Dark, daring, dangerous. Fight Club has managed to rouse the younger generation who supposedly felt cheated out of the paradise they were promised by the modern society, being isolated into a grim corner with only materials to fill up their void left by a dearth of genuine human connection. Some say that this film has deep undertones of toxic masculinity and naivety and it was made to incite violence among the common public, some call it a masterstroke by Fincher and a gem of postmodern cinema.
Judging a film like this solely on its superficial components is condescending, considering this film is a work of David Fincher who had already garnered recognition from ‘SE7EN’, and is known for injecting subtexts along with symbolism in his works. When referring to ‘Fight Club’, one shouldn’t just refer to a group of middle-aged white men beating their lives of each other in a bar basement, instead one should refer to the psychological whirlpool an individual who is a product of modern consumerism goes through. This club is a wake-up call for those societal rejects regardless of race and gender to galvanize and revolt.
Tyler Durden, also the alter-ego of our protagonist and narrator is the orchestrator of chaos across the city and beyond, with violence and ruckus sprouting up in the cities. His philosophies dictate that we do not have any ‘Great War’ to fight for and our lives have become the ‘Great Depression’. His character is the extreme product of modern capitalism therefore, goes to extreme measures in order to punch the face of society.
The protagonist in the end achieves peace amidst the ravaging chaos by killing his alter-ego(Tyler) and embracing his vulnerability(Martha).
20 years later, Fight Club still remains as a masterpiece in postmodern cinema and relevant in the face of modern society. This film may exude masochism and gruesome violence but it manages to get its point across. One has to perceive this picture on a deeper level and not succumb to naivety. In the end, you are NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT IT.
Written by: Shivangsh Mukherjee
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