The Chronicles of Narnia : The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (3D)

Medium : English
Starring : Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Will Poulter, Ben Barnes
Director : Michael Apted

The 'Harry Potter' fever is still there in the theaters, now another sequel targeting children and youths has been arrived. The third movie of the 'Narnia' series came with a lengthy title, 'The Chronicles of Narnia : The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'. As I told you earlier, about the permanent 3D screen at the capital city, hence the 3D version has got released here. Like the previous, the theme of this movie is adapted from the fantasy novel. Michael Apted, the director of James Bond movie 'The World Is Not Enough', had directed the movie. It is distributed by 20th Century Fox.

The story takes its route when the three friends watching the animated painting of the sea waves hanging on the wall. They were forced to reach the deep sea through that picture. The ship carrying the King and the soldiers saves them and they continued their journey to different locations. On the way they had faced many hurdles. Before reaching the destination, they reached a volcanic mountain, then to a river that turns anything touches it to gold, then a cave where powerful swords were shown, later a dragon has joined them, the green color mist has surrounded them for few minutes and nearing the destination they have to face a monster who has attacked the team severely.

The visual effects sequences in the movie are done well. The dragon's model has been seen in some movies before. The monster and its associated episodes are created in a dark environment. The only good thing happened there is that the usage of the miniature models and the computer graphics effects won't be clearly visible. The movie gets its pace in the second half only. In whole, you don't get a good visual treat as it was in the case of the first movie, 'Narnia'. The 3D effect used in the movie is as usual good, but most of the frames viewed through the 3D glasses won't gives us the necessary brightness, hence I was forced to remove the glasses many times.


A regular follower of the 'Narnia' series can watch the latest version, 'The Chronicles of Narnia : The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (3D)' also.


Rating : 6 / 10

Khelen Hum Jee Jaan Se

Medium : Hindi

Starring : Abhishek Bachan, Deepika Padukone, Vishakha Singh, Sikhander Kher
Director : Ashuthosh Gowariker
Music : Sohail Sen

The ace director of 'Lagaan' and 'Jodhaa Akbar', Ashuthosh Gowariker had done something big this time also, he had once again come up with a historical movie. The story is based on a literary work 'Do and Die', which in turn is about a real incident happened in 1930 at Chittagong, a village in Bengal. This time Abhishek Bachan and Deepika Padukone were selected to do the lead roles. Sohail Sen, who gave some excellent songs in the director's previous movie 'What's Your Raashee', is in charge of the music section. Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri have worked as the cinematographers.

The story opens up by showing few teenagers playing football, an army battalion reached the spot and defended them. The students, who were frustrated at this decided to tell this to a freedom fighter. Surjya Sen (Abhishek Bachan) is a teacher, who is also a revolutionary leader living in Chittagong. He and his companions including Kalpana Dutta (Deepika Padukone), are working silently against the English rule. The young friends told their problems to them and also willing their interest to participate in the movement against the British. Surjya had agreed to admit the youths and using them they form small groups to plan the attack. What happens to all of them is the history, which is shown in the rest of the movie.

The thrill happened while watching a movie like 'Lagaan', won't be there in this movie. This is due to the fact that the director had concentrated on the real life incidents more, rather than focusing on the cinematic punch. He should have added some dramatic incidents that can give more excitement for the viewers. The attempt made by Ashuthosh Gowariker, to make another historical movie (after two in his credits already), should be appreciated. It should be noticed that the making of such a subject is not a simple task. The selection of the location (similar to the Kerala environment), costumes and the art works for making this movie, needs special mention.

Sohail Sen had given an excellent bg score. The songs won't be the best, but goes with the mood. Cinematography by Kiran Deohans and Seetha Sandhiri are simple, but the best. Art director Nithin Desai had helped the director a lot with his immense contribution. Abhishek, Deepika and Vishakha, accompanied by a bunch of new faces had done well.


'Khelen Hum Jee Jaan Se' is yet another movie that raises the history of patriotism. The attempt to make such a different subject needs applause.


Rating : 6.5 / 10

Again Kasargod Kadherbhai

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Jagadeesh, Gautham, Innocent, Asokan, Biju Kuttan, Suresh Krishna, Radha Varma
Director : Thulasidas
Music : Ratheesh Vega

We are still remembering the issues happened between some organizations in the movie industry, few years back. One end of the trouble was Thulasidas, the director who doesn't have big hits recently. His movies like 'College Kumaran', 'Rakshakan', 'Avan Chandiyude Makan', 'Mr. Brahmachari', 'Pranayamani Thooval' etc didn't do well. At that time, the hero who was about to act in his new project, requested him to prove (again) by giving a hit. Anyway, it is an old case now, the problems are over. The director, after a short gap, is back with another sequel of his previous hit movie 'Mimics Parade', happened almost twenty years before. 'Kasargod Kadherbhai', which came as the second part of that movie has got a pass certificate due to the comedy trend existed in that period.

'Again Kasargod Kadherbhai' has got Jagadeesh, Innocent, Babu Antony, Asokan and Baiju, that has acted in the previous versions. Radha Varma, who did the heroine role in Dileep's 'Crazy Gopalan' is coming as the heroine. 'Yakshiyum Njaanum' fame Gautham comes in a notable role. Kalloor Dennis is maintained as the script writer for this movie also. Utpal V.Nayanar is the cinematographer. This is producer Milan Jaleel's next movie after the notable project 'Cock Tail'. Ratheesh Vega, who worked as the music director for that movie gets another chance here.

The members (Salim Kumar, Biju Kuttan, Dhananjayan, Tesni Khan etc) of Kaladarshana troup had decided to celebrate the 60th birthday of father Tharakkandam (Inncoent). The old members (Jagadeesh, Asokan, Baiju) were also invited. After few days, all of them together got a chance to perform in the central jail where Kasim Bhai (Babu Antony), the son of Kadher Bhai also stays. Kasim attacks the troupe members in the middle of the show and later it was found that Kasim is dead. The police inspector (Gautham) took in charge of the investigation. The real culprit is caught in the climax.

There is not a single attractive scene in the whole movie. The dialogues are filled with many double meaning words. The comedy sequences shown here is too childish. The scenes at hospital and at the office where troupe members trying to attract the heroine are best examples. A couple of stage shows done by the troupe is shown as it is to generate comedy (the creators are still not aware that the viewers are getting a chance to watch comedy skits every minute in their favorite tv channels, this is not the 90's where there existed only one or two tv channels).

Suraaj Venjarammood once again comes in a foolish police officer who is a mimicry fan. He had done a lengthy imitating scene of many heroes, which is a repetitive thing only. The dialogue delivery of Gautham in the police officer's role is not matching well. The head shaking mannerism of the father character is an artificiality here. The second song suitable for a romantic mood is done in a comic way, featuring the oldies. The interval punch is serious, but the director had asked the viewers to take a break so that they can laugh again. The only agreeable thing shown in the whole movie is the climax where the police describes the motive of the crime, but by that time an average viewer might be in a 'pathetic' state of mind.


Movies like 'Again Kasargod Kadherbhai' will provoke more viewers to take a strong decision, not to come to theaters here after...


Rating : 1 / 10

Sahasram

Medium : Malayalam
Starring : Suresh Gopi, Madhu, Bala, Jagathi, 'Kaadhal' Sandhya, Lakshmi Gopalaswamy
Director : Dr.S.Janardhanan
Music : M.Jayachandran, Rajamani (bg score)

The director of many hit mega serials and Mohanlal film 'Mahasamudram' has now done a horror based investigation subject titled 'Sahasram'. The title is so, because the hero Suresh Gopi's name in the movie is a peculiar one, Vishnu Sahasra Naamam. It is going to be yet another police officer's role for him. U.K.Senthil Kumar, who worked with the same actor in his previous project 'Kanyakumari Express', is the cinematographer. Bala and 'Kaadhal' Sandhya have also done notable roles. Seven Arts Films is the distributor.

The story is told in the background of a film shooting. As per request from the production controller (Jagathi), the art director Vaishakhan (Bala) reaches the shooting spot just before the proposed day of shooting, for the set works. He had witnessed some unusual happenings there. His personal grudge with actor Sudheer (Suresh Krishna), had caused him problems at the location and he was forced to leave the job. The shooting started and while taking a combination shot of the heroine ('Kaadhal' Sandhya) and the villain, the latter one, who is also the minister's son is killed. The police officer, Sahasra Naamam (Suresh Gopi), who is in charge of the investigation reached there and the truth is found out in the racy second half through a suspense.

The director had kept a good suspense for the story. The main problem lies in the careless handling of some incidents and inclusion unnatural dialogues in the movie. The creator should realize the fact that a movie presentation is far different compared to that of a mini screen. The lengthy opening scene in which the heroine of a movie fall accidentally into the water and the after effects of that incident are all carelessly handled. The sequences involving Kottayam Nazir in the director's role, Jagathi as the production controller, Bala as the art director and who ever related to the film shooting spots are speaking very amateur dialogues regarding their profession. The discussion happening between the director and the crew members on the scenes to be shot, are suitable for a school drama only (it is not good to under estimate the viewers, they are intelligent enough to understand the cinematic things even if they are old in a more professional and serious way).

Suresh Gopi is there in his usual style, but some times he is behaving in an abnormal manner (it is all part of the investigation, leave it). The dialogue delivery of Niyaz as SI, felt odd in few areas. Even if the suspense is revealed in the anticlimax, the director had added a dramatic climax area for revenge, which should have been done more neatly. A senior actor like Madhu is not suited in such a role of the minister. 'Kaadhal' Sandhya is not graceful in the heroine's role. Bala is ok. Bg score by Rajamani is good for the mood. Cinematography by U.K.Senthil Kumar with Ramalingam and Sujith Vasudev, who worked for the second unit, did their job well. Mahesh Narayan is the editor. Action scenes by Mafia Sasi is ok, a couple of rope shots felt bad due to his inexperience in that side.

Even if there are few ups and downs on the making side, 'Sahasram' has got a watchable investigation plot, with a suspense.


Rating : 6.5 / 10

Raktha Charithram

Medium : Tamil
Starring : Soorya, Vivek Oberoi, Shatrukhnan Sinha, Sudeep, Priyamani, Radhika Apte
Director : Ramgopal Varma
Music : Imran - Vikram, Dharam - Sandeep (bg score)

Since weeks before, I have getting requests from my friends outside Kerala, to write the review on the movie titled 'Raktha Charithra 1'. Let us have a small brief about why this '1' there. The rebel director Ramgopal Varma had got this time also something different. An year before, when he had announced the movie 'Raktha Charithra', he told that it will be coming in two parts and more over it is tamil actor Soorya's debut in hindi. He will be appearing in the climax of the first part and will be the hero in the second part. 'Raktha Charithra 1' is released in hindi and telugu, a month before and had got a big positive response. The director had planned a single movie 'Raktha Charithram' for the tamil version, the first half an hour tells the whole story of the first part with the help of narrations and then Soorya will lead the story as it is.

Prathap Ravi (Vivek Oberoi), who had lost his relatives and family members, due to the cheap political games, has decided to take the swords for revenge. His group had destroyed all those people who standed on their way and Ravi thus emerges as a big powerful man who later entered politics to become a leader. He is teamed up with an actor turned politician (Shatrukhnan Sinha). Suri (Soorya) was among the many who had been affected due to the actions of Ravi. Suri and his friends had decided to kill Ravi, but Ravi survives the attack. Suri had surrendered as per request from DCP Anand (Sudeep, 'Rann', 'Phoonk 1, 2' fame). In the jail, he had planned his revenge. In the mean while, the opposition party had come forward asking Suri's wife (Priyamani) to stand in the elections, opposite Ravi. How Suri does his revenge is told through the rest of the happenings.

The director had used 'his style' in presentation using different and unstable camera angles to capture the emotions. In some areas, the frames are even rotating in 360 degrees. Such gimmicks might have been done to avoid the lip sink problems as it is a dubbed project (how ever some close up dialogues are shot in tamil). Though the problems happening for a normal dubbing movie is not there, in some areas the dialogue delivery neatly points out that it is not an original one. (If it is a hindi version, the outcome would have been more perfect). The happenings in the first part are shown too fast in the beginning; thus the audience might find difficulty to travel with that speed. The family episodes of the hero and the villain should have been discussed with more clarity. The portions in which the hero's wife entering the politics are not having many dialogues. Some of the dialogues covered by the bg score felt lengthy. The slow motions have been used in many places for keeping the tempo. There is a sort of lagging felt in some places in between. The darkish grading given for the frames is good for the movie's action mood, but when it mixes up with with the poor video quality of the theater screens, the outcome will not be the best as they expected.

The main strength of the movie lies in its excellent cinematography by Amol Rathod and mind blowing bg score by Dharam - Sandeep (in RGV style used in 'Satya', 'Company', 'Sarkar' etc). The action sequences involving the blood shelling sequences done by Javed - Ejaz are good. Ashok Gupta is the editor. Songs are not so good. Soorya has done well, he is in a tough look here. Vivek Oberoi and Sudeep are ok in their roles.

'Raktha Charithram' is a rough and tough, cold blooded subject told in Ramgopal Varma's style. Those who are particular about it can watch...


Rating : 5 / 10