I went into Sucker Punch expecting a fantastic comic-like film featuring girls fighting and surrounded by imaginative scenery. And, technically, that’s what I got. But only in the most basic sense. It's like eating Chinese food – you could have several plates and still feel unsatisfied. It's full of empty calories, basically lacking substance. What really brings down Sucker Punch is the screenplay. Not the actors or the director; just the story itself. The film centers on a group of five girls living in an institution for the mentally ill, set in a fantastical, vaguely steampunk-inspired 1940s (my best guess). They’re treated terribly and their lives are miserable, so to cope, the main character, Babydoll, escapes into elaborate fantasies. During these trances, she creates plans for them all to escape. The core idea isn't inherently bad; it could have been exciting if better developed. What makes it fall apart is how unrealistic it feels. I’m not talking about the fantasy sequences themselves, but rather that they seem designed more like a teenage boy’s wish fulfillment than the dreams of actual girls. While a girl might certainly imagine wielding a sword and defeating monsters, dragons, and other adversaries, she wouldn't necessarily be doing so while wearing skimpy lingerie, fishnet stockings, and high heels – and I'm speaking as someone with an active imagination. It just felt ridiculous. Another issue was the characters; despite their awful circumstances, I couldn’t connect with any of them. They were all completely flat and uninteresting, and I didn’t care what happened to a single one. While I don’t think the actresses are entirely at fault (their performances weren't exactly award-worthy), it really comes down to the poor writing. Carla Gugino as Dr. Vera Gorski was an exception; she managed to make her character stand out and even steal some scenes, simply because she had a bigger personality than the others. The rest of the cast seemed to be just going through the motions, lacking both development and engaging dialogue – which is problematic for characters meant to drive the plot. A pleasant surprise came in the form of Scott Glenn, who appeared in the fantasy segments as various versions of a wise man. However, what truly stood out was the constant feeling of confusion that permeated the entire film from beginning to end. I’m not saying I didn't understand it; I mean it felt like a jumbled mess. Usually, I don’t mind being taken on an unpredictable journey or trying to figure things out, but I do object when the ride leaves me feeling queasy. Some people have suggested that this is a deep and complex film, but I think they're overthinking it. The story was largely predictable, yet still lacked structure and decent storytelling. That might seem contradictory, but as Roger Ebert put it, "Now that's bad filmmaking." The visual effects were the one somewhat redeeming quality; they were gorgeous and visually appealing. The soundtrack was also excellent, featuring well-performed covers of familiar songs and some original pieces. Emily Browning, who plays Babydoll and sings on the soundtrack, was a good choice for the lead role, largely because she’s visually striking. Still, I'm not sure that’s enough to carry a film. Ultimately, I’m left wondering what Zack Snyder was thinking. You can do so much better than this. It seems everyone is bound to make one big mistake at some point in their lives, and Zack… this is it. Sucker Punch is disappointing. _(November 2013)_

Source on TMDB