I was under a very false impression that bad movies are only being mad in India. But I was totally wronged by the Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman starrer Wanted. I cursed every moment of watching it. Even Hollywood makes duds! Movies are supposed to entertain us not irritate us. This is one of those which not only irritates but makes you think why it was made at the first place. First and foremost it lacks a well defined storyline. The action sequences seemed to have drawn loads of inspiration from movies made in southern India. Even they are tolerable. But Wanted not only wastes your time but compels you to bang your head. Angelina Jolie looks very bad. She doesn’t act just goes bang, bang and bang. Morgan Freeman, one of the finest actors Hollywood has ever produced does very less of talking and acts zero. I didn’t understand a bit what Wanted actually attempted at. An experience I wish not to repeat.If Wanted broke my heart, two other movies simply strengthened it. Gran Torino and Taken transported me to a world of the mightiest.
Gran Torino is about Clint Eastwood the good old man. A retired army man he finds solace in leading a lonely life after his wife’s death. Both of his sons abandon him while he is literally stalked by the priest of the local church. The town that he is put up at is high on racial tensions cropping up at the drop of a hut. Adding on to Clint’s irritation are his Asian neighbours. He doesn’t like them. He swears and keeps spitting. As Clint continues living his lonely life one night he is wakened by sounds coming out of his garage. This is the plan where his Gran Torino is parked. He runs into darkness with a loaded gun to only find his neighbour trying to cause harm to it. After scaring the hell out of his neighbour Clint returns back to his home with lot of anger filled within. From here begins the story that Eastwood carries brilliantly on his frail looking strong shoulders. Emoting painstakingly and speaking stylishly in a voice that is harsh Clint Eastwood performs phenomenally. It’s fantastic to see how Clint connects with his neighbours and is amused by their warmth. The troublemakers have a tough time matching up to his wit and courage. He gives the assaulters a run for their life. The climax of the movie was a shocker. You wish it would have been otherwise. But Clint Eastwood is a master story teller. His movies end differently. Remember the scene from Million Dollar Baby! He keeps it up with the climax of Gran Torino. I am yet to see his Letters from Iwo Jima and Changeling. Hats off to a precious diamond created in Hollywood.
The second movie is Taken. Thrilling from the beginning till the end. It has a very simple story line. This revolves around an ex spy. Liam Neeson gives out a power packed performance. He had also acted in the highly acclaimed Schindler’s List directed by Steven Spielberg. Liam is divorced from his lovely wife who is now married to a billionaire. Liam and his wife have a daughter who is turning seventeen. As a father he reaches to meet his daughter with a surprise gift on her birthday at a plush villa. The place is flooded with gifts. Liam does meet his daughter though he is warned by his wife not to do so. He presents her with the gift but she simply ignores it when she sees her stepfather walks in with a black stallion horse. She jumps in excitement. Liam stands there watching. Ignored he leaves. In his free time he helps his friends escort celebrities as a security executive. He also saves the life of a prominent singer. She thanks him with a promise to be of help whenever needed. Life continues as usual for Liam.
One fine day his daughter who just turned seventeen expresses her desire to visit Paris. Liam doesn’t take kindly to this wish of hers. Criticised by his now divorced wife, he doesn’t break his daughter’s heart and grants her the permission. But he does warn her to call him up every night from the mobile phone he gifts her. At the airport while she is about to board the flight, Liam realises that his daughter has big plans. The markings made on a travel map leave him tad worried. He argues with his wife but is left frowning. His daughter escorted by her friend reaches Paris. After landing they are impressed by a guy who helps them with a taxi and even travels along to their place of stay. The girls are very happy. The friend of Liam’s daughter also expresses her desire to sleep with the same guy who escorts them. In the mean time, Liam keeps calling on his daughter’s cell phone. Finally when she answers Liam tells her how concerned he is for her. While she is speaking to him over the phone she sees her friend being brutally kidnapped. After 5 minutes she too is kidnapped. From this point the movie paces and Liam surprises you in every scene. He reaches Paris and the way he tracks down the fugitives is fantabulous. The movie also exposes the ugly side of Paris. Single females are shown being kidnapped, drugged and pushed to prostitution. The way he tracks his daughter and turns the tables on his enemy is something thrillers are truly made of. Taken makes you sit on edge, bite your nails and get excited. It ends strongly and you wish there had been more.
Though Wanted was a dud, Gran Torino and Taken are pure diamonds produced from Hollywood!
- vociferous
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