ANIMAL celebrates the Animal inside all of us. Okay, if it was a social media account- the status would have been- it is complicated. The movie Animal is grand. It is basically a family business revenge saga with enough gunfire to wipe out a small township. Oh, don’t ask where the Police is. Don’t worry; they don’t exist in this movie. And don’t ask why all the sharpshooters are on the hero’s side, and the Villain team can’t shoot straight and come wearing some stupid headgear. However, as a movie in the current time- with all the spy and big fights movies like War, Tiger, Jawan, and KGF – Animal is mega and in the same space. It does leave you a bit awed and wanting more, for which Sandeep Reddy Vanga has left the audience with possibilities.
Animal is a long movie at 3 hours 21 minutes, but it does not feel long as it holds your attention, keeping you engaged with stunts- fights and guns.
PLEASE RESPECT THE ‘A’ CERTIFICATE.
Animal is a mega film with brilliant performances. However, the story could have been tighter, and a few of the fights underplayed. It is gory and full of violence. Rightly, it has been awarded an ‘A’ certificate. It is bold and brave at different phases. However, it was sad to see parents bringing their 5-6-7 class-going kids with them for the movie and the halls, allowing them unchecked questions. These kids will get wrongly affected by such a movie and raise questions that the parents will find challenging to answer.
PERFORMANCE.
Ranbir Kapoor’s performance as a rebel- a complex character with a complicated father–son relationship– built on unconditional love is excellent. So is the performance of Anil Kapoor as one of India’s most successful wealthy businessmen and father to a complex animal- Ranbir Kapoor. And he keeps the best for the scenes where he has to confront his animal son. Rashmika Mandanna is okay and does well within the limited scope available in this macho-lead alpha male animal film. Tripti Dmrii has a short role, but she does well to justify her presence.
And a special mention goes out to Bobby Deol – an absolutely barbaric and mean character who does wonders in his limited screen time. His eyes talk, the smirk on his face says a lot more, and though he can’t speak ( in the movie), he emotes without dialogue.
Watch it, and you will probably not feel cheated or like you are wasting your time. However, I cannot strongly recommend it as I did for 12th Fail. And for a few, it may be a movie they would like to watch again. The Saturday afternoon show was full, showing that the film was doing really great. I expect it to outperform many recent movies in the tier-II and III towns.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
Animal the movie leaves many questions unanswered after tactically raising them. What would be a husband ( as fanatic as an Animal) who has himself cheated on his wife, in case the wife sleeps with someone? Would it be huminitic rage and anger or animalistic okay because the other male was alpha? What is good parenting? How should the father behave? Is the father not giving time to the kid gives a license, or does it ensure he will be like an animal? An animal will protect the family with anything and everything- but in societal life- is there a line beyond which we are not expected to move? Is love adjustments and living a life of an unequal partner, or is it living on an equal footing with ambition where both partners’ desires are celebrated? Maybe these are never meant to be answered.
LOOK FORWARD TO ANIMAL PARK.
So, it is not different that many audiences see the movie extended and would have appreciated it if it had finished midway after the massacre at the hotel, after the car blast or even after the tarmac fight. Instead, I liked to watch the whole of it and how it ended. I believe that part II will be far better than this Animal.
NETET.
Many people are talking about wasting money on ‘Animal’ when they have a better option, ‘SAM BAHADUR’, to watch. Now let me be honest: watching Animal is not a waste- it is entertaining in the way recent movies have been. It is a full mass masala movie and will pull in the crowd. It should be a hit. Sam Bahadur is a different kind of movie and will find its own audience. It could be a slow burner, which will pick up with time. And there, Vicky Kaushal has taken a risk- as its success and failure will be squarely on his shoulders. SAM is another complex multi-layered personality that is tough to cinematically reflect other than anyone but the only one SAM MANEKSHAW. I will watch SAM BAHADUR in the next few days.
POST SCRIPT.
I do use brand personification in my Brand and Marketing constancy. It is easily understood and easy to communicate. It brings starkness of alignment issues where different stakeholders have a unique and at timed diametrically opposite animal association for others and at times for self. Animal as a movie had a different animal in Ranbir Kapoor, and you may be unable to pin him out. But, if you look inward, try answering three simple questions. Which Animal was Ranbir Kapoor’s dominant trait in the movie? Which Animal would you describe yourself as? And if your close friends were to be asked what kind of an animal they would call you? Because there is definitely an animal inside all of us. It is tamed and controlled. However, when the controls are off, or there is a frustrating gap between the experience and expectations, the Animal takes over.
It is different that I also liked KABIR, DADDY and KGF.
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