'City of God' released in Mumbai and I got two friends to accompany me to watch it at the nearest multiplex. None of us had heard of the film. The three of us loved it. Some guys were planning on get the best of world cinema to the big screens in Mumbai. '13 Tzameti' was the next to release and we had not heard of it either. We failed to watch it before it was out. I will be writing this review as I watch it. Oh yes! I am watching this film with high expectations.
- Minutes 0-2: A typical start to a thriller. Dialoge is the usual in a thriller where the characters refer to something big without revealing what it actually is. A guy limping, counting of money and music that builds the atmosphere of a thriller all cliches used in thrillers.
- Minutes 3-30: Interesting technique has been employed to put an innocent dude into the underworld (I'm guessing it is the underworld at this stage). For an eighty-nine minutes film half hour has gone by and nothing serious has happened.
- Minutes 31-45: Exactly on the the thirty-second minute I noticed that everyone around the protagonist was considerably older than the protagonist himself. I remembered the old man, now dead, remarking about his age. At this stage that dialoge started to make sense to me. I realized the 'kid' would now be asked to do something guys of his age don't generally indulge in, something that would require a bravery (or bravado). At the point where people can't believe who is amidst them to play this ''game'' a remarks "Good......brave". The last word confirmed my suspicion. I kept asking myself what this game would be. I was expecting a card-game but when the movie revealed what it'd be I was surprised. Full marks to the idea. The movie so far has not been bad but there is exactly half the film to go. Where will the story go now? Oh, almost forgot to mention that I still don't understand the rules of this 'game' the kid is forced to play. Finally, the casting of the protagonist is perfect. The guy looks young and innocent.
- Minutes 46-60: Round two came on and I understood the rules of this game. The movie slipped a bit after one of the rounds until 'the duel' was announced. It was very predictable who the guys in the duel would be. There is no reason for one of the guys to hate the kid. Why this angle in the film? I was expecting this film to dwell on the psychology of the kid but nothing of that sort. One of the players, expectedly, gets psyched up and dies in the next round. However, it definitely keeps me interested. The last half-hour to go.
- Last Bit: Well, the final word is that this is a good film. Not an extraordinary film. But having watch the movie I can say the makers were not trying to make an extraordinary film. After the kid wins the duel there is little that is not logical. He makes all the right moves but let's face it, he just had to die. That's just how the mob works.
CONCLUSION: I like the film. Not great, won't remember it forever. It's built around one idea and once the game is over there is little left in the movie. It does not come out as a thriller neither does it come out as drama. It falls somewhere in between and that does not work in this film. The first and last part try to deliver some emotions, not so well though, but the middle part succesfully delivers some tense moments.
RATING: 3/5
1 comment:
how da hell do u get time to watch and read all that man????
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