So after a few people recommended it to me I finally watched RRR the Indian film sensation everyone is talking about on Netflix, in my covid downtime.
Is the film ridiculous, yes; is it insanely over-the-top, yes; is it also one of most entertaining films of year: absolutely. A bigger than Ben Hur epic that reimagines the overthrow of the British Raj in India feels like watching a 90s Schwarzenegger film on steroids, mixed with Indian nationalism and randomly delightful Bollywood dance numbers. At 3 hours long, the filmmakers threw everything at this film, one exuberant scene is quickly topped by another. The use of slow motion CGI is at times excessive but in a way sweetly old Hollywood way. The film centres on a bromance between two godlike Indian freedom fights, that almost reads as a bro love story. Frenetically edited, paced and lavishly shot with what must be thousands of extras, even the most ridiculously over-the-top moments are really enjoyable to watch. Having the British as cartoon villains flips the script on the traditional villain a western audience would see. The films charm becomes grating at times when it veers towards heavy handed political nationalism. Yet the heightened emotions of this film and its joy is hard to not to succumb too. One of highest grossing Indian films ever, it has taken the world by storm. If you can look past the political propaganda, frenetic comic action/cgi and ridiculous moments it’s a very entertaining wild ride. 8/10
Jeremy Smith's Movie Blog 