Bhoomi Review: https://hungama.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Alexa/Review-English/review_eng_762461.mp3 - Bollywood Hungama

[ad_1]

Post the shocking Nirbhaya gang rape in 2012, a major section of the society has begun to see the problems faced by women more seriously and in a new light. It has also led to Bollywood making multiple films on this subject. PINK, MAATR and MOM dealt with this growing menace in recent times and now Sanjay Dutt choses this hard-hitting topic for his comeback film, BHOOMI. So does this film turn out to be an entertaining one or does it fail, let’s analyse.

Arun (Sanjay Dutt) is a widower based in Agra who has single-handedly raised his daughter Bhoomi (Aditi Rao Hydari). An eligible boy Neeraj (Sidhant Gupta) gets interested in Bhoomi and she too falls for him. Arun is happy with this union. However, Vishal (Puru Chibber) from her neighbourhood loves her too. He asks her out few days before the wedding. An enraged Bhoomi slaps him. Vishal narrates about his ordeal to his cousin, the evil Dhauli (Sharad Kelkar). He instigates him to kidnap Bhoomi and then rape her. Vishal goes ahead and does it. But not just him, as even Dhauli and his henchmen Ghulam (Veer Aryan) rape Bhoomi. Arun’s world comes crashing down when he learns about it. How he hits back and avenges Bhoomi’s rape is what the rest of the film is all about.

The story written by Sandeep Singh has been done to death multiple times in Bollywood and has no novelty. Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s screenplay comes across as clichéd and dated. BHOOMI suffers from two major problems. Firstly, it comes too late in the day. Audiences have already seen KAABIL, MAATR and MOM which were also similar films dealing with rape and revenge. Hence the impact of BHOOMI gets diluted. Secondly, the film takes too long to really get into the revenge drama zone. The narrative is so slow, dragged and boring that nothing happens until the last 20 minutes when Arun finally starts taking revenge.

However Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s dialogues create the necessary impact, though only at few places. Interestingly, the film has dialogues about women empowerment, progressive thoughts, women safety etc, but it shows violence against women through the major part of the runtime.

Omung Kumar’s direction is very weak. He has used all the Bollywood clichés and made the film extremely violent. Everyone is corrupt and the society is full of hypocrites in this story. Three scenes however are very well executed – when Sanjay Dutt gets new shoes for Aditi, the courtroom scene where Dutt gives a hard hitting speech and when Sanjay Dutt informs about the punishment for rape in different countries of the world to one of the victims.

Coming to performances, Sanjay Dutt is brilliant and his emotions look genuine. He looks convincing as a helpless father and also powerful when he takes revenge in the final scenes. The way his eyes do all the talking in the police station scene is seen to be believed. Aditi Rao Hydari is good in her part and her portrayal of a rape survivor is very impactful. You genuinely feel for her in the film. Sharad Kelkar is the best out of all the villains. He looks very convincing. Riddhi Sen (Jeetu) delivers an effective performance and he has a crucial part in the film. Veer Aryan (Ghulam) gets little scope but does fine. Puru Chibber is quite nice as the rapist as well as the helpless target of Arun. Shekhar Suman (Taj) is wasted. Sidhant Gupta does well in his cameo.

Sachin-Jigar’s music is weak and has no scope. ‘Will You Marry Me’, played during opening credits, is the only one that works. ‘Jai Mata Di’ played in the climax enhances impact. The Sunny Leone item song ‘Trippy Trippy’ looks forced and is badly placed. Ismail Darbar’s background score is strong.

Arthur Zurawski’s cinematography is very good. Vanita Omung Kumar’s production design is authentic and rustic. Jayesh Shikharkhane’s editing is disappointing. The 135 minute long film should have been trimmed by 15-20 minutes to create the necessary impact. Javed-Aejaz’s action is too gory and might put off the family audiences.

On the whole, BHOOMI comes across as a decent entertainer with power packed performance by Sanjay Dutt. At the box office, it will have to compete with other releases for its share of footfalls.

[ad_2]

Source link

Judwaa 2 Review - Bollywood Hungama

[ad_1]

The tastes of the audiences have evolved quite a lot since the last few years but still, most of the viewers don’t mind an illogical but entertaining masala comic caper. JUDWAA 2 is one such film that is unabashedly catering to ‘leave-your-brains-behind’ sort of cinema. So does it manage to raise laughs or fails in its endeavour, lets analyse.

JUDWAA 2 deals with the fun adventures of twin brothers separated at birth. Rajiv Malhotra (Sachin Khedekar) meets the evil Charles (Zakir Hussain) in the flight and helps the authorities in getting him arrested. At the same time, Rajiv’s wife Ankita (Prachee Shah Paandya) gives birth to twins. Charles gets arrested in the hospital where Ankita had her delivery and he runs away with one of the twins. Rajiv and Ankita presume that child to be dead due to certain circumstances and they move to London with their other son. This son, Prem (Varun Dhawan), grows up as a shy and docile person who can be easily bullied. His brother Raja (Varun Dhawan) grows up in Mumbai’s Versova and is the opposite of Prem – he is outgoing, brash and bullying him is next to impossible. However, Raja falls in trouble when he fights with Alex (Vivan Bhatena) and injures him badly. Alex is incidentally the son of Charles and is also quite villainous. Raja and his sidekick Nandu (Rajpal Yadav) escape to London as a result. In the flight, he meets Alishka (Jacqueline Fernandez) and both fall for each other. Prem on the other hand starts dating Samaira (Taapsee Pannu) who learns music from him. But strange things start happening to both Prem and Raja as soon as the latter lands in London. The twins suffer from a peculiar problem – if one feels pain, the other shall also experience the same feeling and both even replicate each other’s actions, depending on distance. Both go through a series of hilarious incidents as a result. What happens next and how the madness unfolds is what the rest of the film is all about.

JUDWAA 2 is a reboot of the original JUDWAA and those who have seen the original would know what to expect. However, the makers have tweaked certain portions and moreover, setting up the story in London has given the film a fresh and grand touch. The initial portions involving the twins getting separated and how Raja gets saved from the oncoming train is well executed. The entry of Raja is whistle worthy and his antics add to the fun. The entry of Samaira and Alishka also take the film to a new level. However, the film gets a bit sexist and some of the scenes like the butt slapping sequences and Prem forcefully kissing Samaira might be seen as crass by a certain section of audiences. Also, Prem even smooching his to be mother in law (Upasna Singh) comes across as a funny sequence but again, it will evoked mixed and even extreme reactions. On the positive side – the film has some hilarious scenes as well that bring the house down. The sequence with Pappu Passport (Johnny Lever), Raja creating a scene at the London airport, Prem’s various meetings with Dr Lulla (Ali Asgar), the bathtub sequence etc., are very funny. Raja using his modus operandi of narrating a sad story followed by his phone ringing is devoid of logic but makes for a fun watch despite getting repetitive. But there are also few scenes that don’t work. Post-interval, it becomes tedious to see Prem and Raja being held up as a result of mistaken identity. But thankfully, the climax is where the film picks up.

The film’s story is a no-brainer but works for the intended audience. Yunus Sajawal’s screenplay is effective and entertaining. But it could have been better and a lot more imaginative in certain places, especially in the second half. Farhad-Sajid’s dialogues are one of the highpoints. The duo is known for playing with words very well and has taken several films to great heights. JUDWAA 2 is no exception.

David Dhawan’s direction is simple and uncomplicated despite handling a plot related to mistaken identities. However, at some places, he lets the somewhat flawed script take over and doesn’t do much with his direction to salvage the situation. Also, the original JUDWAA was much better and at places, even slightly more logical. But JUDWAA 2 is an all-out illogical fare and at places, it falters. Moreover, there are too many characters and it’s bewildering to see the way he has handled the characters of Charles and Inspector Dhillon (Pavan Raj Malhotra) towards the end.

Varun Dhawan as expected delivers a terrific performance. The actor is in top form and the manner in which he ups the entertainment quotient with his quirks and dance moves is seen to be believed. He reminds one of Salman Khan and Govinda of the 90s and the frenzy they created. In today’s times, Varun Dhawan is the only actor who’s doing such roles on screen and that’s a very big plus for him and for the film as well. Jacqueline Fernandez looks extremely gorgeous and performance-wise, she is fine. Taapsee Pannu however looks a bit out of place. She is not that glamorous and moreover, she seems to be in the PINK mode, talking like her character from that film. Vivan Bhatena looks dashing and does well in a supporting role. Sachin Khedekar and Prachee Shah Paandya are decent. Rajpal Yadav is hilarious and brings the house down in certain scenes. Upasna Singh goes overboard. Ali Asgar also is a bit over the top but it works for his character. Pavan Raj Malhotra has an interesting character but is not utilized well after a point. Anupam Kher is first-rate but Atul Parchure is strictly okay. Manoj Pahwa (Sharafat Ali) fails to raise laughs but Johny Lever is very funny. Rajat Rawail and Farhad (jewellery shop salesman) are okay while Vikas Verma (Rocky) gets no scope. Salman Khan is cool in his cameo. Though the writer should have tried being a little more imaginative for his cameo scene.

The music of the film is good but not great. The songs from original JUDWAA are the ones that work well – ‘Chalti Hai Kya’ and ‘Oonchi Hai Building’. From the new songs, ‘Suno Ganpati Bappa Morya’ works to an extent while ‘Aa To Sahii’ is forgettable. Sandeep Shirodkar’s background score however is very entertaining. The cunning tune used in the scenes of Charles will keep circling in one’s mind for some time for sure.

Ganesh Acharya and Bosco Martis’s choreography is eye-catching and one of the highlights of the film. Ayananka Bose’s cinematography is satisfactory. ANL Arasu’s action is massy and not too gory which works for this kind of a film. Ritesh Soni’s editing is simple and Rajat Poddar’s production design is very grand and rich and gives the film a great look. The costumes are also quite lovely, especially the ones worn by Jacqueline Fernandez and Taapsee Pannu.

On the whole, JUDWAA 2, despite all the goofs, flaws and clichés, comes across as a decent paisa-vasool entertainer. At the box office, it has the potential to keep the cinegoers happy as it is quite massy and audiences have been deprived of quality content since a long time.

[ad_2]

Source link

Secret Superstar Review - Bollywood Hungama

[ad_1]

It’s 2017, yet it’s not uncommon to see that many don’t have the liberty to pursue the dream of their choice. SECRET SUPERSTAR, helmed by first-time director Advait Chandan, tells one such extra-ordinary story and emphasizes that exceptional talent can’t be hidden or suppressed – it’s bound to come to the fore some day.

An Aamir Khan production is special. Recall the films the reputed production house has produced over the years. The expectations from SECRET SUPERSTAR are obviously sky-high. Does it live up to those expectations? Does Advait deliver as a storyteller? Let’s get to the point right away: SECRET SUPERSTAR is one of the finest films of the year, no two opinions about it.

SECRET SUPERSTAR narrates the story of an aspiring singer who faces roadblocks in fulfilling her dream. Insia [Zaira Wasim] is a school-going girl based in Vadodara. She has a lovely voice and dreams of being a top singer. Her mother Najma [Meher Vij] supports Insia’s dream, but her father Farookh [Raj Arjun] is thoroughly against the idea due to his conservative mindset. He tries everything – from force to destroying Insia’s guitar – to stop her from fulfilling her dreams. She, however, remains adamant.

Insia takes to the internet and posts videos of her singing. Wearing a burkha, she makes sure only her eyes are visible in order to keep her identity concealed. She’s taken by surprise when her videos go viral. Enter Shakti Kumar [Aamir Khan], a brash, lecherous but successful music composer. Insia gets a chance to meet Shakti. What happens next forms the rest of the story.

To start with, SECRET SUPERSTAR hits the right notes. The goings-on make you laugh and also leave you moist-eyed in certain scenes. In fact, you go through varied emotions in those 2.30 hours. In today’s times, when there’s a demand from certain sections of audiences to have fast-paced films with a runtime of less than 2 hours or 2 hours, SECRET SUPERSTAR neither moves too swiftly nor drags – the pace is just perfect.

The characters are neatly introduced and the storyteller remains faithful to the material. Certain moments stay with you even after the culmination of the movie: The presence of the father shakes you up and one can feel the tension… The penultimate 20-25 minutes are outstanding and give you goosebumps… Also, one of the high-points of the movie is the focus on the mother-daughter relationship… The friendship bond between Zaira and Tirth, her school friend, is very cute.

Advait handles the subject with utmost sensitivity. Not only does the film mirror the conservative attitude that exists in our society, but also makes a comment on women empowerment. The screenplay is uncomplicated, while the dialogue are simple and conversational.

Any glitches? Not really, except that the middle of the second hour could’ve been tighter. That’s it!

Zaira wins you over with a heartfelt act. She’s in splendid form in SECRET SUPERSTAR. It is surely a worthy follow up to her sparkling act in DANGAL. Her emotional outburst before the climax of the movie or the speech towards the final moments prove that she’s a powerhouse of talent. Aamir is the catalyst in Zaira’s journey and he enacts the of over the top, loud and brash character flawlessly. He lets Zaira shine as he relegates himself to the background. Yet, it must be mentioned, only he could’ve essayed the character with such aplomb.

Meher is terrific and her performance is one of the key reasons why the character stands out. Raj Arjun is tremendous. Tirth has an important character and he is utmost natural. Farrukh Jaffer [Badi Appa] is superb in a significant role. Kabir Sajid [as Insia’s brother Guddu] is adorable.

The soundtrack [Amit Trivedi] is soothing and gels wonderfully with the genre of the film. ‘Main Kaun Hoon’ is the best of the lot, while ‘Meri Pyaari Ammi’ is lovely. Cinematography [Anil Mehta] is first-rate.

On the whole, SECRET SUPERSTAR is a complete package: refreshing plot, water-tight screenplay, exceptional performances and soulful soundtrack. Strongly recommended!

[ad_2]

Source link

Golmaal Again Review - Bollywood Hungama

[ad_1]

While there have been a lot of comedy films in Bollywood, horror comedy as a genre is rarely explored in Bollywood. BHOOL BHULAIYAA was one such rare attempt and it was loved big time. In recent times, GREAT GRAND MASTI also dealt with horror but it was more of a sex comedy than exactly a horror comedy. TUTAK TUTAK TUTIYA on the other hand never found awareness due to bad marketing campaign and as expected, sank without a trace. Now makers of GOLMAAL AGAIN take up the challenge of giving the audience a combo of laughs and terror. So does it give the audience a great time? Or does it fail to impress? Let’s analyse

GOLMAAL AGAIN is the story of five friends who encounter strange occurrences when they visit their orphanage. Gopal (Ajay Devgn), Madhav (Arshad Warsi), Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor), Laxman Prasad Apte (Shreyas Talpade) and Laxman Sharma (Kunal Kemmu) are orphans who grew up in an orphanage owned by Jamnadas (Uday Tikekar). As kids, they were close to each other but then they became rivals. Gopal and Laxman Prasad Apte separated while Madhav, Lucky and Laxman Sharma went their own way. When they all grew up, they start working with land sharks and their job revolved around getting the plots vacated. This also created further friction among them. But when they learn that Jamnadas has passed away, they decide to iron out their differences and go together to the orphanage to pay their respects. They stay at Colonel Chouhan’s (Sachin Khedekar) bungalow located right next to Jamnadas Orphanage, where their childhood friend Anna (Tabu) is also residing. Anna has a special power – she can communicate with the dead. At the Colonel’s bungalow, Gopal gets attracted to the caretaker Damini (Parineeti Chopra). Meanwhile, Vasu Reddy (Prakash Raj), a builder and a close friend of Jamnadas announces that Jamnadas gave away the land to him where the orphanage is situated. He also says that he has decided to shift the kids at Bengaluru where he’ll provide them with better facilities. Gopal is ghost-fearing person and he starts to see the spirit of Jamnadas’s dead daughter (Ashwini Kalsekar). However, the truth is something else and when the five friends find out, it shocks them like never before. What is that truth and what happens next forms the rest of the film.

GOLMAAL AGAIN is drastically different from the previous GOLMAAL films, not just because of the horror element. There’s a lot more drama and emotional moments than what one would expect. However, it works more or less although few sequences lack punch, especially in the second hour. The first half is 1.30 hours long and neatly incorporates comedy, madness and also the horror bit. One of the highpoints of the film is how Gopal, Laxman and Lucky get possessed and start speaking like Nana Patekar. It’s sure to bring the house down! Also hilarious is the sequence where the five friends fight over samosa. But the best is reserved for the intermission point – the film reaches on a high in this sequence! The second half however gets a bit serious although Pandu’s (Vrajesh Hirjee) sequence provides laughs. The climax is well helmed but audiences might have reservations since they must have ventured into the theatre expecting an out and out comic caper.

Rohit Shetty‘s story is interesting and a bit complicated thanks to so many characters. But it’s put together well. Yunus Sajawal’s screenplay does justice to this complex storyline. The horror is such that it won’t scare the hell out of viewers. At the same time, it’s not even amateur. A nice balance is maintained and that’s definitely praiseworthy. Few sequences however are taken from the previous GOLMAAL films, especially GOLMAAL 3. A section of audience however might not like that as the jokes get repetitive. Farhad-Sajid’s dialogues are hilarious and provide laughter. But shockingly, at a few places, they fall flat. This is especially in the beginning portions of Babli (Sanjay Mishra). Rohit Shetty’s direction is interesting and it’s good to see him trying to attempt something different. Notice the flashback sequence in the second half when a prominent character is killed and it’s depicted in black and white. Also, the sequence where Lucky, Madhav and the two Laxmans are reading the diary while Gopal is out there fighting the baddies. These sequences are executed very well and it shows that Rohit has evolved.

Ajay Devgn delivers a fine performance and it works, although it’s not something that he has not done before. He’s quite good in the dramatic portions in the second half. Parineeti Chopra has a crucial character and from the first sequence itself, there’s an element of mystery surrounding her character that adds to the fun. She looks beautiful and does a good job. Arshad Warsi is quite nice in his wicked avatar. Tusshar Kapoor impresses a lot with his mute act and also, as said above, he takes the cake in the scene where he gets possessed. Shreyas Talpade leaves a mark thanks to his lisp which contributes to laughter at several places. Kunal Kemmu gets a bit lost in the crowd but nevertheless, gets a chance to show his worth. Tabu is restrained and underplays her part very well. Neil Nitin Mukesh is too good in the negative part. It suits him well. Prakash Raj plays the baddie nicely but his comic timing is brilliant. The sequence where he dances like a madman will be loved for sure. Johny Lever too gives a performance that would provide entertainment. His speech during Jamnadas’s ‘tervi’ is hilarious. Sanjay Mishra is funny but only at places. Vrajesh Hirjee repeats his act and is fair. Mukesh Tiwari, Ashwini Kalsekar, Murli Sharma, Sachin Khedekar, Uday Tikekar and Vijay Patkar are good in their cameo appearances.

The music of the film is strictly average. The Title Track is exciting and same goes for ‘Maine Tujhko Dekha’. ‘Hum Nahi Sudhrenge’ is decent while ‘Itna Sannata Kyun Hai’ is played during end credits. Amar Mohile’s background score is exhilarating especially in the post-interval scenes. Bunty Nagi’s editing is nothing special. Jomon T John’s cinematography is satisfactory. Sunil Rodrigues’s action and Rohit Shetty’s action design is appealing although it’s not novel. One has seen it before in Rohit’s own films. Also, the trademark cars toppling and explosion sequences are missing. Swapnil Bhalerao, Tajamul Shaikh and Madhur Madhavan’s production design is very nicely done and noticeable. N Y VFXwaala’s visual effects are rich.

On the whole GOLMAAL AGAIN is an ideal fun ride which delivers ample entertainment quotient without any logic. An out-and-out entertainer, it’s sure to light up the celebratory festive mood. At the box office, the movie has all it takes to emerge as a sure-fire hit although the real test of the film will begin post Monday.

[ad_2]

Source link

Jia Aur Jia Review - Bollywood Hungama

[ad_1]

Road trip has been a favourite genre for filmmakers across the Bollywood and our Bollywood makers are no exception. But in our films, it’s usually the guys (ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA, DIL CHAHTA HAI) that are travelling or a group (PIKU, YEH JAWAANI HAI DEEWANI, DIL DHADAKNE DO), or in some cases only the hero and the heroine (JAB WE MET, TAMASHA) that are going around and making merry. We have never a female road trip film, though QUEEN was a story of a girl but it can’t really come under the road trip genre. Howard Rosemeyer attempts to make the first female road trip film of Bollywood. So does it entertain and motivate viewers to pack their bags and go on a holiday or does it highly disappoint? Let’s analyse.

JIA AUR JIA is the story of two girls with the same name but contrasting personalities. Jia Venkatraman (Richa Chadha) is a banker who’s demure, serious and running from a troubled past. Jia Garewal (Kalki Koechlin) on the other hand is carefree and free-spirited. They sign up for a trip to Sweden and get each other as tour partners. Jia Venkatraman ran a successful company but she was ousted from there thanks to the devious plans of Arvind Jaisingh (Sudhanshu Pandey) with whom she was romantically involved. Jia Venkatraman turns suicidal and her purpose of the Sweden trip is to end her life. Unknown to Jia Venkatraman, Jia Garewal might seem happy go lucky but even she is hiding a painful truth. What is that truth and how it changes the life of Jia Venkatraman forms the rest of the film.

JIA AUR JIA’s introductory sequence is interesting. But the film falls immediately after that. The airplane sequence where Jia Garewal manages to secure a business class seat is supposed to be funny but fails to raise laughs. And this issue continues right till the end – except a dialogue or two, nothing is hilarious. The writing is terrible with too many unconvincing sequences. It’s bewildering how Vasu (Arsalan Goni) agrees to marry Jia Garewal despite knowing the truth. Not even once does audience feel it’s believable as the character is just not developed properly. One expects the finale at least to be sensible. But alas, the climax is maddening and senseless.

Mudassar Aziz’s story is poor and unexciting. It’s shocking that JIA AUR JIA is written by the same person who wrote and directed HAPPY BHAG JAYEGI. Farahjaan Sheikh’s screenplay is very weak and difficult to digest. Mudassar Aziz’s dialogues are average and sadly most of them are not used well in the film. Howard Rosemeyer’s direction is amateur and he fails in all departments. He is not able to keep the editing in check – scenes and background score start and end haphazardly. Even the sound and dubbing is not uniform and this is something that even a layman will realise.

Kalki Koechlin is the only one who seems interested in giving a credible performance. She does look fake as a person who is fully filmy but as compared to other actors in the film, she is the best. Richa Chadha is a fine actress but doesn’t seem to be in form. She looks disinterested and her constant sobbing doesn’t work for her character much. Arslan Goni’s performance suffers due to weak characterization. Sudhanshu Pandey and Zarina Wahab (Jia Garewal’s mother) get no scope.

Music is situational and might have worked if the film had some salt. ‘Nach Basanti’ is the best of the lot. ‘Na Shukre’ and ‘Na Jaa’ doesn’t work as both are relegated to the background and that too during some really bad sequences. Sameer Nichani’s background music is decent. Shakil Khan’s cinematography is very bad and the extreme close ups of actors is an eye sore. The film’s aim is also to attract tourists to Sweden. But even in that regard, the film fails due to bad cinematography. Even the stock footage is of inferior quality. Prashant S Rathore and Sandeep Kurup’s editing is juvenile. Shahid Aamir and Manali Jagtap’s costumes are however appealing.

On the whole, JIA AUR JIA is a poor show all the way laced with a very bad script and poor direction.  At the box office, it will be a failure.

[ad_2]

Source link

Thor: Ragnarok (English) Review - Bollywood Hungama

[ad_1]

Back in 2011, we saw the release of the film THOR featuring Chris Hemsworth as the God of Thunder, later in 2013 we saw him return in THE DARK WORLD and save the earth with assistance from his brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). Since then we have seen the God of Thunder return as a part of the Avengers series where he fought alongside earth’s mightiest warriors to defend the planet again from Ultron. Well, now we see him return to the big screen with the film THOR: RAGNAROK. But will the film which is the third in the series work as a ‘Marvel’ at the box office or will it like some of the other sequels fail to match up to the previous films. Let’s analyse.

First off, THOR: RAGNAROK starts off with the God of Thunder imprisoned on the other side of the universe. Here he finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett). From here on the film follows Thor’s journey as he battles Hela with the assistance of his brother Loki and others. But will the Asgardian succeed in defeating the all-powerful Hela or will his world fall, is what makes up the rest of the film.

The film starts off with a monologue by Thor who is being held captive on an alien planet in chains. From here, the film introduces Surtur voiced by Clancy Brown who explains that he is the reckoning of Asgard. After learning this, Thor who has of late been plagued with visions of his home world being destroyed promptly goes ahead and vanquishes his foe. One done, Thor heads back to Asgard only to learn that Odin (Anthony Hopkins) isn’t really who he seems to be. Post learning this, he then sets out on a mission to find his father and restore Asgard back to its glory. Thor accompanied by Loki finds Odin only to be told that his time has come, and along with that Hela the goddess of death will be released from her prison. Hela, who was once Odin’s right hand grew too powerful and her thirst to acquire the throne of Asgard lead her to be imprisoned.

After Odin’s death, Thor and Loki come face to face with Hela, who proves to be too strong for them. In an attempt to flee back to Asgard via the bifrost, the two inadvertently offer Hela a ride back as well. While on the way back to Asgard, within the bifrost beam, a second skirmish breaks out which tosses Loki and Thor into the abyss. Fortunately, both of them land separately on the plant Sakaar. Here, Thor who lands much after Loki finds himself being held prisoner yet again, this time without the assistance of his hammer Molinor that was destroyed in the first fight with Hela. Sakaar, which is ruled by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), is a planet of the rejects who live to witness the gladiatorial fights that are a regular feature. Thor who has shown potential as a warrior is pitted against the Grandmaster’s champion who happens to be the Hulk. Thrilled at seeing a familiar face, Thor tries his best to get the mindless brute to assist him in returning back to Asgard to defeat Hela. In the meantime back on Asgard, Hela reigns supreme as she lays waste to the entire Asgardian army while resurrecting her own army of the dead. What follows is a grand battle between Thor and Hela with Asgard as the prize.

Chris Hemsworth, who has reprised the role of Thor in the previous films as well, does a good job with the character. However, given the fact that unlike the previous films in the Thor series, RAGNAROK features a lot more colour combined with a fun comic elements that keep the proceedings peppy and fast. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is good in his part as the god of mischief; however it is Cate Blanchett as Hela who steals the show. Very rarely do you see a character developed with such power and menace that just the visual of her can make your hair stand. The last time a character like this was seen on screen, it was in The Dark Knight with Heath Ledger essaying the role of the Joker. Due credit goes to the writers of the film who have done a marvelous job of interweaving a back story for Hela into the film’s proceedings without diverging from the current track.

Another point to mention here is the background score that keeps up the tempo to match the on-screen visuals and the constant exchange of witty lines that makes the film a fun watch.

Coupled with the performances, the VFX team have done an equally brilliant job of bringing a fantasy world to life. From costumes to the massive explosions and the larger than life action sequences, the team has done a stellar and seamless job of merging live action with CGI.

On the whole, THOR: RAGNAROK that features witty one liners, sarcastic humour and plenty of action makes for a fun watch. Well timed comic sequences and well-choreographed action sequences aplenty make the film a perfect masala entertainer. At the Indian box office, THOR: RAGNAROK stands a good chance of posting impressive numbers given that it’s releasing on a big scale and in multiple languages.

[ad_2]

Source link