Fix: Bananas action, Tollywood, overthrow of British Imperialism
Platforms: Netflix
Netflix Summary:
A fearless warrior on a perilous mission comes face to face with a steely cop serving British forces in this epic saga set in pre-independent India.
FYA Summary:
Okay, so I realize this movie isn’t quite in our wheelhouse, on account of it being neither YA nor female-focused and instead being a bonkers action movie from India, BUT. Y’all. Once I experienced it, I had no choice but to review it for the site. RRR DEMANDS to be seen, and to be talked about, and to be written about. A cinematic explosion of the senses, this film will melt your face off and leave you begging for more, and if I didn’t tell you about it, I would basically deserve to be thrown off an incredibly tall building and then eaten by tigers.
So! The story takes place in (a slightly fictionalized version of) India under the control of the British empire in the 1920s. After a young girl is stolen from her village by the villainous Imperial governor and his giving-me-Mommie-Dearest-vibes wife, the tribe sends a brave and fierce man named Bheem to find her. The governor’s office, having been warned about Bheem (but not knowing his identity), commissions an insanely badass Indian officer named A. Rama Raju to track him down before he can rescue the girl from the palace. But—twist!—the two men meet under extraordinary circumstances that I will not spoil for you and become BESTIES! So they’re palling around town, dancing and laughing and, in Bheem’s case, trying to get to know a nice British lady named Jenny, all while pursuing their own secret agendas against each other.
I hope it’s not a spoiler to tell you that shit does HIT-ETH THE FAN-ETH at some point (otherwise, would this even be a movie?) and that’s when the REAL ride begins. Like, to say things get wild would be a vast, VAST understatement.
Also, fun and inspiring fact, these two characters are based on real-life revolutionaries!
(Un)Familiar Faces:
N.T. Rama Rao Jr. as Komaram Bheem
Ram Charan as Alluri Sitarama Raju
I am guessing these two dudes are HUGE stars in India, and they certainly wowed me with their charisma, their dancing skills, and, most importantly, their ability to sell me on the craziest stunts I have ever seen. Did I believe in their fast friendship? Sure. Did I buy into their conflicting motivations and deep-running passions? Definitely. But did I accept Bheem catching and then throwing a motorcycle while Rama Raju jumped (with nearly broken legs) ten feet up in the air to shoot flaming arrows at a dozen soldiers? Abso-freaking-lutely.
Special s/o to Alison Doody who plays Catherine Buxton, the governor’s wife. Not sure if you could call her performance inspired as much as deranged in a wooden, Dynasty Joan Collins kind of way.
Couch-Sharing Capability: To the MAX!!!!
I mean, just look at this screenshot. Would you want to watch this alone, or with six of your closest friends so you can yell in unison: “OMG WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING THIS IS AMAZING?!!”
Recommended Level of Inebriation: CheeRRRs!
The mind-blowing action of RRR will make you feel drunk without a drop of alcohol, but with that said, booze can’t hurt! Especially for the main dance sequence, when you might want some loose limbs (and liquid courage) so you too can try the Naatu Naatu dance.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: EXTRRREMEly Satisfying
RRR is the most expensive Indian movie ever made, so the fact that you can watch it on Netflix is, like, the deal of the century. This movie has everything: charming bromance, bloodthirsty tigers, magnificent choreography, poisonous snakes, inspiring revolution, jaw-dropping stunts, and did I mention the tigers? To paraphrase Katy Perry, this film is gonna make you ROARRR!
I’ve been seeing so much praise for this on Twitter, and now this is like the sign to finally get around to watching it!
PLEASE DO!!! Can’t wait to hear what you think.
We watched this over the weekend. What a wild ride! I love the bromance between Bheem and Ram so much.
Right? They are the cutest (which is a weird thing to say about two super badass, mega strong, insanely tough dudes).
1000%!