(More than a) Quick Look: Sucker Punch (2011)

I just recently watched this movie and was pleasantly surprised, considering all the negative feedback I have read about it.  I must note that I watched the PG-13 version, so I do not know how much the extended version improves (or detracts) from the story-line.
The Basics: A group of 5 girls in a mental institution fantasize about escaping their current incarceration and formulate a plan.  Their names are Baby Doll (Emily Browning), sisters Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) and Rocket (Jena Malone), Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), and Amber (Jamie Chung).  The audience witnesses these girls delve into sub-reality where they are all captive dancers/prostitutes in a brothel - again trying to escape their confines - and while in this sub-reality, when music is playing, they enter 4 different fantasy realms where: they fight on against German soldiers on a WWI battlefield; fight against giant samurai demons; fight in castle courtyard against an orc army and a dragon; and attack a train to defuse a bomb being guarded by robots.  Each of these 4 action sequences coincide with missions in their "realities" to get an object to aid in their escape.
The Good: The action sequences are fast, fun, and entertaining.  The effects are proverbial eye-candy, and do not go completely overboard (as can be the tendency in movies like this), as well as tightly choreographed fights scenes and combat.  The cinematography had a great feel to it; the settings were very dreary and really draws your attention to the characters and action taking place.  In many ways I would say it is like a graphic novel or comic book come to life.  The soundtrack was excellent, and in my opinion made the movie flow very well.
The Questionable:  I was a little unclear if the sub-reality and the fantasy realms were driven purely in Baby Doll's mind (she was the main character) or if the sub-reality and fantasy realms were metaphoric.
Almost all the male characters, except for the Wise Man (Scott Glenn) were portrayed as evil rapists.  Literally.  Looking at it from a story-telling, metaphoric position there is nothing wrong with this, however, I felt it did detract from the overall plot.
I wanted to note here that most of the aforementioned criticism I had read about the movie, was about the sexual objectification of the girls.  The five leads spend most of the movie in "male fantasy" outfits, or tight dancer's garb, and I will acknowledge that even their names do not conjure the image of heroes.  My counter-point is this: the girls, especially Baby Doll, were the most powerful characters in the movie.  And I will note that female characters in comic books and graphic novels, especially in the fantasy genre, are often in various states of undress.  I believe both of these points were exactly what writer/ director Zack Snyder was going for with this big screen, big budget production.  I mention this now, only to inform that the opinions are out there - I personally do not believe that the intent of this film is to put forward a rape fantasy or to portray the objectification of teenage girls.
Overall/Final Thoughts: I recommend it for the action sequences and the soundtrack alone.  The acting holds up, but no actors in this film are going to be up for any awards.  While I would not say it is hard to follow plot-wise, I would say there is a slightly disjointed feel, in that there is no explanation as to how or why these girls venture between their realities in the manner they do.  But, there does not always need to "a reason", in fact half the fun of an alternate reality film is seeing the imagination of the writer/producer come out visually.
I have read the extra footage in the extended version makes the film even "darker" than it is now, and anyone who has it feel free to post your thoughts.
The film supposedly will sync up with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" similar to how the Wizard of Oz will.  Again, if anyone has tried this with Sucker Punch, let me know.