Reviews

A wonderful script with a brilliant performance by Utpal Dutt. I personally found the filmmaking a bit janky at times but to compensate for that there are some beautiful shots mixed in. Not quite a masterpiece but definitely could've been with a little more subtlety.

Everyone has already spoken about the budget and how such a competent venture came out of it but one thing I'd like to add is that this movie also marks the birth of a modern master of campy b-grade action movies. Rodriguez is no Kubrick but that's the best thing about him. He doesn't pretend to be either. All he wants is to fulfil his vision as an entertainer. And entertain he does (most of the time anyway).

This movie has some great performances that are unfortunately overshadowed by one dimensional characters and manipulative storytelling. Themes of repressive patriarchy aren't uncommon in modern cinema and they're definitely done better elsewhere. Would still recommend it to anyone who is looking to explore Brazilian cinema as it definitely is a competently made and acted movie, despite some gripes that I had with shot placement and lighting. But if you're looking for a masterpiece, this ain't it.

Now that the pitchforks are out, let me tell you that this movie has a decent story and some pretty good characters. Plenty of grey to explore when it comes to the characters except maybe a couple. However, the camerawork in this movie is downright nauseating. Shaky cam works well when it's used in moderation and follows the motion and actions. Over here it just feels like the cameraman is having a random spasm while filming. It completely dilutes the experience of watching this movie. With better direction (the director is clearly capable of it) this could've easily been a 7/10 but as that's not the case, this just ends up being a below average mess.