Cross-posting the review I wrote in ForumKeralam.
Show: 25/9/10, 10 PM
Theatre: Innovative Multiplex, Bangalore
Status: Balcony: Full, First Class: Full (I think!)
Lots of expectation from the Ranjith-Mammootty combo, especially since Renjith has supposedly moved away from making typical movies. Sadly, the movie does not meet the hefty expectation.
The movie started off quite well and established the fun part with the graveyard scene itself. The sequences with the Saint were hilarious and consistent through out the movie. The actor that portrayed the saint was fabulous. I was expecting a little better dubbing from Renjith though, still nothing much to crib about. Mammootty was brilliant was Pranchi. Thrissur accent was almost perfect. Innocent was refreshing after a very long time. Siddique, Khushbu, Pranchi's sidekicks...almost everybody did a neat job. In the acting department, Priyamani had nothing much to do and the child actor was misdirected at certain points. The boy looks like a good actor barring a few awkward scenes where things look forced. I would blame the Director than the kid for such sequences.
Script and Direction was top-class in the first half. Pranchi's trysts with chasing fame were hilarious. Quality comedy makes a return after a long time. Co-incidence that Suraj was missing from arguably the best comedy film of the year? I think not! Unfortunately, the things go wrong in the second half. The movie runs out of steam and meanders towards the climax. Priyamani's entrance and character never syncs with the rest of the movie. Helping the kid pass the examination sequences could have been gold, but looks very hurried. Revelation part in the climax looks good on paper, but ended up being not so good. The three revelations are predictable, dud, and lame respectively. The only parts worth remembering are in the first half where Mammootty rules the roost and the saint.
My major gripe is against Renjith. In his interviews, he hyped the movie saying that its something you never saw before in Malayalam movies. I could find nothing like that. Saint reminded me of Guruvayoorappan in Nandanam. So, it has something even Renjith himself attempted before with a lot of success. Movie was supposed to be a satire. Move along, nothing satirical here. Renjith has gone down a couple of notches since Paleri Manikyam.
All that said, its the best among the ramzan movies, derailed by lacklustre writing and direction in the second half. Its a typical commercial movie and not an experimental movie by any stretch of imagination.
TL;DR: Pranchiyettan and The Saint is very good in some parts, competent if not predictable in the rest. A good watch for its humour, performance of Mammootty, and the saint.
My Rating: 6.5/10
Monday, September 27, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Shikkar: The Hunt
Cross posting the review I wrote in Forum Keralam.
Theatre: Innovative Multiplex, Bangalore
Time: 10:00 PM
Status: Balcony Full. First Class must have been full, looking at the online reservation chart in the morning.
After watching Shikkar, I felt both happy and disappointed. Happy that Mohanlal is back to his elements with a good role that suits his age and image. Disappointed that the screenwriter and the director made a mess of what could have been a classic. It looks like Padmakumar wanted to make the first half as mass and second half as class. The movie does not become a train wreck thanks to the awesome last 45 minutes.
Suraj was awful and should have been nowhere near this movie. The writer could have handled Jagathy's character in a much better way to provide the laughs if that was something critical. In spite of this, there were many places where you felt that eerie feeling that something is going to happen which would be displaced the next moment thanks to the stupid antics by Suraj or Jagathy. For me the highlight of the first half was when Mohanlal touches the man who tells him about the death of other officers. You could see the slight shiver in his hands and feel his fear.
Second half meandered along at first with the low point being a Jagathy comedy. Things started kicking into top gear with the flashback sequence. Crafted very well by the Director. Very refreshing stuff. The Telugu song was brilliant, the only song which seemed to be in place. Top class performances from Samudrakani and Lakshmi Gopalaswami. Climax sequences were breathtaking though I had expected a lot more. Hats to Lalettan's dedication to do such stunts when he could easily veto without any issues.
The supporting cast for the movie did a good job. Ananya is good. Hope she gets more meaty roles. Kailesh was ok for this role. I really don't see him going far though.
TL,DR: Shikkar is worth a watch (or 2!) if you are a Malayalam movie fan and a must watch if you are a Mohanlal fan.
Rating: 6/10
Theatre: Innovative Multiplex, Bangalore
Time: 10:00 PM
Status: Balcony Full. First Class must have been full, looking at the online reservation chart in the morning.
After watching Shikkar, I felt both happy and disappointed. Happy that Mohanlal is back to his elements with a good role that suits his age and image. Disappointed that the screenwriter and the director made a mess of what could have been a classic. It looks like Padmakumar wanted to make the first half as mass and second half as class. The movie does not become a train wreck thanks to the awesome last 45 minutes.
Suraj was awful and should have been nowhere near this movie. The writer could have handled Jagathy's character in a much better way to provide the laughs if that was something critical. In spite of this, there were many places where you felt that eerie feeling that something is going to happen which would be displaced the next moment thanks to the stupid antics by Suraj or Jagathy. For me the highlight of the first half was when Mohanlal touches the man who tells him about the death of other officers. You could see the slight shiver in his hands and feel his fear.
Second half meandered along at first with the low point being a Jagathy comedy. Things started kicking into top gear with the flashback sequence. Crafted very well by the Director. Very refreshing stuff. The Telugu song was brilliant, the only song which seemed to be in place. Top class performances from Samudrakani and Lakshmi Gopalaswami. Climax sequences were breathtaking though I had expected a lot more. Hats to Lalettan's dedication to do such stunts when he could easily veto without any issues.
The supporting cast for the movie did a good job. Ananya is good. Hope she gets more meaty roles. Kailesh was ok for this role. I really don't see him going far though.
TL,DR: Shikkar is worth a watch (or 2!) if you are a Malayalam movie fan and a must watch if you are a Mohanlal fan.
Rating: 6/10
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