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sarosh-mohammad
Reviews
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Lots of potential wasted
This movie is a proper drama that is set in a post apocalyptic world and that doesn't sit well with most audiences. You expect it to play out like a thriller with some payoff in the end but it never comes because the point of the movie is something completely different. At some level I get what the director was trying to do but I also think that there are quite a few things in the movie that didn't work.
The movie relies heavily on background score and camera work to make you feel like there's suspense in every scene to the point where it becomes artificial. The characters also needlessly behave like irrational beings trying too hard to keep us at the edge of our seats.
On the other hand, the core storyline does have some depth to it and contrary to most people, I actually liked the way it ended. It said a lot more about how people deal with such situations instead of actually giving us closure. The bigger problem was that the plot meandered a lot and the entire movie could have been 80 minutes tops.
I think in the end it's one of those movies that you watch and you're left feeling what if.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Weak plot and screenplay...watch it if you're easily amazed
I'll skip the details about the plot because you'll find it elsewhere and go straight to the weaknesses.
There is no doubt that the Mission Impossible series has always been an out and out action series and you never could expect anything more than that. However even going in with the same expectations I must say I came out disappointed. A lot of people will tell you that the action scenes were amazing and indeed they were. I can imagine how much hard work went into making those shots possible like the one on the outside of the Burj Khalifa and the one in the parking lot in Mumbai. But there is a fine line between making amazing stunts and making improbable stunts and MI4 erred on the wrong side more often than not.
I can start by pointing out things that Tom Cruise did that would even make Batman proud, for example falling from a good 10 feet and hitting your face onto a steel bar and coming out unscathed. there are many more but I don't want to point them all out and look like Im nitpicking.
Coming to the story line I must say I actually groaned when I figured out this would be yet another "Russia attacks US with nuclear missiles because of some misconception" kind of a story. Also there wasn't enough detailing given which left holes the size of craters in the plot.
On the plus side however is the cinematography which is spectacular. From Kremlin to Dubai to Mumbai, the cities have been captured beautifully which made it feel more like a Travel show. the acting is decent too.
However I must say I did not watch it on an IMax screen and I guess that did take away some charm.
So finally I'd say you can watch it if you're easily amazed. But honestly I'd watch the Bourne series again instead of MI.
Warrior (2011)
Best fight movie ever made
Firstly I need to clarify that I do understand the gravity of the statement I've just made and yes Im ready to stick my neck out and say this is the best fight movie ever made! The perennial problem with fight movies is that it has always only appealed to the sex blessed with testosterone and only a handful of movies have managed to transcend the barrier. Rocky, Wrestler, Fighter and Fight Club being the ones I can recall from the top of my head.
Now lets quickly come to the reasons why Warrior is a must watch
1) The acting is top notch! Nicky Nolte gives a touching performance! He is the absolute standout performer playing the role of a drunk father who is repenting and trying his best to make amends, closely followed by Tom Hardy (the reason why I actually watched this movie) playing the role of an ex army man who seems to be full of hatred and is waiting to explode in the ring. Joel Edgerton does a good job too as a father looking to make ends meet and does justice to his role.
2) The screenplay of this movie is fantastic! Gavin O' Connor deserves full credit for this! Also unlike regular fight movies where you really know whos going to win in the end, this movie will keep you on the edge of your seats till the very end!
3) Warrior might be a fight movie but only about 1/3rd of it is devoted to actual MMA fighting. The rest of the story defines the characters really well. Also even though it times in at 2 hours 20 minutes it doesn't seem stretched and on the contrary you actually wish the movie was longer.
4) It evokes all sorts of emotions from you! And very few movies can actually do that.
5) Fight movies have evolved over time and have come a long way from being just eye catching, physics defying Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan starrers to soul touching and motivating movies like Wrestler and Fighter. Warrior in a way summarizes all these aspects and is a beautiful concoction of great fight stunts and emotions.
I give it a 9/10...a MUST WATCH!
Rockstar (2011)
A romantic journey...
OK I watched Rockstar on the 1st day and couldn't wait to write a review. There is absolutely no doubt that what hits you first about this movie is its music. Taken care of by the maestro himself A.R Rahman is at his best in a genre that he hasn't worked much on. The soul pumping, heart touching sufi rock soundtrack alone makes this movie worth a watch!
But it only gets better from there. Ranbir Kapoor shows great maturity that will remind you of the way he carried himself in Rajneeti. His acting is near perfect and could easily put any of the Khans to shame. However a part of the credit should go to Imtiaz Ali since he has taken great thought and care to define the character of the male protagonist. The character continuously transforms throughout the movie and Ranbir plays it with so much ease that you will hardly notice it. Nargis as an actor looks like an amateur straight out of high school but considering the fact that its her debut you can probably spare her.
Now coming to the plot you will have to say that its not really the best of plots but then again the movie tries to capture a lot more than just a simple story. What it tries to show you is a journey that a simple, crude Janardhan takes towards transforming himself into a Jordan with his give-no-sh*t attitude. So even though the movie times in at 3hours and which definitely feels stretched you do feel that the movie could have had a little more to offer. That is probably the only blemish on an otherwise spectacular artistic movie. Definitely worth a watch!!
Immortals (2011)
A visual treat with a weak plot...
Movies based on Greek mythology have always been a staple source of entertainment since they involve Gods, heroes, armies and a lot of action. Therefore a crisp plot and some good cinematography aided with decent acting is all thats needed to make a successful Greek myth movie. And Immortals probably only manages to get the cinematography part right.
The plot is fairly simple where the bad king Hyperion plans to wipe out the entire humanity by unleashing his army that in sheer numbers will remind you of Sauron's army from Lort of The Rings (though not that vivid). Theseus a peasant is the chosen one by Zeus who will have to lead the fight against Hyperion who is looking for the Epirus Bow with which he can unleash the Titans. What follows next is a predictable story with quite a few unnecessary scenes and gaping holes.
Henry Cavill as Theseus does a mediocre job. He looks nowhere close to being as commanding as Gerard Butler in 300 and the difference is very obvious. Mickey Rourke probably did justice to his role and managed to pull off the gruesome killings with ease. Frieda Pinto as the virgin oracle does well too but her character wasn't really required since her only 2 meaningful actions in the movie were to make a prophecy and then have sex with the hero.
The movie also could have portrayed the final war with a little more detail. The fight inside the tunnel (which by the way looked like modern architecture) was clumsy and the end of the war which was brought upon by the mountain collapsing thanks to Zeus was a sort of an anti climax.
What however saves the movie is the stunning camera-work. Also the fight sequence between the Gods and the surprisingly minute Titans is a spectacle to watch.
The biggest downfall of the movie however was that it was repetitively compared to 300 pre-production. In no category does Immortals match 300 and it is a far cry from it. Go watch this movie with no expectations and you might be able to enjoy it.
Ra.One (2011)
A new benchmark for Bollywood...
OK there aren't any real spoilers in my review but just to be on the safer side.
Before I start off with the review let me make no mistake by saying that the hype generated for this movie by SRK bordered the threshold of bearing. So naturally one would keep his expectations quite high while watching the movie. Also since the trailers were made to show-off a first of its kind look to a Bollywood movie you would be expecting a lot on that front too.
So did it live up to the expectations? Well on the CGI front I must say 99 out of 100 people will find it stunning! If I was to compare it to a Hollywood movie I'd say its something between Transformers and Beowulf. There is no doubt that this movie has now set a benchmark and has revolutionized the way Bollywood movies will be made in the future.
But now coming to the plot, I must agree with most critics and say that it is very weak. Every super hero movie requires an introduction, Spiderman got his powers from a spider bite, X-Men got theirs from mutated genes, Batman got his by rigorous training, but Ra-One and G-One get theirs from a very bizarre method and that is the first downfall in the plot. The plot is kind of opposite to the Hollywood movie Gamer where you get inside a game and play while here the game characters come out into the real world. Also the entire story hasn't been thought off well and you can very easily point out a few goof ups along the movie.
Now coming to the acting. Im not a big fan of Shah Rukh Khan and looking at this movie from a neutral perspective I must say SRK looked out of his comfort zone playing a super hero. On the other hand Arjun Rampal absolutely excels as the baddie. He easily outshines SRK without even breaking a sweat but his scope was limited and I wished he'd been given a bigger role. The music is pretty good and that includes the background scores. Dialogues were a little cheesy but I guess that is what you expect from an SRK movie. So hence my 6/10 because ultimately the CGI doesn't count for much when you rate a movie.
On the whole even though I've given the movie a relatively lower grading I cannot ask any Bollywood fan to not watch this simply because no matter how flawed the script is, the CGI will just blow you away! And yeah make sure you watch it in 3D on a good multiplex screen :)