Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine’s review published on Letterboxd:
Indian Ben Hur/Jesus Christ has such an angelic voice.
So RRR, a picture that not long ago captivated the heart of many both outside and inside Indian territory, with a very remarkable box office performance and all. And it is not the first Bollywood film to achieve this, but there is something that compelled people to highly endorse and spread the word.
And now that I've seen it, I can see why. In many ways, the film captures the ludicrousness found in so many clips of recent Bollywood action flicks around the internet (even though this one is actually a Tollywood movie), many of which have become memes and gifs. They are excessively dramatic, melodramatic, and hilariously tense. Winds may appear out of nowhere, adding drama to a situation. The actors perform these outrageous jumps and parkour moves, as if the film has suddenly turned into a wuxia. It's as if the ferocity of the 1980s (particularly the action pictures made by Canon) and the 90s collided to create this film.
Technically, it is impressive. The cinematography is stunning, magnificent; the use of wide lenses allows us to admire the incredible landscapes and settings, giving the picture a big and epic scope that surpasses that of many modern Hollywood films. The montage and overall editing can be a touch too much at times, with its rapid cuts and everything, but for the most part, it is incredibly dynamic and provides the film an unfathomable energy. The action sequences are absolutely brilliant, whether it's the frantic fight and pursuit with a tiger or towards the third act in the jungle, and many of them remind me of Matthew Vaughn's flicks, particularly The Kingsman movies. And the music, oh my goodness! It's on another level; few composers, like Zimmer, can elevate a scene with music to the point where it becomes a character in and of itself.
Speaking of characters, all of the performances in this film are excellent. Our two protagonists sell every facet of their characters. From the warm and caring side to these homicidal machines with lethal fists and crazy awesome sets of fighting skills and stamina. Even the English actors aren’t that bad.
All in all, a thrilling, gripping, relentless fun action film from beginning to end. It feels three hours long at times, but for the most part, this doesn't matter because the time appears to fly by between the action and the huge emotional scenes. Believe the hype.
TODAY SCHEDULE
Dawson City: Frozen Time
Serpico
Prince of the City
RRR
