Sophia Noya | Staff Writer
I’m not even supposed to be talking about this, but somebody had to write the article.
David Fincher’s Fight Club, based on Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, celebrates its 25th anniversary this October. Starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, the cult classic’s popularity only continues to grow.
The movie follows Norton’s nameless Narrator and Pitt’s charismatically dangerous Tyler Durden–both unhappy with the world, they rally men to join their underground club and fight back, conceiving a violent plot that quickly unravels out of control.
Fincher’s testosterone-filled commentary on consumerism and toxic masculinity wasn’t necessarily a hit in 1999, but undeniably found its audience in the years that followed.
Movies about rebellion aren’t anything new, but Fight Club felt unique to me in many ways.
Visually, for example: there’s a green, grimey look to the movie and an impressive use of visual effects that I really enjoyed. The cinematography is immersive, making you feel just as bleak as the characters do, or like you’re miserable face-down on the floor of a sticky bar.
I also enjoyed following The Narrator as an unreliable protagonist. The story, already compelling in its own right, was made more interesting by his unconventionality.
But I also thought Fight Club was simplistic, and a little melodramatic.
I found myself wondering what in the world was so bad about buying from Ikea that they had to blow up Edward Norton’s apartment about it- but maybe that’s me missing the point.
Audiences have been misunderstanding Fight Club for decades. By “audiences” I mean men, who get one glimpse at domestic terrorist Tyler Durden and think to themselves I’ll have what he’s having. As it turns out, that was not the message Fincher was trying to send.
Not to brag, but I did understand what Fight Club was trying to say (you don’t have to get beaten to a pulp to be a man), and yet I still wish it had been more intricate.
The movie’s complexity lies more in its details than its plot; smoke and mirror details like Tyler Durden’s backstory, and the behemoth plot twist that knocked me flat the first time I saw it. Fincher: 1, me: 0.
25 years later, Fight Club is still sparking conversation. Past all the flashy nihilism, its core is straightforward, but that doesn’t make it any less of a great movie. It’s engaging and compelling, whether it inspired or confused the hell out of you.
Nobody tell Tyler I wrote this. I can’t throw a punch.
8/10
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