Set in a dystopian landscape, where the capital city resembles a modern fortress replete with ultra chic people and modern amenities, and the country people who have been subdued and divided into twelve areas called Districts, are poor and eking out a survival, the premise of the film is spelt upfront. The story is essentially based on the haves and have-nots, and tries to create an Orwellian era with no geography or history clearly spelt out.
Typically Hollywood in detailing, execution and scale of sets, the film fails on some essential counts such as story and relevance.
'Reaping' is an annual event that reminds the people of these 12 districts the struggles that it took to ‘free’ them and also reminds them of the pains of insurrection that took place before the 'peace'. The Hunger wars are held every year where in a girl and a boy from each of the districts are selected and the twenty four of them engage in a survival challenge in which only one survivor would emerge from. They are subjected to tough terrain, survival skills and situations that eventually boil down to them killing each other to be the sole survivor.
But for the shocking premise which the film bases itself on, along with its satire on Capitalism that commercialises this solemn event to a high tech reality TV show , this should have been an introspective satire with allusions to current times rather than a game show it ends up becoming. The shock value gets lost somewhere in the first half and you stop feeling for the protagonists thereafter.
I was reminded of 'Apocalypto' and 'The Condemned' while watching this one but not for long. The shock paled in comparison with Apocalypto while 'The Condemned' although, a flimsy one, quite stole the thunder from this one by being the original reality TV based film. So while novelty wasn't this film's USP, The satire could have been.
3 STARS.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Review of Agneepath 2012
I was movie starved since the New Year as there were almost no releases in the last three weeks. ‘Agneepath’ came as a welcome relief to spend this holiday. The long queue for the multiple shows at the Multiplex was an encouraging sight as the day began and I managed a nice seat for the 10 Am show. So far show good.
As the opening credits rolled, a mention is made as to how this is a humble contemporary take on the original Amitabh starrer. The quaint village scene set in 1977 in a small place called Marwah is done nicely with a poetic recitation in chaste Hindi. Predictability is the biggest bane of Hindi cinema in general and remakes accentuate that bane. The Hero’s father seems poised for a painful death right from the beginning to sow the seed of revenge which would make the storyline of the film. But when he eventually does die, there’s very less pain you feel for him thanks to lack of character building and apt direction. I would have felt more pain had somebody scratched my new car or for that matter the Hero’s new car.
The pace of the story remains languid despite the 15 year jump it makes to the early 90s Mumbai. Care is taken to avoid later day inventions such as Cell phone, Big cars and new age bikes throughout the film. The film scores in patches with some nice detailing but it all gets too muddled up and tedious. The film is fraught with emotionally ambivalent moments that make you cringe with confusion. Slick editing might have made that passable but the slumbering pace and pointless songs make a coffee necessary midway in the first half.
The second half had me in utter conflict as I fought my instinct to leave the movie midway because of the protracted drama with loud background score that was getting to me. While the film kept progressing episodically, the peppy Item number notwithstanding, it seemed lost cause and I left the theatre after 130 tiring minutes and the third part of plot remained to be revealed.
I knew that I might do injustice in my review if I left midway. But that was the risk I was willing to take as falling asleep would have been worse. So for a film that alters the geography of India by creating a new island, tires you out with confusing emotions and bases a 3 hr long film on premise of a revenge of a lifetime, I give you 2.5 STARS to try it at your own risk.
As the opening credits rolled, a mention is made as to how this is a humble contemporary take on the original Amitabh starrer. The quaint village scene set in 1977 in a small place called Marwah is done nicely with a poetic recitation in chaste Hindi. Predictability is the biggest bane of Hindi cinema in general and remakes accentuate that bane. The Hero’s father seems poised for a painful death right from the beginning to sow the seed of revenge which would make the storyline of the film. But when he eventually does die, there’s very less pain you feel for him thanks to lack of character building and apt direction. I would have felt more pain had somebody scratched my new car or for that matter the Hero’s new car.
The pace of the story remains languid despite the 15 year jump it makes to the early 90s Mumbai. Care is taken to avoid later day inventions such as Cell phone, Big cars and new age bikes throughout the film. The film scores in patches with some nice detailing but it all gets too muddled up and tedious. The film is fraught with emotionally ambivalent moments that make you cringe with confusion. Slick editing might have made that passable but the slumbering pace and pointless songs make a coffee necessary midway in the first half.
The second half had me in utter conflict as I fought my instinct to leave the movie midway because of the protracted drama with loud background score that was getting to me. While the film kept progressing episodically, the peppy Item number notwithstanding, it seemed lost cause and I left the theatre after 130 tiring minutes and the third part of plot remained to be revealed.
I knew that I might do injustice in my review if I left midway. But that was the risk I was willing to take as falling asleep would have been worse. So for a film that alters the geography of India by creating a new island, tires you out with confusing emotions and bases a 3 hr long film on premise of a revenge of a lifetime, I give you 2.5 STARS to try it at your own risk.
Review of Agneepath 2012
I was movie starved since the New Year as there were almost no releases in the last three weeks. ‘Agneepath’ came as a welcome relief to spend this holiday. The long queue for the multiple shows at the Multiplex was an encouraging sight as the day began and I managed a nice seat for the 10 Am show. So far show good.
As the opening credits rolled, a mention is made as to how this is a humble contemporary take on the original Amitabh starrer. The quaint village scene set in 1977 in a small place called Marwah is done nicely with a poetic recitation in chaste Hindi. Predictability is the biggest bane of Hindi cinema in general and remakes accentuate that bane. The Hero’s father seems poised for a painful death right from the beginning to sow the seed of revenge which would make the storyline of the film. But when he eventually does die, there’s very less pain you feel for him thanks to lack of character building and apt direction. I would have felt more pain had somebody scratched my new car or for that matter the Hero’s new car.
The pace of the story remains languid despite the 15 year jump it makes to the early 90s Mumbai. Care is taken to avoid later day inventions such as Cell phone, Big cars and new age bikes throughout the film. The film scores in patches with some nice detailing but it all gets too muddled up and tedious. The film is fraught with emotionally ambivalent moments that make you cringe with confusion. Slick editing might have made that passable but the slumbering pace and pointless songs make a coffee necessary midway in the first half.
The second half had me in utter conflict as I fought my instinct to leave the movie midway because of the protracted drama with loud background score that was getting to me. While the film kept progressing episodically, the peppy Item number notwithstanding, it seemed lost cause and I left the theatre after 130 tiring minutes and the third part of plot remained to be revealed.
I knew that I might do injustice in my review if I left midway. But that was the risk I was willing to take as falling asleep would have been worse. So for a film that alters the geography of India by creating a new island, tires you out with confusing emotions and bases a 3 hr long film on premise of a revenge of a lifetime, I give you 2.5 STARS to try it at your own risk.
As the opening credits rolled, a mention is made as to how this is a humble contemporary take on the original Amitabh starrer. The quaint village scene set in 1977 in a small place called Marwah is done nicely with a poetic recitation in chaste Hindi. Predictability is the biggest bane of Hindi cinema in general and remakes accentuate that bane. The Hero’s father seems poised for a painful death right from the beginning to sow the seed of revenge which would make the storyline of the film. But when he eventually does die, there’s very less pain you feel for him thanks to lack of character building and apt direction. I would have felt more pain had somebody scratched my new car or for that matter the Hero’s new car.
The pace of the story remains languid despite the 15 year jump it makes to the early 90s Mumbai. Care is taken to avoid later day inventions such as Cell phone, Big cars and new age bikes throughout the film. The film scores in patches with some nice detailing but it all gets too muddled up and tedious. The film is fraught with emotionally ambivalent moments that make you cringe with confusion. Slick editing might have made that passable but the slumbering pace and pointless songs make a coffee necessary midway in the first half.
The second half had me in utter conflict as I fought my instinct to leave the movie midway because of the protracted drama with loud background score that was getting to me. While the film kept progressing episodically, the peppy Item number notwithstanding, it seemed lost cause and I left the theatre after 130 tiring minutes and the third part of plot remained to be revealed.
I knew that I might do injustice in my review if I left midway. But that was the risk I was willing to take as falling asleep would have been worse. So for a film that alters the geography of India by creating a new island, tires you out with confusing emotions and bases a 3 hr long film on premise of a revenge of a lifetime, I give you 2.5 STARS to try it at your own risk.
100bestbuy.com - A fake website
I usually do not respond to the pop ups on Facebook. But the catchy caption that offered a Blackberry for Rs 99/- caught my eye and I decided to try it and so clicked this link.
It lead me to 100bestbuy.com, a site i had never heard of. While I am familiar with these shopping sites, this one had made no appearance to me thus far. I read the Ad which said that all I had to participate in a draw of lot was deposit Rs 99 with this website and if I were lucky I could win a Blackberry.
Tempting but I am no fool to believe that I had a chance of winning. But the tag line - Money will be returned if you don't win- bought me in. They also mentioned that the draw was in 1st week of March post which, the money would be reimbursed into my account.
The website was super quick to take the money from my account (unlike Yatra.com and Makemytrip.com which make you go through a host of cross checks) and Rs 99 was deducted from my Axis bank account.
I checked my mail account and saw that there was no mail to this effect informing me of my participation in the contest. So i decided to give them the benefit of doubt and hoped that the results once announced in the 1st week of March would be mailed to me. Surprise-surprise, as nothing of this sort happened and I wasn't mailed any results nor the money was returned to my account.
I called the helpline, worried at the Rs 99 that the website page showed as my credits with them. The taped voice on the helpline informed me that, the money was deposited with the site and could be redeemed by buying products from them. I felt cheated and betrayed.
I logged on to check if there was anything that I could buy without risking any more of my money with them but alas, they had me firmly fixed as these guys even charge Rs 110 for any product you order unlike better shopping sites like Myntra.com.
My advice, shun 100bestbuy.com as these are a bunch of fraudsters who have made money by cheating just like the ruffians in Delhi railway station do. They are no better, only they use the internet to do it.
It lead me to 100bestbuy.com, a site i had never heard of. While I am familiar with these shopping sites, this one had made no appearance to me thus far. I read the Ad which said that all I had to participate in a draw of lot was deposit Rs 99 with this website and if I were lucky I could win a Blackberry.
Tempting but I am no fool to believe that I had a chance of winning. But the tag line - Money will be returned if you don't win- bought me in. They also mentioned that the draw was in 1st week of March post which, the money would be reimbursed into my account.
The website was super quick to take the money from my account (unlike Yatra.com and Makemytrip.com which make you go through a host of cross checks) and Rs 99 was deducted from my Axis bank account.
I checked my mail account and saw that there was no mail to this effect informing me of my participation in the contest. So i decided to give them the benefit of doubt and hoped that the results once announced in the 1st week of March would be mailed to me. Surprise-surprise, as nothing of this sort happened and I wasn't mailed any results nor the money was returned to my account.
I called the helpline, worried at the Rs 99 that the website page showed as my credits with them. The taped voice on the helpline informed me that, the money was deposited with the site and could be redeemed by buying products from them. I felt cheated and betrayed.
I logged on to check if there was anything that I could buy without risking any more of my money with them but alas, they had me firmly fixed as these guys even charge Rs 110 for any product you order unlike better shopping sites like Myntra.com.
My advice, shun 100bestbuy.com as these are a bunch of fraudsters who have made money by cheating just like the ruffians in Delhi railway station do. They are no better, only they use the internet to do it.
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