Fight Club

Rating:
Summary: Technically fascinating but hopelessly muddled movie
Review: "Fight Club" is a screen on which viewers project their own political and cultural obsessions. You'll find lots of reviewers here praising the film as a pointed attack on consumerism or a wake up call for disaffected youth. These themes certainly are there, but so is a bunch of other crappy culture criticism, notably whining about absent fathers and the feminization of modern men. The film simultaneously undercuts and celebrates its various messages. Are we really supposed to believe anything that comes out of Tyler Durden's mouth? If, in the end, the limitations and contradictions of the Fight Club movement are exposed, doesn't this pull the rug out from under its overall philosophy?

"Fight Club" is a wild ride, and for some viewers its technical virtuosity may have masked its logical, political and moral failures. "Fight Club" wants so badly to have a message. But it says far more about, say, the promise of digital editing than about contemporary culture.

Rating:
Summary: It is only when you give up everything...
Review: "It is only when you give up everything are you able to do anything." Brilliant words that directly address everything our society today deals with. With the media and advertisements revolving around us every single day, this movie presents the possibility of want versus need. Then delving deeper past that, it breaks down the entire category of "want," and what "want" even is. What is truly necessary in life, and to get rid of what isn't. The movie deals with fighting, but is not nearly as gory or disgusting as any war movie out there. It depicts fighting as that which is primal and of life, not things like your Brooks Brothers suit, or Armani shoes or whatnot. "How do you know who you are if you've never even been in a fight?" To test your physical limitations and your actual mortality other than this perspective of who you should be as so friendly presented to you from the media and what deems us as viewable in society's eye. It is a great movie, but can be dangerous for any socialites out there, it might make them think critically about their lives.

Rating:
Summary: I liked it
Review: I know you're not supposed to review other reviewers, only the film itself, but often the best way to get at the heart of a thing is by examining what others have said about it. There's no time or room to look at every opinion, but something that reviewer David Thompson said stood out. While he liked Fight Club, he seemed a little condescending and frankly quite detached and rationalistic, even going so far as to say right off the bat that Fight Club is not as good as Clockwork Orange. Right away he identified himself as one of those detached intellectual types and for a work of art like Fight Club, if you wanna call it that, that at least tries to be visceral, this is no way to approach it. In another place, Thompson says "I usually dislike movies with a strong anti-Capitalist message. This is the economic system which has greatly improved the lives of many throughout the world." This statement reveals a certain predjudice that is not at all useful for a critic. Firstly, Fight Club does not criticize capitalism per se, so much as its adverse effects. And if Thompson is suggesting that capitalism, because of the "good" it has done, is beyond criticism and without fault then he is not quite so rational as he'd like us to think (I'm sure that faulting his rationalism is probably the most hurtful thing imaginable to such an intellectual). Who can deny that Capitalism carries with it a class structure that leaves many worthwhile people at the bottom rungs of society, where I can assure you that life does indeed become a painful, barely liveable affair. The main target of Fight Club is not capitalism itself but those people at the higher rungs that have become complascent (sp?) in their easy lifestyle. Not only that, but the very negative, destructive, evil results that occur when a capitalistic society forgets to examine itself and admit its flaws and faults. In one scene, Tyler Durden terrorizes a harmless shopkeep with a gun (empty gun, that is), demanding that he pursue his dream of becoming an animal doctor. Is this an anti-capitalistic message? No, it's pro-capitalist in a way. This shows us that Tyler's "message" is that people should refuse to allow themselves to be beaten down by the system, instead to strive to succeed within it rather than assume the lowly positions assigned to them. It isn't capitalism that Fight Club rails against, it's the class system that it creates that is the true enemy. Not only that, but the emasculating effects it wields. This is NOT fascist film, it is more an anarchistic film. It is about the dignity of the individual, not the creation of a faceless mass. The negative results of Tyler's revolution do become fascistic, but this is not the intention, it is what happens when the movement becomes corrupt and loses its way. In the end, this negative result isn't lauded, the world we are left with at the end is absurd, out of control. Now, do I like this film? yes. but I didn't love it. I can assure those reviewers out there who wondered if people like these shown in Fight Club really exist because I am one and I have waited and searched long and hard for a film that spoke of certain feelings that I and many people I know share. Fight Club comes as close as anything has (much closer than Clockwork Orange, which I find a little too removed and intellectualized to have any true power, other than to jaded armchair critics) but it still lacks a lot. Many of us out there at the bottom rungs of society are sick and tired of the dehumanizing lifestyle we lead as a result of rampant capitalism and a class system that destroys the souls of all but the most successful and frankly we are more than ready and willing to throw a few monkey wrenches into the system. This doesn't mean we want to destroy the system so much as wake it up to its own absurdity and often negative side effects. That's why I didn't think Fight Club was as great as many others thought. There's plenty room for criticism. Still, it did speak to me somewhat and guys like Thompson (I'm sure he lives fairly comfortably on a university stipend) and others like him are just lost when reviewing this film. If there's any message to Fight Club you might say that it is for those who have been blessed by the capitalistic system to give a little more respect and consideration to their supposed underlings. Otherwise, you may find just what sort of power we dishwashers, janitors, mechanics, cashiers, theatre ushers, garbage collectors and night watchmen wield. We're more than happy to do your dirty work, just don't treat us like crap and everything will be just fine.

Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: This one of the best movies I have seen in recent memory. The movie, unlike what the title displays, is much more than fighting. Brad Pitt and Edward Norton were absolutely brilliant. "Fight Club" keeps the audience on its toes, with its many changes and variations. If you are going to watch a movie, you had better watch "Fight Club."

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable
Review: Fight Club is one of the few movies that can make valid commentary on modern society, yet without being preachy, AND be incredibly entertaining at the same time. When watching it you run the gamut of emotions...happiness, sadness, anger, zeal, sympathy...hilarity, yes, some parts in this movie are some of the funniest in any movie, comedy or not. The actors do an excellent job - Norton is amazing as always, probably my favorite actor. Pitt shows that he isn't just a pretty face, and one realizes how vastly underrated his acting skills are. I have seen all of Fincher's films and this is the best...I can't wait to see what he has in store for the future...his style is so original - one of the most innovative and promising directors around today. Probably the best movie of 1999. MUST SEE.

Rating:
Summary: Social Decay at Its Best
Review: Edward Norton and Brad Pitt combine to make one spectacular half of a movie. However, toward the end, David Fincher's movie becomes a blur. This movie based on Chuck Palahnuik's "Fight Club" demonstrates the decay of society in present times by focusing on a depressed man searching for meaning in his life. Jack and Tyler Durden are superb characters that everyone can relate to in one respect or another. Yet, the latter half of the title begins to fall apart. If Fincher stuck to the novel's ending, Fight Club would have made much more sense.

The new additions to the DVD shows exactly what a DVD should offer. New commentary, deleted scenes, and other features are given in the supplemental disc, and they are all great. If you appreciated Fight Club and what it had to offer, despite the unfortunate ending, this DVD is a must-have.

Rating:
Summary: Wow.
Review: "Wow" not meaning in terms of how good the film is, but "wow" in how so many people absolutely love this movie. I remember when I first watched Fight Club. I was literally glued to the screen (corny, I know) and couldn't wait to see what happened next. When it was all over, I naively said to myself, "This is the best movie ever made." The next day, as I do with all great films I've just seen, I watched it again. Only this time, something was missing. Something pivotal that made this film great the first time around. That something was the shock value. I found it quite boring and shut it off, thinking, "What the hell is going on?" It just doesn't click after the first time you've seen it. I don't mind watching it anymore at all; I have no problem sitting through it, but how SO many people claim it to be this lost little masterwork of the 90's is beyond me. This and The Big Lebowski are probably the two most overrated movies of this or any decade. I can't wait to see how many "this review was not helpful" clicks I get on this one. If you really loved this film, you'd listen to Tyler Durden and ignore my nonsensical review and just throw your material computer out the window. But you won't. So I'll stop wasting my time. Is it worth renting? Sure. Buying? Sure. Just don't expect a damn masterpiece. If you ask me, "Seven" is a lot better than this movie is. Get the New Line Platinum Edition. It's awesome.

Rating:
Summary: excellent
Review: the original version of fight club was hard to beat. an insomniac Jack (edward norton) is struggling to find something in life. he has a job, a condo, and all the things a person needs to be who they want to be. that is until he meets tyler durden (brad pitt). everything in Jack's life begins to change. and he will never be the same again. fight club was an original and thought provocing journey into the human mind and emotion. if you have already seen this film, which im sure most of you have, the special edition adds so much more. on top of the 133 minutes of film you receive an extra 45-60 mins of behind the scenes, making of, and even some deleted scenes. these extras just add tot he value of this video. if you like this movie, then buy fight club special edition

Rating:
Summary: The most unfairly judged film of our time.
Review: Without trying to get philosophical about the movie or trying to best other reviews here, I just want to say what might appeal to people who haven't or don't want to see this movie. It was unfairly judged when it was released -- even by the respectable reviewer, Roger Ebert. Forget what you hear about the violence and gore and the menagerie of masochistic machismo, FIGHT CLUB is really about a man (my age) who because of his insomnia and addiction to consumerism, has slowly lost his grip on reality. The violence is just a PART of his new life (and is truly minimal when you count the minutes of it in this 2-hour visual masterpiece). If you keep your mind open, you'll realize this movie isn't trying to condone violence, because in the end, Tyler Durden is not seen as the answer.

David Fincher has made his second best film here, next to SE7EN. And he's made it better than the novel. The DVD is perhaps the best one out there right now (even GLADIATOR) that fully capitalizes on the technology. Hours and hours of extras! Seriously, give this movie the chance it deserves if you haven't seen it. Ignore the bad things people said.

Rating:
Summary: Does God know your name???
Review: If you're 27-40 he probably doesn't. You're not part of the "Baby boom" or the "X" generation - you're nowhere! So am I! Almost every kid I grew up with grew up wihout a dad around full time and those of us who have a dad around never saw him. Are we real men? What is a real man? Does anyone care anymore? Previous generations have destroyed this planet and now we are left here to live in it. Are we gonna sell out just like the hippies did or are we going to try and make a difference when it's our turn to run things?

Do you feel this way? If you answered yes - this movie is for you. One of the greatest films I've ever seen. If you get off on seeing guys beat each other up, you love old Arnold, Sly and Bruce Willis movies, if you spend your entire day on Sunday in front of the TV watching football - this movie is above your head - you might like it, but you won't get it! Do yourself a favor and watch DIE HARD 8 again.