Animal is one of the most awaited films in India. Directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the Ranbir Kapoor, Rahmika, Bobby Deol, and Anil Kapoor starrer was massively released today. Let’s review it here.
Story: Animal has a Punjabi setting. Ranvijay Singh(Ranbir Kapoor) loves his father, Balbir Singh(Anil Kapoor) to death. But his father does not give him much attention as he is busy with his own business. This creates a love-hate relationship between the father and son. But still, Ranvijay always wants his father’s attention and can go to any length. One fine day, Balbir Singh is shot and this erupts a volcano in Ranvijay, who becomes an untamed animal and goes wild to take revenge. In all this, his family relationships also take a beating and how he comes to terms with everything is the story of Animal.
Performances: Ranbir Kapoor is next level in the film. He has gone wild and showcased what he can do as an actor. From the young age to the middle age, he portrays superb emotions. His action blocks, screen presence, and dialogue delivery are top. Anil Kapoor is a seasoned actor and was amazing as Ranbir’s dad. His scenes with Ranbir in the climax are special. Bobby Deol was showcased superbly in the trailers but that did not carry in the film. Rashmika got a good role and she was emotional. But in a few scenes, she also overacted a bit. Prem Chopra, Shakti Kapoor, and the rest of the supporting cast were good.
Technical Aspects: One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is its length. The second half is dragged on for no reason and this fault is with Sandeep Reddy who was adamant with the length. If the film was three hours the output would have been even better. The BGM is solid and action blocks are choreographed superbly. The camerawork, production design, and songs are very good in the film. The writing is adequate but there is a lot of violence which should have been toned down.
Analysis: Animal is the story of a son who goes to any length for his father. What happens when a father ignores his son and, in turn, the son wants to prove his love is showcased in a very dark manner by Sandeep Reddy. The Arjun Reddy director showcases so much violence in the film that it is hard for a family audience to sit through a few scenes. But that is how Sandeep narrates his films.
Before watching the film, one would get an idea with Animal that there will be gore and solid action. The last twenty minutes before the interval is amazing and such an intense mass action has not come before. The drama is what holds your attention till the end.
The pace of the film is slow, especially in the second half of the film. Things get bogged down a bit and the story is also predictable. There are a few scenes that do not justify Ranbir’s eccentric behaviour and one questions do such people exist in the first place. A few bold scenes are also not needed in the narrative that much.
There are so many scenes that are dark and will leave an impact even after coming out from theatres. Sandeep Reddy Vanga has shown how wild he can go with his narration. Animal has solid drama, impressive performances, and big stars, but the audience needs to have the patience to enjoy this film.
Verdict: Animal is not everyone’s cup of tea as the theme, narration, and action are dark and for an elite audience. Ranbir Kapoor is the new mass sensation with this film and Sandeep Reddy Vanga once again proves his mettle. The only villain of the film is the painfully long length. If that is not an issue, give this unique film and enjoy a different experience.
Bottom Line- Lengthy but gripping drama
Rating: 3/5
