"It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything"
This particular line seriously shook me. V from V for vendetta, Joker from the dark knight and Tyler from Fight club, they all sit in the same line when they try to free your mind of burdens of traditional society. The context of each might be different, but they are all essentially the same when they try to explain a radically different way of thinking.
I had been told to see the movie by many people; some were even wondering how I have not yet seen it. Finally I got a chance to rub it from my watch list. At first I had thought of the movie to be a plain action flick, I could not understand why and how it became such a cult classic. Its only when the movie started I got answers to these questions. The opening narrations reminded me of Max Payne. Since start the movie reeks of a nasty smell of a noir movie. And for such a movie it’s a complement.
The movie has only three prominent characters. Edward Norton(the Narrator –assumed to be Jack), Brad Pitt(Tyler Durden) and Helena Bonham Carter(Marla Singer) comprise of the cast, none of which is a perfect person. Jack and Tyler start an underground bare knuckles tournament. The class involved in this tournament is lower middle to lower class of the society. From pizza delivery boys to security guards to even some Police inspectors. The only thing common between the classes is the way they have always felt oppression or dominance of the ruling class. They need a way to vent their anger, release their frustration. The underground fight club provides the perfect opportunity for the same. As these underground clubs increase, a different and in a traditional context and more sinister plan starts to shape up, something which has an instant approval by all the comrades.
The movie is based on the book of the same name. I personally found the story quite straight forward, not something to be acclaimed as a cult film. But the way it has been executed on screen seals the spot for it in the minds of the audience. The way narrator goes about his life in a neutral tone, exactly opposite passionate behavior from Tyler. I am not pretty much clear about the role of Marla Singer in the movie, but then I guess she is introduced to keep the audience away from guessing the twisted ending.
As for me, I did enjoy the movie. As Max Payne is one of my most favorite video games, such an influential noir would surely get a positive nod from my side. I would recommend it not just for its content, but more importantly for the chemistry between the characters and potent work of the director and actors in the movie.
"Man, I see in Fight Club the strongest and smartest men who’ve ever lived. I see all this potential and I see it squandered. God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables – slaves with white collars. Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy stuff we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives. We’ve all been raised on television to believe that one day we’d all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars, but we won’t. We’re slowly learning that fact. And we’re very, very pissed off."