RRR

While Jákl went looking for success in the Bohemian Basin with a reimagined Jan Žižka (which he probably would make today in a completely different way than as a copy of Braveheart), Indian hitmaker S.S. Rajamouli showed how to update national heroes for the masses of the new millennium. Following the example of comic-book crossovers, he transformed two historical figures into fictional muscular characters in a hyper-bombastic bromance, where heavyweight soap-opera melodrama is interspersed with spectacular action scenes executed with unbridled creativity and goofy ambition unbound from the confines of dull realism. (28.12.2022)

I typically approach Indian films with skepticism, mainly because I'm not a big fan of musicals (with a few exceptions), and these films often pack in unavoidable song and dance numbers. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. In this particular case, it felt like the director and screenwriter were in perfect sync, to the point where it seemed they might as well have been the same person. This became especially evident when the script started losing its grip on coherence, and no one from the director's team stepped in to intervene. The film felt like a mishmash of Terminator, Predator, and Rambo taking on the Empire — all rolled into one. I won't deny that I was entertained at times. There were certainly hilarious moments, but as the film progressed, the abundance of heroic poses, slow-motion shots, and endless ammunition (particularly arrows) became a bit too much. Not to mention, there were certain scenes that brought tears to my eyes — tears of laughter, that is. As the conclusion approached, it became clear that the creators were leaning into parody, with some moments reminiscent of the humor found in Hot Shots! Part Deux (though I mean no disrespect to that excellent comedy by drawing the comparison). / Lesson learned: A movie being three hours long doesn't automatically make it great. 2*- (20.11.2023)