How all can you create a dependable, loyal sequel for two big hits that arrived at least a decade ago? Ask Shaji Kailas and Ranji Panicker, they will say it as wise to pluck in sequences from the originals and to plot them just in the same order they have done a 15 years ago. Or else, they fear, the sequel may loss the real punch of their originals. This is what you are going to witness, if you are to approach the theatres, screening `The King and the Commissioner,' as the biggest fans of the originals. And if you are in the habit of looking for anything fresh from the presentation, to the style or takings, then stay away, this is definitely not your cup of tea.
A movie that is made in a prototypes that found masses two decades ago, the `K& C' presents Joseph Alex Thevally parambil and Bharath Chandran as the same firebrand officers on the move, always alert to act on anything that affects the common man, with that quiver of nonstop dialogues that are sure to kill the supremacy of any dreadful guy of screen, and even the viewers who watch them. This time Joseph Alex' presently in Delhi , `have an extra spine' called on by the references of the Malayalee home minister G K (Janardhanan) by the Prime Minister (Mohan Agashe in an appreciable role) to find clues into the murder of Padmabhushan Dr. Sudharshan (Nedumudi Venu) and Dr. Emma, working with an arm of Indian Intelligence. Dr. Sudharshan was like a father figure to Joseph Alex, who also suspects a threat to national security and life of the Prime Minister. Halfway through the movie, Bharath Chandran I P S also joins the show thereafter thrashing the baddies and making the movie a showcase of their verbal power.
The movie, a bit over length at 3 hours and 15 minutes, is stuffed with all the cliches of Ranji-Shaji films, from the slow motion walks and fiery introductions to the final showdown at some godown. `Predictable' is the very first word that flash through your mind from the word go, as Ranji Panikkar doesn't have any screenplay here, but just dialogues and dialogues, to the extend that some most may even feel this to be a film that is made to contain all those dialogues. But it also remains a fact that very few dialogues had that killer instinct and emotional punch that has made the some of their originals memorable. Apart from the amateurish fight scenes at the Boxing ring and the encounter at the SIT office, the director Shaji kailas had done extra effort in planning the shots and takings but limped by a poor, predictable and unrelatable screenplay, his efforts seems unrewarded
Coming to performances, Mammooty and SueshGopi, has done a perfect rendition of their dialogues, which may rock the initial days. Mammooty is graceful than many of his recent avatars and his fans will be more than happy to see the actor in the same old mould, in the soul of the character that he did a 17 years ago with little changes in his looks and style. Sureshgopi, as usual, steal some of the best lines of the multistarrer, though the effort to balance between the two stars makes it a sort of elocution competition at times. Saikumar gives in a controlled performance as a plotting, evil Godman, while Biju Pappan has a notable positive role among the rest played by Samvrutha, KPAC Lalitha, Augustine, and Devan. Janardhanan once again plays the characteristic hero friendly minister of Ranji script, while Jayan transforms into the league of a more venomous villain with his depiction of Raman Madhavan, the security adviser.
In the technical front, the shots are fine and the editor Samjith may have found it a hard time to assimilate the movie to the current status with plenty of visual effects, but certain big close-ups remain unwarranted and breaks the flow of the sequences. And the movie also features one of the poor, ineffective BG scores from Rajamani, apart from the rehash of the title tracks made immortal by the prequels.
`This King and the Commissioner' may be better savoured by the group who love to repeatedly taste the same cuisines for long. The Mollywood B O reflects that the majority here don't get bored even while served with the same old wine, sometimes even in the same old bottle. If that remains the case for the new generation viewers also, this `K& C' may end up as mega hit. Or else, after the initial hype and hoopla, it may need exorbitant marketing to manage it in theatres for a long run.
Rating -5/10 |
