Twenty-20 Movie Review

Rajappan · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:23 am Post subject: Twenty-20 Movie Review

‘Twenty: 20’ and its makers were there all over the net, news channels, and other media for quite some time. This mother of multistarrer '' being the most hyped movie of our times, there is only one big question to answer.... Does it live up to the expectations? The answer is a big 'YES'.

As usual with every other movie industry, every top actor's coming together for a single movie is an occasion of big business and celebration... Here too ,it definitely does that ....and that too in a prodigious manner...Though the movie on a simple well made palette of circuitous script is a piece of mindless entertainment, it rightly is the Mollywood masala in its truest form, and of course in its best.

Apart from its primary purpose of entertaining to the helm 'Twenty: 20’ doesn’t hold anything great for those who want to burrow deep into the layers. But definitely, that was the least expected from a movie of this magnitude and stars.

The story starts with the retired supreme court Justice Viswanatha Menon (Madhu) who lands at his ancestral home to have his vishu celebrations with his children (Siddhique, Vijayaraghavan, Sindhumenon) and grandchildren.

The big joint family is all set to celebrate the weekend, assembling from many places, but the family’s weekend plans gets pale with Menon’s grandson ''Arun'' (Indrajith), a medico in Bangalore, is arrested for murder by the tough upright city police commissioner Antony Punnakkadan (Suresh Gopi). Menon hires one of his favorite student and fierce lawyer Ramesh Nambiar (Mammootty) to bail him out. Arun is safely taken care off from the court by Ramesh, but is killed in a few days.

Antony now arrests Devan (Mohanlal), a poor trader who was on an outing to Kochi. Devan's mother (Sukumari) and sister (Kavya Madhavan) pleads for help before Remesh. And here too the ace criminal lawyer finds points to get Devan out of the jail, unscathed. But here starts the tale of twists, which continues form reel to reel for the next two hours.

What works heavily for ‘Twenty: 20’ is that it lives up to its name-just like a 20:20 match, you can't predict what will happen in the next reels. Just when you fix this as the last twist in the tale, will arrive the next that will keep you in tight seats.

Sibi-Udhayan's story and screenplay is definitely the biggest merit of the movie, a fine piece of work keeping intact the thriller aspirant, giving equal footage for the lead stars. Though some of the scenes in the beginning make you sound awry, there is no looking back after the arrival of the super stars.

Both of them, Mammootty and Mohanlal, has done cool and confident presentations throughout highlighting their best sides while Suresh Gopi steals the show many a times from below their feet. Bhavana , Dileep, Manoj K Jayan, Madhu, Siddhique and Jayaram also have some solid characterizations, which they have done extremely well .

Much of the other 55 stars of the movie are reduced to minuscule roles, though it may not offend the fans who are there to watch the biggies in action. The screenwriters also have taken care to prepare apt character mix for each of the big stars that suit their screen image and invite continuous applause from their fans.

Technically too, the movie is well done with excellent camerawork from P Sukumar , though some of the action sequences are outdated. But the veteran director Joshy has showcased his experience in camouflaging some loopholes in the plot with a racy, intense narratives and including loads of one liner in every scenes.

The lavish production values, interesting costumes , packaging and off course slick editing from Renjan Abraham has made the three hour movie ,devoid of much dull moments .

The only letdown of the movie is the music and songs department, though the crew has visualized every song with brilliance, to make up for the loss.

If you are a fan of commercial cinema, ’Twenty: 20’ will definitely carry you with its exuberance. All in all, a masala movie ,that delivers what it promises .This is not definitely for those who are looking for more meanings from every shots.

Leave your brains at home and enjoy the big ''masti -bhari watch'' of the splendor of togetherness.

Rajappan · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:26 am Post subject:

Twenty: 20 is surprisingly good
It is said that miracles cannot be designed, they just happen. But actor Dileep has almost designed a miracle as the producer of the Malayalam film Twenty: 20, in association with the the actors' forum Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).

In the bipolar world of Malayalam Cinema, ruled by two giants -- Mammootty and Mohanlal -- it would be suicidal to cast both of them in a film and fail to give them equal importance. Dileep achieves this impossible feat with his trusted team of writers -- Sibi K Thomas and Udayakrishna, and veteran director Joshiy.

The film is made as a fundraiser for AMMA, where every actor worth his salt makes an appearance (even if it is blink and you miss kind of role).

Now, coming to the most intriguing part of the process, that is the plot; you maybe forgiven, if you feel this is going to be run of the mill stuff in the beginning.

A retired Supreme Court Judge Vishvanathan (played by Madhu) returns to his Tharavadu to spend his autumn years with his family. You get a sense of deja vu thinking that there will be conspiracy and mayhem by his relatives eyeing his wealth. But there is surprise in store for us as the story moves into uncharted waters. Arun (Indrajith), one of the grandsons of the Judge is accused of killing a fellow student during a ragging incident at a medical college in Bangalore. This brings in an upright police officer in the form of Suresh Gopi [Images].

The plot then lays the platform for the entry of the two megastars in the roles they are most loved for -- Mammootty as a very successful lawyer Ramesh Nambiar (protege of Judge Vishvanathan) and Mohanlal as another variant of the feudal Themady Devan Prathapa Varma, who stylishly folds his mundu before getting into action, though later he is seen in blazers and trousers.

It is the game of one-upmanship between the three heroes till the end when all the pieces of the jigsaw fall into place.

Dileep's role can be termed as an extended guest appearance in the second half. Jayaram too has an important cog in the narrative wheel. But we doubt whether the screen time provided to him does justice to the actor.

The comic brigade -- Innocent, Harisree Asokan, Cochin Haneefa, Kalpana, Jagadeesh, Jagthy Sreekumar, Salim Kumar, Suraj Venjaramood and Bijukuttan -- is in full force here. They make the atmosphere jovial when the going gets heavy.

The female leads except for Bhavana have very little to do in this enterprise. Gopika and Kavya Madhavan [Images] vanish from the scene very quickly.

It is disappointing to see that youngsters like Prithviraj, Jayasurya and Kunchako Boban are reduced to group dancers in Nayanthara's item number.

We may have heard that too many cooks spoil the broth but, if handled with care, they can spread interesting smorgasbord. And Twenty: 20 proves this fact.

Rajappan · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:28 am Post subject:

(Pls open oxford dictionary before reading this)
20:20 offers an extravagant spectacle that exudes surface luminance, but which soon gives way to a messed up interior that's all potholes and bumps. A wannabe thriller, it scuttles along Mediocrity Highway armed with some natty twists, corny dialogue, stale stereotypes and zero exposé value.

For all the fending off, for all the blockading, there is finally an explanation. If you were like me, wondering what was so enigmatic about that plot that was being kept under wraps for ages, let me tell you we figured it all wrong. There never was a plot in the first place, folks. All those text messages and tons of vagrant news reports that claimed to have a know-how regarding the tale were no better than blank shots in a dark night - simply way off target.

It's indeed a gargantuan task at hand, when you have three stalwarts in an industry and you need to work things around to see that none is let down. That's when they occupy center stage, and the rest of it including the storyline is cautiously appended all around them regardless of any reason or rationale. Mammootty, Mohanlal and Suresh Gopi need to match it up and they do; word for word, blow for blow and bullet for bullet. They are all simply splendid and there isn't a possibility for any hardcore supporter out there to cry hoarse; it's all blandly equal. Everybody wins. Peace.

There are just a couple of peculiar moments that shook me out of the trance in this almost three and a half hour film that resembles an extended stage show. Too many stars, too much chatter, too little action, and even lesser logic. The film is full of minuscule bits and pieces that don't add up into something much significant. This isn't much of a pretty picture except for the glitz that has been splattered all over in abundance.

I do hand it over to the script that has found something for almost anyone and everyone scurrying around to grace that itsy bit of screen time that they would be offered. Do not dare bat an eyelid, lest you miss a few of the mammoth star cast. There is so much of talent at hand, and it's an irony when it boomerangs on you because you don't know what to do with it. There is no end to the theatrics that have been devised with this end in mind, and this is exactly where the film nosedives into a stupor.

I am sure this one is going to have a dream run at the box-office irrespective of the bounty of misfires, some real awkward action exploits and quite a few tedious dialogues. For this is a cat-and-mouse game that has those punch lines coming in at regular intervals. The scene buildups are quite fake but the momentum is pretty even all the way through. So if you have stowed your notions of judgment somewhere deep down, you are unlikely to have much of a problem steering through it.

As a collective endeavor that needs to be valued for the stupendous effort behind it, the film could perhaps be revered. As a specimen piece of filmmaking, it has nothing more to offer than a dazzling showcase of stars just being themselves and generally having a whale of a time.

Fan factions battle it out in the cinema hall even as the twin M's proclaim war on screen. I watch haplessly at the pointlessness of it all, channel my senses back to the star-studded affair and figure out with a sigh, that in 20:20, the cast is what evidently outshines the content.

Rajappan · Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 10:29 am Post subject:

Reviewing Twenty Twenty is not so easy. If you go to view the film with realistic expectations, you are not likely to be disappointed. But with so many stars coming together, so big a canvas and two scenarists who till date have delivered only mediocre entertainers, your expectations would be rather low. The fact however is that the film has turned out to be better than what one would have expected. Unless of course, you are a very serious art film buff - in which case you'll find the film very, very disappointing.

Produced by Dileep's Graand Production for AMMA, the Joshiy-directed Twenty Twenty begins from where retired Supreme Court Chief Justice Viswanatha Menon returns home, hoping to spend the remainder of his life in peace and tranquility. But things don't work out the way he planned. His grandson Arun, studying in Bangalore, is suspected of murder, and soon Antony Punnekaadan IPS, the dare-all Superintendent of Police, who has concrete reasons to be hostile to Viswanatha Menon's family, comes seeking Arun.

Arun, who has gone into hiding, is nabbed by Antony. Then comes Ramesh Nambiar, one of the most sought-after criminal lawyers in the country. Ramesh saves Arun from being convicted, only to see him murdered soon after. Antony Punnekaadan reportedly nabs the murderer, red-handed. Devarajan, a dealer in spices is charged with the murder.

Things take such a turn that it's Ramesh Nambiar once again who comes in as the defence attorney, but this time to save the person who is accused of murdering the very guy whom he had saved earlier. Ramesh Nambiar has reasons to believe that Devarajan is innocent and so he fights it out in court and saves the latter. Minutes later, even before leaving the court premises, Ramesh Nambiar comes face to face with a totally different Devarajan, who introduces himself as Devaraja Pratapa Varma. From here the story takes a new turn.

If Mammootty as Ramesh Nambiar is simply stunning, Mohanlal, as Devaraja Pratapa Varma, is even more so. Suresh Gopi, as can be expected, does the role of Antony Punnekaadan IPS with aplomb. Jayaram is comfortable as Dr. Vinod Bhaskar, a character that he portrays in his typical style. Dileep, who hitherto had been projected as one of the key players in the film, in fact has only a small role - that of Karthik Varma, the younger brother of Devaraja Varma. But he has played that role in his characteristic style, with his special brand of humour that had endeared him to the masses. All the supporting actors (there are far too many to name names) do their roles well.

Coming to the actresses, it must be said that Meera Jasmine has turned out to be the luckiest of them all, simply because of not being there in the film at all. In a film that obviously is made to project the heroes and to pamper their fans, heroines end up as mere appendages, with hardly anything to do. While Kavya Madhavan is wasted in an insignificant cameo role, Nayantara is brought in just for a song that fails to impress us in any way. Gopika too has nothing to do. It's Bhavana alone who has some sort of a role to play in the story. (Let's hope AMMA thinks of making a movie for the actresses too).

Of the young brigade, only Indrajith (who plays Arun) has got a character worth mentioning. Prithviraj, Jayasurya, Kunchacko Boban etc, whose names are mentioned in the cast, are just there for namesake, appearing in a song and vanishing as soon as the song ends.

Coming to the technical aspects, it's difficult to find fault with the cinematography, editing or art-work, all of which suit the over-all mood and tempo of the film. But the songs fail to make much impact. Background score by Rajamani deserves special mention.

Coming to the scenarists, Udayakrishna and Sibi K. Thomas ought to be appreciated for seeing to it that both Mammootty and Mohanlal get equal weightage and that their fans are satisfied. The scenarists are to be appreciated also for having created for Suresh Gopi a character that suits his image and calibre. But they cannot be forgiven for having worked out a script that promotes only the super-stars and totally neglects the others. And they deserve to be pitied for coming up with so mediocre a storyline, given such a big star cast. But on the other hand, what kind of a story can you come up with, when anybody who is anybody in Malayalam cinema is to have a role in it? They need to be appreciated for coming up with something that could accommodate them all - even though the accommodation for the most part is third rate.

Though director Joshiy has made many memorable films, Twenty Twenty is a film that doesn't for a single moment feel like one of his creations. It's a film made for the stars and their die-hard fans. So, if you are a fan of one of the stars or of film stars in general, Twenty Twenty is good for a watch. You may also like to watch the movie simply for the novelty of seeing so many stars come together in a single film. Otherwise Twenty Twenty is no great shakes.

rasikanraja · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:04 am Post subject:

super machu....

Anukutti · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 5:58 am Post subject:

ella dileep filmum super annalo rasikan rajakku

Rajappan · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 6:35 am Post subject:

Angorkku aa oru worde ariyoo. d'oh!

pranku · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:29 am Post subject:

lavan paandi aanonnoru samshayam Rolling Eyes

Rajappan · Posted: Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:44 am Post subject:

rasikanraja · Posted: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:57 pm Post subject:

Dileep filims ellam super alle.. pinne parayunnathil entha kuzhappam....