ss_areeb_h Reviews

War (2019)

Brokeback mountain with some acro dancing for action

[2/10 · 7 December 2019]

Every time Tiger Shroffs even hears the mention of Hrithik's name, there are tears in his eyes and an expression of long lost love.

Hrithik on his part plays the handsome hunk whose muscular frame and acrobatics impress the young and also muscular and acrobatic Tiger Shroff.

The whole plot of the movie was revealed in the first 10 minutes. I couldn't continue any more, but decided to wait until some action happens.

And what I saw was brokeback mountain with acrobatic dancing for action.

Save yourselves the three hours.

Daredevil (2015–2018)

Season 3

[7/10 · 25 October 2018]

I know. 7 is a lot less than what literally everyone else has given this movie. But there a major reason for that, which is also a root problem with all of marvel movies and tv series these days - the fact that as the villains become more and more intriguing and interesting, the heroes become just as boring and plain.

You can see it best in daredevil season 3. I agree whole heartedly that Wilson fisk and particularly dex were amazing characters. The way their characters have been built, their personalities brought forth, it's just some of the best stuff to watch. But equally as bad (or maybe not equally as bad but far worse than it should have been) is the character daredevil. Almost throughout the movie he's portrayed as a brooding teenager who can't get above his head and think before he leaps. There's a serious gap in mental ability to the point that daredevil seems to throw pointless tantrums and make unnecessarily emotional (and stupid) decisions. Add that to the already annoying tantrums of Karen page and it just seems the so called heroes are deliberately being stupid. Foggy alone turns out to be the smart guy on the good side and a lot more mature also.

Now I am two episodes away from the end, and I am pretty sure it's gonna blow me away. But somehow I am pretty certain at the end, I will be liking the villains more than the heroes..... and that's a problem.

Arrival (II) (2016)

Not your average alien movie - But something more amazing and intriguing

[8/10 · 13 March 2017]

I can see a lot of negative reviews for this movie and therefore I though that I need to review this title as well.

I believe the people posting the negative reviews came here looking for an alien sci-fi movie which it absolutely isn't. Sure, this movie has aliens but do not expect it to be like any other alien movie you have ever seen.

Instead the movie focuses on abstract concepts, concepts of time, memory etc etc. The pace of the movie is a bit slow, but it will keep you thinking and wondering and imagining. In this regard, I find it more similar to Interstellar. The way these concepts are portrayed is quite intriguing and I am sure I will be deep in thought over these concepts for many more days.

Apart from this the movie also has a very subtle but deep message. It is definitely a very well thought story and I loved the way it has put that message across.

Finally, needless to say the acting and direction is pretty spot on. So fire up your brains and go watch this movie, and wonder about the possibilities. It is definitely worth it.

Inferno (I) (2016)

Strike 3 - And please no more

[2/10 · 13 March 2017]

And once again! Ron Howard continues his rich tradition of picking up amazing Dan Brown stories... and messing them up to the point that you could not have ever imagined.

Do you miss the shaky camera effect that is used all so often these days to completely screw up your good ol' action scenes? Well you've got it. Lots and lots of it.

Do you hate all the mind boggling mystery solving that makes the Dan brown books so amazing? Well they are gone, almost all of them.

Do you wish the story had a nice little plot twist towards the end? Well there is a huge plot twist. And the plot twist is that there is NO plot twist.

It wasn't like I was expecting anything from Ron Howard after the first two movies, but you know 3 is the limit. Enough with the Dan Brown movies man. We will make do with the books, thank you very much.

London Has Fallen (2016)

Exactly what you would expect - Things blowing up and propaganda

[4/10 · 15 May 2016]

I confess that while I watched the movie for fun and action, I also viewed it under the spectrum of politics and propaganda. To get a very good idea of what this movie is I thing both would be important.

Firstly, Politics...The first few scenes of the movie gave me a ray of hope. It showed drone strikes on a wedding, and this scene gave me the idea that the movie might touch on the subject of collateral damage of these drone strikes and also how they affect innocents living in those areas. Well I was duly disappointed when at the end of the movie Morgan freeman can heard in the background not only justifying it, but also justifying US interference in other countries. And hence the movie has attained its place in the wide range of movies made for the sole purpose of furthering propaganda (Good guy US always saves the day, Good guy US will do everything to help others ).

While the propaganda itself might be enough to turn the movie sour, there is much more. The action was not particularly gripping except the sequence of shots where they enter the command center. As expected, the president and our hero defied all logic to survive where almost everyone else died. The story was so blank that a 10 year old could decipher it all after watching the first 10 minutes, not to say it was also fool of loop holes like, where do all the police officers who go corrupt disappear at the end? Why is the president of China stuck in a traffic jam? Why can't they just make a video of them killing the president using a mobile and then upload it later? Where does all of the president's secret service disappear at the first sight of terrorists. Why doesn't literally any other president have any damn security? Oh and it ends so abruptly that the characters have to literally tell you that its finally come to an end.

This movie could have been much more than blatant propaganda. So much could have been made of the opening scene. More action sequences like the one where Gerard fights alongside the SAS could be used. But in the end, the purpose was not to make a good film, but to make a 'good American' film and so it has failed terribly.

Heropanti (2014)

Could be a decent Movie

[5/10 · 9 June 2015]

I give this movie 5 because this could have been a decent movie to watch. However, it was let down in more than one aspects and its a pity as this was the debut movie of 2 actors who did show potential.

So in this review I will highlight all the good things in the movie and how it was let down.

First the plot. Well as with most bollywood movies it followed the age old formula of arranged marriage vs love marriage. However, it did have some new perspectives which could have been interesting. However, the movie fails to develop on these perspectives and hence the plot feels a bit empty or shallow.

Second the acting. Though it wasn't exemplary I would say the actors weren't too bad. In fact Kriti Sanons acting was quite fine. However while Tiger shroff's acting wasn't all that bad, terrible dialogue and weird lost expression scenes marred his performance. In almost every scene he repeats a cliché stupid dialogue and I found myself doing a facepalm at each of those times. Plus the weird expression of love on his face...another facepalm.

Third and this is the part that impressed me, the action. Now surprisingly and as opposed to other over the top bollywood movies, the action sequences were good. The stunts were very authentic given the fact that Tiger Shroff is a martial artist.

Finally, the film is riddled with sudden cut scenes whereby you find yourself suddenly in a different scene without any indication or clue whatsoever. Furthermore, at several places the music seems so out of place an awkward.

Overall, I believe in an attempt to make the movie over melodramatic with terrible cliché dialogues and awkward music cuts the director spoiled what could have been a decent movie. But do watch it for the action.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)

Rings all the right chords

[8/10 · 7 May 2015]

Its a spy movie with great action sequences, fair bit of violence, lots of amazing gadgets, a far fetched villain plot and "men in suits" with impeccable manners - In the divine rule book of spy movies, this movie hits all the right chords. And it has a few more things to add as well - such as great humour, parkour and some divergence from general clichés.

Honestly, I believe before they release the next bond film, they should sit together and watch this film and learn from it. The recent bond films have all been about action and no gadgets, but they have lost all the fun elements. Kingsman is the new bond and I do hope they bring out a sequel which is as good if not better.

Now the bad..... well... I dunno. True its not one of the great films of all time. But it really is fun to watch. So much fun in fact that you will fail to notice any flaws.

So go ahead and watch it... NOW!!

Jupiter Ascending (2015)

...Meh

[6/10 · 6 May 2015]

Lots of bad reviews for this movie, and its justified. A lot is to be expected from the directors of V for Vendetta. BUT, if you can move past that fact, the movie is fine. It may not be amazing, but at least you won't regret the money you spent on it.

So the good things - The visuals are pretty amazing, elaborate costumes amazing scenery. I particularly like the way the huge storm on Jupiter is pictured. And the space ships have a really cool look to them as well. The plot line may not be that mind blowing, actually it is quite clichéd. But I did like the different perspective on aliens. It describes how humans are harvested (just like we harvest animals) on different planets in order to produce an ether that extends life. This was a fresh outlook even though the plot line wasn't the best.

Now the bad - Well, the acting could have been better. Chaning Tatum was....meh, probably because he didn't need to show much expressions. Somehow I didn't feel Mila Kunis fit her role. Not many memorable characters. And as said before the plot line could have been better. Character development was attempted but was not enough.

So all in all, do watch the movie if you are bored. It won't blow your mind off but it will help you spend a less boring two hours...

Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins (2012)

This how a manga should be adapted into a movie

[9/10 · 21 December 2014]

Lets be honest, manga adaptations have not usually done justice to the manga and has left most of us disappointed in the past. Hence i watched this movie only for the action preparing myself to be disappointed with everything else. I have never been so pleasantly surprised. This movie was not just a great adaptation, it was one of the best movies i have watched in a long time. Firstly the story. I have read the manga and watched the anime and true the movie does skip some fun parts and changes some. But actually i didn't mind the changes at all. It had to be done to reduce the time but at the same time it made the flow more seamless and almost every part was connected properly....almost. Secondly, the characters. The actors have done a great job and every character does actually seem to match with the characters in the anime (which is the main point of error in most adaptations). For those who have not watched the anime, some of the parts really make you connect with the characters and their feelings, especially kenshin. Finally, the best part of the movie, the fighting. I absolutely loved it. The fight scenes and styles were translated so well from the anime that i was literally jumping with excitement. For those that haven't watched the anime, the fight scenes give a perfect picture of a real swordfight mixed with some super power super speed elements. Just a tinge. And it works so well with this movie that it just left me speechless with admiration. So my advice, watch the anime (it will help you love the characters) and then watch the movie. Though you will still enjoy it if you haven't watched the anime.

Dracula Untold (2014)

Castlevania attempt - could have been better

[4/10 · 8 November 2014]

Though most people commend the movie for bringing out the Dracula story in a new light, they forget(or more possibly do not know) that the movie is actually right out of the video game Castlevania. A hero forced to take the power of a vampire to save his family, and eventually becoming hated for who he is. However, instead of keeping with the fictional video game characters, the producers have miserably attempted to yet again to make it historical by displaying the turks as a very evil and cruel people torturing poor innocent vlad (if you check your history books the turks were so good to vlad and his brother that his brother actually ended up joining them while vlad, who since he was a child showed extreme violence and cruelty) Anyway history apart there are so many stupid things in the movie that put me off even when i don't look at it in the light of the game. Like the time mehmet made his whole army fight blind so they wouldn't see Dracula and be afraid. And when Dracula kills each and every enemy soldier but just chooses to push aside the one who just attempted to kill his family. Oh and this happens twice. Then one second every loves him as a hero, the next second sunlight falls on him, he starts ti burn and all the people are trying to kill him, and then another second later they mellow down. Aaaaand of course his wife cant die .well technically she did but you know she is going to be reborn (which totally happens) And then when you compare it to the game. An epic storyline messed up by the producers. There were so many elements in the game that would make this movie so awesome, and which the producers totally omitted. I wanted this movie to be good. But sadly it just made me pity the lost opportunity

X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

Truly Amazing.. But not without flaws

[7/10 · 9 September 2014]

So far as I have seen this movie has only received positive reviews and it's not without reason. The movie is worth every penny you spend on it and more. However it is not without flaws due to which I cannot name it the best X-men movie.

The plot as you should already know, involves wolverine going into the past to create a better future. The plot is well written and is very entertaining. The transition between past and present is smooth enough and will not in anyway leave you confused. However, there are a few plot holes. DNA sequencing was not discovered until the 80s. Quicksilver's age raises some questions (First Class was only 12 years before so Magneto was probably sleeping around while seeking revenge before the events of First Class).

Next up.. the characters. We get to see several new characters in the future with some amazing powers and abilities. However, they feel quite hollow as you know nothing about them and you don't see much of them except in fight scenes. On the other hand, the past encompasses only 4 characters xavier, magneto, beast and mystique. Quicksilver plays a very small role and I wish I could see more of him as his character is pretty awesome. And since they introduced Quicksilver, they could also have introduced his twin sister the Scarlet Witch (would have been so very awesome). However, you get to see very few characters in the past and that's disappointing because the past is where we are most of the time.

Finally the fight scenes and this is truly where the movie shines. Especially the fights with the sentinels. Each move is so well thought of, you truly feel that the mutants have mastered their powers and use it without having to think. The combination attacks are just perfect and I loved the fight scenes. Though I am gonna state some negatives here too (and you must truly think by now. Gosh will he ever shut up). I was hoping to see wolverine in action (as obviously he's my favorite character) and now that I think about it, he wasn't involved in a single god damn fight. Nothing. At all (unless you consider him beating up hapless goons a fight). I believe the move could have surpassed awesomeness though if it were based on bit more in the future. I mean not the future future the past future.. (am I making sense??) If wolverine had to go back to like 1990 or something. We could see a lot more familiar mutants maybe see a glimpse of their past as well (like storm, jean, scott etc. etc.) And the technology of sentinels would be more believable.

My Final Verdict? Well of course its an X-men movie and there is no reason in hell that you should miss it. Granted its not the best X- men movie but it will definitely keep you rooted to your seat and lets face it... everyone loves watching a super hero movie. (The Fight scenes are truly Brilliant)

The Grandmaster (2013)

Exteme cinematography cannot bypass the flaws

[5/10 · 7 September 2014]

When I was deciding whether to watch the movie or not, i decided to read the reviews on IMDb and finding several positive reviews i decided to give it a shot. However after watching the movie I felt obliged to give the clear picture.

First, the story. As you know the movie is based on Bruce Lee's master Ip Man. The story shows snippets of Ip Man's life. However, I did not feel any connection to them and in fact the sub plot of Gong Er and her family legacy is much more interesting.

Second, the action. The first half of the movie contains sufficient action and then it sort of dulls over. The action scenes are slightly exaggerated with people flying about. But what I really felt annoying was the slow motion effects. Somehow they just did't work for this movie. Moreover, though the cinematography effects were great, coupled with the slow motion effects they spoiled the action sequences.

Finally, since this story follows Ip Man and is presented as a true story it must be compared to Donnie Yen's Ip Man. The grandmaster fails miserably in comparison. The plot, fight scenes, character development every thing was just perfect in Donnie Yen's Ip Man which is probably why I was quite disappointed with The Grandmaster. Even a noob like me could tell the stark difference in fighting styles of each school in Donnie Yen's Ip Man. The moves were choreographed so perfectly that I was literally lost in the martial arts fights. However, the fight scenes in The Grandmaster failed to do so, and lets face it. Most of us watched these movies for the fight scenes. There was no real story in The Grandmaster, just different incidents, whereas Ip Man had a very interesting plot culminating in an epic fight. Donnie Yen also did a mind blowing job as Ip Man whereas Tony Leung did not feel as believable.

My Verdict, well as a past time this movie is watchable but it would definitely not stay in my collection. After Donnie Yen's master piece, another Ip Man movie is unnecessary unless it is able to compete with it.