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narasimhakamath-95214
Reviews
Kantara (2022)
Good but could have been a lot better
The internet is screaming that Kantara is a masterpiece, but don't let that fool you. It could have been, but it is not. The film had a lot of potential to become a masterpiece. But it was not to be. I will later explain where it fell short.
I will nevertheless say that Kantara is a good film. And it could have been so much better. It had all the great ingredients. Nevertheless, Kantara certainly is a breath of fresh air in so many ways, considering the overall standard of the Kannada film industry. If you keep that as the benchmark, then wow it's a great film. But not otherwise.
Reiterating, I will say that it had all the ingredients for becoming a masterpiece. Unfortunately, there were a few places where the film failed to become one. The theme and premise were intriguing, the director and actors talented, but I guess somewhere the director lost himself in the greed, insecurity and foolishness of appeasing the mass audience. And in that trap, he made those mistakes which stopped the film from becoming a masterpiece.
So what are some of the great things about this film?
The entire theme of it - the language, the culture, the location, of Tulunadu. The mystery of the Daiva. The film leaves you wondering what the Daivas are capable of. Are they real? The paradox between the human psyche and the supernatural. Plus, the film becomes relatable and nostalgic to people who are from Tulunadu or those who have visited this wonderful place and are familiar with the divine traditions practised there.
The film certainly has its goosebumps moments. The background scores and cinematography being significant contributors in that department, are top notch in some scenes. Along with the cinematography and background scores, there are elements of supernatural mystery in the plot as well, which make the film worth watching.
The actors are very talented too. And the various expressions in the dialect of coastal Kannada that they speak is delightful. In fact, that is one the main reasons to watch this film The humor is always there. It makes its way even in typically serious scenes. Now that is improvisation coupled with the beauty of this dialect.
So there you go - all the ingredients of a masterpiece. What could possibly go wrong? This is where many people who watched this film were confused into believing that this film is a masterpiece.
The main thing that I did not like was that the director pressed the overkill button at many places, probably for the reasons that I have already mentioned above. There was a desperation to make it more intense, over-intense, much more than necessary. You may think that an entertaining film is supposed to be that way. But to what extent? Certainly not to the extent that it becomes too conspicuous. There is a desperate hidden attempt to glorify the hero too, which does not fit well in a film like this. You'll know why. Basically, the noise could have been turned down and the craft could have been turned up in this film.
That said, overall, a good film worth watching. But only a one time watch - at least for me. Not exactly a must watch. But I will say that this kind of films will set the precedent for better films to come - from the same director or from others. It's so relieving to see that the Kannada film industry is evolving from its cliche livelihood into unique themes and story lines. And that's the best part. Let there come a true masterpiece.......
Vaastu Shastra (2004)
Don't let the rating fool you!
Not sure what is wrong with these critics and some users, but they seem to have very bad taste. I agree that there are a few downsides to this film(I will explain them later in this review), but it is nowhere near as bad as these people have made it seem.
Like many other horror films, in this film too, a family moves into a haunted house. It may sound cliche, but it is not, because first of all, 'haunted house' here is not an accurate statement. It is not really the house that is haunted here. It is haunted "something else", that haunts the house. I don't want to reveal it here, because this is supposed to be a spoiler-less review you see. But the point is, it's not that cliche! And there are many other unique elements in this film too that drive it away from cliche. The most important part of this film that I personally felt, is the character of the little boy Rohan (played by Ehsaas Channa). This boy (played by a girl) steals the film. His innocence, honesty and sixth sense very strongly complement the other frightening aspects of this film. It is Ehsaas Channa's debut, and her acting is top-notch. By the way, I do say that Rohan does possess some sixth sense in a way! There is a very slight resemblance in this boy with Haley Joel Osment's character in 'Sixth sense'. But of course, there are a lot of differences between Cole and Rohan too. And Rohan is a unique character in his own right, and almost the soul of this film!
Now coming to the others, Sushmita Sen has done a great job too! This film reveals some of her great acting skills I would say. Rasika Joshi does a brilliant job. Her role is short-lived, but even in that short span of time, she shows how talented an actress she is. Btw, may she rest in peace. A talented actress gone too soon.
So not just the acting, the screenplay is also very good, and so is the background music and sound effects. This film will give you many of those jolts of fear. The fright inducing scenes are not predictable at all, showing that the script is cleverly written, except the ending (I'll talk about it later). The director does a great job in playing with our minds. By the way, the director is Sourabh Usha Narang, and he died of cancer in 2010. Gone too soon! Rest in peace buddy! You've given us something to cherish. Anyways, coming back to the sound effects, there is just one sound effect I did not like in this film - the sound of a cackling voice that appears once in while. It sounded too obvious and silly. It was unnecessary. Other than that, the rest are superb.
Now coming to the other downsides of this film. Whatever causes the horror - the film does not provide enough depth on it. The film should have provided us some more background on this. It would have added more depth & weight to the film. The other drawback is the ending. They rightly say "All's well that ends well". The director seemed to be in a hurry to end the film. And it did not do justice to the rest of the film. The film builds up so much mystery & fear along with high expectations, but loses its way in the end. That was disappointing. So basically these are the reasons why I have subtracted 2 stars from my rating.
That said, despite the bad ending, overall it is a very good film. I can even go as far as calling it a 'must watch'. The ending may disappoint you, but most of the film will not!
The film is available on Youtube. Watch the 1:43 hr version, as this is the least censored. The 1:26 hr version does not have some important horror elements in it. I don't understand the point of censoring horror in a horror film. Stupid people. Btw, we should actually be paying and watching it. It deserves that!
So go ahead, watch this film alone, or with a few friends or family members in the middle of the night, with the lights off. Perhaps you'll be a little disappointed with the ending, but I assure you that overall, the film won't disappoint at all!