Review - Red Alert - The War Within: fights in vain

Different story, different issue, different aesthetics, different acting by lead actors - a film deserves applause just for doing this. Now it's a different story that it doesn't completely connect or make you care for the characters let alone the issue at hand. A lot seems missing despite what looks like best efforts.

I'm not asking for a more complete coverage of the events in the regions facing Naxal protests. Considering that Red Alert tries to maintain balance between the two perspectives, asking for anything more is way beyond a 2-hour film's purview.

I'm not complaining about the pace at which the events unfold. In fact, it is a wonderful depiction of what an unwilling member of a rebelling faction goes through. How like in any other group, peer pressure makes him do things he's not convinced of. He might seem like the 'group idiot' but he does have an opinion, a balanced thought-process which has withstood brainwashing. And he's brave too. I understand and appreciate all of this and yet the pathos doesn't come through.

One could have blamed Suneil Shetty's performance for the 'something missing' feeling, but that doesn't seem fair. He holds one expression, and maybe that's the only expression his character needs. It's something about the writing and portrayal of this character that doesn't completely make me root for him. This would have been a great reaction to have if he were a gray character, but that's not true either.

The rest of the characters are very superficially described. Like every other Hindi film, their tranformations and character arcs are far from convincing. Given these pre-defined changes, the acting though, takes the pinch away. Kudos to Sameera Reddy for the complete shift in image. The rest of the cast has always been appreciated for their accomplishments.

I'd say this film works as a documentation of the times and situations we live in. Our apathy towards what our eyes don't see and what doesn't affect us directly. Our ennui with every-day headlines that make it to the newspapers. Also, you cannot miss the comment on futility of war - even if it is within the boundaries of one country. And in this atmosphere is the story of a simple man who is constantly interrogating himself and those around him about the rationalizations of their behavior.

Ps. I'll skip the notepad section for this one because it's the intention of making the film that I'm convinced about and I cannot make myself look for the loopholes in the script or presentation.