Movie review: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Rogue nation

Impossible is Tom Cruise failing to surprise us with his daredevil and almost life-threatening stunts. The recent MI franchise introduces him half adhering and half hanging to an airplane while it gets airborne. How he keeps pulling it off  at 53 is some mystery. But onscreen, it is exhilarating and looks nothing short of spectacular.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is then, a fitting justice to its predecessors: it is thrilling, stylised and gives you just the adrenaline rush you are looking for. It follows the same formula as the earlier counterparts and emulates it with flair.

The film packs in every element to make it entertaining as hell. It absolutely wastes no time in introducing the menacing villain and quickly establishes the improbable tasks that lay at the forefront.

Barring the first franchise, which was quite intelligent and dense, all other flicks have emphasised more on edge of the seat action and nail biting thrill.To their credit, they have been very successful in mastering this art.

This movie too, has its share of some genuine tension laden scenario and some real adrenaline action sequences.Tom Cruise jumping into a large whirlpool and the entire underwater event is just fantastic. Another heart pumping action scene involving Tom Cruise on the motorbike is riveting too. Cruise on motorbike is sheer romance to the eyes.

The plot, for sure is not very smart, and doesn't offer any surprising revelations.
Nothing enlightening about the proceedings, but the fast pace, techno mumbo-jumbo and the relentless action never lets the interest dip. For almost the entire 2 hours, the viewer remains interested and engrossed. There is hardly any loss of steam and the pace stays brisk throughout.
A special mention for Rebecca fergueson( the dubious spy), she looks gorgeous and is fantastic in her action strings.She is way way better than any bond girls we have been witness to.

Finally, it was heartening to see a climax which was character dominated and not CGI driven. No mayhem and no chaos. Only one man to another. More effective for me this way. Though many would disagree, I was quite relieved.

In the end, the film entertains you to the hilt and satisfies your expectations. Go get your money's worth.

DRISHYAM : Movie review

Family comes first.They always do.They are a pivot on which our lives revolve. Family lets you stand put on slippery ground and manages to keep you afloat even in troubled waters.
It is also the family which gives you the strength to take on the world.
And so, Most often in matters concerning our own blood, the line between right and wrong becomes blurred significantly.

In DRISHYAM too, a man stands firm and stands strong for his family and makes every possible attempt to prevent them from any harm.
The movie then, though unsteady and crude in its execution, just about manages to hold your attention owing to its robust story and a quite strong second half.

Very seldom it happens that the two halves of a film are poles apart, both in terms of the narrative and the execution. It is the content in the second half of the film which makes the film rise above its flaws.

The first half is a big dull. Meant to introduce the facets of the protagonists middle class affairs, it fails miserably. The emotional bonding of the family never truly surfaces and their sentiments never quite kick into our senses. The director, so it seems, doesn't trust our intelligence, and establishes facts which are so on our face.
The monotonous track tries hard to be simplistic but becomes awfully boring. The humor is non-existing, and the a lot many scenes are purely unnecessary. Music doesn't help one bit.

Just about time when you want to give up on the film, and moments before the intermission, enter the always dependable Tabu, her entry being by far the most stylish introductions of a female protagonist on screen.
The movie post intermission, eventually finds steam and keeps you hooked for its entire length. It works best when it stays true to its thriller element.
The entire cat and mouse chase is intriguing as well as entertaining. The game of wits between the cop and the illiterate man is a lot of fun. The pace is good, and though it isn't nail biting, it surely is very gripping.

Barring the character of Tabu, every other character is badly written or underdeveloped. The biggest drawback is the character of Ajay Devgn. An illiterate man who plans and plots owing to his craziness for Cinema, his character comes off very one-dimensional. Ajay though, mostly makes it up with his convincing eyes.

If you end up on a high, probably you don't care much of what happened before the intermission. For the very same reason, the film scores and becomes an above average watch.
Not entirely disappointing. The content and the story will let you condone the below average narrative.

Movie review : BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN

Bonding with a child can make you do strange things, their innocence and vulnerability can bring out the best in you and many a times their despair and grief can stretch you to attain the implausible. In BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN, the same bond transcends all- caste, religion and even borders and transforms a simpleton into a messiah.

Usually, a Salman khan film does not necessitate an emotional and coherent plot. Commercially speaking, his movies are never in need of anything which even vaguely resembles a decent script.
His swagger and his demeanour is all his fans ask for, his pelvic thrusts and cheezy one-liners are what they throng in for. Paisa vasool for them, end of the story.

But this film displays a different him, he minus his flamboyance and swagger. He is no larger than life hero here who thrashes the daylights out of the bad guys, does not vocal his signature one-liners and never for once rips off his shirt for the audiences.
Instead, he plays ( or underplays) a naive, honest and earnest simpleton who keeps bowing in front of every ape in gratitude owing to his Hanuman worshipping. Still then, he brings an unmissable charm and sincerety to his character which gradually grows on you.

BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN, then, is a hypersweet, over simplistic and unabashedly massy portrayal of a man reuniting a mute six year old girl to her family in Pakistan.

The show stealer in this Salman khan film is strangely, not him. She is this super cute and adorable mute girl, played by Harshaali malhotra, whose charming demeanour and expressive eyes do wonders for the film. The film succeeds largely because of her and her predicaments. Her relationship with Salman khan is of essence here and their journey, though predictable, has its heart at the right place.

The intelligence is lowbrow here, but the intent is omnipresent. The cross border conflict is addressed very simplistically and is way too contrived, but the message seems to make sense. The ideologies, religious practices and the socio norms all faintly dealt with, some work and most don't. But what for the most part works, is the fact that it projects love and peace as  strong forces. What makes the film rise over its flaws is the message it puts forth: compassion being a universal language and transcending every barrier.

The film also succeeds because of the infectious energy that Nawazuddin siddique brings to the forefront. Though he has his presence only in the second half, he is an absolute joy to watch. His timing and body language is both crackling and riveting.There are instances when the sheer talent and craft of Nawazuddin even overpowers the charm of Salman khan.

Every attempt is made in the long drawn climax to impact the tear ducts of the audiences and to the director's credit, it does work.You know the consequences,  you know what is to come and you know the result and yet you feel the lumps in your throat when it happens.

It is very tough not to like a film which makes you cry in the end. Over dramatic as it may seem, and way too loose and a tad too lengthy, but still this film is immensely watchable.

Movie review: BAHUBALI

Stunning visuals, technical splendour   and grandeur stylised execution. Add to it, the warmth of human sentiments and we have BAHUBALI : an epic, ambitious tale which stays with you long after you leave the cinema halls.

If you can't do much with the story, you better be good with the presentation. If the premise (the old good against evil) offers no novelty, make sure the execution is innovative. And this is exactly what BAHUBALI has in to offer. More so, it does better: enthralling you and captivating your senses for most part of the film's running time.

Great CGIs and VFXs alone are never instrumental in making a film work. They only complement and enhance a director's vision. And here we have, a visionary and enterprising director, who takes a routine revenge saga and transforms it into a colossal establishment. His synchrony with technology and tradition deserves special mention.

It is the sheer brilliance of the filmmaker, who, inspite of giving an over the top and a high decibel melodrama, infuses moments of genuine arousal and makes the viewer root for their protagonists. He understands his craft perfectly and knows exactly when to escalate the scene and the viewers mood.

The intermission point when Shiva holds onto the 50 feet golden statue from falling and in return the crowd responds by screaming 'Bahubali Bahubali ' in unison is absolutely riveting. It is a scene which is bound to make you stand up and applaud.

To be honest though, the film surely suffers from minor glitches.Not everything works and not everything sinks in too.The first half feels weighed down by its length and the silly love track hamper the proceedings further. The love story never picks up, looks contrived and even foolish. But then, there is much to savour even in scenes which are silly and inconsequential. Full marks to the director for having the intent and for trying.

There are glimpses and impressions of a handful of Hollywood flicks, but they are intelligently inculcated and sprinkled with original makeovers.

The final half an hour, depicting the battle is nothing short of astounding. Never redundant or repetitive, it throws in some of the best camera shots and makes in for a compelling watch.

Very few films warrant a sequel, and even few, deserves them. This one surely does.
Do not miss it.

Movie review: Dil Dhakadne Do

If it is a Zoya Akhtar film, it surely spawns great expectations. Her art of depicting and conveying human sentiments have always been unique and appealing.
Her outlook and perspective of the emotional turmoil, her staying away from the melodrama and her breezy and subtle presentation on celluloid has attracted and allured many, including me.
So, anything coming from her and not matching upto her credentials is a disappointment. More so, when it is her very own territory and when the ensemble cast is in prime form.

Dil Dhakadne Do, staged on a cruise takes off briskly but takes way too long to get to its desired objective. It has some brilliant moments along the way, but for most part it drags way too much for our convenience.

The Ultra-rich guild, with all their flair, flamboyance and charisma are plagued by a sense of self-obsession. Their demeanour is often peripheral and on occasions self-detrimental.
Preserving wealth at the cost of loosing family, Showcasing vanity with no obligation to modesty and caging all sorts of materialism at the cost of liberation.

But, inherently human emotions are the same everywhere.There is no demarcation between the affluents and the not so affluents when it comes to the matters of the heart.The feelings are on the same frequency, the susceptibilities too on the same forefront.

The film revolves around these very sensitivities and sensibilities of the human psyche.The narrative via an animal's perspective is perfectly apt and well thought of.
The conflicts are a plenty here: Self-made Billionaire struggling with his business and family, his subdued daughter in a scuffle with her marriage, a son in a dilemma to find a purpose, and many more.

But as they say, too many cooks spoil the broth.Each segment is dealt with superficially and lacks any actual depth and penetration.The entire perception to disputes and squabbles is devoid of novelty and the freshness one associates with Zoya Akhtar.
Hypocrisy, shallowness, self realisation all tagged with the 'been there and seen it all' attitude.

Sure, there are glimpses of Zoya's genius and a few moments of absolute brilliance making the film rise above its leisurely pace.
The scene where Priyanka is being confronted by everyone in the family on her decision of asking for a divorce is splendid and terrific.
The scene in which the entire Mehra family confronts each other in a medical room is hysterical and masterly done.

In the end, the film feels longer than its running time and a silly climax strikes a bad note too. If you are willing to condone the film's sluggish pace, you just might savour some bits out of it.

Movie review: Tanu weds manu returns

Small works when it stays simple, natural and doesn't try and act big. It becomes endearing when it is unpretentious and stays rooted.
TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS is one such sweet, ribtickling and harmless romantic comedy offering laughs consistently and orderly.

Sequels all over the world have a bad history. They somehow tend to be unimaginative and quite often seem redundant and repetitive. But this sequel does better. Infact much better than its predecessor. It brings freshness to a predictable story and stays funny and entertaining till the very end.

Small town love stories have their own intrigue and have a bizarre way of modus operandi. They seem to lack the basic sensibilities and understanding of a relationship. They appear chaotic, illogical and fogged by insanity. And  Anand Rai (director) understands the exact sentiment and skillfully masters the art of showcasing it on celluloid.

This film makes you laugh and laugh out loud. Weird characters, nonsensical situations and stupendous performances  makes for some great viewing.
The film succeeds largely because of its brilliant dialogues, great humor and magnificent acting. The dialogues are pure gems and bring the house down on several occasions. The humor, often in the most unexpected scenarios gets you the best laughs.The small town ambience, the natural flair and the desi flavour add warmth and charm to the ongoing proceedings.

The highlights are many and ROFL moments are plenty. The opening scene, though over the top, is extremely funny. The conversations between Madhavan and his father while his mother keeps uttering semi-audible vocals is hysterical.
Almost every second dialogue mouthed by Deepak dobriyal ( Madhavan's friend ) is side-splitting.
The confrontation between the two Kanganas is clapworthy and calls for a thundering applause. The end credits too are craftly done.

The film works largely because it doesn't take itself seriously and stays far away from self-indulgence. Minor contrivances and clichés weigh down the film somewhat, but in all the film manages to stay afloat maintaining the swift and breezy approach, never overstaying its welcome.

A last word for Kangana ranaut. She is exceptional and brings a terrific charm to both her characters. At times, she overshadows everything and in most cases, becomes bigger than the scene itself.

Go watch the film. Absolute paisa vasool

Movie review: Mad Max fury of road

A distant future, Desolated and deserted.
Barren, lifeless and hopeless. A bizarre state of ravaging people in command. Insanity all around. Any form of sanity only sticking out like a sore thumb.

MAD MAX gives you a gripping action adventure amidst a magical setting which is ridiculously entertaining and for most part,gets you sucked into it.

The world is all dust and dirt. But there is no alien invasion or extra-terrestrial force looming large and sucking life out of the people. No virus pandemic either and thankfully, no zombies.
Rather, a self afflicted and self-devastating ramifications bringing the world to a wasteland.

The plot- plain, linear and lucid. The protagonists on the run from a ferocious gang led by a man named Joe who happens to control the oil and water in the region.

But what makes it all roll, is the breathtaking and relentless action which is on display. Big and bombastic it is, absolutely original and raw. There are plenty of crashes, blasts, flames, men on poles swinging between vehicles, vehicles shaped like porcupines and more. There is hardly a breather in between as sand swirls around and storms engulf the area.
So much of mayhem, but perfectly orchestrated.

There is no sophistication and technical mumbo-jumbo on view, only hyperkinetic mechanical and brilliantly crafted chase sequences. All done with precision.

There is genuine urgency in the proceedings, minimal dialogues and no self indulgence whatsoever.

You seem to care for the protagonists, you want them to get away and surely, you want the wild and savage leader to be decimated.

Also, certain validations dealt with, though very faintly and vaguely. Firstly, The powerful and resourceful manipulating the commoners, more so in times of despair. Secondly, the elemental needs transcending all human emotions. Who has time for love or sympathy, when the entire essence is on survival.
Hope is to stay on, no matter how unfortunate the world seem.

In the end, it is a film not meant for everyone. Strictly for ardent action lovers and for people looking for unorthodox and inventive viewing.