Animal Film Review: If producers Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Arjun Reddy, and Kabir Singh have left you frustrated, then wait until you watch Ranbir Kapoor-starrer ‘Animal.’
Animal Film Review:
Violence has reached its peak. It takes the center stage. Bloodshed is everywhere. It’s wild and sinister. Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s highly anticipated ‘Animal’ presents Ranbir Kapoor in a demonic, dangerous, and uncontrolled avatar. Do we love him? Absolutely! Are we angry with him? Oh yes! The discussion has been ongoing since the revelation of its teaser and trailer, showcasing a series of events, emotions, and sequences that lead to a tremendous climax, crafted so hastily that you keep anticipating if there’s more to come even after the final credits.
Animal Film Review: Wild and Sinister
Animal takes you on a bloody, chaotic, blood-stained, and violent journey, and for the most part, you don’t complain. It simply immerses you in its engaging narrative and scale, but whenever the protagonist is in action, it often overwhelms you. Gaurav/Ranvijay Singh (Ranbir Kapoor), adorned as a hero-antagonist, considers his father Balbir Singh (Anil Kapoor) as his ideal, worshipping and spending most of his early years in pursuit of his love and attention, all in vain. Daddy issues start haunting him at a very young age, leaving a clear impact on most of his formative years.
Backstory and Main Character
In high school (via flashback sequences), armed with a gun to teach a lesson to those who ragged his sister, he enters his sister’s college. As a punishment, not only does he receive several hard slaps from his father, but he is also soon sent to a boarding school in the United States. He returns on his father’s 60th birthday, but a conflict arises with his brother-in-law Varun (Siddharth Karnik). Soon after, a love angle is introduced, and he flees to America again with his girlfriend Geetanjali (Rashmika Mandanna) since the family disapproves of their interracial marriage.
He returns eight years later, after an attack on his father, and is no longer the same Ranvijay. His hair has grown, the bearded look makes him more attractive, and he has become more ruthless, deadly, and cruel. Seeking revenge against Abhar Hak (Bobby Deol), who is responsible for the attempt on his father’s life, Ranvijay is on a mission that nothing can stop.
Misogyny as a Symbol
If producers Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Arjun Reddy, and Kabir Singh have left you frustrated, then wait for ‘Animal,’ which presents Ranbir as a symbol of misogyny, and there’s no complaint about it. Whether telling his younger sister not to drink whiskey or sarcastically commenting on his Harvard-educated elder sister’s marriage, he has been perceived with a mix of love, hate, and misunderstanding. As an entitled, wealthy spoiled brat, Ranvijay sees himself as a responsible person after his father, so when there are troubles for the women in the house (read sisters), he takes the law into his own hands to serve justice to the people.
Ranbir Captivates You
It’s said that Ranbir is in top form, and indeed, he has become the ‘Animal’ envisioned by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. He is a good mix of insecurity and villainous traits. He immediately captivates you in his love and even when he is shot or punched in the face, you still feel sorry for him and never want him to die.
In one scene, when Ranbir operates a high-tech shooting machine, killing more than 300 people with heavy weapons, Sandeep aptly inserts a Kabir Doha (‘Bura jo dekhan main chala’) that enhances Ranbir’s entry and makes it even more heroic. Such intricacies elevate the portrayal of the beast at many points. Oh, and there’s a subtle plug for ‘Made in India’ and the concept of self-reliant India in this.
In conclusion, ‘Animal’ manages to keep you hooked, offering a rollercoaster of emotions and an intense storyline. Despite its flaws, the film succeeds in delivering the promised entertainment and leaves you eagerly awaiting more even after the credits roll.”
"What doesn't work?
A 3-hour and 22-minute film, which happens to be one of the longest films I’ve seen in a long time, Animal is a resolution to induce headaches. The determined resolve is due to the high-pitched dialogues that are sure to pierce your ears and create discomfort. Then there are parts you wish were toned down – visually and verbally.
For instance, the depiction of male pubic hair as a symbol of masculinity is not very delightful. Or when Ranbir, post an accident, discusses his sex life with a psychologist. The screenplay, written collaboratively by Pranay Reddy Vanga, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, and Saurabh Gupta, meticulously incorporates all the entertaining elements, ensuring that each frame presents a cinematic spectacle. However, amidst all this, logic takes a backseat, and the story is continuously stretched, particularly in the second half.
From DDLJ to Animal, Bollywood has made breaking into a girl’s house and convincing her to call off her wedding seem commonplace. In Animal, though with a slightly different twist, Ranvijay, played by Ranbir Kapoor, attracts Geetanjali through a lesson on the ‘alpha male.’ It’s quite clichéd, but it works for a brief moment until it gets overdone to the extent that if he even comments, ‘You have a big clitoris,’ it doesn’t actually silence her. Later, during a chase in a chartered plane, they end up in a passionate intercourse session, and once married, when Geetanjali asks how it was, Ranvijay reflects with a blinkless gaze that he was the one who had a lot to manage. Having sex against gravity and being on top as a man doesn’t make it particularly special.
Ranbir Kapoor And Rashmika Mandanna Chemistry
The on-screen chemistry between Ranbir and Rashmika is undeniably fantastic, but soon, Sandeep intervenes and shows that their hero can easily transform into a misogynist, turning a thought of a toxic marriage into a casual conversation. Whether he’s repeatedly pulling the strap of her bra or leaving her with bruises to calm down later, or even cheating on her with another woman, he’s coming back to touch and console her – taking Kabir Singh’s legacy forward and intensifying it several notches. Time’s up. I was profoundly impacted when Rashmika slapped him in a scene, and some people in the theater cheered, ‘Well done.’ Perhaps, our audience no longer wants to see such characters portrayed as heroes.
In other parts, Anil Kapoor gives a commendable performance, clearly elevating Ranbir’s energy on screen. His scenes will seem relevant, whether they are violent or emotional. In the roles of Ranvijay’s mother, Charu Shankar, his sisters Anshul Chauhan and Saloni Batra have played their parts well.
Prem Chopra and Shakti Kapoor make cameo appearances, while Trypti Dimri is worth watching in a special role.
The crucial point here is that Bobby Deol’s screen time left me feeling cheated. Firstly, he appears only 2.5 hours into the film, and due to the absence of complete scenes and lines to speak, I felt he was wasted in what could have been the best opportunity to showcase his talents. However, I must say that in the two or three scenes where we see Bobby, he surprises us.
Throughout the film, I thoroughly enjoyed the background music and songs, especially during the action sequences. Watching a 10-minute long fight between Ranbir and Bobby during the climax, accompanied by the track ‘Papa Meri Jaan,’ makes it worth it. It’s a track that will immediately make you fall in love, and it’s truly heart-touching.
Concluson
Animal is an entirely vast, entertaining, and extremely violent thriller that doesn’t adhere to conventional standards. It’s not for the faint-hearted, so if you decide to watch it, exercise caution because there is a lot in it, and you might not be able to handle as much.”
