Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (spoiler free) review

Director – Sam Raimi

 

 

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

CAST- Benedict Cumberbatch, Benedict Wong (no he’s not a multiversal variant of Benedict Cumberbatch. He plays Wong. Yes, even am wondering if he was cast because of his real last name as well), Rachel Mc Adams, Xochitl Gomez (No, I have no idea how to pronounce it) and SOME GREAT CAMEOS.

 

Why is Sam Raimi’s name before everything else in this review? Coz we finally have the rare Marvel movie which feels like it has a unique director’s vision behind it. Raimi is the Madness in the Multiverse of Madness.

THE MULTIVERSE

We were properly introduced to the Multiverse concept for the MCU (Should we even call it the Marvel Cinematic Universe at this point? Or the MC Multiverse?) in the series Loki. If you haven’t seen it, then definitely you encountered it in Spiderman: No Way Home, which united all the Spidermen of the past movies with the current one for the one finally good MCU Spiderman movie. Dr. Strange was an integral part of that movie and this is a logical progression from that one  movie in some aspects. Dr. Strange 1 remains one of my favourite solo MCU movies to date. Not just because it introduced magic into the MCU but because it didn’t follow the typical 1 joke per 10 minutes and big soulless third act battle formula.

The trick about making sequels is that there is always the dilemma of whether to do more of what worked with the first one or to take a completely different direction. The Dark Knight is the gold standard of making sequels and it showed the solution to making a great sequel especially to comic book movies – escalation. It showed us the consequences of the choices made by the hero in the previous movie and how the heroic choice comes at a cost. Dr. Strange 2 follows a similar template.

The movie actually picks up pace from the word go, where in we are introduced to America Chavez – a girl with the power to travel the multiverse. She is unable to control the power herself only accidentally using it when afraid. She is being chased by monsters who are being controlled by someone who wants her power for their personal goals. Dr. Strange takes it upon himself to protect her. But they enemy they are fighting is so powerful that the solution to their problems, may not lie in their own universe. We also see the consequences of Dr. Strange having to always make the risky play or the tough decision. 

 

THE MADNESS

One of the best things about the screenplay is, it establishes the villain very early on. There is no twist moment later. This actually makes the chase very interesting. However, what makes the movie truly unique is of course Sam Raimi. For those not in the know, Raimi directed the Spiderman movies starring Tobey Maguire. You could technically say he is the father of the modern comic book movie. CBM’s didn’t have any respect or big budgets until he showed up. Also, in case you didn’t know – he was previously known for directing the horror Evil Dead movies.

That is perhaps the reason Producer Kevin Feige wanted him for this one. Without really spoiling the movie, lets just say this is the first major horror tinged comic book movie. Be ready to see some PG 13 rated gore and violence along with some creatively shocking moments.

However, its not just about the horror elements. What Raimi brings to the table are fascinating visuals like early 2000’s guitar riffs, slow motion scenes, creepy music, moody montages, slow transitions and yes…a sweet Bruce Campbell cameo. The Raimi touch itself makes the movie worth watching for a fan like me. There are certain scenes which are cut so brilliantly well, that the violence and shock comes from the movement on screen and not through actual gore. The third act battle much like his Spiderman movies is less about two superpowered beings just putting spells on each other and more about helping people realize the consequences of their actions. That is the central theme of the movie and it does a great job of sticking to it.

THE MEDIOCRITY

 Although, the journey through the multiverse is stunning, it is limited. For a movie titled Multiverse of Madness, there isn’t much of the Strange-ness (yes. Intended as always) of that concept being explored. We do get a lot of spell casting and magic but the multiverse aspect could have been explored better.

Another issue is the pacing. It’s a bit rushed at times and the movie could have done a better job of establishing some concepts or character motives. There are closures to certain character arcs in the climax that feel very abrupt. There are also certain concepts that could have been established better. (sorry I have to mildly spoil this – but the ‘music as magic’ concept is brilliant and has relevance to the ways mantras are actually supposed to work. Some establishment of this concept would have been fantastic when the battle actually happens). There is a battle in the middle, where we finally get some VERY LOOOOOOONG awaited Marvel comic book characters finally showing up in the MCU....but they die 5 minutes later for some very stupid reasons. A cheap death to some really awaited characters felt a bit disappointing to the comic book nerd inside me.

Reportedly the original cut is 2 hours and 20 minutes which Disney cut down to 2 hours. (nothing new). This is hoping against hope but the original cut may have some better fleshing out of characters and themes and hopefully we get to see it one day.

THE MAGIC

However, having said all that- Do you understand how much of a relief it is to not see every character crack some dumb joke every time something serious happens? The humor is so well timed and actually makes you chuckle at least. The movie though having its horror elements manages to strike a balance with its comic book side…which again Raimi is the master of. I mean He basically invented the genre to begin with. He knows how to balance character moments and spectacle.

This phase of Marvel movies is perhaps the best phase. They have finally reached that level of popularity where they don’t have to worry about losing an audience. They are doing movies like The Eternals and fantastic TV shows like The Moonknight (seriously go watch it on Hotstar. Its one of the best shows about a superhero with a split personality). They are taking more risks and am loving it! Basically they are doing what DC was supposed to do and am not complaining at all. Directors with their unique style like Raimi or Gunn (even if I don’t like his style at times) need to be introduced more into the MCU instead of cookie cutter directors like Peyton Reed (Antman movies).

 

What this movie has also done is made Dr. Strange the axis of the MCU. It was Tony Stark during the Infinity saga. Dr. Strange showing up in No Way Home and his power and choices affecting the multiverse is one thing. But more than that he is becoming the emotional spine of the MCU and also one of my favourite characters. It would be great to see where we go from here. Also, please give Sam Raimi more comic book movies to direct!

 

The movie is Total Timepass!

 

 

 

PS- They showed the Avatar 2 trailer before the movie and….I think James Cameron is gonna rule the box office again!

 

  

KGF : Chapter 2 (spoiler free) movie review

 The Audience : “Kya chahiye re tereko?”

Indian movie directors - “DUNIYA…”

 

 

 

KGF: Chapter 2

Director – Prashanth Neel

Cast- ROCKING STAR YASH, Sanjay Dutt as a mix of a Viking chief and Bane, Raveena Tandon as Pseudo Indira Gandhi, Srinidhi Shetty and BUCKET LOADS OF HYPE AND ENERGY

 

We are living in the era of renaissance of Indian cinema. That’s right Indian cinema. Not Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu or Kannada…but INDIAN cinema. For long Indian movies have been defined by the word-  Bollywood. Not anymore. Bahubali, Pushpa, KGF, RRR and now KGF 2 have shown us what it takes to make intelligent yet entertaining films. Technically, emotionally, they just have cracked this formula of how to actually make epic stories come alive. These films are enjoyed by audiences all over not just India but also the world as well. In interviews during RRR promotions, director SS Rajamouli has often said he dislikes the term South Indian film industry or Telugu or Tamil film industry, he says he likes it to be called Indian film industry since he tells stories about Indian characters and with Indian values who primarily speak a regional language. Perhaps same can be said of Kannada director Prashanth Neel.  

KGF 1 was a surprise for everyone. Because of Rajnikanth and Kamal Hassan, people all over India were well aware of Tamil industry’s ability to entertain, Bahubali had opened the floodgates for Telugu cinema (though Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi had done that to smaller extent before), Bengali, Malayalam and Marathi movies have been admired often for their artistic and subtle storytelling. Kannada films however had not left a big impact on the national scale yet. Neither did they air on Set Max or any other channels for popular consumption, nor did their stars particularly capture national imagination like their other counterparts did. However, KGF 1 not only surprised the entire country but surpassed the expectation. The mix of a Scarface like gangster story coupled with Mad Max and 300 style visuals and good ol’ desi masala was the perfect cocktail that turned it into a mega hit.

The excitement for KGF 2 was perhaps shot in the arm by the Covid pandemic and the resulting delay in its release. In fact, it was so delayed that another movie about a fearless, bearded, ambitious smuggler released in between and took the nation by storm (Pushpa – The Rise). But just like Rocky Bhai, the hype came back. And Holy shit…being born into a film crazy family, I always used to ask my father how it was to experience the hype when Amitabh was in his prime and he said… it was madness. I had tried to experience that by watching Vijay and Rajnikanth movies FDFS with Tamil audiences when in Mumbai and got a taste of it. I got a taste of it when Salman was actually making fun movies like Dabanng and Wanted. But Holy shit…(coz one Holy shit isn’t enough to describe this)….the excitement surrounding KGF 2 had the theatre full at 8:30 on a Thursday morning. There was so much hooting, whistling and shouting that you couldn’t hear anything for the first 10 minutes!! And I had ZERO complaints. I mean THIS is the experience you wanna have when you watch a movie full of hype and energy like this. KGF 2 delivers on the hype in truckloads.

 

In KGF 1 we saw the rise of Rocky Bhai from a small-time street criminal to a gangster and then to a monster…who had managed to gain control of the secretive KGF gold mines singlehandedly. KGF 2 is obviously the conclusion to that story. Now overall, it goes as you would assume a movie like this goes. But a great man once said- its not about the story, its about how it’s told. KGF 1 smartly used an unreliable narrator device in which a old, senile journalist – Anand Ingalgi (played by Anant Nag) is telling the legend of Rocky and KGF to a TV journalist….often missing parts, often embellishing it, drifting off. This proved to be a fascinating element that kept the mystery going. The story on-screen told by Director Prashanth Neel was told with panache, jump cuts, slo-mo and mind- blowing background music. The movie made Yash a national star overnight. With his presence so manly that had ladies drooling over him and men wanting to be a bearded badass like him.

 

In KGF 2, Prakash Raj replaces Ananth Nag as the narrator. The in-film reason we get is that Ananthh Nag’s character gets a heart attack and Prakash Raj is his disgruntled son who comes in reluctantly to complete the story. The movie changes its story-telling technique here and becomes a sort of hidden history of India often made believable by newspapers reports of incidents which were covered up. Because the powers that were did not want Rocky’s story told. As two-part movies usually go, the first one is the set-up, the second one the punchline. Chapter 2 punches you so hard emotionally and visually it gets you pumped up throughout the movie. The many pieces set up on the board in the first one (a bit too many to be honest) all start moving for the king in this one from the word go. The movie does not waste time at all. Every frame of the movie is oozing with energy, emotion and hype. Every line of dialogue delivered just to add to that legend, the myth, the saga of Rocky.

The movie elevates itself slightly from making a tale about a hero who is a God to his people into the evils of unchained ambition and the consequences of violence. But sadly, to its detriment it sligthly loses that point somewhere. Without spoiling much, it can be said that this strong emotional thread could’ve given the movie more nuance and weight. It also would’ve given actress Srinidhi Shetty something else to do than just stand around and look good. She is somewhere the feminine that can compliment and counter the untethered masculine aggression of Rocky…but sadly the script compresses that entire arc into a completely boring and unnecessary song in the second half of the movie just prior to the climactic struggle. The movie just loses a bit of focus here unlike the first one.  

But what it lacks in focus sometimes, it makes for in action and visuals. Prashanth Neel uses color, contrast and shot composition in a great way in that every frame is a painting. The lighting is immaculate and the use of jump cuts and shaky cam (though a bit too much for my liking) was great and makes the action kinetic. Yash being the star of the movie- completely carries the movie. The ruthless ambition-knowing full well that these violent delights have violent ends- shines through his body language and his eyes. What could’ve been a typical Indian indestructible hero kinda boring character is compensated for by his charming humor and the big Daddy attitude. A good hero is nothing without a good villain and Sanjay Dutt again delivers by the truckload as Adheera. With his Viking inspired look, the script allows to portray all shades from evil to rage to defeat to disappointment to being a sword carrying badass. Raveena Tandon as Prime Minister Ramika Sen is great and her interaction with Rocky is particularly good. Its great to see her back and she should do more roles in my opinion. The movie has Prakash Raj but other than that deep voice, there’s not much use for him.

Although a slight bit more bloated than the first one, KGF chapter 2 is definitely a theatre experience. Think of it like the Infinity War and Endgame. While Infinity War is clearly the better movie, Endgame is still an epic conclusion. But unlike Endgame the movie does deliver on its hype. There is a scene towards the climax where I was praying – Mr. Neel you better bring that reference back from the 1^st one because that would symbolically tie up the story perfectly and you know what…it actually happened. This is the equivalent of you wanting a masseuse to use the right amount of pressure on the right spot and without saying they just do that.

If you scratch the surface a little, the movie is a bit meta in the sense it talks about the power of myth making while making a myth on screen as well. The very legend of Rocky has people shaking in their boots even before he arrives. Adheera knows this and does something that will make a God bleed (A ‘Do you Bleed?’ BvS style parallel which my wife caught and I didn’t! Catching hidden Snyder and Nolan parallels in a story is the sexiest thing a woman can do in my opinion), PM Ramika Sen knows this and stops him from ever being mentioned in history. Whether intentional or not, Prashanth Neel clearly understands the power of story -telling and myth making to a deeper level and uses that understanding really well on screen. The movie even has a Marvel style mid credits scene that keeps the hype going even as you exit the theatre.

 

KGF : Chapter 2 is TOTAL TIMEPASS!! Watch this on the biggest screen with the loudest of crowds possible!

 

 

P S : They showed a trailer for Heropanti 2 starring Tiger Shroff before this movie and well..  Bollywood, Beta tumse na ho payega. 

RRR (spoiler free) movie review

 

In SS Rajamouli we trust...

 

 

 

RRR – RISE ROAR REVOLT

DIRECTED BY – THE ONLY INDIAN FILMMAKER WHO CAN MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS LOOK COOL AS FUCK WITHOUT IT LOOKING CAMPY

 

CAST – RAM CHARAN, NTR, AJAY DEVGAN, ALIA BHATT, SHRIYA SARAN AND OTHERS

 

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I wasn’t moved. It looked like a typical - Indian freedom fighters fighting against the British who are white devils movie. Lots of action, zero sense. If it was any one other than S S Rajamouli directing it, I wouldn’t have looked twice at it. But after Magadheera, Eega and especially Bahubali- in S S Rajamouli we trust. And that trust isn’t betrayed.

Now Indian film makers are known to take extra liberties with historical stories. I watched 45 minutes of the Kabir Khan directed 83 – about our 1983 cricket world cup victory- and turned it off. It was a real story which didn’t need this much masala to make it work. It was a lot of showing off without any substance.  But as Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad says “No, one likes a show-off” to which he gets the reply – “Unless what they are showing off is dope as fuck”.

RRR is completely fictional story about two of India’s revolutionary freedom fighters meeting to fight the oppressive British regime- Alluri Sitaramaraju and Komaram Bheem. But this isn’t just masala movie making- it is myth making of the classiest level. The entry scene for A. Ramaraju (Ram Charan) for example, involves almost zero dialogue from the hero and starts out very much like a typical South Indian mass entertainer scene. There is the hero’s entry set to heart pumping music, you get to see the fire and the conviction in his eyes before he jumps into an angry mob to catch someone. A huge crowd piles on top of him. Normally, you would expect the typical hero pushes everyone off and all people fly in different directions kinda scene...like that oft-copied scene from the Matrix Reloaded. But that doesn’t happen at all. Instead, he actually realistically fights his way out of it...almost reminiscent of that awesome prison fight scene in The Raid 2 and catches the target with a lot of damage to himself.

This I feel is the greatest skill of Rajamouli. This is why Bahubali worked and many other copies of it failed later. Even if there is a lot of masala, just like a perfect Indian cook- Rajamouli knows where to hold back and where to let go. No wonder his movies have so much universal appeal. Even if you were watching this movie in a language foreign to you, you would still understand what is transpiring on screen. There are so many amazing visual scenes here that I risk spoiling the movie out of sheer excitement.

Getting two of the most popular stars from the Telugu film industry together – Ram Charan and NTR Jr. isn’t easy. To give them equal enough screen presence is even more difficult. To honestly get them both to act so well is nearly impossible. Again, Rajamouli pulls it off with finesse. The intensity of fire in Ram Charan and the depth and fluidity of water in NTR Jr. just stands out. One is a trained cop and the other is a Gond tribal. Rajamouli is a visual story-teller and he uses everything from color shades to costumes and body language to create the characters on screen. So, the English-speaking police officer is well shaved, his moments around the goras more confident, he has a gym trained well cut body and his eyes have this sharpness of purpose to it. While the tribal is unshaven, unsure of his moments in the city, he looks at tigers in the eye without blinking and has a trusting but fierce demeanor. Even without dialogue, you understand these characters so well. The way Rajamouli uses themed lighting for the characters – Yellow symbolizing fire for Ramaraju (Ram Charan) and blue symbolizing water for Bheem (Jr. NTR) is something which is noteworthy. Its these little details that make the movie special. Rajamouli uses well known actors for small roles – Shriya Saran, Ajay Devgan etc. but they make the most of the screentime they have been given.

That’s another noteworthy thing about the movie. Its runtime though almost 3 hours- never seems like a dull moment. Even when there is no big visual set piece on screen. The movie is about the chemistry of the main characters and their love for their country and their people. This is the thread which holds together the gems of the visual poetry together. Credit must also be given to K V Vijayendra Prasad (S S Rajamouli’s father and legendary screen play writer) for creating a nearly impossible screenplay where action and emotion are equally balanced. Everything is there on screen for a reason and barring a extra bloody whipping scene, there is no time wasted for anything. Everything flows, everything rhymes.

Poetry is nothing without its inherent rhythm, not only the contrasts and visuals dance and rhyme with each other- but so does M M Keeravani’s music. This may seem like hyperbole but M M Keeravani and Rajamouli are a bit like Zimmer and Nolan. They just come together to create magic on screen. If it wasn’t for M M Keeravani’s rousing tracks and soulful melodies, half of the scenes wouldn’t have hit the way they do. The dance number (Natu Natu in Telugu or Nacho Nacho in Hindi) is infectious and had my whole civilized theatre almost ready to dance.  From Rajamouli’s Magadheera to Eega, Bahubali and now RRR- they just bring the best out of each other. They use different themes for the characters and while it is the oldest trick in the book to let characters have their own musical motifs, I feel it just isn’t used enough these days in Indian movies. RRR makes the best use of it just like Bahubali did.

While comparisons to Bahubali are inevitable, but even as a story onto itself one of the only drawbacks in the movie is the lack of a good villain. The villains are of course the British- who are one dimensional and evil. There is of course one sympathetic memsaab… but that’s about it. I had tweeted halfway through the movie that S S Rajamouli is Zack Snyder on steroids and I am not backing away on those words. The visual style, the operatic dialogue, the use of slow motion is very reminiscent of Snyder’s style yet refreshingly Indian and original.  Come to think of Zack Snyder comparisons again- think of this movie like 300. Not necessarily historically accurate or meant to be a multi-faceted drama, but more as a Ballad…a hero’s song, a Powada if you will.

The movie is a clear tribute to India’s revolutionaries. It is sometimes extra bloody and extra violent, but perhaps that’s the point. If in 2022, you are dumb enough to believe that our freedom was gained just through Charka spinning and turning the other cheek, then you seriously need to watch this movie. A LOT of people, a lot of unspoken heroes literally gave every drop of blood they had and then some more to get us to where we are. The movie celebrates them in the end.  

Like Sadhguru says, the point of our Itihaasa- our mythical epics like Mahabharata or Ramayana- isn’t that if it happened or not. The point is what you learn from it. We know Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitaramraju probably never met in real life, but the point is what we are learning from this movie. To add to it, it’s entertaining as fuck. Like Rajamouli’s previous movies- it is unashamed of its own Hindu culture. It uses the Vande Mataram flag designed by Madam Bhikaji Cama and Veer Savarkar, it exhibits many aspects of our undiscovered tribal culture, the movie has perhaps the best use of the famous shloka “Karmanye vadhikaraste…” from the Gita, there is a scene which is a reverse parallel of the Ashokvan scene from Ramayana where Rama is the one being held in captivity, and…the climax has some Lord Rama imagery that absolutely convinces me that S S Rajamouli is the only director capable of directing a Ramayana movie.

Indian regional cinema is honestly light years ahead of Bollywood. If you want subtlety and simplicity- Bengali, Malaylam and Marathi cinema explore the nuance of human emotion to their deepest. If you want the panache, epic, operatic storytelling while stretching our imagination to the furthest- South Indian movie makers are the best at it. Success of movies like Bahubali, KGF, Pushpa and now RRR has proved that when you are ready to accept your strengths, you can accomplish wonders.

 

RRR is undoubtedly a not just a movie, but a theatrical experience. It’s meant to be had with loads of whistles and claps and screaming people around. The movie is CLASSIC!

Sooryavanshi (spoiler free) Review

 

Have you ever wondered why Bajirao Singham and Veer Sooryavanshi are referred to as Singham and Sooryavanshi even by their wives, mothers, friends etc? Technically it’s their surname not first name.

 

 

SOORYAVANSHI

Cast- Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif in saree dancing to Tip Tip Barsa Paani (Coz lets face it Katrina is a hot dancer, not a good actor), Javed Jaffrey, Jackie Shroff, Gulshan Grover, lots of flying cars and others...(well if you watched the spoiler filled trailers you already know who else in the movie)

 

Rohit Shetty has become my favourite mainstream Bollywood director. Mainstream being the key word. My favourite Hindi movie directors are Sriram Raghavan (Johnny Gaddar, Badlapur, Andhadhun) and Abhiskek Chaubey (Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya,Udta Punjab). But you know the proper mass entertaining (sometimes mindless) Bollywood masala movies that are meant to be watched in a crowded theatre with hoots and whistles...Shetty has perfected that art of just the right amount of masala with the right amount of meat.

I personally wasn’t a huge fan of his Golmaal series. But ever since Singham, barring something like Dilwale, he just doesn’t miss. He is delivering actually entertaining blockbuster after blockbuster- Chennai Express, Singham Returns, Simba and make no mistake Sooryavanshi is a blockbuster. Despite the year and a half delay owing to the pandemic and the restricted seating capacity, Sooryavanshi has already grossed 100 crs in 3 days of release. And its not just hungry audiences coming back to theatres, it deserves the response it is getting. Because it is a damn good movie. 

Taking inspiration from Marvel and DC comics cinematic universes, Shetty expanded upon Singham’s popular appeal by making Ranveer Singh starrer Simbaa (a remake of Telugu movie Temper) a part of his ‘Cop universe’. The move was unique and welcome. Not that Bollywood hasn’t had a cinematic universe before. (Baby, Naam Shabana, Ayyare and by extension Wednesday are technically Neeraj Pandey’s own cinematic universe). But Shetty has that similar yet slightly different formula of action, music and comedy traits in his universe specific tailored to the hero of that movie. While Singham and its sequel were intense and the light comedic traits were suited to Ajay Devgan’s on-screen persona, Simbaa was naughty yet intense suited to Ranveer Singh. Sooryavanshi is action filled, fast paced and has sarcastic comedic elements- suited to Akshay Kumar’s persona.

The action..oh boy...the action in this movie is Michael Bay level. Not even exaggerating. Shetty has truly amped up the action quotient here to suit up to Khiladi Kumar’s action talents. There is a Bangkok chase sequence that though mildy exaggerated, might be at home in a Bad Boys movie. In the second half, there is a particular rotating slo-mo shot from the bottom angle that is almost trademark Micheal Bay. The chase sequences are not just cut fast to give the illusion of speed, they are actually well shot and edited. There are a few solo long shot action sequences near the end, involving combination of hand to hand and gun fights that are very evident of John Wick style Gun-fu. This is some of the cleanest and the best original (yes thankfully no Hollywood scene was copied that I can recall) action sequences I have seen in Bollywood in a long, long time. While there are obvious cinematic liberties that do not make sense, but hey...baby steps Bollywood...baby steps. If you came into the theatre expecting complete sense during a Rohit Shetty movie, I suggest you take a long look at yourself in the mirror.

The story is written by Rohit Shetty himself and..just like his most underrated movie –Singham Returns- it is surprisingly layered. Though it starts with a info dump at the beginning that can be a bit heavy and the editing keeps cutting back initially to moment we just saw 5 mins ago in typical Bollywood style. However later it settles down and gathers a slightly slow but intense pace. There are exaggerated messages of national and communal integration peppered throughout the movie, which am not a fan of to be honest. I personally prefer a bit of subtlety. But hey, what the fuck is subtlety in a Rohit Shetty movie? (I should have taken that look in the mirror myself). However, the drama actually works and there is a Hindu-Muslim unity dramatic scene in the second half that had me emotional and the theater clapping as well.

 As I said, just the perfect amount of masala...it rides that fine line between falling into melodrama territory but just recovers. Also, it’s not just the hero but supporting characters who are well rounded and shine as well. The flow builds up perfectly till the interval with all the chess pieces slowly falling in place and...do yourself a a favour - don’t watch the trailer. Because the second half is...its like the Steppenwolf fight from Zack Snyder’s Justice League or the portals scene from Endgame Ok,. I mean at least the Bollywood equivalent of it. Haven’t had so much fun in a Bollywood movie since ages. Trust me, the second half alone is worth the price of admission.

The basic plotline is Veer Suryavanshi lost his parents during the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts. He is now a Inspector for the Anti-Terrorism Squad. 1 ton of RDX had been smuggled into Mumbai in 1993, but only 400 kgs was used. The rest is still buried somewhere. Lashkar Sleeper cells plan to use it. Not only to create terror. But to humiliate the ATS as well which has been a thorn in their flesh since 27 years. How our hero tackles this threat while balancing the personal risks this involves is the crux of the story. But there are several other character arcs that are peppered throughout. It manages to balance a large number of characters while keeping the plot moving along. Even the villains are given somewhat understandable backstories to make them multidimensional and not just random bad guys. The script has great balance of comedy, some very intelligent dialogue driven comedy and great action.

When we saw him being teased in a MCU style scene at the end of Simbaa, I knew he Akshay Kumar would OWN this role. And he 100% owns it. From the action to comedic timing, it’s perfect. The risk in any franchise is often the repeatable aspects of it. However, Shetty and his team manage to craft an entirely new and original cop hero which is similar to yet distinct from Simbaa and Singham. The way the action is filmed and especially the humor is original to each movie. There is a scene here  involving with Sooryavanshi forgetting names that’s just hilarious as hell. There are also a ton of meta jokes that poke fun at action hero traits that are just my kind of humor. Katrina Kaif acts as she best can, she gives a not too bad performance. But dances the shit out of Tip Tip Barsa Paani. (Thats all that matters I guess). The rest of the cast (THE REST- Ok I think most of you know who I am talking about) are fantastic and the chemistry between them towards the end is just...fucking amazing! They also set up a sequel in the best way possible. I can’t wait for the next instalment in Shetty’s cop universe.

 

You know what, Go watch this movie. Not on Netflix, in a full fucking theatre with all the whistles etc. This is the grand mass entertainer that deserves to be enjoyed like this. Welcome back to Cinemas. This movie is – TOTAL TIMEPASS!

 

PS- I frankly believe that Rohit Shetty has done more for popularizing Marathi culture than any Marathi artists or the Shiv Sena combined. The liberal and perfect use of Marathi language and culture in his ‘Cop universe’ is heartening to see. 

Toofan (just one small spoiler) review

 

Don't get attached to heroines who smile too much

 

TOOFAN

DIRECTOR – RAKEYSH OMPRAKASH MEHRA

CAST- FARHAN AKHTAR, PARESH RAWAL,MOHAN AGASHE, MRUNAL THAKUR AND OTHERS

 

Its a sports epic that comes from one of India’s best modern working directors-  Rakeysh Mehra. It has music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (who are not composing music as frequently as their talents merits). It has Farhan Akhtar as struggling youth from a troubled background who finds direction and purpose in sports. It isn’t Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. It feels like wishes it was.

Toofan is a completely fictional tale of Aziz Ali – a vasooli bhai types – who finds real purpose and discipline through boxing.  He is encouraged and supported in his endevaour by local Dr. Ananya Prabhu (Mrunal Thakur speaking impeccable Marathi) who happens to be the daughter of renowned Boxing coach Nana Prabhu (Paresh Rawal giving a powerhouse performance once again). While in itself that's not a new premise at all, the movie is also a love (jihad) story and has elements of religious discrimination as well.

Here’s the thing- the movie is well made, technically sound, the humor works well, there is decent music and the sports sequences are well shot (Mehra shoots the boxing scenes with his characteristic style). However, what mars the movie is the sometimes uneven and predictable flow. Now if you have seen enough Hindi movies, you know when the actress starts smiling a lot and dances with orphans AND senior citizens both, she is gonna die soon. This is not even a spoiler. According to every working Indian script writer, the only way to ensure that the death of a female character hits hard is to make her Jesus or something close to him. But what you expect doesn't really happen when you expect it, but yes it does happen later on and for the flimsiest reason imaginable. In keeping with the communal discrimination themes of the movie- there could have been 10 different ways for the characters death to mean something however its quite random. 

Speaking of the religious discrimination parts, well I honestly don’t think mainstream Bollywood has developed the kind of sensibility and intelligence required to handle such a sensitive topic. Though the issues faced by Aziz and later on by him and his Hindu wife are very very real. There is still a very conventional way this is treated in the movie. If it was any other director, I may have forgiven it. But I honestly expected better from the guy who directed Bhaag Milkha and Rang De Basanti.

There are just so many cliche’s in what could have been a more sensible take. So of course there is a old matronly nurse (played expertly well by Supriya Pathak)who is obviously christian and who speaks in “Tumko Jasti karne ko kaun bola” type Hindi. She is the only one willing to help the newly wed Muslim-Hindu couple.  The Hindu girl’s father is of course communally biased spouting some really insensitive lines about Muslims despite his best student being Muslim (?). Now he is shown to have good reason for being so too. But that part is not given the weight it should have. It could have been a really insightful take on violence, redemption, things that divide or unit us.

But the movie then veers again into sports territory with rivalries, hastily introduced fierce young opponent who we are TOLD (not shown) but just TOLD is very deadly. It almost feels like 2 different movies and while battling personal demons and sporting rivals is a common theme especially to boxing movies- it just doesn't mesh as well together as it should. There is a point where our hero is going to make a return to the ring after a long hiatus, yet his first steps in the ring are just edited over and shown to us via a news paper montage. There are scenes you would expect to be cut short which drag and vice versa. The felt like it knew how to box didn't know where to land its punches (oh yeah...puns are back).

Yet the movie is brilliantly acted by Farhan Akhtar who not only emotes with his face but his physique as well (ladies, go watch it for that reason specifically).  Paresh Rawal is the real powerhouse here and Mrunal Thakur has a charming presence on screen but requires some improvement in the acting department.

Also, my one big problem with Indian sports movies is that there is not enough sports in it (Fuck you Dhoni a Untold Story. Fuck you for not giving me an insight into one of Indian crickets most brilliant minds) . Like we get it, its about the drama behind the sport etc etc. But how about showing us how that plays into their sport as well. How about making a sports movie like you would make a war movie- clearly making us understand the strategies not just through words but visually as well.  Wouldn't it be awesome instead of rising music and slow motion telling us that the character is bringing out a special move or trying a different strategy why not SHOW us that on screen? Why not let the characters very movements inside the ring/ground, their strategies be front and center rather the drama behind it? Rocky movies have been doing this so well. Rocky has a well defined style in the movies, which changes over the years, it is challenged and Rocky has to adapt to those challenges. Look at any martial arts movies, the fighters have different styles which is an expression of their personality. Their movements often convey...anyways rant over. Might make a separate post about that later.

The music is average – with the title track being a straight rip-off of Zinda from Bhaag Milkha. There is one song called ‘Begaani Shaadi mein’ which sounds like its from the late 90’s or early 2000’s for no reason at all since the movie isn't exactly a period piece. Shankar Ehsaan Loy can and definitely need to do better. So does Rakeysh Mehra. You guys are all better than this. The story was conceived by Farhan Akhtar and developed by Anjum Rajabali (who has written good movies like Pukar, Ghulam, Rajneeti etc). But it kinda felt like Akhtar got his best buddies who had made a great sports epic before just to put his ideas on screen...which doesn't work as well.

So to summarize, although Toofan is cliche’ in parts and engrossing in others. While the COVID era has changed my ratings system in that I cant say this is better watched on TV – because that's the only way to watch it. But well, if you have a Saturday afternoon to spend while eating Biryani/Kofta, it is a good one time watch.

My rating is – Worth Watching Once (if you have the time).

Toofan is streaming on Amazon Prime. 

PS - If you really wanna watch good Hindi cinema content- Go watch Ray on Netflix.

Wonder Woman 1984 (spoiler free) review

You really thought the risk of hospitalization is going to stop me from enjoying a DCEU movie?

Wonder Woman 1984

Directed by - Patty Jenkins

Cast - Wonder Woman...oh sorry Gal Gadot...I can't honestly tell if she's actually a goddess in real life or not, Pedro Pascal, Kirsten Wig, Chris Pine and others. 

"Greed...for lack of a better word, is good." - Gordon Gekko

That's the famous line from the movie Wall Street (1987). Like every movie which is a product of its times, the line really captured the go-getting and 'ends justify the means' spirit of the 80's. Even though I might have been 2 when the 80's ended and far away from America to understand the decade, but when has USA ever let you forget their culture with regular doses of it in pop-media? The 80's are making a big comeback in modern media in the form of Nostalgia. - Stranger Things, the IT movie etc. being real proof of that. 

Before walking into Wonder Woman 1984, I honestly thought there was no reason story-wise to set the movie in the 80's other than marketable nostalgia. I mean after the first one set during the First World War (1918), the second one could easily have been set during Cuban missile crises or Vietnam or just plain old modern day. But its not just the nostalgia marketability, the 80's at least for this generation represents a decade of excess and growth of mass media, consumerism, private enterprise etc. It is in fact the perfect set up for a cautionary tale on the evils of wanting to 'achieve' everything. 

You really thought a DC comics movie is just about super-powered people beating the crap out of each other in a big special effects heavy fight, peppered with childish humor and saving the world at just the last moment? Yes it is about those things and so so much more. That's why I would risk a pandemic to go experience one. 

WW84 differs drastically in its tone from the first one, while still retaining some of its elements. Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) is a blonde scheming business-man who is a liar, manipulator and a TV personality (You could technically compare him to Trump, but Maxwell Lord is a comic book character). He comes across a mythical artifact which can fulfill all your wishes. His plan is to conquer the worl....wait no... its not that for a change. Its actually not exactly wanting to conquer the world. He is deeply emotional person with a troubled past who wants to make wishes come true for everyone. Wonder Woman learns the hard way that when our wish comes true but there's always a price to pay for it. Barbara Minerva (Kirsten Wig) shows the dangers of empowerment without wisdom. 

That's the thing, there are so many thematic and story elements in the movie worth analyzing and enjoying for someone with my bent of the mind, I can ignore some of the flaws. With the involvement of hacky comic book writer Geoff Johns, the movie is perhaps the last of the DCEU movies to try and pander to the critics complaints of not being 'bright' or 'cheerful' enough. The movie has more than necessary amount of cheese and campiness almost on a level comparable to the old Superman movies. (which are good but I was never a fan of) Maybe its a conscious tribute or Johns' hacky attempt at 'hope and optimism' but the mall fight after a fantastic opening sequence involving powerful Amazon warriors feels like it came from a different movie. 

Also, another glaring issue is the lack of energetic and memorable action scenes like the first one. The bell tower fight of the first movie or 'no-mans-land' scene are iconic. The stunt team in this movie is different and it shows. Some of the stunt work could have used improvement. (also, could've used the original Wonder Woman theme more, instead of a different more orchestral version)

However what shined in the movie is the story and the characters...which is what a movie is more or less supposed to be. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman cannot get better in terms of portraying the character but she does a lot of improvement over the first one in terms of acting. She conveys the heartbreak, the pain, the fear of her character really well...a superpowered goddess who would have otherwise felt distant if not for her very human emotions. Kirsten Wig as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah was convincing in her journey but I believe she could have been given more to do. The two villain formula popularized since The Dark Knight can be a good formula if done well, its not that her character was forced into the story, it did have some relevance to the overall themes but still, somewhere it feels she could have been done better. 

But the absolute scene stealer, the man who makes the movie is Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord. Any movie, especially a action-adventure superhero movie is only as good as its villain. DC has a fantastic track record since Nolan's trilogy of delivering great villains who often steal the show. Maxwell Lord is almost Lex Luthor-ish at first but a more in-your-face and more relatable villain. The climactic 'fight' between him and Wonder Woman is also her realizing her own mistakes and making him realize his. Its such a personal and touching story...Maxwell Lord with his flaws and his wish to solve everything is inherently all of us when we are afraid and feeling empty from within.

Another aspect that I really loved about the movie is that even though its a bit hacky and melodramatic in parts, Patty Jenkins direction has a sincerity to it that feels genuine and heartfelt. It is not trying to mock anything about the 80's, neither breaking any fourth walls to make any meta-jokes, its merely presenting the story as the characters would live it and that's why the jokes land and make you chuckle when they have to. It gets emotional when it has to unashamedly and yet doesn't lose itself. Another great thing that it does, is use Hans Zimmer's heart wrenching 'A Beautiful Lie' from Batman V Superman at a crucial scene in the movie. There are some missed opportunities to connect it with the larger DCEU but I honestly think audiences and DC/WB have moved beyond trying to fit everything into a one-size fits all universe. 

The movie can come across as a mixed bag to many who loved the intensity of the first one and also to anyone who loved the unique action scenes of Aquaman. It is somewhere in the middle of those, yet it is a sort of easy watch. It does pose some interesting questions yet not even close to the philosophical intensity of the BvS or MoS level. However, to put it simply, if you were to put it on when a bunch of people gathered, it would be an easy and fun watch. It's almost got those Indiana Jones like feel to it in terms of re-watchability. (also has some similarly cool mythological/historical mystery aspects in it which I wish they would have explored more).

The movie is definitely TOTAL TIMEPASS!

PS- 

You know what's the next big DC movie coming out?????????? 

ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE!!!!

Tenet (spoiler free) review

I mean there is actually no point writing the words 'spoiler free' for this movie not only coz I wouldn't really be able to explain the movie in one viewing even if I wanted, but even if I did spoil it, there is no way you would understand it. 

TENET

Cast- John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Kenneth Branagh, Elizabeth Debicki, Dimple Kapadia and others. 

Directed and written by : The only director whose movies are worth risking a disease for 

So what kind of movie is this - A suave and cunning spy who will go to almost any length to for the mission, he finds himself in a cold war against a secretive faceless enemy. He is entangled in a web of lies, manipulation and finds a femme fatale along the way. He uncovers a world ending conspiracy, led on by a Russian oligarch who is of course played by a British actor and is obviously an abusive villainous torturous megalomaniac. Our protagonist is swift as a cobra in his words and his fists. Plus he gets special gadgets and tech to help him along the way. 

If you thought of a Bond film, then you are right. It's no secret that Nolan has always wanted to make a one. The opening scene of The Dark Knight Rises is a testimony to that. Tenet on the surface is a just like a Bond movie....but that's the thing....Nolan's movies are many things on the surface yet there is so so so much dig beneath. 

Tenet is a Bond movie with time travel elements. But again that's only on the next level. If you thought Inception was complicated and it took you 4 viewings to understand the plot, then Tenet might take at least 8 to fully understand. And just like Inception perhaps a million more to truly appreciate the intricate poem that Nolan weaves. 

Yes you read that right...Nolan's movies are poetic. Nolan has often been criticized for making 'puzzle box movies' that are intricate and fun to solve but lack emotion. Anyone who says that hasn't really understood what makes Nolan different from most other directors working today. Yes, he does create frustratingly complicated plots that often have you scratching your head for days but always and I mean ALWAYS beneath those elements is the story of a person looking to solve the maze he has gotten himself into. One look at Leonard Shelby from Memento or Cobb from Inception and you realize his movies are more than puzzle boxes. Interstellar is literally about how love can transcend even the laws of physics and I still wonder why people think of him as a 'cold' emotionless film maker. 

While Tenet doesn't have the heart of Interstellar or the emotion of Inception, it doesn't need to. Its a fast paced global thriller that still manages to pack in emotion when its needed. The movie does slag a slight bit in the middle when our Protagonist meets Kat (Elizabeth Debicki)..but it doesn't really stall the movie. The movie is fast paced and never lets up doesn't matter which way its moving (yes that's a wink and a nod to the time inversion that happens in the movie).

Many might feel that unlike Inception which does exposition in the best possible way...often holding your hand when it needs to...Tenet just doesn't. It can be a bit jarring to watch it at first and get confused by all that is happening. However, it is obviously all intentional. There is a reason I would call his movies poetry... just like a good poem it has layers upon layers of words, then of grammar, then form, then meter...finally the sentiment. It's all meant to be appreciated, marveled at, interpreted but not necessarily logically understood. Yes I know its sounds weird saying that about a Nolan movie but a character in the movie itself says this "Don't try to understand it, just feel it" . This is perhaps an attempt from Nolan to tell us to sit back and enjoy the movie as a unique cinematic experience rather than dissect it. (But Nolan being Nolan I have zero doubts that he probably actually invented the technology to shoot this movie and perhaps got a Nobel prize in physics for it or something).

Nolan has really grown as an action director and the opening scene itself is one of the best I have seen in any movie for a while. Speaking of which while I was disappointed to hear Zimmer wont be scoring this movie, Ludwig Goransson does a equally good job. The synth-techno aspects really compliment the sci-fi nature of the movie and yet never come across as superficial or unremarkable. The music is catchy energetic yet soulful and mystical. 

John David Washington performs his role with such ease proving that a black James Bond would be absolutely easy to digest ( I honestly didn't know he is Denzel Washington's son). Robert Pattinson has obviously moved on from his Twilight days and is acting force to be reckoned with. The cool with which he moves about in the movie you would assume he just walked on set and performed the role. I am really excited to see him play Bruce Wayne/Batman in The Batman next year. Also Dimple has a much bigger role than I thought. (Would have loved if Nolan made her run in slow motion a la Sagar but hey you cant have everything) 

Am not gonna humiliate myself by rating a Nolan movie...its obviously a Classic...this might be his most complex yet action filled movie yet. Do try and watch it in a theatre if possible. (Theatres need all the help we can give them). Watching a Christopher Nolan movie is more of a process than incident. He is perhaps the only living film maker whose movies begins in your mind when it ends on screen....

Easter Egg/References :

So I usually do a list of easter eggs/references for a Nolan or Snyder movie, here's a few I could find out on first viewing :-

1) The villains name Sator and his company's names Rotas are inversions of each other. 

2) The word Tenet itself is a palindrome - its spelled the same way backwards. (this was pretty much known before release)

3) There is a Casablanca reference towards the end where one of the characters says "This is the end of a beautiful friendship" mirroring/inversing the famous line from Casablanca - "This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"

Am sure there are several more that I haven't caught yet.  I might do a spoiler filled review once