Fight Club: Review By Dan

Based on author Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name, David Fincher's adaption, to me, is the epitome of nihilism. Fight Club is one of those movies that sticks with you because of its radical messages (and a brilliant performance by both Brad Pitt and Edward Norton doesn't hurt).

The thing I loved most about Fight Club wasn't the actual fighting in it (although that was pretty entertaining, sure), but the larger picture it presents. Norton's unnamed character (at least until a fairly predictable reveal later which I'll get to) manages to build an army of brainwashed, unclean, imperfect soldiers, with the goal being to really dismantle society as a whole. I can't think of a single person who could honestly tell me they haven't desired at one point or another for pure chaos, what with our supposedly tightly controlled lives.

Edward Norton, who I believe is one of the best actors out there right now, gives a multi-layered and entertaining performance, with a descent into the f*cked-uppedness of his mind and ideas. His self projection in the form of Brad Pitt's character is humorous and disturbing. Fincher expertly weaves Tyler Durden into the narrator's life, giving us very fast glimpses of him as the narrator feels his life is in order and controlled, and as the narrator's life and ideas unravel, Tyler Durden comes into focus more and more, until near the end of the movie, with the narrator fighting through his strange psychosis. While I doubt that'd be possible to do in real life, you'd prob need to be professionally treated as Helena Bonham Carter's Marla character points out to him, it makes for a good plot turn.

Using strange noises and choices of music (which is fitting for a strange movie), heavy use of dark colors and dreary, dilapidated settings which reflect the story, Fight Club is an epic 2 hour 20 minute film that I think anyone between the ages of 18-30 should watch, and will probably connect with at some level. Not one for the females (they wouldn't understand the need for the fight clubs and why we would like that), but definitely an awesome guy movie.

Overall, a kick ass movie I'm grateful for by master director David Fincher, and one that always leaves me thinking a little bit deeper about life once the credits roll.