Drive: Multiple personas of an unnamed driver

Action movies have a typical script supplemented by lots of combat sequences, car chases and explosions taking place every few minutes in the film. The plot is always predictable and the norm for action flicks is – the bigger the budget, the better the film. This has become the standard to expect from Hollywood films over the past few decades, especially for blockbuster action films. A film that wouldn’t follow this norm is expected to fail in the box office but director Nicolas Winding Refn took a chance and made a unique film with the release of Drive.

An unnamed driver moves into an apartment in a building in Los Angeles. He works as a stunt driver for Hollywood films on a part-time basis and is employed on a full-time basis as a mechanic in a garage. His deep, dark secret is that he also moonlights as a getaway driver for anyone who wants to hire him for criminal activities. His new neighbour is a young mother named Irene, and her son Benicio, with the family patriarch absent because of a prison sentence. The driver is attracted to the beautiful young woman and aids her with routine tasks to spend time with her. Irene is also seemingly attracted to him and allows him to hang around with her son as they bond together. Just as their relationship seems to be moving forward, Irene’s husband is released from prison and comes back to his family while bringing his troubles along.

Drive was released in the year 2011. It was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and stars Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan in the lead roles. The screenplay for the film is adapted from a novel of the same name which was written by James Sallis. The film is unique especially because it does not fit entirely into one particular genre. There are elements of an action film with car chases which forms an important part of the film while there is drama and crime running through the main plot with a parallel story of romance. The use of multiple genres is what makes it most interesting.

The film has been made simply. There are no deep undertones which divert too far from the main plot. The storyline moves quickly and the main plot twist comes as soon as the characters and the story is established. From then on the characters are pulled and pushed in different directions based on their morality and how they will react to certain situations. One particular scene which shows the director’s intent with playing around with his characters is when the driver and Irene are isolated in an elevator with a hitman. The driver pulls Irene to a corner and kisses her passionately for the first time which is shown with the lights dimming, the shot being slowed down in time and slow romantic music being used for the background score. The driver then pushes Irene to safety as the hitman reaches for his gun; the driver beats up the hitman, throws him to the ground and keeps kicking his head till it caves in. After this, the driver looks up to see Irene outside the elevator, staring at him while the elevator doors close. The scene could translate into Irene completely falling in love with the driver but then witnessing a new side of him which shocks her with the closing elevator doors being an allegory for the end of their relationship. There is also a depth in the character of the unnamed driver which remains unexplained. He seems to be reserved and uses limited speech but turns into a figure of command when behind the wheel of a car. His persona changes when he is driving and the actors he doubles for as stunt actor become the inspiration for his violence as he dons their mask in one of the scenes where he sets out to take revenge. Even his sense of dressing is a reflection of the characters he plays on screen while his obsession with chewing on a toothpick pick and wearing gloves every now and then remain unexplained.

The film is a fresh take to Hollywood’s regular styles. The infusion of drama, crime, romance and action together is probably the main highlight. It is a good film; worth a watch.

Gangs of Wasseypur: The story of one family’s need for revenge

The use of narratives in a film are widely criticised as a lazy attempt by the filmmaker to establish his plot without having to work too hard to reel it into his story. Narratives allows a filmmaker the chance to have one of the characters in the story, or a third person who is independent of the actual plot, to tell the story from their perspective thereby having them talk directly to the audience to say whatever the filmmaker wants to be said. However, the use of narratives cannot necessarily be criticised in every film considering that they are used at certain times to help establish a bond between the narrator and the audience or at times they can be used to describe an event, or several events, in a timeline which would otherwise be difficult to establish without the use of a narrative. That said, one of the most prominent features in Anurag Kashyap’s 2012 film Gangs of Wasseypur is the use of a constant narrator who is a running character in both parts of the film.

Synopsis – Part 1

In pre-independent India, the small town of Wasseypur lay in the coal mine-ravaged state of Bihar. The townsfolk would work in the coal mines to earn their living and lived in fear and awe of Sultana Qureshi, a dacoit who would rob trains that passed through the town and was not recognisable to any law enforcement officer or villager. Taking advantage of the anonymity established by Sultana, a Pathan named Shahid Khan impersonates him to rob trains before Sultana himself can execute his plans thereby bringing down the wrath of one of the most feared dacoits upon himself. This starts a new war within the Muslim sects in Wasseypur as the Pathans and Qureshis start a blood feud and Shahid is forced to leave the village. Shahid moves to a larger town called Dhanbad, to the north of Wasseypur, and begins working in the coal mines at the same time that his wife dies giving birth to their son. After India attains independence, local industrialist Ramadhir Singh is assigned a few coal mines and hires Shahid Khan as his strong-man to make sure his business runs smoothly. While visiting Shahid Khan one night, Ramadhir over hears him speak to his cousin Nasir about planning to kill Ramadhir and take over his business. He immediately plots to kill Shahid by sending him to an assassin in Varanasi. Figuring out Ramadhir’s plan, Nasir protects Shahid’s son, Sardar Khan, and trains him to avenge his father’s death. Years down the line, Sardar grows up to be a fearless young man. He starts his criminal career by usurping the land of Ramadhir’s son JP Singh and reignites the feud as Ramadhir realises that he is Shahid’s son who he had murdered many years ago. Sardar is married to Nagma and they conceive two sons but Sardar is put behind bars for his previous crimes. After plotting out an escape from jail, Sardar takes asylum and marries a Hindu girl by the name of Durga. He returns to Wasseypur to find that the Qureshi clan is the widest known mafia group and tries to grab back power by planning bomb attacks on their shops during Muharram. Sultan Qureshi, nephew of Sultana Qureshi, is made aware of Sardar’s efforts and he resorts to join hands with Ramadhir Singh who supplies him with automatic weapons. In Sardar’s home, Nagma is once again pregnant with Sardar’s child and refuses to have sex with him which prompts him to visit his second wife Durga, eventually leading to Durga giving birth to another of his sons by the name of Definite. Nasir is busy taking care of Sardar’s family in his absence which comprises Nagma and her two teenage sons, Danish and Faizal. One night, Nagma is despondent and receives support from Nasir. They almost engage in intercourse but stop when they are spotted by Faizal who becomes scarred for life and forever seeks comfort in drugs in the future. In the coming years, Sardar’s sons grow up to assist him in his business. He is drawn closer to his first wife Nagma, provides his second wife with an allowance and agrees to have his eldest son marry a Qureshi to establish a temporary peace between the two families. Unfortunately, his second wife has grown tired of playing second fiddle and informs the Qureshis about his whereabouts in order to assist in an assassination attempt which takes place at a petrol pump. 

Synopsis – Part 2
When word of Sardar’s death reaches his family, his sons visit the petrol pump where he was murdered and Danish, the eldest son, kills the lone captor from the assassination plot. Realising the eminent danger, Sultan orders for Danish to be killed as well. Although the younger son Faizal is always inebriated, he vows to his mother that he will get revenge for all the killings. Lying low and waiting for the right moment to strike, Faizal announces himself to the rest of Wasseypur by brutally murdering his friend who won a local election and was an informer for the Qureshis. Faizal marries his sweetheart Mohsina and takes care of his father’s business. He enters into a truce with Ramadhir under the condition that he will receive political support if he does not carry on with his plan for revenge. By extension, Sultan is unable to carry on any attacks on Faizal because of the truce but Fazial carries on assassinating Sultan’s goons to reach the men that assassinated his father and brother. While the feud between the families carries on, many smaller criminals try to establish themselves as goons in Wasseypur thus bringing out new small gangs. Shamshad Alam, owner of a transport business, enters into a deal with Faizal to benefit both businesses but skims profits illegally without informing Faizal. At the same time, Definite, who is Durga’s son and also Faizal’s half brother, is yearning to make a name for himself in Wasseypur. Faizal’s younger brother, Perpendicular, is also gaining fame for his notorious acts in the town. This eventually leads to Perpendicular being killed by the Qureshis who were hired by the townsfolk and Shamshad double crossing Faizal to put him in jail. Definite and Shamshad face off to be the next big criminal in Wasseypur which leads to Definite being imprisoned alongside Faizal. Together they scheme to have Shamshad killed while Ramadhir joins forces with Shamshad and instructs him to bail Definite and recruit him against Faizal. Eventually, Definite sides with Fazial by dropping a bomb in Shamshad’s office which leaves Shamshad handicapped and bedridden. Meanwhile, Ramadhir is losing faith in his son JP Singh which leads JP to plot behind his father’s back. JP instigates Sultan to attack the Khan house after Faizal is released from jail. Faizal and his family survive and plot to kill Sultan which is carried out by Definite and Faizal’s goons. Definite is imprisoned and waits for Faizal’s orders but is neglected when the educated Iqlakh joins Faizal’s army and revolutionises they way he conducts business. Iqlakh, however, has an agenda of his own to kill Faizal because Sardar’s orders many decades ago had destroyed Iqlakh’s family. Faizal is aware of Iqlakh’s plans but goes along with his ideas as long as they profit his business. Under advice from Iqlakh, Faizal decides to contest the elections in his constituency by rigging the ballots. Ramadhir is shaken by Faizal’s growing power and orders for him to be killed, a plan which is carried out by Iqlakh along with the support of Definite who JP Singh has had released from jail. Definite double crosses Iqlakh, murders him and reveals the plan to Faizal. Enraged by the plan, Faizal gathers all the automatic rifles in his arsenal, stocks them up in an ambulance and drives to the hospital where Ramadhir is visiting Shamshad. Faizal’s goons easily overpower Ramamdhir’s security and Faizal has his revenge in the most gruesome manner imaginable before surrendering himself to the police along with Definite. While being transported to the jail, Faizal is killed by Definite who planned out the whole ordeal with JP Singh. JP Singh was fed up of his father’s taunts and formulated a plan to eliminate him as well as Faizal thereby allowing him to control Wasseypur and Definite to walk free.

At roughly five and a half hours in length, Gangs of Wasseypur is the longest film in the history of Indian cinema. The film was made in two parts to facilitate an easy theatrical release. The first part features a protagonist in the form of Sardar Khan while his son Faizal Khan is the protagonist for the second part of the film. The plot documents a fictionalised account of the gang wars in the town of Wasseypur over a period of 70 years. The story focuses particularly on one family that was involved in the wars over three generations and their blood feuds with the other mafia families in the town. By establishing a constant narrator in the film, director Anurag Kashyap was also able to tell the story through the eyes of the only family member who survived through all the battles thus turning the film into a personal account of the events. Most of the characters in the film are based on real life personalities that were known to have been part of the gang and political wars in and around Wasseypur.

Anurag Kashyap puts another notch in his belt of brilliance with Gangs of Wasseypur. The film uses the cinematic style of narration to break away from the clutter of other standard films. The narrative ensures the film is told from one particular angle thus lending it a prejudice and endearing the audience to one particular side of the gang wars i.e. the Khan family in the film. Although the political corruption, family vendetta and bloodlust is visibly practised by all the families, by virtue of having the protagonists and the narrator in the ranks of the Khan family, the audience does tend to have a soft spot for the family. Kashyap also uses humour (black humour most of the time since it is often associated with death and murders) to break the constant feeling of stress that develops during the film as a result of the innumerable number of deaths and other illicit activities that take place in the film which can put a strain on the audience’s sense of morality. However, at times, the humour seems to be forced and does not come across naturally; particularly the scene when Sultan is about to be murdered and his killers are hassling about his desire to buy bananas instead of mutton. As is his style, Kashyap does leave subtle clues to the audience about current affairs and his thoughts on the same as he has a character speak about a fascination with Bollywood and how people have become increasingly influenced by films in their day-to-day lives. He has also used other film techniques, most notable of which is a non-linear style as he uses flashbacks to narrate the story. The film also has multiple angles in the story since the list of characters is vast and the film does justice to explore the backstory of every character that affects the main plot. The film also has breaks and freeze frames when a new character or location is introduced. In such sequences, there is excellent use of animation and colours to stylise the sequence; one particular scene which stands out is after the cold start where a backstory is established and the British occupation of India and coal mining in Wasseypur are explained in detail. The level of gore in the film is meant to lend an effect of reality. However, the gore in the final action sequence and the blood splatter seem unnecessary; although it could been seen as the character making a statement and Kashyap himself, as the director, making a statement through his character. The soundtrack in the film is strongly influenced by Indian folk music but also has international styles with rock and dubstep being utilised in parts. The lyrics of most of the songs used in the film are explicit with many sexual references being made by virtue of music.

Gangs of Wasseypur is another excellent film churned out by Anurag Khasyap. The film is loosely based on true events and was originally penned down by one of the writers and actors of the film who is a resident of Wasseypur. Although lengthy, it is a stellar piece of cinematic work.

Hansel & Gretel - Witch Hunters: The continuation of a classic fairy tale

Fairy tales and fables have always been told with great aplomb around the world. They have been passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth but have also been written down in text by many people who aimed to capture their essence and preserve it for many more generations to come. It is very rare that anyone would attempt to change the story of a classic fairy tale but it is attempted every once in a while. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters is a 2013 film by Tommy Wirkola which has a new take on the story of the siblings Hansel and Gretel.

In a small German tow called Augsburg, the disappearances of children has caused a major panic as it is revealed that witches have been kidnapping them. Every woman is now under scrutiny of the ignorant sheriff while the mayor has resorted to hire a sibling duo known for hunting witches; Hansel and Gretel. The brother and sister were themselves victims of a kidnapping by a witch in their youth but managed to escape by burning her alive. Now, as adults, they travel from one village to another with a vow to kill every witch they can. They are somehow impervious to the black magic of witches which makes them the ideal bounty hunters for the town of Augsburg as they attempt to find and foil the witches who are wrecking havoc in the small town.

While it is laudable that writer and director Tommy Wirkola has attempted to take on a classic fairy tale and continue it with his own plotline, the film has many shortcomings that leave it less credible than would have been hoped for when making the movie. The back-story that Wirkola creates to establish his characters and their abilities has never been written of before in the classic fairy tale. The addition of his own ideas in the existent plotline is questionable and at the most can be reasoned with artistic license. On the other hand, the show of technology in Hansel and Gretel’s weaponry cannot be reasoned in a period film of the medieval times. Hansel’s diabetes in the film as a result of eating too much candy in the classic fairy tale is a nice touch, however the inconsistency of his diabetic attacks and need for insulin on cue during a battle begs for reason as to why the need did not arise in a previous scene when it was established that he was hanging unconscious from a tree for a whole night without administering any insulin then.

There are far too many shortcomings in the film to be ignored. It is filled with action sequences at regular intervals but the story that takes off from the classic Hansel and Gretel tale adds no particular value to it nor does it standout by itself as a film.

Man of Steel: A Superman for a new generation

Everyone looks up to a superhero. Since the time that one is able to walk and talk, the obsession with superheroes begins. We try to emulate them and do what they do so we can be better people, or just because we like their style and want to be as cool as them. Regardless of our intentions, superhero movies are a craze that can inspire generations and live in the hearts of millions forever.

Clark Kent is an unseemly young man jumping from one odd job to another. What is most astonishing about him is the fact that his superhuman abilities are revealed slowly as he helps people he meets in his search to find his true identity. He discovers that he is an alien from a planet called Krypton which was destroyed long before he arrived on Earth. As his search continues, he realises the purpose of his existence on Earth at the same time that a group of rebels from his home planet discover him. The rebels come to Earth in the hope that they can continue their villainous rein by restarting their own race of Kryptonians on planet Earth. Now under the identity of Superman, Clark must take sides as he decides whether to trust his own race or the humans.

A complete restart of the Superman series, Man of Steel has a charm that has not been witnessed in any Superman film prior to this one. This can be attributed to the directorial work of Zack Snyder and the production inputs from Christopher Nolan. A certain amount of credit also goes to the editorial work put in by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer who worked on the screenplay for the film. Both Snyder and Nolan have a penchant for creating exquisite action sequences and brilliant films which shows in this movie as well. Snyder’s directorial influence also shows in his use of decolourised scenes which he is well known for.

While the previous Superman film franchise was known for being loved out-and-out for being relatable and humanistic, this Superman also endures a far bit of soul-searching in his quest to find himself. The character was always well-known for being a ruggedly handsome powerful being who was shaken more by his inner demons than actual physical combat with his foes, which is also seen in this film to a certain degree. It also shows Superman’s vulnerability when the people he loves are affected, particularly his family and love interest. His weakness is also exposed when he is faced up with people as powerful as himself; in overcoming that weakness he is forced to perform an action he almost never does which produces a scene of amazing impact towards the end of the film.

While certain apprehensions persist over whether it was a true-to-the-style Superman film, it is nevertheless a great action film in its own rite. In fact, apart from just being a great action film, as an epic about a superhero that happens only once in a few generations, it fares quite well too.

Chronicle: The human behind the super power

Although many people would love to have superpowers and would dream about it plenty of times, it is very difficult to predict exactly how most of us would behave if our wishes came true and we did attain some superhuman abilities. The answer of whether we would use them for the right reasons and help other people, as is shown with most popular superheroes, or if we would use it for our own selfish gain and eventually end up misusing those powers can only be answered if we are actually placed in such a hypothetical situation. But that seems to be what the 2012 action movie Chronicle has touched upon.

Andrew is a teenager with a creative mind and asocial tendencies. He is terribly introverted as he goes through his high school life with a camera by his side and no friends but his cousin to hang out with occasionally. His cousin Matt tries to convince him to get along with more people by taking him to a party at a barn and introducing him around. Eventually, Andrew, Matt and Matt’s friend Steve wind up in the middle of a field where they discover a hole leading to an underground cave. Andrew reluctantly agrees to follow Matt and Steve into the cave where they discover a glowing stone embedded into the ground. After an unfortunate mishap, the three friends narrowly manage to survive but later discover that they have received telekinetic powers. They agree to keep it a secret and use their powers sparingly but Andrews’s fragile self esteem and longing to make something of himself lead to rifts in their friendship and more problems than they can handle with their powers alone.

The feature film directorial debut of Josh Trank, Chronicle follows the unique style of a handheld camera that is a part of the storyline. By establishing that the protagonist carries around a camera at all times, the film was then told through the eyes of the camera that plays a part in the film. Although utilised previously in a few other films, this style still manages to strike a chord with its audience for being a more creative style of filmmaking.

Although the character of the introverted Andrew is the protagonist in the film, he is in fact an anti-hero. The film follows most of his perspective which makes him the protagonist, however the actions he takes leads to horrible outcomes for everyone around him which throws him into the negative light.

The film does employ a bit of a creative style, but it’s nothing extraordinary that hasn’t been seen before. The film tries to portray the human side of exceptional beings but ends up succumbing to the grotesque use of visual effects and action packed scenes which can be seen in any superhero movie. While certain scenes of the film do have a visual appeal, like when one of the characters splits a spider into pieces by pulling each of its legs apart at the same time or by crushing a car into a ball just by making a fist, it’s disappointing that the potential for a good script would be sacrificed just for a more appealing visual production. Maybe that is what Hollywood has come down to, but it’s quite disappointing.

In the end, it is a cool-looking movie, but that shouldn’t be the only reason to watch a film. It could have been something special but as it is, it is just another Hollywood action flick.

Iron Man 3: The man behind the suit

Action, adventure, thriller, sci-fi, explosions, visual effects, soundtracks, sound effects, cool dialogues and overall badass-ness is what has come to be expected of anything that has to do with the Iron Man franchise. This includes the Iron Man trilogies and other like projects which the superhero has been associated with over the last few years. The good news is that the third film in the Iron Man trilogy has kept up to the standards which it was expected to uphold.

Post his collaboration with The Avengers initiative and their final showdown in New York City, where Tony Stark almost lost his life in a battle with aliens, the man behind the suit is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder as a new villain arises to destroy the American dream and all that it is associated with. Mandarin has claimed responsibility for several bombings on American soil as he declares war on the United States and issues public threats to the President that his time and his country’s reign is coming to an end. Tony becomes increasingly aware that he may not always be around to protect the one he loves most, Pepper Potts, and so prepares himself through nights of insomnia for a war that may eventually be his last in some way or the other. As the number of incidents increase and Tony’s own friends are dragged into the battle, he makes his own public announcement vowing to put an end to Mandarin and all that he stands for.

While the previous films were directed by Jon Favreau, Iron Man has Shane Black credited 

for the role of director. Overall, the style of the film is maintained from the previous two films in the trilogy with similar visual and sound effects being employed as well as a similar tone of the film which banks between action and mild character humour. Robert Downey Jr. once again plays the role of Tony Stark/ Iron Man to his personal strengths as he portrays the badass, rebellious nature of the character with a playful sense of humour that it is known for. Gwyneth Paltrow deserves a special mention for her performance in this film as she plays Pepper Potts and holds her own as the female lead in a sultry avatar which is much sexier than was ever witnessed before.

Overall, this film shows Tony Stark in a more human light than the previous films. As he grapples with his previous near death experience, his dependence on his machinery and technology is evident as he begins to have panic attacks with every mention of his previous battles and how the presence of his Iron Man suit is essential to help him calm down. The character of Tony Stark, which is always portrayed as a confident and cocky playboy billionaire, is torn apart to show his natural instinct as he deals with his issues as any other person would and comes to terms with his fears to accept his own ingenuity and intelligence along with his instincts and desires.

The use of 3D doesn’t really do much for the film; and neither is it required for most other films honestly. But Iron Man 3 is a real treat to watch for a full blown Hollywood production that has managed to live up to its own standards as a top film in the genre of action.

The Lord of the Rings trilogy: A benchmark of the best that fantasy has to offer

Great films come by only once in a while. And great trilogies, or great film series, are even rarer to find. So when a great trilogy does come by, it should definitely be watched and enjoyed by everyone who loves films. Great film trilogies, or series, also become benchmarks for future productions, and that shows the true value of their quality. One such series is The Lord of the Rings trilogy which is an epic story with roots in high fantasy novels.

The Fellowship of the Ring: Frodo Baggins is a hobbit who lives with his fellow beings in their peaceful region called The Shire. Around the time that his uncle is to celebrate his 111^th birthday, a trusted wizard called Gandalf returns to their peaceful town and discovers that the ring gifted to Frodo by his uncle is the One Ring, a powerful magical ring which was created over 2,500 years earlier by a dark lord named Sauron. Gandalf tells Frodo to leave the protection of The Shire as Sauron’s servants, the Nazguls, would be pursuing him to retrieve the ring. Gandalf decides to consult head wizard Saruman the White and entrusts Samwise, a fellow hobbit, to travel with Frodo and keep him safe. Gandalf discovers that Saruman has pledged allegiance to Sauron by helping him build an army of a new breed of warrior Orcs called Uruk-hai. During this time, Frodo and Sam are joined by two happy-go-lucky hobbits, Merry and Pippin, as they continue their journey and encounter the Nazguls. In the fight, they are assisted by a mysterious ranger named Aragorn who promises to escort them to Rivendell where they are reunited with Gandalf. In a counsel of the races, it is decided that the One Ring has to be taken to the fires at Mount Doom to be destroyed. Frodo takes it upon himself to complete the task and is joined by his hobbit friends; Sam, Merry and Pippin – along with the wizard Gandalf, the ranger Aragorn, Legolas the Elf, Gimli the Dwarf and Boromir, a man from the lands of Gondor. This group forms the Fellowship of the Ring which sets off on their journey as they battle Sauron’s Orcs in the Mines of Moria and Saruman’s Uruk-hai leading to their numbers being depleted and the Fellowship being scattered across the lands of Middle Earth.

The Two Towers: Frodo and Sam continue their journey towards Mordor where Mount Doom is located. They are attacked by Gollum, a previous possessor of the ring who is consumed by his desire for it and wants it back. Eventually, Sam and Frodo overpower Gollum and have him guide them to the Black Gate of Mordor. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli continue their search for Merry and Pippin and arrive at Rohan where the King Theoden is under a trance put on him by Saruman and his accomplice, Grima. The king’s nephew, Eomer, accuses Grima of being a spy and Grima has him banished from the kingdom. Eomer leaves Rohan but travels and collects an army of loyal men. Eomer and his men kill the Uruk-hais who had taken Merry and Pippin as prisoners. During the battle, Merry and Pippin flee and enter into Fangorn forest where they meet Treebeard, the oldest of the Ents. Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli continue their search for Merry and Pippin and confront Eomer who informs them of the battle with the Uruk-hais. The trio find the trail of Merry and Pippin which leads them into Fangorn forest where they are reunited with Gandalf. They return to Rohan where Gandlaf frees king Theoden from the spell he is under. Theoden decides it would be safer to move his people into their stronghold, Helm’s Deep. Saruman dispatches his army to Helm’s Deep to kill the people of Rohan. The battle at Helm’s Deep lasts for many hours as citizens of Rohan and an Elven army try to hold off Saruman’s forces before they are assisted by Eomer’s army in finally banishing the Urak-hai army. Meanwhile, Merry and Pippin try and eventually convince Treebeard and the other Ents to attack Saruman’s base at Isengard. Frodo and Sam continue their journey with Gollum as they are met by Boromir’s brother, Faramir, and his army of rangers. The army is attacked by Orcs and a Nazgul which leaves Frodo, Sam and Gollum alone to continue their journey.

The Return of the King: Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Theoden and his army meet Merry, Pippin and Treebeard at the flooded Isengard. They travel to Edoras where they split once again and Gandalf and Pippin set out to seek Denethor, the steward of Gondor. Against Denethor’s wishes, Pippin lights a beacon which signals for ally armies to be sent to Gondor as they fall under siege. Aragorn receives the sword Anduril which helps him prove that he is the heir of the king Isildur as he recruits the Army of the Dead who owe their allegiance to Isildur’s bloodline. Sauron’s armies lay siege to Minas Tirith. Theoden and his Rohirrim army arrive midway to provide support to the falling army of Gondor. They manage to hold off the might of Sauron’s army which is led by a Witch-king until Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli arrive with the Army of the Dead and help win the battle. Frodo, Sam and Gollum continue their journey into Mordor via Minas Morgul. Sam overhears Gollum’s plan to kill Frodo and steal the ring. He tells Frodo of this but Frodo banishes him after being convinced by Gollum that Sam only wants the ring for himself. Sam is heartbroken and leaves but returns to find that Gollum has led Frodo to a giant spider and left him paralysed. Sam defends Frodo from the spider but can do nothing as an Orc patrol captures Frodo and takes him to Sauron’s fortress. Sam rescues Frodo and they continue towards Mount Doom. At this time, Aragorn takes the remaining army from the war and lays siege to the Black Gate of Mordor to divert Sauron’s attention as Frodo and Sam continue their final surge to destroy the One Ring.

The film trilogy is an adaptation of a three volume novel which was written by J. R. R. Tolkien. Each volume of the novel corresponds to one of the three films which they are adapted and draw their name from. Although the novel is one whole piece with a continuous storyline from start to finish, the films are only complete as a trilogy with each individual film being only a part of the whole and standing as an incomplete story by itself. The trilogy is an approximate 12 hours in its extended edition (approximately 9 hours in its original theatrical edition) which is made up of 3 films of roughly 4 hours each, but in fact, the trilogy is actually like a 12 hour long film since the storyline is continuous.

The trilogy falls under the fantasy genre. In the literary form, it is an epic from the high fantasy genre; a fantasy story which creates a world of its own which is beside the real world. The trilogy itself is epic in the realm of epic fantasies. It also falls under the genres of action and adventure. It sets a bar in the world of fantasy which is not easy to accomplish for other films. It probably stands by itself as one of the greatest productions and film adaptations of a fantasy series ever made. It also has amazing elements of adventure with characters making long journeys with new discoveries and new additions to the plot. Even the action is brilliant with its amazing battle sequences.

The trilogy tells the tale of a long arduous journey from the point of view of the protagonist and also has subordinate stories running along which are about camaraderie and loyalty to one’s own friend or country, courage in the face of adversity, pride and honour in doing what you love and are required to do, the triumph of good over evil, and many more. The storyline has taken a great load of work and it shows. The characters in the trilogy come out splendidly, with complete sketches being visible at the end, after a gradual revealing of each character’s traits during the course of the plot.

The action sequences which include fight scenes, battles, chases, and more, are really well done. The battle scenes which are shot in the trilogy may be among the best ever produced in a film. The special effects and CGI work is extremely well done which can be seen in the battle sequences and with the coming to life of the character of Gollum. The performances put in by the actors have passion which brings the story to life beautifully. The score in the trilogy also creates a great feel to it and is used repeatedly during the course of the three films.

The trilogy is awesome. It should be watched by anyone and everyone just to understand and acknowledge how epic it really is. Without watching the trilogy from start to finish, it is impossible to really understand, praise or criticise it. Hence, watching it is a must.

Skyfall: For the twenty-third time, it’s Bond, James Bond

Everyone gets excited at the mention of the words, ‘Bond, James Bond’. The character created by Ian Fleming is well known around the globe and everyone loves him. The knowledge of sitting down to watch a Bond film is like an unmentioned promise of a thriller, spy-based action flick with tantalising special effects, death defying stunts, exquisite high tech gadgets and on screen romances with beautiful women.

Skyfall is the twenty-third instalment in the James Bond movie series. It begins with the opening chase where Bond and his female accomplice, Eve, are trying to retrieve a data card which has information of NATO officials who are working undercover in various terrorist organisations across the world. If the information falls in the wrong hands, it can lead to deaths of multiple officers and a waste of months of work conducted by espionage organisations. Eventually it does fall into the wrong hands, someone who is also infiltrating MI6’s security and able to breach their online systems. Bond must chase down this new foe, who is suspected to be someone from within the organisation, before he leaks the information on the NATO officers and before he destroys MI6 and all the people working for it.

The movie tears through the polished exterior of James Bond to reveal the man behind the spy as he takes on his latest foe, Raoul Silva, a former operative of MI6 who was burned by M and goes rogue on his own organisation. The film goes ‘old school’ bringing back Bond’s old Aston Martin from previous films as well as digging into the person that is Bond. The final showdown takes place in his ancestral home in Scotland which is in the marshes of the place known as Skyfall, where the title from the film is derived. The film reveals Bond’s lack of sentiment for his life prior to being recruited by MI6 when he was an orphan living in a castle on a large estate. The film also delves into his affection for M as not only his boss but also the closest person he has had as a parental figure.

The performance put in by Javier Bardem as the antagonist is both good and bad. He plays the role of a psychotic villain well but lacks when it comes to portraying the passion and anger of the character. On the other hand, Daniel Craig as James Bond is always a debatable topic since his portrayal of the quintessential English gentleman spy isn’t always convincing. The most consistent is Judi Dench in her portrayal of M as the head of the organisation who is at the mercy of the skills of her best trained operative for her defence.

The main problem with Skyfall is: it is not a Bond film. Sure, it does have the protagonist of James Bond and other elements which are required to make a Bond film; the MI6 agency, M, the vodka martinis which are shaken not stirred, the self introduction of “Bond, James Bond” and the subordinate characters like Q. But it lacks some of the key components like the numerous gadgets and the persistent presence of a Bond girl. There are women in the film who are shown as Bond’s love interests, but their presence is a mere in-and-out sequence, just like Bond’s romances with them. There is no continuous female lead apart from M. The film also lacks for a good script. The script is simple and transparent with Bond realising his enemy, chasing him down and having a confrontation in the end. Apart from a literal stab in the back, there isn’t much going for the script with a poor showdown at the end and just 2-3 action sequences in total.

It is a different take on what is normally looked at as being James Bond. Skyfall is about the man behind the suits with multiple insinuations of James Bond becoming old and being past his prime. It also celebrates the 50 years of James Bond in films with the return of his old car and the visit to his ancestral home in Scotland. It also looks at how the character has developed and the world around him has changed with mentions of technology taking over from international espionage and the change of characters which this film has witnessed and which future James Bond films will witness.

Skyfall is not a typical James Bond film. More or less, it is just another action flick. But the excitement of watching James Bond take the screen once again is not easily lived down.