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SPOILER ALERT! The review ahead might have spoilers.
At the outset, let me clarify that I didn't watch Jawan's trailer before heading to the theatre (I still haven't, because why watch a trailer after watching the movie, amirite?).
This gave me a clean slate to scribble with no bias. More so, I haven't watched an SRK movie after Raees. So, I tried to find positives in Jawan as much as I could- being mesmerized by the first 30 minutes of the movie. But at the same time, we also need to call a spade a spade.
The first half felt like a repackaged plot of Gabbar is Back infused with action sequels from Tollywood and Hollywood. The intermission brought flashbacks from Dhoom 3, while the second half became a hero vs. villain thingy that shattered the plot (like they did with Stranger Things 4).
There you go; that's the whole Jawan review for you (no kidding). Not clear enough? Let me break it down for you...
SRK Jawan Movie Review: A Breakdown
SRK Jawan kicks off with a dazzling visual presentation and a grand entrance by SRK in mummified attire, setting the stage for an impressive start. However, the film's rhythm goes on a rollercoaster ride as the hero reveals his intention to reform the shyshtummm. The action scenes are well-choreographed if we ignore all the machine guns and physics-defying moments.
The introduction of the double role element at the interval is intriguing. It's a disappointment that the audience already knew about it before watching the movie.
It would have been better to keep it a secret pre-launch. Also, can Bollywood STOP with this like the father-like-son hypothesis? A father and a son may look similar, but they seldom look like twins. :/
Anyhoo, the kind of grandeur one would expect in a movie like Jawan 2023 was high. But the interconnecting stories scattered the plot.
I was genuinely interested in understanding the motivation behind the younger hero, Azad, using his father's image as the common man's justice symbol. However, when the explanation finally emerged, it failed to live up to the initial curiosity and expectation.
The ending is very generic and predictable- leaving the audience with almost no emotions- despite encouraging (almost inspiring) them to bring a change around them throughout the movie.
The story of why Azad did whatever he did disrupts the film's balance by the end. Once the narrative reaches a certain point, the script loses its dynamism and depth, making it challenging for even the visually striking set pieces to alleviate the movie from that dullness.
Things To Like
Cinematography
A brilliant colour palette and stylish colour-saturated frames complement the visual style. The transition between multiple flashbacks was smooth- even though each of them had a different hue. The costumes and makeup were on point- except when they tried (and failed) to portray a younger SRK.
Sound and Music
Boy, the song Aararaari Rao can strike the right chords! Although the frequency of the songs was annoying, the background score by Anirudh as an album is commendable.
The background music to every scene was apt and had a kick for every possible emotion displayed on the screen. You could feel the characters with the music and their expressions alone (without the corny dialogues, of course).
The Cast
The casting of the movie was genius. The supporting actors stood out and weren't overshadowed by Nayanthara or Vijay Sethupathi whatsoever (even though SRK kept hogging their screen timing).
Every individual character brought a sense of affinity to their assigned roles. The girls, in particular, owned their characters and delivered their scenes brilliantly. Omkar Das Manikpuri will shed your first drop of tears in the movie.
Female Action Sequels
Unlike any generic Bollywood movie rewarding female characters with the bare minimum in the name of action scenes, SRK Jawan movie incorporated REAL female action with a wide range of formats. The viewers are evolving, especially after watching realistic female action in movies like Dangal and Enola Holmes, and Atlee gets it.
The meticulously designed sequences were integral to the film's narrative. However, it wasn't a straight-up 10/10. The six exceptional action directors could have done better (will bitch about this in the next section).
Things To Frown Upon
Redundant Plot
There is very little to NOTHING new with the plot. It's the same old story- a wronged protagonist trying to fix the system, assisted by the people who adore him, finds love along the way, and succeeds in his mission after all.
Superhuman Action
The action sequences, as expected, were way too exaggerated and hypothetical. Carrying out a heist in the middle of a National Highway in broad daylight without having a single bypasser is only possible in movies.
SRK carried out some godly, almost superhuman acts, such as taking out a gang of armed men alone. Although expected from a blockbuster SRK movie, it felt very unrealistic because the first half tried (and partially succeeded) to portray some sensible action with minimum continuity error.
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Fluctuating Emotions
The emotional connection with the characters was lucid- it never stayed for too long. The flashbacks and emotional elements were GREAT but seemed haphazard.
Also, the characters were given introductions like Indian Idol contestants in front of Neha Kakkar and ignored throughout the movie. Despite hitting the viewers with apt examples of what a common man goes through, the film unfortunately lacks depth.
Forgotten Characters
What bugged me the most was how underutilized the cast was- including the VILLAIN. Nayanthara hardly had more than 10-15 dialogues in the entire movie, Vijay Sethupathi only appeared once in a blue moon, and don't even get me started on the supporting characters who were absolutely DENIED of proper screen time.
Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, and even Eijaz Khan HARDLY contributed much as actors despite being vital to the plot.
Also, it's a shame that actors like Omkar Das Manikpuri and Riddhi Dogra had little to no screen time. It felt like that part-time job you do at an MNC just to get it up on your CV (iykwim).
A Few Things I Couldn't Help But Notice
There is a slow-mo shot after every 10-15 seconds in the ENTIRE MOVIE. While it looks good in the action scenes, why would I watch a child running in slow-mo with no context? Imagine going to the theatre and looking at things like flying birds and dust particles in slow-mo????
Such recurring shots were annoying and only dragged the plot.
There were noticeable editing flaws in specific sequences. For example, it was apparent that the villains were waiting for the heroes to make their moves. You could see Shah Rukh's tattoo glued on his head.
There were also some lip sync errors. While some fight scenes, particularly those featuring kicks and punches, appeared impressive, the visually elaborate set pieces had excessive green screen usage.
Atlee forgot to bridge the gap between art and reality. Hospitals all over India were getting refurbished within hours, the Agriculture Minister jumped into the intended location within minutes, people were coming to each other's rescue right on time, and nobody was getting hurt in the metro station by the machine guns (not even the passengers), and whatnot!
The antagonist made a big deal about the value of money in the eyes of a farmer and then destroyed a farmer's hard-earned property (a truck full of cotton) in one of the scenes. He also had the audacity to keep destroying the common man's property while cribbing about it throughout the movie.
SRK Jawan Movie Review: Should You Watch It?
Honestly, your call, but I would incline toward a yes! SRK finally provided his audience with something worth watching after Chennai Express. But do not keep your hopes too high. Jawan 2023 is a good masala movie if you want to watch something fun and extravagant by shutting off your brain. It's fun, it's enjoyable, and most importantly, it highlights how well SRK has aged. ;)
