Great review joe.
Thanks Unni.