‘Force’ is aptly named. This is a movie that packs a
sledgehammer punch, which is made evident from the title scene when the name
‘Force’ comes up with a terrific boom and the striking opening scene.
It runs along at a comfortable clip until the last 30
minutes or so when the director’s attempt to spread out the romantic drama
alongside the unfolding guts-n-gore saga begins to jar.
The romance should have been wrapped up earlier, like in
‘Ghajini’, where once the heroine is killed, it is an all-out game of revenge. That
helped ‘Ghajini’ focus on its ultimate goal – the elimination of the loathsome,
murderous villain.
The comparisons, however, run deeper than that. Both are
remakes of Tamil superhits (in the case of ‘Force’, the original is the 2003
film ‘Kaakha, Kaakha’); both are revenge stories, both have southern heroines
(Asin and Genelia D’Souza), both have supermuscular heroes, and both have
despicable villains.
But this is also where ‘Force’ scores heavily over
‘Ghajini’. Vishnu, the antagonist, marks the return of the supervillain of
Bollywood, not seen since Gulshan Grover turned a character actor and Shakti
Kapoor traded his evil grimace for laughs. The audience cheers for this villain
when he slays his business rivals and displays awesome physical prowess. But
best of all, unlike the older, not-so-menacing Ghajini, Vishnu is a match for
his muscular foe, supercop Yashvardhan. This is a match of equals, like in the
days when Amjad Khan or Amrish Puri took on Amitabh Bachchan or Anil Kapoor.
Vidyut Jamwal, in his Bollywood debut, impresses with the
deadly precision of his portrayal of a heartless killing machine, hell-bent on
avenging his druglord brother’s murder. His action sequences can put most
action stars to shame. This is an actor to watch out for.
Talking of action, ‘Force’ is perhaps the first Bollywood
movie that is unabashed in its use of violence, sometimes relentless and
thankfully not the wire variety made famous by Ang Lee. Fisticuffs, hand-to-hand
combat, good old fashioned dishum-dishum is finally back in vogue (with just a sprinkle
of martial arts pyrotechnics). The difference is the bone-crunching, blood-splashing
quality of the fights. Beware! This movie is strictly for hardcore-action addicts.
The shootouts are numerous and almost like song-and-dance sequences once used
to be – huge, stunning and never-ending.
John Abraham may just have found his forte with ‘Force’. He
was never a bad actor and has only matured into a better actor. His portrayal
of the focused, unromantic, almost laconic supercop (but with a soft spot for
wife and friends) is just right. The cheers and whistles for ACP Yash when he
purposefully struts down passageways or pulverizes villains with his bare hands
are indication enough that the audience accepts John as a true-blue action
hero. Salman Khan and Ajay Devgn have competition.
Genelia leaves an impression as the sweet, straightforward
and sensuous Maya. Her dialogues that are so life-like remind us of the Tamil origin
of ‘Force’. We need to see more of this actress.
‘Force’, however, has its flaws. If only it had been 15-20
minutes shorter, audience’s attention wouldn’t begin to wander every now and
then. The attempt to make Yash’s lady love, Maya, the pivot of the drama
doesn’t work. When finally she meets her fate, it fails to deliver the 420
volts that it should have (unlike Asin’s fate in ‘Ghajini). Remember, how Mani
Ratnam had pulled off a similar situation in ‘Nayakan’.
Director Nishikant Kamat, however, has set a new benchmark
in Bollywood violence, a violence that is stripped of the comical artificiality
of most potboilers and is infused with a visceral rawness that makes you
flinch.
I say watch ‘Force’, but only if you have the stomach for blood
and gore.
I give this movie an 8 on 10, a MUST WATCH.
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