Sachin Chatte

In his approximately 35-year career, director Steven Soderbergh has made more than a handful of remarkable films. Although he occasionally takes breaks, but he still remains a highly prolific filmmaker. This year, he has two new releases: Black Bag and Presence, the latter is a horror film and both are written by David Koepp. Black Bag is a gripping and entertaining spy thriller that showcases Soderbergh’s distinctive style. The film features an exceptional lead duo, Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, who portray a married couple, George and Kathryn. Both work for the British intelligence agency and appear to be deeply in love—until complications arise. As a spy thriller, “Black Bag” combines the intellectual depth of a John Le Carré novel with the romantic tension characteristic of a Hitchcock film, a director not typically associated with romance. The film successfully balances style and substance, a rarity in cinema these days.

Following the releases of Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan in 2015 and 2016, respectively, Salman Khan’s career has faced a downward trajectory marked by a series of unsuccessful films. His popularity has waned, and the arrival of Sikander has been met with little excitement, suggesting it may also depart the same way. Despite the involvement of A.R. Murgadoss, you would expect some kind of anticipation to build up but maybe the filmmakers knew it was a lost cause.. The only positive aspect is that Sikander is not as bad as Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (2023) Radhe (2021) or Tubelight (2017), but then that is not saying much. The standards have fallen so low in recent years that they have reached rock bottom.

Empuraan, the sequel to the 2019 Malayalam film Lucifer, is a high-budget, globe-trotting actioner reminiscent of productions from YRF or the Tamil and Telugu film industry. The success of its predecessor has elevated the scale and ambition of this installment. However, with such ambition often comes the risk of overlooking essential elements in favor of a grander vision. In this instance, the screenplay suffers due to an emphasis on extravagant action, where style frequently overshadows substance. At nearly three hours in length, the film initially packs in a great deal of content but later tends to meander. Prithviraj, who has transitioned from actor to director, possesses the vision necessary for a project of this magnitude, yet the foundational material must be robust. The film clearly aims to appeal to mass audiences, featuring slow-motion sequences and other stylistic choices. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this approach, it occasionally aspires to get serious,, and the fusion of these elements does not always produce the desired effect. It is helpful to recall key details from Lucifer, which was released five years ago. The narrative reintroduces international crime syndicates and the underworld, with Khureshi (Mohanlal) returning to the fray. Regrettably, the local character Stephen Nedumpally, also portrayed by Mohanlal and central to the action in Lucifer, takes a back seat in this sequel.

The Alien franchise has been active for over four decades now, starting from 1979, and has seen at least three big names associated with it as directors. Ridley Scott started it all as a director followed by James Cameron and then David Fincher made the third installment in 1992. The subsequent three films were underwhelming even though Scott returned as the director for the last two films.

“Pushpa naam nahi hain, Pushpa matlab brand hain”, (Pushpa is not just a name; it signifies a brand) states Srivalli, portrayed by Rashmika Mandanna, in this sequel anticipated to shatter all box office records. This statement prompts reflection on whether it is the character speaking or if the filmmakers are conveying their confidence through her words. Following the success of Pushpa (2021), the sequel is grander in every aspect, running an exhausting 200 minutes, though it does not necessarily surpass its predecessor. The filmmakers have amplified every successful element from the first installment, leaving no stone unturned in terms of scale and ambition. However, the narrative, or lack of it, remains unchanged—if the first part emphasised “Pushpa flower nahin, fire hai main”, the second part shifts to portraying him as a wildfire, whatever that may imply.

This is a good time to a make a ‘horror-comedy’ in Hindi cinema, in this case, rehash a film with a sequel of an established franchise. In this genre, you don’t really have to focus on the horror part (the audience laughs at it anyway, in many cases, it is nervous laughter) and for the comedy part, you just have to put a few characters in a ‘horror’ situation and voila, the comedy element is sorted.

Rohit Shetty’s cop universe has gone for the jugular this time. Following the lukewarm reception of Simmba (2018) and Sooryavanshi (2021), he has reintroduced his flagship character, Singham, while also incorporating other familiar figures in Singham Again.

Amal Neerad’s Bougainvillea features an impressive cast, including Kunchacko Boban, Jyothirmay, and Fahadh Faasil; however, the film ultimately flatters to deceive. Faasil is relegated to a tertiary role, likely either to help out his friends or for a fat paycheck – probably the former. Pitched as a psychological thriller, the film becomes exasperating due to its screenplay and overall execution.