Shah Rukh Khan's mega-project Ra.One got mostly poor reviews in India. Here's a look at what the world thinks about the film, and of course, the superstar himself.
The New York Times
Rachel Saltz
If the storytelling disappoints (shocking!), the film mostly doesn't. It relies on action and effects and Bollywood's trump card, star power, to carry the day. This is Mr. Khan's movie, and once he sheds Shekhar's droopy locks, he shines as the deadpan, action-hero robot with digital snot and smooth moves on the dance floor.
Click here for the full review.
'It has energy, spectacle and humour'
Los Angeles Times
Kevin Thomas
Anubhav Sinha's exhilarating fantasy Ra.One is Bollywood at its best. It has energy, spectacle and humour, song and dance, but razzle-dazzle special effects and action stunts never overwhelm its story of enduring love that unfolds amid an intricate and inspired sci-fi odyssey.
Star Shahrukh Khan has been called the King of Bollywood, and in Ra.One, he uses his sinewy, expressive body and striking face to move effortlessly from comedy to heroics.
'Ra.One is nothing if not a calling card to the film world'
Hollywood Reporter
Kirk Honeycutt
During the credit roll, the film makes a point of showing a behind-the-scenes EPK of the stunts and effects, driving home dual points. One is that SRK did, as advertised, his own stunts. And two, that India can compete in the big leagues of stunts and fx. SRK, whose company Red Chilies Entertainment made the film with Eros International, has poured a lot of money into creating his own Mumbai special-effects house and RA.ONE is nothing if not a calling card to the film world.
So RA.ONE nicely serves two masters -- good family values and good capitalist instincts. And as is traditional at Diwali, the effigy of Raavan gets torched as good triumphs over evil.
'There's nothing robotic about Ra.One'
NY Daily News
Joe Neumaier
The movie has a witty sense of punky, gaming-style esthetics that American blockbusters try for but can't quite achieve. The musical numbers, of course, make you feel great -- and not just because of the snappy tunes and colourful costumes. It's also because of how sweet their celebration of celebrity feels; Khan and co-star Kareena Kapoor are adored by the camera and their fans, and seem to give adoration right back.
R.A.One, already the biggest presold movie in the history of Indian cinema, may be filled with genre riffs, but there's nothing robotic about it.
'Kareena provides excellent support'
The National
James Luxford
Khan also demonstrates what a versatile actor he is, with his performances as both Shekhar and G. One feeling like completely different people. Elsewhere, the critically acclaimed actress Kareena Kapoor provides excellent support and has great chemistry with Khan, while the model-turned-actor Rampal oozes menace as the titular villain, in a role akin to the Terminator movies.
Not the best work of the director nor the star, but certainly their most spectacular.
'Kareena's Sonia is reduced to a slack-jawed puppet'
Slant Magazine
Simon Abrams
The casual way in which Ra.One's committee of three screenwriters casually dismiss Sonia is probably the most insulting thing about the film. She's strong enough to survive personal tragedy but is ultimately brainwashed with a wave of Ra.One's electronic hands.
Just seeing Sonia reduced to a slack-jawed puppet that nearly steers a speeding train into a local station is a real insult to the film's audience. Ra.One's indifferently demeaning scenario proves just how meaningless its creators' supposedly good intentions really are.
'You won't be bored by the musical numbers'
Salon.com
Andrew O'Hehir
What makes this movie worth seeing is its blend of aesthetic and technical approaches -- much of the crew and most of the special-effects team was Western -- its immense scale and abundant confidence, and its utter shamelessness in trying to entertain nearly all imaginable viewers, from Abu Dhabi to New Jersey to Zanzibar.
If you're bored by the action scenes or the love story or the dopey domestic comedy, just wait three minutes for something else to come along -- and whoever you are, you won't be bored by the musical numbers!
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