Definitely one of the best movies I've seen this year. Fight Club didn’t disappoint and even impressed me more than I expected. To be honest, I thought I was going to have two hours of primitive moralizing on the topic of “don’t be a jerk” – a feeling created by the popular quotes and creativity of some domestic alternative rock bands. Partly in the first half of the film, a similar morality slips - in Tyler Durden's monologues. But what is interesting is that all this philosophy is presented in such a way that sometimes you want to say, “Well, well, Tyler, the harness,” and sometimes – “Well, comrade, you’re bent here.” Primitive moralizing and “anti-system” propaganda at the level of youth pop punk is not even close. Of course, the author of the book and the creators of the film have great respect for such a character as Durden and his ideas - but the main character here is also for a reason. He initially overshadows the frantic rebellious enthusiasm of his friend and teacher. Tyler, of course, helps him to free his consciousness - but then the hero gradually ceases to need him.
The fact is that Tyler, based on the right premises, initially oversteps the stick. First, his uncompromisingness sometimes comes to the ridiculous (though, to his credit, he is not afraid to be ridiculous); second, in his desire to lead everyone to freedom, he does not notice how he takes away the freedom of those who follow him. Initially, only the main character is equal to him - the rest are as if hypnotized, suppressed by the will of Durden, who does not even notice it. And as a result, against the old system of suppression of the individual, a new one is created – the final sum remains the same.
However, Palanic proved to be a provocateur. The anthem of the revolution, which delighted some and horrified other readers/viewers, turns out to be a cunning and evil satire. The Defeat Project is a new embodiment of the depersonalizing power of civilization, not its opposite. The movement, which began as an anarchist movement, shows more and more fascist signs.
The funny thing is that Durden’s charisma played a cruel joke with the work – the feeling that most simply ignore the second half of Fight Club, considering the film (and the novel) a kind of preaching of anarchic rebellion, not noticing that, in general, the author admires not so much Tyler’s ideas as his personality.
I would also like to note that David Fincher perfectly managed to convey the paranoia and madness of the second part - the experience of creating The Game (1997) affected. Apparently, such a fate for Fincher’s heroes is to chase ghosts.
The Fight Club is not a preaching of anarchic revolution, or its exposure. This is an attempt of ironic and impartial criticism of modern civilization and the search for a way out of its crisis.
Bottom line: it is necessary to watch, and look carefully. With open eyes.
10 out of 10
Original
