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Now and then, a film will come along that unexpectedly reaffirms your faith in the power and creativity of cinema. To put it simply, RRR is an insanely good time at the movies. It’s 3 hours of sheer cinematic bliss and uplifting energy that’s contagious. Sadly I can’t say I’m that familiar with Telegu cinema or the work of director S. S. Rajamouli, but I am now an instant fan for life. I have not had this much fun watching a film in years.
If you’re a fan of action cinema, RRR has all the insane and creative action you crave. What surprised me was how much more the film is than a mere action extravaganza. It’s also an incredibly heartfelt story about friendship, love, and family. Not to mention it’s entirely and gloriously anticolonialist and anti-British Empire. In a day and age where the monarchy is celebrated in films and documentaries, it’s nice to get the Indian perspective on British colonialism.
Tonally the film is everywhere. It’s an action movie, historical epic, buddy movie, comedy, drama, dance movie, musical, fantasy, harrowing war movie, and love story. What’s incredible is that Rajamouli has no problems balancing all the tones into one coherent massive spectacle. It’s almost like the film is shot right out of a cannon and doesn’t slow down. Always momentous and moving forward.
The glue that holds the grand proceedings together is the performances by N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as Bheem and Ram Charan as Raju. Both are insanely charismatic and easy to root for, though Charan has the more complicated role. Their scenes are genuinely touching, and a fantastic dance sequence highlights their athleticism and energy. Also compelling are two Western actors Ray Stevenson as the Governor, and his wife, played by Alison Doody. Every performance is perfect and works well for Rajamouli’s vision.
I wish American films had the guts to push the medium forward as Rajamouli and Telegu cinema does. Films like RRR, I feel, are the kind of films American audiences are craving, fully immersive and emotional experiences that uplift. Audiences were able to see some of that last year with Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way of Water, but RRR is likely a film you’ll never forget seeing. It’s a celebration of the power and joy of the medium. We need more movies like this.
