DASAVATHARAM – A 360 DEGREE REVIEW

Posted on June 24, 2008

9


725 word review.

Directed by K. S. Ravikumar
Produced by Venu Ravichandran
Written by Kamal Haasan, Sujatha, Crazy Mohan
Starring Kamal Haasan, Asin Thottumkal, Mallika Sherawat, Jayaprada, Napolean
Music by Himesh Reshammiya, Devi Sri Prasad
Cinematography Ravi Varman
Editing by Ashmith Kunder
Run time - 166 MINUTES

–

Story – 3/5 (SIMPLE AND BELIEVABLE)
Screenplay – 4/5
Cinematography - 2.5/5 (HATED TOO MANY CAMERA MOVEMENTS, TOO MANY ZOOM INS AND ZOOM OUTS)
Dialogs - 3/5 (WOULD HAVE GIVEN 2.5, BUT FOR GOOD MIX OF HUMOR AT SEVERAL INSTANCES, WOULD GIVE IT A 3)
Avathaarams - 3.5/5 (7 of the 10 were amazing)
Graphics - 3.5/5 (If I have to rate it as per Indian Standards, I would give it a 5/5)

WATCH FOR -

  1. Graphics (a few places at the start and ending had glitches, the rest of the places, you won’t know that graphics were used)
  2. The scaling of two characters were simply brilliant, its not easy to move objects around and let people talk to an imaginary (semi imaginary or however they did it) person with a height of 8 feet or 5 feet, the scaling has been done appropriately to the surroundings. Though I doubt whether both the characters had the same height throughout the movie.
  3. The makeup (7 of the 10 were brilliant)
  4. Simple but believable story (simple and believable if you have watched a few Hollywood movies and know a very few scientific theories. Those who believe in religion, god and have no idea on the things mentioned above would also be satisfied. Those who have no idea about Hollywood movies, science,  chaos theory and are against it, i would like to hear more from you, as i love to read the innocent look and perplexed anger on your faces). The Tsunami’s relation to science, to God and even in the eyes of an atheist satisfies you. How could one think of such a complex integration?
  5. Fast paced story, wonderful comedy timing.
  6. The tsunami scene. (Not about the splashing waves, the way he shows the preliminary signs of tsunami’s arrival, the birds flying and the boat moving outwards during the fighting. And even when tsunami strikes, it is the Japanese who shouts, very well thought.
  7. The simple integration of 12th century incidents, biological developments, tsunami, religion.
  8. Bush-isms. (Bone tickler)

THE GIVE UPS -

  1. The very less time for each character to develop, sometimes its gives you a feeling that they suddenly take up presence on the screen and run the show. (but if he had let the characters develop, the movie would be more than 4 hours long).
  2. A more visible dark thick line could have been drawn at the end to differentiate the movie ending and the end titles. I ended up halting after crashing into the pit stop.
  3. Voice modulation was not that good enough, bush loses his accent after a few minutes. And the voice was similar to a few characters.
  4. I could neither understand Japanese or read the Tamil subtitles, i felt like a food packet dropped in no man’s land.
  5. Himesh could have let his servant do the music except for the Mukunda and the 12th century song.
  6. The new york city bush scene, a footage copied pasted, Karunanidhi’s unnecessary presence.

With respect to his views on religion and god, it is a perplex situation as the movie has been shown in a such a way that a theist, an atheist and a believer of science, all three would be satisfied. A person who is flexible with respect to god, religion, he would go home thinking a lot of the movie, though a simple movie and not much to think about, one would be drowned in the efforts to find the loop holes in Kamal’s integrated story of religion, beliefs, atheism and scientology. Though Kamal’s view on atheism is present in the movie like a strong scent, one can’t point that his views are more evident. One would feel so, as its Kamal himself talking about it, whereas the other aspects, its the story and the screen play which conveys the message of religion, belief.

I wonder why the movie got a mixed review, I don’t understand why people hesitate in swallowing a pill which is a bit advanced. Kamal is known for putting audience in a bit of discomfort with respect to the story in his movies. Aalavandhan for example, couldn’t be digested back then, Hey Ram also met with a similar fate.

On the whole, if this movie doesn’t hit you with its brilliance, Kamal and his unit’s efforts, you better stick on to the local Dandanakka, hey Dadakkunaka or super stylish bubble gum popping but no essence movies.

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