Hype. unexpected recognition . misunderstanding(that this is an INDIAN film) made "Slumdog Milionaire" hot in our country,
I watched it with great expectations and found it nothing more than many bollywood/kollywood dark entertainers. May be there are better films.
*Slumdog Millionaire
*Language: English/Hindi
Director: Danny Boyle
Written by Vikas Swaroop / Simon Bofouy
Cast: Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Freida Pinto etc.
Plot
By now, everyone knows it.
My views.
Minuses.
Good movies.even if they are not great movies, should move you or there must be characters, sequences that can strike a chord with you .there should be something that your mind can cherish from the movie. But slumdog gave only one such thing for me. The protagonist in his childhood. Jamal as a kid is wonderful. And that is the only thing exceptional in the movie.
All the other characters are over the top. For example, take the case of the boss of the beggar kids.
His "woh mera mera favourite bhajan hai" dialogue and expression . extremely bollywoodish and theatrical. Almost all the scenes are theatrical. very much predictable. Sometimes we feel that we are watching a stage -play or a serial.
The actors have tried their best to perform, but the script restricts them a lot. Only the child artists win our hearts.
There are some scenes, which I laughed while watching. Jamal’s brother gun fights with the gang members in the end, from a box full of currency notes. and the currency notes fly all over. too much deja vu. isn’t it? The makers should have tried something else to substitute this scene.
The last 20 million dollar question. who was the third musketeer? . No big quiz show can ask such a silly and direct one as the final prize question . The writers can argue that that particular question has a purpose in the movie. but. men. it was too much. The only good question was the question about President Franklin and the explanation given for how Jamal got it right .
Pluses.
The slum scenes inform you that even at a time we boast about a 9% growth, there are people who scavenge in the urban waste to make a living. There exists a section of the society who can never enter a mall, multi plex, pub or participate in Big Fight, avail communal reservations or to buy an astrological yantra to progress in life.
The detailing through art direction supported by good cinematography, engaging BGM and the performances of child artists are good.
I am not good in reviewing music, but to be frank, A R Rahman has done much better compositions than Jai Ho, O Saaya and Ringa. But he deserves an Oscar, so his nomination is great!
The film and its characters will fade fast. the movies lacks the power to stay with you .even if it wins an Oscar