Thoughts on Sucker Punch

I realize I'm in the minority here, but I really liked Sucker Punch. The main thing I liked about it is that it's not a remake, sequel, reboot, or something that's been done to death. I didn't need to have years of prerequisite knowledge to know who the characters are. As a side note, I wonder if that's why critics hated it. Maybe we've become brainwashed by remakes and sequels to the point that our subconscious minds automatically reject new things. But I digress.
This film isn't perfect. I admit that. For me, director Zach Snyder's work is hit and miss. I didn't really care for his Dawn of the Dead remake or 300, but I loved Watchmen and this movie. Even in those other films, I recognize what Snyder does. He pushes the envelope of film. His work doesn't look like anything else out there, and in a world where everything seems the same, it's a breath of fresh air.
So, we come to Sucker Punch. Judging from the trailer, this was my most anticipated movie of 2011 so far. And I feel like I got what I wanted from it. There is a story here. It's about a girl who's committed to an insane asylum in the 1930s. To cope with that, she creates fantasy worlds with whorehouses, dragons, and robots. Is it silly? Yes, but it's a clever way to break the typical film conventions we're used to. Since most of it happens in the girl's head, they don't really apply here.
I think Sucker Punch is meant to be a spectacle. The thing about 300 that I didn't like was that I don't think this kind of style was appropriate for that story. On the other hand, that style is perfect for a film like this. It's not meant to be taken seriously (although the tone of the film is dark). It kind of reminded me of some of the action films of the 80s starring Schwarzenegger and Stallone. They were silly and over the top, but you got a sense that the film makers knew that and did it intentionally. The same goes for Sucker Punch. It's escapism in the best sense of the word.