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Krrish [2006]


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Grreat!
Review date: 2008-04-29 Rating: 8 out of 10

My initial impressions of Krrish didn't blow me away.

Overly dramatic music - the music for Krrish's IQ test was more akin to that from a tense moment in a horror film. The acting seemed a tad over-the-top, much like that of an American soap opera. The story gets incredibly silly with the group of visitors who are convinced that Krishna (Hritik Roshan) is a ghost - in short the film felt childish.

But it was still fun. The character of Krish had an appeal. Within moments of the film opening we see the isolation of a child who is different from the rest, growing up to be a man who harbours fascination and shame at his amazing abilities. This is a high budget action film which (like the Dhoom films) is obviously heavily influenced by Western Cinema (think `Spiderman') and Eastern too (there is wirework to rival that of `Crouching Tiger...'). There are some cheesy moments, but many of those help to enforce the childlike wonder of Krishna as he finds himself in the `outside' world, away from his Grandma in their secluded home in the mountains. As she worried that his powers will be exploited (as happened to his father), Krish comes to terms with becoming a man and discovering love.

The film relies relies slightly on the prequel (Koi Mil Gaya) but it isn't necessary to have seen it. This film shows a few clips from `Koi..', but most of the flashbacks occur between the two films. The film builds to an implausible but powerful ending which actually moved me to tears. I can't give any details as it would spoil the film, but it shows the acting prowess of Hritik Roshan, an actor who up to seeing this I had enjoyed watching, but had ever seen him act in a challenging role.

Hritik really makes this film - he successfully conveys an honest young man with childlike innocence. His pain at discovering the ugly side of life comes through the screen and moves the viewer. As I said, I was moved to tears by Hritik's dual role in the film and I now consider him to be one of my favourite actors.

In a nutshell: Muscle-bound Hritik Roshan demonstrates that he's much more than an aesthetic prop in an emotional and stunt-laden film. There's cheese and there's some embarrassingly childish plot present. There's also a moment of bad special effects near the end of a film during a fight scene which contrasts with the otherwise phenomenal special effects up to this point, but the overall journey is an incredibly enjoyable one. I've not seen the prequel `Koi Mil Gaya' but since watching this I've ordered the DVD and can't wait to see it.

Some have said that the film is overly long, but I don't think so. The length of the film allows the character of Krishna/Krrish to develop and endear. There's something about this film that will strike you and stay with you.


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Reviews


Unintentional pastiche that nevetheless entertains...
Review date: 2008-04-20 Rating: 6 out of 10

Bollywood's first attempt at the Superhero genre is a shameless rip-off of everthing frpm Crouching Tiger to Minority Report, via Spiderman, ET, and The Matrix. Implausibly daft plot, featuring mop-headed Barry Cryer lookalike villain, who combines 'astrology, astronomy and mathematics' (!) to build a supercomputer to see the future, enabling him thereby to achieve world domination. Throw in Bollywood's obligatory song-and-dance numbers; family melodrama (the orphan, lost parents); a love story; and a granny so dementedly possessive that she makes Norman Bates' mum look positively sane in comparison. The two leads are suitably easy on the eye (although former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is no Aishwarya Rai, and her acting is pretty clunking at times...). For the Western viewer, thoroughly OTT, but for those of us habituated to or raised on popular Indian cinema, it makes its own kind of demented sense. Check out the even more deranged plot for the sequel in IMDB, and watch out for that fire extinguisher...

Nearly a Classic
Review date: 2007-06-19 Rating: 8 out of 10

There are many good things in this movie. First of all, Hritik Roshan is a revelation in the lead role. I'd always written him off as a simple romantic lead - but here he demonstrates remarkable fitness, dancing and martial arts skills which are clearly not faked. He also looks really cool in his costume. Priyanka Chopra is meltingly beautiful as always. God! I would gladly sell my soul for her - and ably backed up in looks and acting talent by Manini Mishra who deserves a bigger part somewhere else. The action stunts are terrific and the last thirty minutes of the movie are great. The big musical number, set in a circus, shows tremendous originality and works really well. Finally, the locations in Kashmir (I think) and Singapore are both breathtaking in different ways providing a good contrast at the halfway point of the movie.

But there is a weakness that lets it down a little. The first hour of the film, though pretty to look at, is extremely tedious and I was actually losing interest. Also, the 'secret identity / mustn't tell my girlfriend' motif has been seriously overdone elsewhere - as we know - and is no longer original. It's just annoying now. So this is a great attempt at providing a modern superhero for India and it very nearly makes it - maybe Krrish 2 will be more compact and a stronger movie because of the experience gained here. We'll see. Oh, and how about a female superhero for India - now that would be really something!

Good film for the kids
Review date: 2007-04-01 Rating: 6 out of 10

The bad points:

1) Krrish is the most cheesiest indian film that i have seen in a long time. (ok, so all indian films are cheesy, but this one takes the biscuit!)

2) The story and the dialogue don't flow too well and was over-simplistic, so kids will probably enjoy this film more than the adults.

Good points:

1) Hrithik Roshan makes the most of what he's got and excells at his role as the superhero. The stunts were good (not as good as Hollywood films though)and Hrithik's martial arts moves make this a must-see film.

2) Songs aren't too bad and Hrithik's finally learnt to dance.

Conclusion: watch Krrish for Hrithik

I just Krrish it had been better..
Review date: 2006-12-21 Rating: 6 out of 10

Krrish is an Indian superhero film which makes for interesting viewing in the light of such mixed Hollywood outings as Daredevil, Spiderman, X-Men etc. Hidden by his mother from the enemies of his late, genius father, hero Krishna has inherited enhanced superpowers granted to his dad by kindly aliens in the first installment of the saga. Swept off his feet by a visiting female journalist in his remote retreat, at length he reluctantly returns to Singapore only to discover that elements of the past tragedy may not be what they seem. Soon he is forced to don a mask to hide his real identity and battles against a technological conspiracy which has at its heart a personal imperative.

Overlong and entertaining, Krrish has many of the merits and faults of Indian popular cinema, while still providing a novel experience for fans of the western superhero genre. Most interestingly, the Indian superhero has few of the neuroses and persecution complexes which mark out his western counterparts, never viewing his superhuman nature as a curse for instance. His special talents seem part of nature and not a dubious mutation of it. The first half of the film, consisting of a slow moving romance as Krrish, living with his overprotective auntie, discovers his heart and his destiny, has one or two decent moments but one longs for more outright drama. Notable scenes include the first meeting with his co star as he romances her, Tarzan-like, descending down a tree together in a prolonged arboreal embrace after a hang glider crash above. But these are meager highlights in what proves a slight and generally unmemorable opening act.

Things pick up considerably however after the half time intermission as, once installed in Singapore, Krrish moves into a different gear entirely. In the film's best and most excitingly choreographed sequence, the hero first dons his improvised mask to rescue victims trapped inside a burning circus tent while later, in another impressive moment, he leapfrogs across boats on the river to reach his enemies. Most of the wire-work based stunts in the film are well done and some - such as the moment when he slides his motor cycle along a warehouse floor to unseat several other riders, are exciting and new. Krrish's super powers mainly consist of Dr Doolittle-like communication powers with animals, super strength and speed, but there is no denying that in the requisite black mask, with streaming hair and Matrix mac he looks very cool when required. Ultimately though it has to be admitted that the film is not a complete success; the central conceit of a computer that can 'foretell the future' for instance is a clumsy one and, while Krrish is a great action figure, the film itself seems uncertain on which elements of his character to concentrate on, which leads to some loss of focus. But a decent enough effort all the same

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Hrithik Roshan
Priyanka Chopra
Rekha
Naseeruddin Shah
Sharat Saxena

Creators:
Rekha (Primary Contributor)
Hrithik Roshan (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Prism Leisure Corporation
Manufacturer: Prism Leisure Corporation
EAN: 8901452100152
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2006-08-28
Number of discs: 1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 154 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Hindi (Original Language)
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: Hindi (Unknown)

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