FILM REVIEW SACHIN CHATTE
Film: Raid 2
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Riteish Deshmukh, Vaani Kapoor
Directed by: Raj Kumar Gupta
Duration: 2 hours 17 minutes
Rating: * * 1 / 2
The follow-up to Raid (2018) takes place in the late 1980s and reflects the style of films from that era, where politicians are portrayed as antagonists and the protagonist must outwit them. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, who helmed the original film, Raid 2 features a rather thin narrative for the most part; however, there are certain moments in the latter half, especially towards the end, that elevate it slightly above the average. One of the significant issues currently facing Hindi cinema is the absence of memorable villain characters. It has been some time since a truly impactful antagonist has graced the screen. In Raid 2, there is a corrupt politician who is somewhat humanized, but this nuance is ultimately discarded. Additionally, the supporting characters and the storyline feel outdated.
Set seven years after the first film, Ajay Devgn reprises his role as Amay Patnaik, the Commissioner of Income Tax, with Vaani Kapoor portraying his wife and they have a young daughter. Professionally, he is relentless in his pursuit of defaulters and corrupt individuals. Saurabh Shukla, the villain from the first instalment, makes a return, although he remains incarcerated. The film opens with, what else but with a raid where a big stash of cash is found but eventually it results in an ignominious transfer for Amay. It also results in a song as the family drives to the new city of Bhoj with minimal luggage in and on their car.
In Bhoj, all good things are ascribed to Dada bhai Dhankar (Riteish Deshmukh), who is regarded as the people’s saviour, overseeing schools, NGOs, and various initiatives. A flashback reveals his modest origins, and in his introductory scene, he is depicted washing his mother’s (Supriya Pathak) feet, who perceives him as God’s gift to mankind.
However, our tax investigator is more discerning, but his attempts to apprehend Dada bhai prove futile. The addition of supporting characters, such as Amit Sial playing a fellow tax officer and Yashpal Sharma as a corrupt lawyer, injects vitality into the narrative, thanks to their exceptional performances. The story though takes convenient routes and you can see from a mile everything that is coming. In the climax, the term ‘currency being floated’ has a new meaning. It is also the highpoint of the film as we hear Laxmikant Pyarelal’s ‘Paisa yeh Paisa’ from Karz (1980) on the soundtrack and fortunately, it has an extended run.
The screenplay is rather clinical—perhaps excessively so—which detracts from its impact. The character introductions, conflict developments, and resolutions are familiar tropes. Yet, even if only on screen, there is a sense of catharsis, however minor, in witnessing virtuous characters outsmarting the corrupt. The film benefits from a skilled cast, with Riteish Deshmukh and Ajay Devgn fitting seamlessly into their roles, while Amit Sial showcases his comedic timing, effectively stealing the spotlight. This instalment of Raid doesn’t unearth anything that will catch your eye.
Superheroes, Again
Film: Thunderbolts*
Cast: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Olga Kurylenko
Directed by: Jake Schreier
Duration: 2 hours 6 minutes
Rating: * * *
If you are curious about the significance of the asterisk in Thunderbolts*, it denotes the New Avengers, as revealed at the film’s conclusion. Maybe they could have revealed it earlier but it was probably a marketing decision, like most things in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This film marks the 36th instalment in the MCU, and there appears to be endgame on the horizon. For those not deeply invested, keeping track of all the films can be quite challenging. Recently, the financial performance of these films has been disappointing for the studios; in phase 5, with the exception of Deadpool and Wolverine, the majority have underperformed, with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) representing a significant downturn for Marvel.
The one thing common to the present situation of the characters in Thunderbolts* is that they are all troubled souls in desperate need of therapy.The film opens with Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), the troubled sibling of Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow. Yelena, though petite, possesses formidable strength and can single-handedly confront a small army. Additionally, there is John Walker (Wyatt Russell), the successor to Captain America, and Ava Starr, also known as Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), who has the ability to disappear, reappear, and pass through solid objects at will. They all undertake morally ambiguous tasks for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the CIA director facing impeachment due to her pursuit of a personal agenda.
Valentina successfully gathers this group of individuals at a clandestine location with the aim of eliminating them to cover the tracks. However, an unexpected visitor named Bob (Lewis Pullman) also shows up, who is initially uncertain of how he ended up there, but as events unfold, his true nature as a formidable force becomes apparent, setting the stage for a confrontation.
Since all of them come with their own anti-social baggage, it is hard for them to team up, but sometimes necessity is the mother of all friendships. Unlike many successful Marvel films that heavily incorporate humour, even amidst heroic narratives, Schreier exercises restraint, opting instead to emphasise serious themes such as childhood trauma and depression among adults. The director also seems to channelise is inner Christopher Nolan in creatively visualising some scenes. The post-credit sequence hints at a new group of superheroes approaching the Thunderbolts*, a clever marketing decision to revive the fortunes.
