Blue
wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)
The typically banal formula of action and skin packed in with some mind boggling underwater sequence. It will leave you with a bad after taste of what could’ve been a treat! After a while, you might feel you re watching National Geographic packaged the ‘bollywood ishtyle.’
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Blue is a perfectly good example of what money can’t buy-quality. With its expansive canvas, produced at an estimated 100 crores, Blue is a sheer waste of money not only for the financiers but also for the audiences. The crew comprises of two oscar winners - Musician AR Rehman and Sound Designer Resul Pookutty, Pete Zucarini of the ‘pirates of the Caribbean fame’ underwater director of photography, the pop diva Kylie Minogue and a host of stars including Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Lara Dutta and Zayed Khan. It’s simple lesson for the first time Director Anthony D Souza that the basic premise for a good movie is a solid script and not star power!
In a preposterous statement Anthony D Souza said that it was necessary to restrict the film to less than two hours. But after having sat through the entire 117 minutes (minus the interval which was a relief) the movie could’ve been much shorter. I was actually bored towards the end of the movie.
The movie is marred by an almost non existent script, weak dialogues, lack luster music and poor direction. The story is predictable from the beginning itself and therefore lacks the twists and turns that are absolutely imperative for an action packed thriller. Instead of being a roller coaster ride high on adrenaline and volatile circumstances, the movie is prosaic with a ridiculous climax. It is much too slow for a movie of its genre and does not push the viewers to the edge. Lara Dutta was probably the only factor which left the viewers gasping and asking for more!
There is no doubt that the movie has its moments. The impressive underwater sequences (Pete Zucarini) especially the one where Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar actually ride a shark will take your breath away. The lighting for the underwater sequences is spectacular and the over all look is chic.
It also boasts of some exhilarating action sequences both on land and in water. The bike chase sequence is ‘fast and furious’ which pushes the viewers to the edge.
Lara Dutta’s sculptured body adorned by gorgeous bikinis has pushed the oomph meter to unprecedented levels and is a visual treat for all.
Blue is set in the sun soaked beaches of Bahamas. Sagar (Sanjay Dutt), a simple guy and a polished deep sea diver befriends Aaraav (Akshay Kumar), a rich ambitious businessman who loves his women and a good life. Lara Dutta (Mona) plays Sagar’s wife and his eye candy.
A fat Sanjay Dutt is laughable as a sea diver but gives a good performance otherwise. Akshay Kumar looks uber cool with his grey goatee and a hot body. Zayed Khan’s performance is ignorable and he just cannot emote for nuts. The high point of the film is definitely Lara Dutta who will now give the other actresses a run for their money post her memorable performance in Blue. She looks as fresh as the morning mist and adds panache to her bikini clad character and does not look vulgar at all.
The dialogues are absolutely ridiculous and inarticulate. Lara Dutta in a tense moment exclaims amidst bullets and villains, “why don’t you talk and sort things out?” Amazing isn’t it! The dialogues are almost contemptible.
The music surprisingly doesn’t click at all. The much hyped Kylie Minogue number “Chiggy Wiggy” is disappointing. The other songs (that I cannot even remember vaguely) have forgettable melodies. The last song “fiqrana” does manage to stay in your head but can be easily replaced. Seems Mr. Rehman is too conscious of his new stature post Oscars and played it much too safe.
The director Anthony D Souza must realize that making a good film is not about bulging budget or star power or putting fancy visuals on screen. A good film has its foundation strong on a solid script while the façade comprises of the above mentioned facets in the right combination.
Blue could’ve been a defining moment in the history of bollywood but instead is a damp squid.
This article is by guest author Amrah Ashraf. Amrah Ashraf, 22 is pursuing her masters in Journalism from SIMC, Pune. As confused as confusion can be, she's caught between the will to be a journalist and the desire to be a film maker. She loves reading books, spends her free time traveling and writing about them. While she was averse to films in her adolescence, she grew up to literally live off them! Amrah Ashraf also blogs at http://mindwatchesitself.blogspot.com/.
Thumbs up, by N K Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ... In this adrenaline burst of macho men, speedsters, and deep sea divers who swim with sharks, some glamour and titillation is thrown in in the shapely forms of the bikini-clad Lara Dutta and deadly-looking Katrina Kaif. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Kara Baer, Bolly Spice : ...There really isn't much acting required to drive the story forward since the stunts take precedence over plot but Zayed looks like a natural on his motorbike and Akshay, of course, is right at home swimming amidst the sharks... full review
Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...The marine life, which you may've watched on National Geographic Channel or Animal Planet, comes alive in all splendour at the start itself. ... full review
Thumbs up, desi hits : ..."Blue" is a fresh fast film in a sea of romantic comedies... full review
Thumbs up, by Joginder Tuteja, Now Running.com : ...Action is truly the USP of the film and keeps the momentum going for "Blue" due to which one doesn't quite miss the presence of a solid storyline.... full review
Thumbs up, by Hanumant Bhansali, Radio Sargam : ...It’s a top notch and above all action flicks made in the Industry till date... full review
Thumbs up, by K K Rai, STARDUST : ...A R Rahman’s music gel well with the mood of the flick.... full review
Thumbs up, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...boasting of some great deep sea shots ( by Pete Zuccarini, cinematographer, Pirates of the Caribbean fame), stunning above sea level action sequences... full review
So-So, by Sarita Tanwar, MiD DAY : ...Zayed displays spontaneity... full review
So-So, by Darshit, Movies Music and Me : ...Dear Akki, don't take your initials too seriously. 'You Are Not AK' Read scripts instead of Cheques.... full review
So-So, by Ankit Ojha, Planet Bollywood : ...Classic was what was expected of the movie, but classic it certainly isn't. Anthony didn’t really miss the bus, but caught a '1970 Ashok Leyland' rather than the latest one!... full review
So-So, by Chandrama Pal, Rediff : ...Sanjay Dutt -- who wears sunglasses the first thing when gunmen attack his house -- looks flabby and flabbergasted, and seems unsure of what to do with the sizzling Lara on his arms. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Noyon Jyoti Parasara, AOL INDIA : ...Though the music as a stand alone, in my opinion, is one of Rahman’s most forgettable works, it works in the film, especially the background... full review
Thumbs down, by Bobby Singh, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...climax simply leaves you confused and annoyed... full review
Thumbs down, by Jaya Biswas, Buzz18 : ...Perhaps director Anthony D'souza doesn’t believe in building up the mystery ... full review
Thumbs down, by Aniruddha Guha, DNA : ...Director D'souza needs to know that an action film needn't necessarily have close-up shots of a woman's cleavage and derrière repeatedly and pointless gun firing and chase sequences.... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Garimella, fullhyd.com : ...Blue, a film that quite easily lends itself to some unfortunate puns involving the words "blue", "depth", "shipwreck" and "sink", comes apart primarily because there's simply no plot.... full review
Thumbs down, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...BLUE is a picnic in the Bahamas for the cast and crew. I guess director Anthony D'Souza told the cast, "Just get in front of the camera and do whatever you want."... full review
Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...They call each other Sethji (Kumar) and Sarkarji (Dutt): uncomfortably numb Van Damme and Vin Diesel with croaking voices... full review
Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...Neither slick nor fast-paced, this film lumbers in circles before crashing into a moronic finale ... full review
Thumbs down, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...In absence of a sane screenplay, the viewer is subjected to burnout action sequences and bike chases... full review
Thumbs down, Indicine : ...Not in the history of Bollywood has an actress managed to look so stunning in a Bikini.... full review
Thumbs down, by Ashish Gharde, MH-31 Fun Unlimited : ...Zayed Khan, a speed sigma – come on yaar, spare us the horror. He is not even the last choice when it comes to speed biking. ... full review
Thumbs down, Movie Talkies : ...A bad story is further affected by bad dialogues, again by Mayur Puri, and topple it with sad performances... full review
Thumbs down, by Minty Tejpal, Mumbai Mirror : ...the dialogue is absolutely flat and tedious... full review
Thumbs down, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ...The film’s absolute lack of logic is compounded by the low IQ dialogue. In the middle of a murderous gun battl... full review
Thumbs down, by Ashok Nayak, Now Running.com : ...with the viewers having almost forgotten about the adventure that leads to the treasure, the director gets to the point and the search begins... full review
Thumbs down, by ~UH~, Passion for Cinema : ...Akshay Kumar (nicknamed Sarkar) is simply hilarious. His dialogues, attitude, goatie, underwater antics- all makes him the head clown of this once in a blue moon venture.... full review
Thumbs down, by Sudhir Nair, Passion for Cinema : ...Where all other wannabe directors find it difficult to get a producer even for a Rs. 10 Cr flick, this dude gets a whopping Rs. 100 Cr + for a script that has been written with the least amount of creativity.... full review
Thumbs down, by Khalid Mohamed, Passion for Cinema : ...Shots through champagne and wine glasses are hilariously retro... full review
Thumbs down, real bollywoood : ...A really interesting premise shot beautifully but messed big time by unimaginative writing and lackluster direction is what Blue shall always be remembered as.... full review
Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Such money and effort on finding the right location for shooting live sharks and getting a stellar cast; and both wasted. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Pankaj Shukla, SmasHits.com : ...Akshay should agree he's getting older by wearing that khichdi goatee; his close-ups show his aging muscles... full review
Thumbs down, by Janhvi Patel, StarBoxOffice : ...Lara has barely 8 scenes that give her no scope to perform and she is simply a glam doll who was paid to pour her hot figure in gorgeous bikinis and short dresses... full review
Thumbs down, by Film Bear, Upper Stall : ...The characters have no graph... full review
Thumbs down, by SpiceZee Bureau, Zee News : ...‘Blue’ ends up as a ruined affair thereby wasting all the moolah its producers pumped in.... full review
Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Warning: this section has some details that could distort your experience while watching the movie. I strongly recommend reading this only after you have seen the movie or if you have decided not to see it.
Plot Summary
Grossly unfit and rather weary looking Sagar (Sanjay Dutt) is revisited by the ghosts of his past when his estranged younger brother Sam (Zayed Khan) gets into a mess with the Mafia in Bangkok. Hot on his trail, Mafia boss Gulshan (Rahul Dev) too reaches Bahamas and kidnaps Mona. Sagar is forced to face the demons of his past and visit the ship wreck (Lady in blue) in a diving expedition to recover the treasure with Aaraav and Sam
What Worked
• The brilliant underwater photography and action sequences. • The sun soaked Bahamas. • The sun kissed Lara Dutta in her bikinis.
What did not
• The pot bellied Sanjay Dutt as a sea diver. • The over hyped Kylie Minogue Number • Sanjay Dutt romancing half his age Lara Dutta • Zayed Khan’s non existent acting skills • The treasure pot was just so lack luster and too easily accessible. Wonder why no one else ever found it!!
Nitty-Gritty
• Kudos to fashion stylists of the movie. • I find it rather strange that even after being submerged in the ocean for almost 60 years, the jewels were sparkling.
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: too much both on land and in water.
- Nudity & Sexual content: Lara Dutta sashays in her bikinis almost throughout the film but does not look vulgar and few songs with women clad in skimpy clothes.
- Concept: action packed thriller.
- General Look and Feel: is initially exciting but boring after a while.
![[Wikipedia page of Blue]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Blue]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Sanjay Dutt twitter account]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (5)
Guys, I haven't seen the film yet but will do so soon, This review is by a guest reviewer. :)
Rahul, oh well...such is life...
B. H. Harsh thanks to Amrah who seems to have been fair.
Anoop - ha ha ha...that is some analogy. Cannot comment till I watch it though.
Will leave my comments here as soon as I see the film.
The film sucked big time why do they waste money.
the movie SUCKS
@vipin ok...what did i miss here? What does Imitiaz Ali have to do anything with anything here?
I remember having waited impatiently for this film to release. It was a Diwali release, synonymous big budget dhamaka. The promos (by a marketing wiz turned director of the film) were some of the best of those times. And the Kylie Minogue jiggy-wiggy was making big waves.
So all the ingredients to make the taste buds salivate were in place.
When I finally watched the film, I was thoroughly disappointed. One of the worst films of the year, and amongst the big budget Diwali releases, certainly the worst possible film.
Other than the blue ocean waters photography there was nothing good about the film. Nevertheless I would single out one department that was abominably horrible - dialogue writing. I got the impression that the film budget was used up in the deep sea photographing, and so there was no money left to hire a dialogue writer. Thus, the directors just told the characters to speak something relevant as per the scene. It could not get more banal than that.
On the whole, wasted lot of money, but worse it spoiled my festival mood with such a massive letdown.
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