Aal Review

Aal Review – Aal is a Tamil action thriller released in 2014. This movie is an adaptation of the Hindi movie Aamir released in 2008. Amir is settled well in his life happily. But one day he finds his family held as a hostage and he would need to follow instructions from some unknown person on phone to save them.

The movie states itself to be an adaptation of the Bollywood movie which is good and if you have seen the original you know what to expect from this movie. However there have been some minor variations in this script. The plot of the movie itself would connect only to a niche audience. If you see from the plot perspective and how the movie is executed it has been done well. Debutant director Aanand Krishna has done a good job with the adaptation. The most striking feature of the movie is the environment in which it is shot. It covers many of the below poverty line locality where the meaning of life is much different than the one you see in the middle class or upper middle class locality. This is very apt to suit the mood of both the movie and the main protagonist who is a middle class person. The movie opens at Elephant Gate (Yaanai Kavuni) in Chennai where a chase sequence is shown. This is done very well. So is the entire Chennai portion of the movie which is covered in similar areas.

Vidharth has done justice to his character. He looks stylish in this movie and as the movie builds up his character transforms into a desperate, confused individual. Songs are few in this movie and good that they haven’t used it during the main portion of the movie which otherwise would have been a major distraction. The love angle to Vidharth doesn’t seem to fit very well and barely has a significant connect to the plot. The dialogues are just about average. For a script of this stature some powerful dialogues could have proved to be a plus point.

Overall Aal is a decent adaptation of its original. But for a few flaws the movie is definitely gripping and the way the environment itself is used as a character in the movie is very good. You can watch this one at home.

Wait for DVD/TV

Vellimoonga Review

Vellimoonga Review – Vellimoonga (Barn Owl) is a Malayalam political drama released in 2014. The movie revolves around the life of a middle aged man Mamachen who is still single and actively involved in politics. He aspires to setup his family and also rise up in politics but it is not easy as people who are jealous of him try to play spoilsport.

The movie had released without making much noise and is a very engaging drama. There is no unnecessary song and dance in the movie. It is filled with some neat performances, humor and dialogues. As the plot is drawn on a political canvas every character in the movie talks a lot. Hardly will you find any silent sequence in the movie. Biju Menon is a great choice for the role and he has carried out his role with perfection. His acting and his unique mannerisms would make Mamachen character loved by the audience. The way he always finds a way to ride in the front seat of the jeep, never pays for his ride  and his mom says that he never travels in an auto as it does not allow him to sit in the front are great examples to develop a character. Aju Varghese is very successful in making us laugh yet again. The rest of the characters in the movie are also developed well and help in moving the story along. Director Jibu Jacob has presented an engaging political drama that is fresh and satisfying. The election preparations and processions have been done well. He has also very well portrayed how the meaning of Khadi clothes has changed over time from Gandhiji to the current politicians. It has now become a trademark of Indian politics. Usually for political drama Chanakya would be used as a symbolism, but the use of Barn Owl as a symbolism in the movie is very creative.

Overall the movie is a very enjoyable affair. If you like movies with political background you would definitely enjoy Vellimoonga. There is never a dull moment in the movie and it entertains you throughout.

Watchable