akshatmahajan Reviews

Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Just like a documentary....

[7/10 · 20 May 2024]

I have heard a lot about this movie and today I finally decided watched the movie. To be honest, it felt more like a Netflix documentary than a movie due to it's screenplay style.

I don't know how much the plot is accurate or inaccurate but whatever was shown was shown in an effective manner, the screenplay was good but I think they could have cut 10-20 minutes easily. The direction was good and the performances were also good. The depiction of torture, army and CIA operations were good and feels real.

Overall, it was a good movie and is for those who love watching army or investigation related stuff.

Who Invited Them (2022)

A weak movie

[1/10 · 19 May 2024]

Who Invited Them has a promising story but a bad execution ruined the whole experience. It could have been a good psychological thriller drama but turned out to be a silly nonsense with nothing to offer.

The story has potential but the story was bland and badly executed that you don't feel anything. The screenplay was also bland as it feels stretched right after 10 minutes of the beginning and bores you even after having runtime of around 85 minutes. The direction was also average and the performances were the worst part of the movie. It felt as if none of the cast tried to act.

Overall, it was just a time waste movie and I won't recommend it to anyone.

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

Enjoyable

[8/10 · 19 May 2024]

Late Night with the Devil combines the elements of horror, drama and thriller in an interesting way by using concept of late night show in 70s.

The story is good and interesting with a climax which might divide the audience, the screenplay is also good as you keep intrigued throughout the movie and never get bored. The direction was good and the performances were also good. One more thing that was good about the movie was that it never felt stretched or boring. It sticks only to what it wants to show to the audience.

Overall, it was a good horror thriller drama which you should definitely give a try.

Godzilla (1954)

A classic!

[9/10 · 17 May 2024]

Godzilla/ Gojira is a classic movie which gave rise to what we now know as the Monsterverse. It was a genre-defining movie which made monster movies popular within the masses.

The story was good and tense with elements of thriller and drama embedded perfectly, the screenplay was also good except that love story which felt unnecessary for this movie, the direction was strong and the performances were also good. Also, the visuals and sets were good for a 1950's movie.

Overall, it was a good movie which entertains you with it's thriller and drama elements even after being more than 70 years old.

Ponniyin Selvan: Part Two (2023)

Everything went right except......

[6/10 · 16 May 2024]

While watching this movie, you can feel the grand scale vision of the director just like Part I. Almost, everything went right but the screenplay was uneven in this part.

The story is adapted from the book which is nicely executed with details (don't know if they're historically accurate or not), the screenplay was a weak point in this part. At some point, the movie felt slow & felt rushed at other points especially the climax which failed to leave an impact. The direction was good and the performances by all the cast members were strong. The runtime was long but it was justified by the scale of movie

Overall, it was a nice movie which impresses you with the grand scale story and it's characters but misfires with it's imbalanced screenplay.

Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022)

A grand scale vision

[8/10 · 16 May 2024]

While watching this movie, you can feel the grand scale vision of the director. Helming such a grand story and executing it in a proper way is not an easy task.

The story is adapted from the book which is nicely adapted with details, the screenplay was also good but I think the songs could have been eliminated in the story as they felt unnecessary. The direction was strong and the performances by all the cast members were also strong. The runtime may be long but seeing the scale of movie, you won't blame the makers for it.

Overall, it was a nice movie which impresses you with the grand scale story and it's characters.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

It could have been better

[5/10 · 15 May 2024]

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a historic court room but the movie fails to delivers what it's is designed to do. The reason? The uneven screenplay with weak execution of the story.

The story was simply written with many unnecessary scenes which made the movie less effective and less tense. The courtroom drama felt less tense and more of comic set-up. The screenplay was also uneven with lack of emotions and depth. The direction was decent for this type of script and the performances were the only thing that saved this sinking ship.

Overall, it was an average court room drama which could have been better.

Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

What a piece of cinema!

[10/10 · 15 May 2024]

Judgement of Nuremberg is a movie which has a historic significance as it shows a fictionalized version of Nuremberg trials held by America in Germany with a strong message.

The story was detailed and nicely executed as it covered all the aspects i.e from both American side and German side showing us what was going on on both the sides. The screenplay was also good as making an engaging screenplay for a 3 hour long story is not easy. The direction was good and the performances by all the cast members were strong.

Overall, it was a great piece of cinema which you should definitely give a try.

Crank: High Voltage (2009)

Nonsense entertainment

[6/10 · 14 May 2024]

Like the original, this sequel is a type of movie which expects you to turn your brain off before watching it. If you keep expectations low or zero and doesn't judge or take the movie seriously then this movie is full of entertainment.

The story is in short, a nonsense which you enjoy just because of the fast paced screenplay which keeps the movie entertaining and doesn't let you get bore. The direction was average this time and the all the performances were bad except Jason's who did a brilliant job. The whole movie's weight was on his shoulders.

Overall, it was a good no-brainer entertainment which has all the elements enough to make you enjoy.

Judy (II) (2019)

It should have been a tv/ web series

[7/10 · 14 May 2024]

Judy is a biopic which tells you about that the last year of the life of Judy Garland who was a rising star in early ages of her life.

The story is good and efficiently shows the last year of Judy but it fails to properly show the impact of early stardom on her mentally. The screenplay was good with a little bit of uneveness, the direction was fine but the performance by Renee Zellweger as the lead is fabulous. She acted so well that you could feel all of her emotions and would feel bad for her.

I think they should have made a mini-series on Judy's life instead of a movie which could show her whole career and tragedies in her life.

Overall, it was a decent movie which is carried by the strong performance of Renee Zellweger.

Crank (2006)

High on entertainment

[6/10 · 13 May 2024]

Crank is a type of movie which expects you to turn your brain off before watching it. If you keep expectations low or zero and doesn't judge or take the movie seriously then this movie is full of entertainment.

The story is in short, a nonsense which you enjoy just because of the fast paced screenplay which keeps the movie entertaining and doesn't let you get bore. The direction was good and the performances were decent except Jason's who did a brilliant job. The whole movie's weight was on his shoulders.

Overall, it was a good no-brainer entertainment which has all the elements enough to make you enjoy.

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)

Entertaining but....

[7/10 · 13 May 2024]

Godzilla and Kong movies are fun to watch and this new installment was entertaining. For me, it was more detailed and entertaining than Godzilla Vs Kong though, it's screenplay could have been more tight.

The story was same like every Godzilla/ Kong movie where new villian monster arrives but it's execution was decent, the screenplay as said earlier could have been more tight, the direction was good, the performances by the cast members were decent and the CGI/ VFX were brilliant.

Overall, watch this movie with less or no expectations and you will surely enjoy it. Also, try to watch it in cinemas.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

A good court drama

[8/10 · 12 May 2024]

To Kill a Mockingbird is a good court drama which talks about our society and mostly about whites-blacks in America.

The story was good and nicely adapted from the book of the same name, the screenplay was also good but the first 40 minutes felt stretched and could have been edited more to make the screenplay more tight. The direction was good and the performances were also good especially the performance of Gregory Peck which was an award winning performance.

Overall, it was a good court drama movie which you should definitely watch and it's sad that nowadays we make less movies of this types.

The Fugitive (1993)

Interesting Thriller Drama

[9/10 · 11 May 2024]

If you are looking for a crime drama which has the elements of thriller, suspense and drama in it then The Fugitive is for you. It is a good thriller drama which engages you from the start till the very end.

The story is good, effective and nicely executed, the screenplay is also well written with all the elements which are necessary for a good thriller drama, the direction is good and the performances are great. Harrison Ford and Lee Jones, both gave great performances.

Overall, it was a good thriller drama which can be watched again and again and you will still enjoy it like the first time.

The Body (II) (2019)

Poor execution

[2/10 · 11 May 2024]

The Body is one of the examples how you ruin a good story with terrible execution.

The story was good but the execution of the story made it boring and bland, the screenplay was also bland, the direction was bad. The performances of Emraan and Rishi were also over the top. Even, they couldn't save this mess.

This movie also fails to deliver what it was expected to do. The suspense, thriller and drama, everything was missing from this movie. Also, adding nonsense music in every climax scene just added salt to the wounds.

Overall, it was a poorly executed movie which fails to offer anything to the audience.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Other than performances, there was nothing...

[5/10 · 9 May 2024]

I decided to watch this movie after I read so much positive about it and also after hearing that it won a lot of awards. I had a lot of expectations with the movie and at the end I was highly disappointed.

The story was a simple crime courtroom drama with court room discussions which go on directionless without any proper conclusion, the screenplay was literally bad as the movie suffers from poor pacing and it makes you sleep. The direction was good as the director was able to build an tensed environment. Also, the performances were great and for me it was the only good thing that was in the movie. Other than that, it didn't work for me.

Overall, it was a over long and badly paced movie which fails to indulge you.

Aavesham (2024)

Illuminati......

[8/10 · 9 May 2024]

This is my second Malyalam movie after Bramayugam and I must say that Malyalam industry also gives good movies that are now getting much needed recognision.

The story of the movie was good with proper blend of comedy, drama and action. The screenplay was also strong, you don't feel bored anywhere but they could have trimmed it little bit to shorten the runtime by roughly 10-15 minutes. The direction was good and the performances were solid especially Fahadh Faasil. He did a great job playing a gangstar and he carried the whole film on his shoulders.

Overall, it was a good movie which has all the elements enough to entertain you.

The Omen (2006)

How not to remake a movie

[2/10 · 8 May 2024]

The original "The Omen" was a classic and was full of thrill, suspense, drama and horror elements. This remake was nothing like the original except the story which was copy paste of the original. Each and every scene were copied. Even, the dialogues were copied. It was just new cast and some modern visuals, rest everything else was just a copy.

If you haven't watched the original, I would recommend you to watch the original instead of this remake which fails to capture the tension and spookyness of the original. It even fails to create environment which made the original feel like a horror.

Overall, it will be better if you watch the original instead of this copy paste.

Omen IV: The Awakening (1991 TV Movie)

It's tries so hard but fails

[3/10 · 8 May 2024]

Omen IV is nothing but an unnecessary continuation of already concluded Omen trilogy. This movie tries to be like the original but the story was badly executed along with thriller and the suspense elements, which were totally weak.

The story was weal anf felt forcefully stretched, the screenplay was also weak as you start getting bored after a few minutes, the direction was average and the performances were also average.

In simple words, nothing went right in this so-called sequel which failed to tell a story which had been told more than once.

Overall, it was a bad continuation and I wouldn't recommend it to Omen franchise fans.

Shaitaan (2024)

A good horror drama by Bollywood

[8/10 · 8 May 2024]

I thought that Shaitaan will be also like same horror drama which will be boring without offering anything new but I was wrong. The movie stands out and is now one of the few Bollywood horror dramas which are good.

The story was good with good execution but the story didn't focused that much on villain's arc. They could have shown more about him. The screenplay was good with little bit uneveness in middle but overall, it was good. The direction was strong but sadly, the performances were not strong. They were decent.

Overall, it is a good horror drama by Bollywood which you should definitely give a try.

The Final Conflict (1981)

A major letdown

[2/10 · 7 May 2024]

The first two installments of The Omen franchise were good and enjoyable to watch. They were filled with suspense, thrilling and horror elements. This third installment is opposite of all that. It was a major letdown and boring.

The story was bad and boring, the screenplay was bad and slowly paced, the direction was also bad. The performances were average and maybe the only positive point in this movie. Though, it concludes the trilogy, I won't recommend it to anyone. The first two are enough to entertain you.

Overall, it was a bad continuation of once a promising franchise and nothing went right in this installment.

Damien: Omen II (1978)

A good continuation

[8/10 · 6 May 2024]

At first, I wasn't sure if the continuation of The Omen will be worth watching but I was wrong. This sequel was a good continuation of what started in the 1976 original.

The story was good and effective with similar elements like the first one, the screenplay was good but the first half was little bit uneven, the direction was good and the performances were also good. This time, the thriller and suspense elements were as good as the original though the suspense part was not strong enough.

Overall, it was a good watch and you should definitely watch this sequel if you have watched and enjoyed the first one.

The Omen (1976)

A nice watch

[9/10 · 5 May 2024]

I have seen a lot of horror movies but The Omen is the one which builds up nicely with perfect pacing along with blend of suspense and thriller elements.

The story was a simple horror story and was executed nicely without relying much on the scare jumps, the screenplay was also good as you don't get bored at any point, the direction was good and the performances were also good.

One of the factors which made this movie more engaging was the environment building which was good for a horror movie.

Overall, it was a good horror movie which you should definitely give a try. I don't know about the sequels or the remake but this one is good.

Flight (I) (2012)

A nice detailed movie

[8/10 · 2 May 2024]

Flight is a movie which talks about everything happening in personal life of a pilot who is standing trial for an airplane crash.

The story had a lot in it and was well executed, the screenplay was good but becomes uneven at some places, the direction was good and the performances were also good especially Denzel's who did a fabulous job. No doubt why he was nominated for Best Actor in the Academy Awards (Oscars).

The suspense, thrill and drama were perfectly embedded in the story and it nicely showed the complexity in one's life.

Overall, it was a good movie which you should definitely give a try.

Matilda (1996)

Enjoyable

[8/10 · 1 May 2024]

Matilda is an entertaining adaptation of children story which is enjoyable to watch.

The story was simple and enjoyable, it is like other children's story with a happy and satisfying ending. I don't know how much it was faithful to the book or if adaptation was good or not but it was entertaining to watch. The screenplay was good as you enjoy every bit of it and doesn't get bored anywhere, the direction was good and the performances were also good, you love the main characters and hate the villian characters.

Overall, it was a good children's movie which you can watch with you family and enjoy it.