Cap'n Al
15-12-2001, 21:00
After <i>Tears of the Black Tiger</i>, we have yet another bizarrely genre-bending film, albeit in a slightly more conventional manner. The plot initially seems to be a light-hearted romantic comedy-cum-musical, with some light action elements, as Asoka (Shah Rukh Khan, who is quite stunning in this) flees his squabbling brothers and assassination attempts, finds true love, and, this being a Bollywood film, sings rather a lot. However, as this is a boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl end up fighting on opposite sides in a vast war, things look a bit more complex than they might appear...
Then, in the final hour (this is a 3 hour film!), things get rather more exciting, as battle scenes as elaborate as those in <i>Gladiator</i> or <i>Braveheart</i> begin, the level of intensity becomes incredibly high, and the songs are ditched in favour of one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a film recently; imagine a cross between Holst and Wagner, and you've basically got it. Certainly recommended, but the excessive length might well put people off...
Then, in the final hour (this is a 3 hour film!), things get rather more exciting, as battle scenes as elaborate as those in <i>Gladiator</i> or <i>Braveheart</i> begin, the level of intensity becomes incredibly high, and the songs are ditched in favour of one of the best soundtracks I've heard in a film recently; imagine a cross between Holst and Wagner, and you've basically got it. Certainly recommended, but the excessive length might well put people off...