Fincher’s 'Fight Club' as an example of a critical dystopia

Abstract

This article investigates David Fincher’s film Fight Club as a critical dystopian narrative. The first part of the article provides the definition of critical dystopia as well as it presents characteristic features of the subgenre. It also sets forward the difference between classical and critical dystopias. The following sections are case studies in which different elements of the film in the context of the subgenre are examined. They focus on the construction of a dystopian society and the negative influence of consumerism on the protagonist and therefore on other people. Moreover, this paper attempts to demonstrate how the overall pessimistic tendency of the narrative is realised. Finally, the protagonist’s actions as well as the aftermath of these actions are described and analysed. The final part of the article focuses on the significance of the last scene which introduces a utopian impulse into the narrative.