Visaaranai : Battle between mind and heart!

Visaaranai : Battle between mind and heart!

Only few films in global cinema cease the intelligence of the viewers and tug their heart harder that there would be no time to think but only to feel and cry for the characters shown on the big screen. Visaaranai is one such film, where you know that there won’t be any happy ending yet your heart yearns for it!

Spoilers ahead…

As a regular follower of Tamil cinema, I’m pretty much aware of the fact that Visaaranai is based on the novel (Lock Up) written by Chandrakumar so my mind should have told me there is no chance for Pandi (Attakathi Dinesh) to escape from the cold-blooded cops as the lone survivor in the brutal execution is the author himself. But as I said, Visaaranai tugs our heart big time that there is no time for the useless intelligence.

Attakathi Dinesh as Pandi in Visaaranai

Films like Interstellar, Inception or Vishwaroopam  would give all time high for movie buffs as they would be decoding the film and explain the finer details to their friends. But while watching films like A Separation, Children of Heaven or Mahanadhi, the plethora of emotions would move us deeply that we might shamelessly end up shedding tears.

The famous scene in Children of Heaven

It doesn’t mean Children of Heaven / A Separation don’t have any metaphoric scenes—nothing can match the climax of Children of Heaven with the Ali & Fish. In the same way, the guiltiness between the two couples in A Separation can’t be decoded or raved in words but one can only feel with their whole heart, Visaaranai is one such film!

In fact, for me Visaaranai is India's answer to The Secret in Their Eyes. Both the films deal about the loopholes in the system and how it affects two protagonists!

 Still from  A Separation

Authentic documentation yet poignant execution

Visaaranai is nothing but an authentic documentation of what has happened real/ what Chandrakumar had written. But still there is a cinematic nuance and ironies coexist beautifully in the movie.

The film satirically tells us that the brutal cops would treat both the poor and rich in the same way. At the first half of the film, we begin to think that Pandi and his friends are undergoing such unbearable physical tortures because they are care of platforms and they don’t have enough money and education to stand against the system.

Wealthy KK (Kishore) and Samuthirakani 

But the irony is a wealthy auditor KK (Kishore), who possess a respectable degree too becomes a prey for the greediness of the cops.  This paradox lies within the ecosystem designed by the ultimate creator.

I’m not writing much about the grey shaded characterizations of the cops and the purist Pandi as all the characters existed in real life. The solid characterizations have indeed contributed big time for the cinematic excellence but whom should I appreciate? Vetrimaran or Chandrakumar? May be, I should curse the ultimate creator as the innocent human beings were mercilessly tortured and lost their lives.

Kudos Chandrakumar and Vetrimaran

Kudos to Vetrimaran and Chandrakumar for registering the barbarity of the cops and how they are escaping through the loopholes of the system.

In a state like Tamil Nadu where the reach of cinema is powerful than novel, the screen adaptation of Lock Up is an eye opener and I’m sure Vetrimaran’s genuine effort in Visaaranai will be discussed for many years!

Ratings : *****

- Rajasekar S

The Walk – Consummate Cinematic Experience

Director Robert Zemeckis, who is known for making feel-good films, which have inspired millions of people across the globe, has once again provided a wholesome entertainment with his 3D biographical drama, The Walk.

The Walk is all about the real life high-wire artist (Phillip Pettit), who had walked between the Twin Towers of World Trade Center. In short, Robert Zemeckis has authentically captured the joy, agony, thrill and high moments of a man, who believed in his passionate profession and achieved the target in style.

The consummate cinematic experience, which we had seen in Robert Zemecki’s previous films including Forrest Gump, Real Steel and Cast Away is thankfully retained in The Walk too but what makes it more unique is its brilliant visual effects and cinematography, as they have beautifully captured the beauty of Twin Towers.

Perhaps, The Walk is not only a biopic of Phillip Pettit but also a perfect souvenir to The Twin Towers in New York. Although we all know that the protagonist won’t fall down as he is the one, who narrates the story, the visual effects and sound design take us into the film. I would say that The Walk is an edge of the seat, feel-good ride (Yes, you read that right!)

Joseph Gordon Levitt has played the role of Phillip Pettit and has perfectly justified the role of a passionate youngster as he has brilliantly conveyed all the required emotions and takes the film to a different level.  Ben Kingsley as Papa Rudy brings out some comic moments and proves what an ace acting can do for a film!  Charlotte Le Bon, reminds us of Keira Knightley, thanks to the similar look and she has done a phenomenal job as Phillip’s girl friend in the film.

Overall, The Walk is easily one of the best 3D movies you have ever come across. Please do yourself a favor and watch it on a big screen with good projection and effects!

Rating : ****

Everest Movie Review

Director Baltasar Komakur's Everest is based on the real event of 1996 Mount Everest disaster. Generally, audience prefers to see disaster movies because it would provide an edge of the seat ride and most of the times, the execution would be steam-winding with expeditious screenplay and breathtaking visual effects but Everest is an exception.

Yes, Baltasar Kamkur has apparently made Everest as an emotionally charged drama that mainly depicts the euphoria of the climbers as they reach the peak of Mount Everest and their ultimate tribulation, when they come to know that  reaching the base station is almost impossible and all their lives are at stake.

Another interesting aspect of the film is that the mental trauma of families of the climbers have also been registered well. To be precise, Everest is all about two expedition groups and their survival attempts as they subjected grueling climatic conditions that even a wrong step would end up losing their lives.

Jason Clarke has brilliantly played the role of New Zealand expedition group leader, Rob Hall while Jake Gyllenhaal was adequate in the role of another expedition group head, Scott Fischer. Keira Knightley, who was last seen in The Imitation Game and Begin Again, didn't have big scope in Everest as most of the time, she has been filmed in dark angles and offered abstract characterization.

The film indeed has prodigious technical values but wondering why they have opted for 3D, a good old 2D representation would have given the same real film watching experience.

Overall, if you want to know what has exactly happened in 1996 Mount Everest disaster, this film would definitely help but it won't please audience who looks for a roller-coaster ride. The bottom line is, lower your expectations!

Rating: ***