FAST AND FURIOUS 6 (LOST AND CURIOUS)- MOVIE REVIEW

Fast & Furious 6 evokes diverse reactions. With a wafer-thin plot and a lot of sleek action, Fast and Furious 6 is definitely a test of patience. Reason? The audience is thrown into the conflict of the story with great speed and velocity. Chances are that if you blink, you may miss the crux of the story and worst is that if you are not an "F&F" fan, then you'd definitely be lost in the rigmarole of the speeding cars and crashes, hand-to-hand combats and snappy one-liners. 

Unlike the franchise's previous films, which focused on cars and their different makes, this one focusses on cars, an army tanker and a cargo plane - brought in to deliver a mega climax. It also leans heavily on family ties and bonding. In the sixth installment, the franchise's favourite car thieves, who are scattered across the globe, leading a luxurious life after their successful heist in Fast & Furious 5, join forces to take down an international criminal. 

The film begins with Domnic Toretto (Vin Diesel) along with his best pal and brother-in-law Brian (Paul Walker) flaunting the speed and vigour of their cars in the scenic Canary Islands. Domnic's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) is expecting Brian's child. Domnic assures him that nothing will make them go back to their old lifestyle. Meanwhile, there is a blast in Moscow. 

Federal Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) is investigating the case. He has been tracking an organisation of lethal, ruthless and skilled mercenary drivers across "4 continents and 12 countries". He learns that the leader of the organisation, Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) is accompanied by a fearless second-in-command revealed to be none-other than Domnic's 'dead' lover, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). Hobbs knows the only way to outmatch this rugged team is to assemble a team with just as much will and drive. Knowing Letty's a key-player, Hobbs lands up in Canary Island to recruit Domnic.

There’s love between man and his machine (aka: shiny paint jobs on cars most of us can only afford to download images of); the love of the adrenaline (aka: there goes the neighbourhood, and the city’s reconstruction budget); the love of a man with his fellow man (aka: bulked-up biceps and unrelenting I-shall-not-look-you-in-the-eye bromance).

There’s also love for the family and the urge to keep it together but most importantly to the antagonist of the movie – the love of money. These last two factors play a big role in Fast 6 (also known as Furious 6). The former of the reasons include the misleadingly deceased Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodrigues), Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel’s) former girl-friend, turned amnesiac female muscle of the villains.

Letty’s actual necessity – as the necessity of any of the parts of the Fast franchise – is questionable. Perhaps it is just as much as the plot device about the villains needing a chip to make a ‘Nightshade’ contraption capable of blacking out the power of an entire region (seriously? Well we experience the use of same device daily, I guess).

This matters not, because for whatever its worth, the Fast movies are beyond unexciting. Mr. Diesel and co. is the reason behind the sale of the tickets; later DVD’s; much later the commercials on television. His recent workmates include Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs and Gina Carano as Riley Hicks – aka the anti Letty.

Seeing Ms. Carano and Ms. Rodrigues duke it out is one of the giddy delights of Fast 6 (they duke it out twice, so the ticket automatically pays for itself twice at one go). However, there’s still more.

In keeping with the style here’s what you get:

Hobbs and Dominic – with their bulging biceps – muscle out frames, trying out plans to knock out the bad guy mercenary (Luke Evans); Brian (Paul Walker), now relegated to a notch-above-extra status, travels back to the US to learn how Letty survived; Roman and Tej (Tyrese Gibson and Chris ‘Ludacris’ Badges) play with machines; Han and Giesel (Sung Kang, Gal Gadot) provide ancillary window dressing. And of course, let’s not forget the usual’: mean hot-rods, skimpily clad women and two road-crushing, people-crunching finales – one involving a tank, the other a runaway airplane on a hundred mile runway.

Fast 5’s climax involved a giant bank vault being through the city, so in keeping with reality is not really a priority here. But by now, you already know that.

Released by Footprint Entertainment and Universal Pictures.

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, and Elsa Pataky.

“Fast & Furious 6” is Directed by Justin Lin; Written by Chris Morgan (based on characters created by Gary Scott Thompson); Produced by Neil H. Moritz, Clayton Townsend and Vin Diesel; with Cinematography by Stephen F. Windon, Editing by Christian Wagner and Kelly Matsumoto and Music by Lucas Vidal.

The movie is rated PG-13. Words of caution: Never let your children drive this recklessly; they do not have million dollar safety nets, CGI and visual effects, and screenwriters looking out for them.

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WORLD WAR Z (2013)

Critic's Rating:                                                                             

Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz

Direction: Marc Forster

Genre: Thriller

Duration: 1 hour 55 minutes

Story: A zombie pandemic strikes the globe. Former UN investigator Gerry Lane attempts to find the virus' origin. Can he survive the catastrophe, protect his family and save the world from the zombie apocalypse?

Review: Hollywood has always been obsessed with pandemics and zombies. Marc Forster takes the obsession a notch higher as he merges the two to give you an epic-scaled, fast-paced zombie invasion movie that is extremely gripping and thoroughly entertaining. It has everything you could possibly expect from a zombie blockbuster.

On the flipside, the film's not just about the outbreak of the virus but its origin, after-effects, destruction caused, investigation involved to curtail the global crisis and measures taken to prevent further damage. At some point, you do feel Forster's biting off more than he can chew. The climax which was re-shot, though brilliantly executed, falls a tad flat and seems incoherent.

The filmmaker's attempt at blending reality and philosophy with science fiction is not smooth either as the segments look disjointed. The family track in the film seems futile. Also, how can a former UN crime investigator know everything about medicines and scientific research! Nevertheless, flaws in construction and certain loose ends of the plot do not affect the tension-filled, anxiety-inducing impact of this spectacularly shot zombie thriller.

Brad Pitt (as a former UN investigator) is understated, yet convincing in a film that revolves around 'zombies'! The film has fantastic special effects, especially in scenes involving aerial views of zombies flooding the roads, crawling on top of each other to climb walls or attack helicopters and chase down Gerry and his family. The suspenseful opening sequence will send shivers down your spine.

The film moves at breakneck speed throughout, keeping you on the edge of your seat. The 3D barely makes any difference to a horror film but it works here. Cinematography is brilliant.

The film stays conventional in terms of concept. It even deviates from the novel (by Max Brooks) it's adapted from. However, if you are a fan of the genre and extreme destruction and survival get your adrenaline flowing, this one's highly engaging. Be prepared to play hide-and-seek with the terrifying undead creatures for there's no place to run, no place to hide...

Note: You may not like the film if 'zombie-action' fails to thrill you.

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NOW YOU SEE ME (2013)

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Mélanie Laurent, Morgan Freeman

Direction: Louis Leterrier

Genre: Thriller

Duration: 1 hour 56 minutes

Story: 'Four Horsemen', a team of elite illusionists pull off heists for real during their spectacular shows. How do they do it? Is it indeed 'magic'? Who's pulling the strings and why? 

Movie Review: The convoluted case is assigned to FBI agent Dylan Rhodes ( Mark Ruffalo) and French Interpol officer Alma Dray (Melanie Laurent). Post the robberies, the gang leaves no trace. They don't steal for themselves. Their misleading actions and ambiguous motives drive Rhodes to the edge. Adding to the chaos is former magician Thaddeus Bradley ( Morgan Freeman) who thinks he knows it all. 

The film has a novel and promising premise. The gang's cat and mouse game with the FBI, their display of magic tricks, fluid stunt scenes and Mark Ruffalo's banter with co-cop Melanie Laurent keep you engaged. The film works as a crime-thriller. 

However, it's unconvincing when it comes to dissecting the magic. As the film progresses, the antics of the law-defying 'famous four' start defying logic as well. The scattered plot runs out of steam eventually. The film goes into a different tangent altogether in order to be unpredictable, leaving you more perplexed than pleased. 

Scene after scene, in order to not let you dig into the script too closely, the filmmaker adds too many plot twists, but that does not camouflage the loose ends. 

The presence of a talented cast barely holds here as the characters are thinly sketched. Jesse Eisenberg yet again plays a fast-talking-shrewd guy with negative undertones like he did in The Social Network. And what is Michael Caine doing here? 

The film has its moments, especially in the scene when the magicians teleport an audience member to France from Vegas in a few minutes. However, don't go thinking you'll have fun 'solving' the enigmatic case, as the events that follow might just be way too implausible and convenient for your liking. 

The magicians in the film constantly warn the FBI officer to 'not look too closely'. The filmmaker sends out a similar message to the audience - don't dig into every aspect of the 'tricks' and you will be entertained.

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MAN OF STEEL (2013)

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishbourne

Direction: Zack Snyder

Genre: Action

Duration: 2 hours 23 minutes

Story: Kal-El is rocketed to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, where he is raised by the Kents (Lane, Costner). Even as he begins to comprehend his powers, he must soon confront his nemesis and save the planet.

Movie Review: Superman has always been the quintessential clean-cut superhero, the sincere saviour of the day. While that essence remains, he now gets a decidedly darker, introspective and brutal edge under the Nolan-Snyder aegis. After emerging from interplanetary exile following a failed coup attempt on Krypton, General Zod and his crew arrive on Earth in search of the Codex - and Kal El (Cavill) - that will allow him to create a new race on Earth, while destroying humanity in the process.

The world becomes a battleground for the inevitable confrontation between Zod and Superman. While huge swathes of cities are wantonly reduced to rubble and the scale of destruction is off the map, there are also tender moments in-between. The curvy Lois Lane's (Adams) chemistry with Clark Kent is moving, as is the bond Clark shares with his Earth-parents.

Many of the usual Superman tropes are deliberately avoided. In fact, he barely even smiles and the quips of past films are studiously avoided. The film is quite simply, a visual smorgasbord. It is grand, sweeping, epic and all the stops have been pulled out. Snyder and Nolan are a blockbuster machine with intensity thrown in too. Being a full-fledged reboot of the Man of Steel's story, it's an immersive film and it's also Superman's most violent outing yet.

While the dialogues might be devoid of the cheeky one-liners that pepper other superhero films we've seen of late, it blindsides everything with sheer enormity of scale.

This is a Superman film for today's audience. A hugely impressive and entertaining story of arguably the most powerful character in the superhero pantheon (and also one of the biggest pop culture icons), it's clear that the Man of Steel is here to stay.

Note: You may not like this movie if superhero films aren't what you go for.

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THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST (2013)

Critic's Rating: 

Cast: Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi

Direction: Mira Nair

Genre: Thriller

Duration: 2 hours 12 minutes

Story: The film is a gripping adaptation of Pakistani author Mohsin Hamid's acclaimed novel on conflicting ideologies and a search for identity, beyond religion.

Review: Can you be who you really are when the world around you forces you to believe otherwise? 9/11 changed the West's perception of Islam forever. While various films have had the unsettling issue as a backdrop, Mira Nair's riveting adaptation goes way deeper. Its sensitive yet unsubtle narrative succeeds at retaining the book's ambiguity, as well as raising pertinent questions on Islamic fundamentalism, emigration and USA's interference in Pakistan. Nair captures the finer nuances of the thought-provoking tale with great conviction.

Hard-working immigrant Changez Khan (Riz Ahmed) is happy living his American dream. Confident and talented, he's considered as a promising financial analyst at the renowned Wall Street business valuation firm, Underwood Samson. While he's busy climbing the corporate ladder and finding love in Erica (Hudson), an artist, the twin towers are attacked. As a Muslim in the US, the act of extreme violence not only shatters hopes of Changez's bright future, but also makes him question his ideologies, objectivity and identity.

The beauty of the film lies in the depiction of its protagonist's unspoken words, suppressed emotions and unwavering beliefs. The incredibly talented Riz Ahmed enables the film to deconstruct the meaning of 'fundamentalism', which forms the core of the story. What leaves you in awe of the adapted screenplay is its brilliantly drawn parallels between Changez's personal, political and social situation. You feel his pain, vulnerability, denial, inner turmoil and psychological conflict. The film keeps you thoroughly engaged, even in parts where the pace drops a bit. While the film is more of a thriller, it doesn't cease to be a human drama, thanks to sublime supporting performances from Kate Hudson, Liev Schreiber, Kiefer Sutherland, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and Meesha Shafi.

The music is soulful. Songs like Kangna, Bijli Aaye ya na aaye help build the mood. Cinematography is impressive and in sync with Nair's trademark style of storytelling. Poignant and relevant, the film will convince you to look at Pakistan differently.

Note: You may not like the film if films on religion and social reality are not your cup of tea.

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MONSTER UNIVERSITY 3D (2013)

Cast: Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Helen Mirren, Steve Buscemi

Direction: Dan Scanlon

Genre: Animation

Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes

Story: In this prequel to Monsters Inc, find out how Mike Wazowski and James P 'Sulley' Sullivan became buddies while in college and eventually, scarers.

Movie Review: Mike (Crystal) and Sulley (Goodman) weren't always the best of friends. Before landing up in their jobs as professional scarers at Monsters Inc, they were two very different individuals. One was the enterprising bookworm who wanted to go places while the other was a legacy (the child of a famous ex-student) who everybody wanted to hang around.
In fact, there are certain traits of the main characters in this film that stand out as reminders to their older selves seen in Inc. While a stern headmistress (Mirren, pulling off a Maggie Grace a la Professor McGonagall) doesn't think the pea-shaped Mike can't scare a child even if he wanted to, he sets out to prove her wrong after being kicked off the scaring course. A scarers' contest follows (Revenge of the Nerds or Student of The Year coming to mind, anyone?) where fraternities face off each other.

What follows is a fight to stay "on course". An unlikely ragtag team slugs it out against the best of the lot for pride and a chance at glory.

The film starts out while Mike is in school and on a field trip to the Monsters Inc facility. A chance meeting with a legendary scarer has him chalking out career plans which hit the reality speedbreaker when he crosses paths with Sulley.

The sorting of friends and foes and the actual discoveries of what's real and what's not is what makes up the rest of the story.

Crystal and Goodman retain the chemistry that made the first film such a good buddy flick. Don Scanlan takes over the reins and shows a confident touch. The animation is as realistic and top-notch as ever.

But what really is striking is the fact that a lot of the things that made Monsters Inc such a beloved film are missing here. The sharper dialogues, crisper editing and the more layered story and characters that were the highlights of Inc don't exist in the world of University.

What remains is a predictable college caper that you have inevitably grown up with or endured over the years. The cliches, the stereotypes and other banalities of a film of this genre are magnified and made annoyingly kid-friendly.

It's not a bad film. Far from that. It is actually quite enjoyable when watched for its own merits and with the entire family. It's endearing in parts. But compare it to Monsters Inc, and it falls quite short on charm.

Note: You will not like this film if you do not like predictable college-based stories.

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