ReelShahid Reviews

Tiger 3 (2023)

A flick with a rare combo of brilliant storyline and action sequences

[9/10 · 13 November 2023]

I have always had this complaint about most of the action movies produced by Bollywood and in past few years Hollywood as well that they put so much focus on action sequences that they hardly care enough about a well woven storyline.

Thankfully and yes surprisingly, Tiger 3 excels in all these departments by a very huge margin even if you consider the movies only from the Spy Universe.

You can feel in every frame that Salman Khan totally reinvented himself for this movie to deliver a very wounded yet very powerful Tiger to the audience. Be it in emotional scenes when he felt betrayed or when he lost someone dear or when he was angrily digging bullet holes in whoever that stood between him and his mission.

There are really some unforgettable action sequences like the chase sequence in St. Petersburg, raw action fist fights of Katrina in Türkiye (it felt like she thad been training herself for these sequences for a decade - I mean it all felt so so real) and the high octane well choreographed and well edited action sequences where both Tiger and Pathaan take on the enemy soldiers is something you can't simply watch in the theatre seat without giving a shout-out some hard claps.

Any review will be a totally biased one if you have missed mentioning the spectacular performance delivered by Emraan Hashmi, who's vengeful/vindictive/villainous act forms the core of the whole storyline. Emraan brought the real chaos without being in the midst of the chaos, a kind of villain the spyverse really needed to set the bar to another high.

And with Tiger 3, the complaints of many (that includes me as well) about very little focus on Zoya's character development have been fully addressed.

P. S. - This is Salman Khan's best action movie till date. No exaggeration, just fact!

Tiger 3 is indeed a top class action movie to say the least with one serious comment and that is when you plan on areal shots you can defy all laws of physics which is totally acceptable but not the laws of safety. You simply cannot jump on the chopper from the top when the chopper's rotor blades are rotating at a speed of more than 200 RPM.

Jaane Jaan (2023)

I SUSPECT an Oscar win here (K³ = V² = J*A)

[9/10 · 22 September 2023]

If people were to redefine the standard for cinematic beauty in today's times then Jaane Jaan wouldn't fail your expectations.

Just when as a viewer I was starting to loose hope in the content of the products that were being served on OTT or at theatres, this movie came as a complete surprise package to me, not that I didn't had expectations from the well choosen star cast, but I was more worried about Netflix repeating its feat of bringing fine talents together only to be terribly wasted in sloppy scripted and loosely directed stuff. Thankfully this isn't the case with Jaane Jaan.

Who could have thought that a muder that didn't seemed like a mystery will turn out to be a solid mystery, entangled in a very complex love story all being served to you with top notch performances by the lead actors.

This was unusual Kareena Kapoor Khan (K³) at her best who firmly held her ground till the end despite the tough competition by Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma as two male leads who by now have mastered these kind of roles.

If you like quality cinema and want to enjoy it with family with some chills and thrills then this should be on your weekends itinerary.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Grit, Grandeur and Glamour - A cinematic universe of its own!

[8/10 · 13 July 2023]

Despite being the most bankable star in the past three decades, I always wondered why did Tom Cruise stayed away from the cinematic universe that almost everyone keeps on talking about (Marvel & DC) and with Dead Reckoning he answers that fan question with grandeur; it is because he doesn't needs one when he already has a well established cinematic universe of his own.

When Fallout released I thought that this is the franchise's best and it would be difficult to match something like this, but with "dead reckoning" one could confidently say that there is always scope for improvement. Keeping audience at the edge for almost 3 hours is no small feat, an art which I believed only the likes of James Cameron or Steven Spielberg have mastered until now.

I don't think anyone needs to speak anything about the quality of action sequences because it is impossible to describe it in words, you have to witness it to believe it. What you have witnessed in the trailer was just a fragment of what awaits you, obviously "if you choose to accept"!

The plot is quite thick with lot of interesting characters and so it really needed to be told in parts without a cut and the best thing about this is that the movie leaves you quite satisfied, with a mission partially completed and not a brutal cliffhanger kinda situation. However, the intensity in the storyline makes it quite clear that the audience can expect an extravagant display breathtaking action sequences, too many unnerving situations, another rogue member unleashed, other wings of IMF forming and a larger than life kinda outcome from the final part.

Pathaan (2023)

Flawed at times but mostly entertaining with some great action sequences

[8/10 · 26 January 2023]

If you liked Tiger franchise and War movie then you are going to love Pathaan. The movie starts with a grand entry of SRK and then is handed to now very experienced hands of John to take the audience by surprise. Only a star of SRK's charisma and class could handle someone like John without actually being overshadowed by the later. John Abraham returns back to his lovable villanious form that he once donned in Dhoom. Deepika's role was well written and no her on screen presence was not just limited to some item numbers but was actually crafted for a solo lead for another YRF Spy Verse movie which I am sorry to say that Katrina's character of Zoya in Tiger franchise terribly lacks. Won't be surprising if Deepika gets her own Black Widow kinda movie and team YRF should definitely think about it.

Overall a very entertaining movie filled with grand scale action sequences and with lot of inner jokes from Bollywood on Bollywood.

Note - The fans from middle east are in for a surprise at the end, when Jhoome Jo Pathaan song is played. Wait till the very end, there is a lovely post credit scene waiting for all you fans!

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

You will be disappointed by this sequel because it leaves you wanting for more

[8/10 · 18 December 2022]

I was left wanting for more, even though I had to control my p** because of no interval break at the multiplex where I was witnessing this cinematic marvel and I believe the extra adrenaline rushing action sequences in the last hour were making me somehow uncomfortable in a very funny way 😂😂😂

Yes 3+ hours is a very lengthy run time, but so is 13 years wait and James Cameron knew that nothing less than this would do justice to the fans of the first part. I don't think I will be adding anything new, if I say that it is a cinematic masterpiece and that the real world may start to look little dull even if you are living in Kashmir, because a lot has been said and every word of praise coming out from anybody is well deserved one.

However, I do feel that the 3D version could have been a little better. I was expecting more arrow shots from Neytri flying through the screen and hitting me than the invaders (this is something I enjoyed in the first part). Yes, the 3D rain was spectacular and so was the diving session.

This had to be a sequel about revenge of the hurt ego of the thrashed invaders and so I was kind of expecting the same kind of storytelling and anything different would have looked completely off hook. So, although little predictable but completely thrilling and will definitely leave you wanting for more.

Lou (I) (2022)

A promising start that ends in a very predictable way

[6/10 · 26 September 2022]

The only thing that could have held this thriller together till the very end (apart from the backdrop of a never ending storm on an isolated island with dubious characters) was its suspense that unfolded mid way and ever since that the movie falls into the lane of a very predictable plot.

It definitely had all the elements one would demand from a movie of this genre and I believe it's success relied heavily on the plot twist. The makers should have known when to reveal their trump card.

Nevertheless, a one time watch that still has enough potential to beat the weekend battle on the streaming chart.

Jogi (2022)

Engaging, but not as brutally honest as it should have been

[7/10 · 25 September 2022]

The truth is too scary and it would have taken immense courage for one to be brutally honest in the depiction of 1984 riots against a particular minority community (Sikh) that took place in almost all part of the country (specially Northern region) in the same time duration.

They chose the narrative from a single person perspective, thus limiting the story line to a man and a lane in a city (that happens to be the national capital as well). Considering the limited approach to one of the terrifying incident in the history of mankind, I would say team Jogi did quite well.

Very intense screenplay, specially the escape sequence and commendable acting by all the main characters. The makers were also successfully in embedding the love story of the lead character without compromising the intensity of the plot (this has something to do with editing department).

This movie wouldn't disappoint you, just watch it with an open mind without too much expectation.

End of the Road (II) (2022)

Failed to impress

[5/10 · 13 September 2022]

After watching her deliver a descent performance in her limited role in Hustle, I had hopes from this movie which had Queen Lateefa in the lead role of a single mom on an unexpectedly dangerous road trip with her family, something that was evident in the trailer and caught viewers attention too. But then, this was the end of it.

One cannot totally blame the actors if you have a script that hasn't got enough element for a thrilling road trip (was it the budget issue or inexperienced direction, can't really say).

Yes, the suspense that unfolded mid-way was good, but once you have finished watching this movie you too would feel that it wasn't good enough to be recommended as your weekend ride.

I Came By (2022)

Unpredictable till the very end

[7/10 · 9 September 2022]

All you fans of thriller genre, I say do not, I repeat, do not miss this thriller. It may seem like the usual break-in thrillers, but believe me this movie will take you by surprise.

Very realistic plot with solid performance by all the cast, specially the performances delivered by antagonist (Hugh Bonneville) and the mother (Kelly MacDonald) which makes this movie much more appealing than what was expected from it.

"I (luckily) Came By" this title on Netflix and I am really glad I did.

Indeed the best in thriller genre to have hit the screen in past couple of months!

If you are someone looking for an unexpected plot with all the elements of surprises with a touch of reality then this one is for you.

Cuttputlli (2022)

It is "The Black Phone" from Bollywood tilted more towards reality

[7/10 · 3 September 2022]

It's sheer bad luck for Akshay Kumar that they choose classic like this for straight away OTT release. For a fan of thriller movies the plot may seem predictable, but then it is the authenticity in the narrative of the sequential events that will keep your interest in this movie alive till the very end.

Usually Bollywood thriller's are more focused on a happier than the real life narrative and a saviour supercop but the simplicity of all the lead characters in this classic makes it more relatable and hence a memorable experience.

It was also good to see Chandrachur Singh back on the screen after such a long time and he manages to display his now polished acting skill in a limited role.

Considering the plot, Rakul Preet aptly justifies her screen time.

Cuttputtli (puppet) is a fine piece of work that is being shrugged of by few due to comparison with other relatable stuffs.

Laal Singh Chaddha (2022)

Advait Chandan is the secret superstar of this masterpiece!

[9/10 · 13 August 2022]

Well! 3 decades is a along wait to see your own Forrest Gump. But, man it is worth it! Laal Singh Chaddha is a movie with a soul. After watching it, you would definitely feel that every nation should make a Forrest Gump of its own. This movie does not tells you what is right or what is wrong, because the person narrating it is a kid at heart and this is the real beauty of this masterpiece. If you really want to detach yourself from the politics, hate and rage that you have been surrounded with, then go watch this movie, all it has to offer is a peace of mind and peace is all we want. And maybe along this journey you will find your lost soul that you were desperately looking for.

The whole star cast was hell bent on giving the best performance that they possibly could and they did do so!

Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor (with lot of support from Mona Singh and Naga Chaitanya) may have been the lead pairs who brilliantly carried on the immense burden of justifying this critically acclaimed adaptation, but the secret superstar that emerges out of this masterpiece is Advait Chandan, the director!

You simply cannot hate this movie, if you have even little bit of love left in your heart!

Keep Breathing (2022)

The makers have to atone for this sin!

[3/10 · 30 July 2022]

Why even 3 stars? Well, these are for the first episode that seemed promising but the rest of the series is all about the flashbacks from the past of tormented girl (rather than survival efforts) who has trust issues but somehow trusts two shady guys for a ride to a particular destination where she desperately wanted to be.

The makers seemed quite focused on the past but they never really emphasized to inform the viewers how the lead character who happens to be an attorney learned to be a good diver, I mean this a skill not everyone has.

They tried to blend art with nature in the backdrop and the result is a cinematic disaster.

And in Inuvik jungles you can only find a bear, an owl, a red beetle and some wasps (that's what it seemed).

Well Done Abba! (2009)

Flaws of the system expressed flawlessly in this light hearted dramedy

[8/10 · 22 July 2022]

This one is another fine piece of work delivered by Shyam Bengal after Welcome to Sajjanpur. Apart from direction the next credit goes to the casting team for choosing the right actor for leading this project i.e. Boman Irani.

You are going to love this light hearted dramedy about the struggle of a lower middle class (barely literate) man to do something good for his family and society.

Manisha Lamba surprisingly delivered one of the best acts of her career I would say and the presence of Ravi Kishan as a Sub-Engineer adds the much needed extra flavour to this classic.

The Gray Man (2022)

An action thriller served with ingredients sophisticatedly EXTRACTED from Bond & Bourne.

[8/10 · 22 July 2022]

If you are missing on some thrills and great action sequences since the last Bond outing, then here is your chance for even a bigger payback!

If you liked the trailer you would love this movie. Whether you are a BONDian or BOURNasian, try as much as you want, you simply cannot hate this movie for having all the elements of your favourite franchise that too when it is served in a well crafted way.

Just when you thought that you can take a little break from the breathtaking action sequences in Prague that had all the elements of thrills - bike, car, train, bullet, grenade and Ana De Armas (although in back drop) the makers surprise you with a much in demand "Bow from India".

There couldn't be a better way than "The Gray Man" to say thank you to your subscribers.

Thank you Netflix for this 200M USD gift!

White Chicks (2004)

CAUTION! This movie is intended to wipe out human race with uncontrollable laughters

[7/10 · 15 July 2022]

Ever since I watched this movie, I was in a state of dilemma whether to review it or not.

Publishing your reviews for this movie meant revealing your inner guilt of loving this "killer comedy", so be it.

Let it be known to those who desperately need a break from all the chaos of the world and just want to have a good laugh (may not be healthy, coz it is too much to handle).

Love, Death & Robots (2019– )

Science fiction animation series at its very best!

[9/10 · 15 July 2022]

I say pick any episode of any season just for trying out and you won't be disappointed and all it would take is 10 minutes of your valuable time and give you a mind bending experience in return. Not a bad deal I would say.

It is a treat for all the fans of sci-fi animation be it space adventure, zombie apocalypse, human Vs robot, genetic engineering, etc.

Go for it without any second thought!

Resident Evil (2022)

The movies were good and this series is way too good

[8/10 · 15 July 2022]

I am glad I didn't look at the reviews before watching this series, coz I might have got carried away with all unreasonable hate that this series is getting.

I have watched resident evil movies but there are so many that I have lost track of it and being a curious viewer I desperately needed to breath some fresh air and this series delivers it.

Yes, there are people hating it because they might have been expecting some top notch action sequences and not so much of human emotion.

Now let me tell you this, there seriously was no point in coming up with this series if it was supposed to be on the same path as the movies were. So please stop comparing.

Season one here totally deals with pre and post annihilation, something which the movies didn't emphasized much on.

Lance Reddic had a challenging role to play which he perfectly delivers and so does the teenagers playing his daughters.

It has all the elements of thrills, suspense and drama well mixed in the back drop of a pre and post pandemic era.

Who ever watches this series reading my reviews, has the right to sue me if disappointed. You will get the details in my IMDB bio!

Richard Jewell (2019)

Sir Eastwood (Yes, he deserves to be officially bestowed the title of Sir by now.) is really great at presenting human emotions on the silver screen

[8/10 · 14 July 2022]

The only regret that I had after watching this movie was "why I hadn't watched it earlier?"

This one is a cinematic "jewel" both in terms of direction and acting. An Oscar worthy performance by "Paul Walter Hauser" and the rest of the cast were really great, specially Sam Rockwell and Kathy Bates.

You would be mesmerized by the way Sir Eastwood guides you through the incidence and it's proceedings in this movie by opting a rather simple approach of film making and at the same time he beautifully manages to capture the emotions of the whole nation by walking briefly through the lives of affected individuals during the whole process of making of hero and anti-hero persona of such an innocent character.

Lovely movie, full of emotions without any drag.

The Longest Night (2022)

El espectáculo más largo - The longest show

[4/10 · 12 July 2022]

They had a great beginning and an end with lot of cliffhangers for the show to continue further, but what they didn't had was the content to stretch this series upto 6 watchable episodes.

So, why this rush? Probably because the makers wanted to capitalise on the ever growing market demand for Spanish series since "La Casa De Papel" left its mark on viewers soul.

This is what you call a wasted potential!

Lot of viewers out here have really high hopes from Spanish series, please do not rob this feeling from us.

You could have done way better! Coz you did had a solid plot line.

Girl in the Picture (2022)

A multilayered horrifying tale of human psyche

[7/10 · 10 July 2022]

This one is suspenseful and shocking and I believe the horrific details were purposely toned down to be suitable for a larger group of audience.

The best part of this documentary was that they kept unraveling new details in a very timely fashion that helped in keeping the viewers' interest alive.

It is documentaries like these where cinema finally serves its true purpose.

Hats off to the whole team for doing such a great job!

The Serpent (2021)

An unpredictable and original crime thriller

[8/10 · 10 July 2022]

You cannot afford to miss this one, if you claim yourself to be a real fan of this genre. A very unpredictable and gripping crime thriller with hardly any moment that will let you slumber.

Tahar Rahim really did a fine job portraying a calm and composed and yet very terrifying character and so did Jenna Coleman as the partner in crime fully drowned in the tragedy of her own mistakes.

Billy Howle as a government representative, fully committed to serve justice even when it meant crossing every professional hierarchy was also one of the reasons that this show never lost its momentum.

It is a must watch and should be in your bucket list of series to watch before you plan a foreign trip!

Blackmail (I) (2018)

You would want to witness this humorous chain reactions of blackmails

[8/10 · 10 July 2022]

Mahn! This was something. Honestly speaking, I wasn't expecting it to be such a fun-filled experience. I mean your expectations will always be high from an Irrfaan starter, but this truly was epic.

Every cast member was so much involved in their character that you would actually feel at a point that you are witnessing a live show of interlinked blackmails.

Brilliant film making!

Hurdang (2022)

A tasteless cocktail of romance, revolution and reservation.

[5/10 · 9 July 2022]

Blame it on the loose script or the inexperienced direction. This could have been a great stuff (considering a decent star cast and plot line) if the makers were really focused on the seriousness of the much debated issue of "caste based reservation", but they rather opted to emphasize on the romantic part which every now and then drags your attention away from the core subject on which this movie was supposed to be based.

The makers weren't sure whether to make something like Yuva or Arakshan and hence ended up making a cocktail that did had the necessary ingredients, but not in the right proportion.

Also a loosely edited stuff, could have been 30 minutes short considering OTT release platform.

You may like it, if you were just introduced in the world of cinema.

Operation Romeo (2022)

A slow burner assault and revenge thriller

[7/10 · 4 July 2022]

I always thought that certain laughable steps taken by the system could definitely lead someone misusing it to the core and this flick successfully manages to draw our attention towards such issues.

The west has SWAT and we once had Romeo Squad, a name that terrified young couples in certain parts of the country for being guilty of falling in love and looking for some descent quality time in public places.

The true criminals weren't scared much of the consequences of their deeds as the romantically involved couples were of the Romeo Squad and this fear created by the system along with the support of several media firms opened the door of opportunities for many sick minded people to gamble on this fear.

I am sure many of you have questions as to why am I even talking about the subject that does not has any direct relation with this movie.

Here is the clarification, for international audience to understand why this couple feared so much of the consequences for hardly committing a crime; the audience needed to know everything that is going on in a developing country like ours.

Now for the movie, it did take some time to build up the momentum, which I believe was justified to give little time for character development and Kelkar's entry makes it loud and clear that the thrill ride has begun.

As for the lead pair, I having an experience of watching over 1000 movies/series and can definitely tell that Sidhant Gupta has got game when it comes to acting (really did a good job). Since it's Miss Pinto's debut she should be spared from the reviewers rage. A movie where you have limited dialogues to deliver shouldn't really be anyone's dream debut, nevertheless her acting wasn't bad either and I must say she has a very expressive eyes (you can actually feel the fear her character was experiencing)

The second half is where you see Bhoomika Chawla and I have no complaints from her. She is Bhoomika who even in the most angry avatar couldn't scare a fly. She was good.

A fine flick with a great message to all the young adults out there!

Missing (I) (2018)

Many might have MISSED this underrated gem!

[7/10 · 29 June 2022]

The makers ran out of creativity while deciding the title. There are lot of thrillers out there and you simply cannot afford to have a common, uncatchy title as "missing". I mean everyone is missing in almost all the thrillers.

This one's a very compelling thriller with brilliant star cast. Underrated because it didn't reach the right audience also maybe not well marketed.

Kept me glued to the screen till the very end.