Robin Hood: Review

Ridley Scott + Russell Crowe = Gladiator aka a blockbuster, Ridley Scott + Russell Crowe = Body of Lies, again an awesome movie. Ridley Scott + Russell Crowe = Robin Hood, this time it's not so good a product.
Robin Hood as all of those who have read the classic novel know, is the story of Robin Longstride who is an archer in the army of King Richard, the Lionheart who returns to England after his worthless crusade to find England in shackles of aristocracy where poor are becoming poorer and the rich becoming richer. The movie is a narrative of the time when Robin Longstride was not Robin Hood. It is the making of the outlaw, the outlaw whose story we know and that is why the movie fails to connect. The story goes as Richard Lionheart is slain in battle and kingship is passed on to his lesser brother John who is warming the bed with a French princess Isabella. He is betrayed by Godfrey, a French in disguise of an English who has conspired with King Phillip of France to attack the unstable England. England, which has been divided on the inside by Godfrey's evil plans and King John's foolishness. However, Robin's new "father", Sir Walter shows him the path towards true justice and they manage to unite England under one banner and defeat the French on the word of the King that his oppression will end and there will be a charter of liberty which will be passed. In the end though, as most foolhardy leaders do, he burns the charter and declares Robin an outlaw, to be hunted till death.
And so, the legend begins as the last frame of the movie says. Robin Hood is a knowledgeable experience to those who did not know the making of the outlaw. The movie finishes with a promise of a sequel which obviously has to come. The major characters of the film, apart from Robin, Maid Marian, the Sheriff and Robin's gang of outlaws have little part in this film. What this movie lacks is the usual grandiosity of Ridley Scott's movies mainly because of a story which hardly holds anything to keep you gripped. It purely is a knowledge experience more than a cinematic one. The background score, the cinematography, the performances are all good but we have seen much better from Ridley Scott.
I am waiting for the sequel because it is where the story of the Robin hood we know begins. I guess the movie standed in stead with its motto - Rise and rise until lambs become lions! I will go on a 3 on 5 for a completely average movie.

Raavan : Review

Perpetually rainy landscapes, roaring waterfalls, thick forests, some crazy bunch of men, A.R Rehman's haunting score, Mani Ratnam's classy direction and some good performances.. Here comes Raavan, another in the series of the much awaited movies of this year.
Raavan is an interesting take on Ramayan. It is the story of Beera, an eccentric, impulsive tribal from the jungles of Laalmaatee who is revered by the locals and loathed by the Police. An Indian Robin Hood of sorts. The story begins when Beera kidnaps the Superintendent's wife Ragini aka Aishwarya Rai and takes her deep into the forests to ransom the SP and finally kill her. But Ragini's fearlessness and staunch iron heart comes as a surprise to Beera who is feared by everyone. He develops a liking towards her and the story moves on as the Police give them a chase through the forests. Beera tells her of his revenge with the Police and why SP catches up with him, Beera leaves him to go free with his wife. However, things in the end take an ugly turn.
Raavan scores on many aspects. Its super awesome visuals and cinematography hold you in a daze. After Avatar, this was one of the most beautiful picturisations. The score by Rehman is excellent. The actors give a good performance on all fronts.
However where Raavan falls short is the story. The message Mani Ratnam wants to put through has been woven into a very average Bollywood story. The story as it reveals itself fails to impress and you keep wondering if there was something more to it, when actually there is nothing.
The parallels with Ramayan are evident. Ram, Raavan, Sita even Govinda as a potential Hanuman and Hariya as Vibhishan and Hemant as Laxman.
Raavan is an impressive piece of artwork but an ordinary piece of writing. I will go on a 3 on 5 for Mani Ratnam's antiparallel Ramayan.

Raajneeti: Review

"Aap junta ko khaane, paani, kapdon ka aasraa de dijiye, junta kisi bhi rang ka jhanda utha legi". Usi tarah aap film ka khoob prachaar bhi kar lijiye junta dekhne toh aa hi jaayegi. Raajneeti, another big film to release this year truly disappoints!
So what's lacking? Powerhouse performances by Nana Patekar, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Manoj Bajpayee and a movie directed by a director himself in "Raajneeti" who has previously delivered two very good films; still fail to lift the movie to higher echelons.
Reasons: Well there are many. The movie draws suspiciously close parallels to the epic Mahabharata and Mario Puzo's The Godfather. Prakash Jha forgets that in doing so he is challenging one of the most powerful literary phenomenons and that both have been replicated on the screen with justice. Remember Nana Patekar a.k.a Lord Krishna, Sooraj a.ka. Ajay Devgn alias Karna. Samar a.ka. Ranbir alias Michael Corleone? Too much coinicidence ain't it?
On one hand these powerhouse performances do well and on the other hand you are let down by the equally dismal show by Arjun Rampal (who holds the mike like a rockstar) and Katrina Kaif. Both of them don't know how to speak desi Hindi and Katrina Kaif looks almost robotic during her election campaign!
As far as the story goes, there's nothing extraordinary there too. A bitter family feud which involves politics and ends in bloodshed on all fronts. Nothing we haven't seen before or heard about. There is no good or bad here. Only the strongest survive, that is the only take home message from this film. Rolling in thousands of people in for Viraat rallies in the film may thrill you once but not all the time. Truly speaking there is no punch in the film, nothing that will hold you to your seat.
Though the film has some moments. There are few well written dialogues like the one - "Raajneeti mein murdon ko gaadaa nahi jaata, unhe zinda rakha jaata hai taaki waqt aane par wo bolein". But then these few dialogues are weighed down by the lackluster story and the very average direction.
From a director who has delivered us Gangaajal and Apaharan, I expected something much better. I'll go for a 2.5 on 5 for Raajneeti, purely for the good performances by the aforementioned stars and it's huge anticipation. Expect no blockbuster.

I'll be there for you

Paulo Coelho has said in his book, The Zahir - True friends are not those who come with their sympathy in times of grief. They are the ones who come with their sad faces because they don't feel lonely in knowing the fact that someone else is suffering too. I admire Paulo Coelho's work, but this statement of his, I feel it's way out of line.
Just yesterday I happened to send a poem written by me to one of my friends. She replied with a palpable sense of melancholy. It so happened that she bid farewell to her love the same day knowing the fact that they won't ever be together. I had no idea of the pain she was going through and my poem seemed to have brought her again on the verge of tears. Her life hadn't been going as it should have for the past some months. I apologized for my message though really I had no idea about the damage it could do. I comforted her and told her that she shouldn't cry over the passing of those whose time had come. I knew it was a matter of time. Time that heals and makes it all so fine. Time would take away her pain and she would be happy again. But till then I knew she needed some support. I would give it to her and I did. Never once did I think that - "Oh, she's suffering like I did" and feel content about this fact. I had been through what she was going through and I knew it. But to think that this was a thing to be happy about was very selfish.
Yes, when I am forced to go to someone's funeral or observe a minute's silence for someone who has passed away or comfort someone whom I barely know for the pain in his life I do wear a mask. I make a sad face and do it. Frankly, why should I bother? What's the death of someone whom I have hardly met matter to me? Yes, that is the time I am truly indifferent.
But Mr. Paulo Coelho, though I really loved The Zahir, true friends do share the pain and that too selflessly! I'll be there for them when they need me because I know that they'll be there when I need them. So does the life go on.