Casino Royale (2006)

United States/United Kingdom/Czech Republic, 2006
U.S. Release Date: 11/17/06 (wide)
India release : 11/17/2006
Running Length: 2:24
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Violence, sexual situations, nudity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Cast: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giannini, Caterina Murino
Director: Martin Campbell
Screenplay: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis, based on the novel by Ian Fleming
Cinematography: Phil Meheux
Music: David Arnold
U.S. Distributor: MGM
Casino Royale (2006)

When Pierce Brosnan took over the role of James Bond for Goldeneye, much was made about how the franchise was being "modernized." In reality, the only apparent changes were cosmetic. Brosnan's 007 was easily connected to the character previously played by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, and Timothy Dalton. With the ascension of Daniel Craig to the gun, tux, martini, and license to kill, seismic changes have occurred. This is no longer the James Bond we know from the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s. Welcome to the new world of MI6's most storied agent.

The purpose of Casino Royale is to "re-boot" the franchise. Craig isn't succeeding Brosnan; he's re-inventing the role. As far as this movie is concerned, nothing in the previous 20 entries has happened. This is Bond's "origin" story and the only thin bit of continuity is Judi Dench's return as Madam M. Forget everything you think you know about 007. For years now, the Bond formula has been drowning in a sea of rip-offs and pretenders, each more over-the-top than its predecessor. In order to retain a market niche, the Bond franchise had to strike out in a different direction - something less cartoonish and closer to the Ian Fleming source novels. It's impossible to say where the filmmakers will take Bond from here, but Casino Royale hints that it may be in a more down-to-earth direction than we're accustomed to.

What's missing? Quite a bit, actually. Until its rousing introduction during the end credits, the "James Bond Theme" is heard sparingly, during brief, subdued passages. The signature line of "Bond, James Bond" keeps us waiting. There are no gadgets - in fact, there's no Q. Nor is there any Moneypenny. There's action, but it's surprisingly low-key (at least for Bond). Absent are the over-the-top, gravity-defying stunts that have characterized 007 movies over the years. This time, things get brutal. Not only is there a nasty fight in which Bond beats the crap out of a bad guy (he has to kill two people to get his double-zero status, but the deaths don't have to be neat) but our hero ends up on the receiving end of some vicious treatment. One can't imagine Connery, Dalton, or especially Moore going through that ordeal.

The plot follows Fleming's story a lot more closely than the original Casino Royale (a pathetic and uneven spoof) did. It's early days for Bond. Having completed the requirements for graduation to the elite level, he has been assigned 007, although M is convinced he's not ready. His first assignment is to track down one of the most elusive worldwide suppliers of terrorist money. After following the clues, which first take him to the Bahamas then to Miami, Bond learns the identity of his quarry: Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), who's about to enter an exclusive poker game at Casino Royale in Montenegro. Bankrolled by MI6, Bond enters against Le Chiffre, with accountant Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) watching the money. As the action at the tables heats up, Bond finds himself in trouble away from them as Le Chiffre and some of his associates try to eliminate the British agent.

It has been a long time since Bond has been this human. Not since On Her Majesty's Secret Service - the last time he fell in love - have we seen this side of the super agent. It's s curious thing to see Bond develop deep feelings for Vesper. We're used to him treating women like disposable commodities. Oh, he has affection for them, but love is not in his vocabulary. Yet there's no better way to humanize a superhero than to make him fall in love. We have seen that with Superman and Spider-Man. Now we see it with 007. This aspect of the movie is one reason why Casino Royale is a cut above anything we have gotten from the Bondmakers in decades.

The plot is oddly constructed, and plays out in three clearly defined acts. The first is the most like a traditional Bond film, with James hopping from country to country, engaging in a meaningless romance (with Caterina Murino), and chasing after two henchmen (a foot chase that involves scaffolding and a rush to stop a bomb at Miami Airport). Act II takes place mainly at the poker table. Surprisingly, there's a lot of tension even though there's not much action (except a staircase fracas), and the movie uses this segment to build the romantic tension between Vesper and Bond. I won't say much about the third act, except that it goes some unexpected places and initially seems disconnected with what precedes it.

For Daniel Craig, this is a triumphant debut. Not since early Connery have we seen a Bond this magnetic. Craig manages to show us both the human and the inhuman sides of Bond, and the portrayal is free of fatuousness. This Bond isn't beyond uttering the occasional quip, but when he does so, there's not a lot of humor in the delivery. Not since the closing moments of On Her Majesty's Secret Service have we seen such a vulnerable 007. While there's always a certain sadness associated with waving goodbye to a departing actor, Craig's performance makes us ask "Pierce Who?"

With everything else changing, one wonders whether it might have been time to bring someone else in to play M. That's not a knock on Judi Dench - no one can deliver M's acerbic one-liners like her - but if the intent is to make a clean break, why is she here? Eva Green, still best known for taking off her clothing in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, is the right mix of hard and soft as Vesper - it's not hard to see how she could beguile Bond. Mads Mikkelsen is intense enough to pull off the villain role even though he lacks the megalomaniacal bent evidenced by most Bond bad guys. Additional support comes from Giancarlo Giannini as Mathis, the British agent based in Montenegro, and Jeffrey Wright as old friend Felix Leiter.

It's interesting to note that the radical revising of Bond is being done by the "usual" team. It's not as if an entirely new group was brought in for the "re-boot." The producers continue to be Michael G. Wilson and Barbara (daughter of Cubby) Broccoli. The writers are Neal Purvis and Robert Wade (with an assist from Paul "he's everywhere these days" Haggis), who were involved in scripting the last two Brosnan movies. Director Martin Campbell oversaw Goldeneye with Phil Meheux as his cinematographer. And David Arnold has been composing Bond scores since he took over from John Barry in the '90s. (The title song, "You Know My Name," which Arnold co-wrote with Chris Cornell, sounds eerily like something by Barry.)

My hope is that Casino Royale has not only re-invented James Bond, but made him relevant for the 21st century. The target audience has shifted. Although there's nothing in Casino Royale that will exclude teenagers, this 007 is aimed squarely at adults. The November release date is also perfect - the film is almost too dark and serious for the kind of lighthearted, mindless fun we associate with summer blockbusters. In recent years, I have come to each new James Bond movie with a series of ingrained expectations. For the most part, the Brosnan films met them across the board. Casino Royale defies many of them, and I couldn't be happier.

Laage Raho Munna Bhai !!!

Starring
Sanjay Dutt .... Munna Bhai - Murali Prasad Sharma
Arshad Warsi .... Circuit
Boman Irani .... Lucky Singh
Vidya Balan .... RJ Jahnvi
Dia Mirza .... Simran
Jimmy Shergill .... Victor D'souza

Director : Rajkumar Hirani
Producer : Vidhu Vinod Chopra

'Lage Raho Munnabhai' Simply Superb


Bole to hats off to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Rajkumar Hirani for making a film that is more than just a rip-roaring comedy. ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ makes you laugh, makes you cry and, parallel to all the entertainment, it gives a message that sticks in the mind. To say it in Munnabhai’s lingo – it creates “chemical locha” in the brain.

It is next to impossible not to like Munnabhai and his sidekick Circuit in their second innings. Almost three years after the loveable duo cured the incurable in Munnabhai MBBS , the street-savvy taporis find themselves face to face with Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology in ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’.

As

Munna – the goon for whom breaking bones and abducting people is the way of life – comes face to face with Bapu, he discovers that it takes more courage to turn the other cheek than to hit back. Munna discovers that nothing works like compassion and non-violence. Following Mahatma Gandhi’s way, Munna not only triumphs over his enemies, but he also wins the love of the woman he so very longs for.

Once again, Sanjay Dutt plays the foul-mouthed, uneducated, but extremely good-hearted goon, and Arshad Warsi plays his inseparable friend.

While Circuit is busy doing abductions and forcing people from their properties, Munna spends his days listening to RJ Jhanvi (Vidya Balan) on the radio. Munna, hopelessly smitten with Jhanvi, gets an opportunity to be on her show after answering a number of questions on Mahatma Gandhi. However, to conceal his real identity, Munna lies to her that he is a professor of History. Impressed by the history teacher who speaks tapori language just to relate to today’s youths, Jhanvi invites Munna to her house to give a lecture on Gandhiji to her ‘children’.

Jhanvi runs a home called Second Innings in which old people who have been left by their children get a chance to restart their lives afresh. It is these old people whom Jhanvi calls her ‘children’.

Now, Munna is in a fix. To know about Gandhiji’s life and ideology, he goes to a library and begins reading books on the iconic figure for three days continuously. After three days, a miracle happens. Gandhiji appears and start talking to Munna.

Startled to see Gandhiji, Munna goes to a shrink and is told that there is some chemical locha (problem) in his brain.

However, Munna befriends Gandhiji, gives an excellent lecture at Jhanvi’s home and makes a place in everyone’s hearts, including Jhanvi’s.

Trouble starts when a builder named Lucky Singh (Boman Irani) wants to take over Jhanvi’s property. Ironically, both Munna and Circuit work for Lucky.

As the greedy builder makes his manipulative moves and acquires the property, Munna becomes his foe.

But with Gandhiji by his side, Munna renounces his old belligerent self and wins over his enemy in the most unexpected way.

Like in ‘Munnabhai MBBS’, in this film too Munna does the Good-Samaritan acts in his typical tapori style. Guided by Gandhiji, he doles out advices to people on Jhanvi’s radio show. He helps a financially ruined youth named Victor (Jimmy Shergill) to confess a bitter truth to his (Victor’s) father. He helps a runaway bride named Simran (Dia Mirza) to return to her father’s home in spite of the fact that the father happens to be none other than Lucky Singh.

And despite all his goodness, there are situations when Munna is scorned by people and labeled mentally disturbed. But armed with Gandhiji’s ideology, he triumphs in the end.

‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ is a film that keeps you riveted to the screen from the very opening reels to its conclusion. The most exceptional thing about the film is the way it blends comedy with emotional moments.

Arshad Warsi’s impeccable comic timing, coupled with Sanjay Dutt’s light-humored slapstick, promises laughs aplenty for the viewers. And there are moments when the duo drives you to tears. For instance, the sequence when Sanjay slaps Arshad and later goes to apologize. Arshad proves in this sequence that he is not just an excellent comedian, but also a deft actor when it comes to serious moments.

Another good thing about the film is that Gandhiji’s ideology in it never sounds preachy. The film rather shows its soundness in a practical way. Dilip Prabhavalkar plays Gandhiji’s role in the most convincing way. He almost has an enlightened smile on his face throughout the movie.

‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ doesn’t merely end as a Sanjay Dutt film. Although the actor takes to his role like a fish to the water and delivers yet another brilliant performance, ample footage is given to Vidya Balan, Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani and other actors as well.

Vidya Balan looks angelic with her mystifying smile, free-flowing hair and charming persona. Boman Irani is highly credible as a loud-mouthed Punjabi. Jimmy Shergill and Dia Mirza get their moments of limelight. Abhishek Bachchan makes a one-minute cameo.

To sum it up, ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’ is one of the best movies to have come out of Bollywood this year. The script is exceptionally well written by Hirani and Abhijat Joshi. The background music complements the screenplay and the songs are not the least intrusive. Rajkumar Hirani’s direction yokes together all the elements of movie-making into a cohesive, meaningful and, above all, entertaining package called ‘Lage Raho Munnabhai’.

The film is a top-notch entertainer. There is not a single dull moment in it. A must-watch.

Carry on forever, Munnabhai.

Krrish !!!

Starring
Hrithik Roshan .... Krrish Mehra
Priyanka Chopra .... Priya
Rekha .... Sonia Mehra
Naseeruddin Shah .... Dr. Siddharth Arya

Director : Rakesh Roshan
Producer : Rakesh Roshan
Musician : Rajesh Roshan

Music Album : Krrish

The wait was worth it. More than three years after Koi Mil Gaya , the Roshans return with the movie’s sequel, ‘Krrish’, a thoroughly entertaining film with Hrithik Roshan as its breath and soul.

Trust me, there is no other ‘super’ star who can pull off the role of a superhero as convincingly as Hrithik has done. The actor has the right mix of brawns, youthful exuberance, grit and emotional vulnerability required for the role. He can be romantic, and he can be stern. He can yield, and he can be unforgiving. By large, ‘Krrish’ remains a Hrithik Roshan movie. But that is not to undermine the performances by Priyanka Chopra, Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah.

The

legacy of Rohit – the imbecilic youth who transforms into a superhero and a genius after meeting an alien in ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ – has passed on to his son Krishna, who lives with his grandmother (Rekha) after the death of his parents. Young Krishna’s prodigious abilities, his physical strength and mental intelligence astounds his teachers and other children of his age. But his grandmother doesn’t want the world to know about Krishna’s superpowers. So she takes him to a nondescript village in the mountains where Krishna grows in the lap of nature into a strong, handsome, brawny young man (Hrithik).

He runs faster than his horse, jumps long distances in a single leap and climbs the mountains like a spider moving through its web. Only few are aware of Krishna’s qualities. These qualities make him special. But they also make him a sort of outcast among normal people.

Then, love enters Krishna’s life. It literally falls from the open skies into his lap as he rescues a wide-eyed, city-bred girl (Priyanka) from her faulty parachute landing atop a tree.

Their first meeting, as they keep sliding down branch after branch, with the girl in Krishna’s arms, has been shot very beautifully.

It turns out that the girl is Priya and she is a part of a group of adventure seekers from Singapore.

A few pranks follow between Krishna and Priya and her campmates. The campers also get to see Krishna’s super-abilities. While Krishna shows Priya around his scenic village, he falls in love with her. But she returns to Singapore after a mere ten-day stay.

Then she calls him to Singapore on a false pretext, pretending her love for him. In truth she wants to save her job by showing Krishna’s skills on the TV channel she works for.

The gullible Krishna is eager to go to Singapore. But his dadi (Rekha) doesn’t want to send him into the world. She fears that the clever world will use Krishna the way it used and destroyed his father Rohit.

Anyway, Krishna goes to Singapore with the promise that he will conceal his qualities from the world. In the concrete jungle full of high-rises and skyscrapers, Krishna meets both good and bad people. But, can he conceal his super powers? Is he clever enough not to be used by people for their advantage? And will he be able to stop a megalomaniac scientist from making a computer that sees the future? In all the action and drama that follows, Krishna finds more than love. He finds someone whom he had presumed dead.

Right from the opening reels to its conclusion ‘Krrish’ keeps you riveted to the screen. With the exception of a few songs, the movie flows smoothly without dragging even for a moment. There are good hilarious moments in the first half. Even the movie’s supposed villain, Dr. Siddhant Arya (Naseeruddin Shah), is not without a comic knack.

But it is the action and stunts that stands out throughout the movie. Krrish’s giant leaps, his upward somersaults in the air, his skidding through the trees in the forest and his speedy movements (faster than a bullet) reminds me of the action from films like ‘Crouching Tiger’, ‘House of Flying Daggers’ and ‘Matrix’.

‘Krrish’, the movie, fuses these stunts with romance, comedy and fights in a very digestible dose. And the credit for this goes to Rakesh Roshan, the movie’s writer, producer and director. Roshan senior has made a quality product – a film that lays foundation for other films of similar genre. Although some stunts could be depicted graphically more realistically, but that would require a very huge budget.

‘Krrish’, quite an expensive movie by Indian standards, heralds the ‘superhero’ genre creditably.

Besides Hrithik’s superb performance in the film, Priyanka Chopra holds her ground and breezes through her role with the act that doesn’t demand serious histrionics. Rekha still has a natural charm in her beauty. She provides emotional moments in the film.

Naseeruddin Shah is eloquent as usual, not just in his dialogues but also his facial expressions. I wish he had a longer role in the film.

All said, ‘Krrish’ is definitely worth a watch, if not more. The film is a wholesome entertainer that will appeal particularly to teenagers and kids.

Dhoom 2

Dhoom 2 : Movie Review

Cops and robbers stories never got so exhilarating in Bollywood. Sanjay Gadhvi’s film Dhoom 2 does not give you a moment to sit back. With its stylish look, incredible stunts and tongue-in-cheek humour, the movie keeps you constantly on the edge of your seat without any safety belt.

You can skip a roller-coaster ride for a movie like this. And you won’t miss a thrill. High speed chases, free-falls, pyrotechnics, death-defying stunts are all rolled together to give you goose bumps in every single reel of this 2.45 hr movie. And a lion’s share of credit for this goes to Hrithik Roshan , without whom this movie would have been a soulless body.



Story is not of as much importance to this movie as individual sequences revolving around robberies. As Hrithik Roshan ingeniously pulls off one impossible heist after another, you realize that the movie is not just about brawns, but brains too.

Sanjay Gadhvi makes his intentions clear in the very opening reels. In a desolate desert in Africa, an anonymous thief, a mysterious Mr. A (Hrithik), pulls off a daring robbery on a moving train. After the loot, as he sandboards through the golden dunes with the booty safe in his bag, the introductory titles roll.

Back in Mumbai, Ali ( Uday Chopra ) has graduated from a mechanic to a cop. He and his senior Jai Dixit ( Abhishek Bachchan ) work together to bring criminals to book.

Enters ACP Shonali Bose ( Bipasha Basu ), Jai’s college friend, now a sharp shooter who believes in gunning down thieves rather than catching them. She is an expert on the thefts by Mr. A, a mysterious, nameless thief and a master of guises whose real face none has seen.

Jai and Shonali team up to catch Mr. A on his next robbery in Mumbai. But the elusive thief slips through their fingers after stealing a priceless diamond. That’s not it. Mr. A throws a challenge to the cops by announcing his next target.

It is on this robbery Aishwarya Rai is introduced as a masked thief who impresses Mr. A. Sunehri (Ash) makes an impression on the international thief and soon wins his trust. Mr. A introduces himself as Aryan and takes Sunehri under his wing.

But there is another side to Sunehri. As she and Aryan go to Brazil for their next robbery, Jai and Ali keep close on their trail. Riveting action and stunts follow as Jai and Ali try to stop Aryan from his next crime.

It is better not to judge ‘Dhoom 2’ by Hollywood standards. Seen purely as a product of Hindi cinema, ‘Dhoom 2’ turns out to be a movie that redefines the action genre in Bollywood. And once again it is Hrithik Roshan who plays a pivotal role in stretching this quotient. The actor just keeps getting better at doing unimaginable stunts. He does sand-surfing, roller-blading, bungee jumping and much more with the mien of an expert. Besides the stunts, he stays in complete control of his character and convincingly brings out the emotional sides of Aryan in the second half. The movie truly belongs to him.

Abhishek Bachchan looks rugged playing the no-nonsense cop but is never able to rise above Hrithik’s presence. Bipasha Basu looks really hot and the camera scans her anatomy and assets at regular intervals to add some titillation to the thrills.

On the other hand, Aishwarya Rai doesn’t look least bit sexy despite wearing a variety of skimpy dresses. The gorgeous actress is not able to carry herself comfortably in revealing outfits. Perhaps she is a beauty that ought to remain covered.

Uday Chopra is the only source of humour in this action-packed thriller. Although his comedy is generic, the flair and ease with which he does it makes his character very entertaining.

Rimi Sen has a brief and forgettable role of Jai’s pregnant, cribbing wife.

‘Dhoom 2’ isn’t void of faults, and some of them are so glaring to be overlooked. Bipasha’s character Shonali is inexplicably dropped at the interval point and another character, an identical twin called Monali, is introduced in Brazil. And both Shonali and Monali have little significance to the movie’s story.

Secondly, after a series of intelligently conceived robberies in the first half, the last robbery in the film turns out to be lacklustre and without any thrill.

Thirdly, Pritam’s recycled and rehashed compositions that only evoke yawns and encourage you to go out for some refreshments.

Fourthly, the romance between Hrithik and Ash lacks the real spark.

All said, this Dhoom turns out to be bigger, better and bombastic than its prequel. It is essentially a cops and robbers story with some glamour and humour thrown in. In this tussle between cops and thieves, it is Love that wins in the end. After all, Aashiqon ka janaaza hai, zara Dhoom se niklega.

Watch it for Hrithik.