Brothers

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list (?)

quick review:

Long, slow and futile. A few smooth yet powerful action moves. That's it. Then, the only words that linger are - long, slow and futile.

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Director: Karan Malhotra
Running time: 160 minutes
Genres: Action, Family
More Movie Info

Brothers - Preview

Usually films based on families, especially those in Hindi, are all about undying love and sacrifice. Brothers seems to be talking about sibling rivalry. That too some serious rivalry. However, so deep is my faith in hindi films wanting to be on the right side of what “should” happen, that I wouldn't be surprised if the rivalry has some deep love/sacrifice theme as the backdrop.

Other than that the film seems intense to the core with light, romantic moments thrown in for good measure rather than role in the story. Much of the intensity seems to stem from the boxing sequences. I just hope there will be a little more meat to the story than just fighting scenes in the ring.

Akshay Kumar, Siddharth Malhotra and Jackie Shroff all add to the drama that seems more a necessity than a frill for a film of this nature. The narrative need only have a little more than a one-line plot for the action seems crisp enough to carry the film.

Music Reviews:
glamsham - "3/5"
Milliblog - "Delightful variety in music by Ajay-Atul!"
Music Aloud - "8/10"

- meeta, a part of the audience

Within the first ten minutes you begin to wonder why a supposedly action film is going so, so slow. I am all for lingering lenses that allow you to take in the atmosphere, but nothing of that sort here. Except for some fast moving action choreography and editing, the rest of the movie is a drag which doesn't even lead any where.

The scene stays because the director is under the impression that unless he italicises, underlines, and emboldens every thing he wants to say we won't get it. For instance, just in case you didn't get that the finger ring a character is putting on is a happy memory or not, you have background music to confirm it for you. And this is only the beginning.

This pretty much carries on for the rest of the film, though the pace picks up every so slightly in post-interval. This too is an illusion though. The story is still moving at snail pace towards the mother of all predictable climax sequences. But, at least there is action and the editing of the action scenes take charge. There are a couple slick fights in the ring and a few moves that make you cringe and drop your jaw at the same time. One of them though suddenly moves a long shot making you wonder if it is to mask the fact that a stunt double was used.

Otherwise thought, both Siddharth Malhotra and Akshay Kumar are more or less restrained. Especially, when set against the loud background and dramatic camera movements. Jackie Shroff, on the other hand, gets annoying with his over-the-top drunkenness and attempt at sobriety. His ands though have given an ace performance (unless he had a “hands” double!).

You are delighted to see Shefali Chhaya, but hshe looks like she wants to match Jackie Shroff in his overacting – line to line. Jackqueline Fernandes plays her usual prop self and Kareena Kapoor is worse than that. The moment I see a randomly placed item number, I read that as the writer/director telling me, “I don't have faith in my narrative/narration. So here you go, I think you will like this.”

The other songs are plain soporific - excuses for montages to be used as moving the plot ahead. In my mind - lazy writing. There is decent scope for an internal struggle for each of the characters. Interestingly, each member of the Fernandes family has their own little island of sorrow. Each one is struggling between what they want to do and what they should do.

Unfortunately, this is you reading a little too much in their situations, trying to get involved. Else, the movie is happy just telling you, “he is the underdog”, “he is the villain”, “he is the monster”. There is zero attempt at trying to let you discover that through their actions.

I agree, films like Brothers need a certain amount of drama to accentuate the action. Such action to make sense in a film need an emotional hook too; else it will feel like you are watching a game on TV. But, this combination didn't work here. All you can recommend it for is the fight sequences when the film is on TV.

- meeta, a part of the audience

30 reviewers(?) - 4 yays 14 so-so 12 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Sarita A Tanwar, DNA : ...It’s nowhere close to Warrior. But there’s the Akshay-Siddharth on-screen combo, how can you miss that? ... full review

Thumbs up, by Jaidev Hemmady, Movie Talkies : ...The music of the film is decent enough and the Brothers anthem (when David and Monty train for the tournament) is one of the highlights of the movie... full review

Thumbs up, by Divya Solgama, MoviezADDA : ...Well the movie has lots of dum over its action, emotional and dramatic scenes. Also, some fine performances and good action make this movie the latest flavour of the season. If you have seen the original Hollywood film, then this movie is not your cup of tea and also for all those who does not like slow pace action drama. As for others, 'Brothers' will be a decent entertainer, which displays the bonding of emotion and action scenes.... full review

Thumbs up, by Dhriti Sharma, Zee News : ...Making the soft hearted audience a bit teary towards the end, 'Brothers' wraps up on a positive note, well, yes the typical Bollywood style. It's dragging climax makes you a little weary, and that is a major setback. This monsoon weekend, go grab a ticket and watch some incredible acting with a hint of breathtaking fight sequences.... full review

So-So, by Naresh Kumar Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...After all the hype that ‘Brothers’ kicked up, the film turns out to be a disappointment. Watch it for Akshay Kumar, if you must.... full review

So-So, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...In all, informing the viewers about a new form of sport titled MMA (Mixed Martial Art), BROTHERS could have been a much better Hindi sports movie if it had its focus right on the sport and not all those forced inclusions. So you can give it a skip if you are not a big fan of action or ring fights. But the viewers interested in this particular sport form and free style action would mostly enjoy the second half of the movie as a one-time watch alone and nothing else.... full review

So-So, Bollywood Hungama : ...On the whole, BROTHERS is a huge letdown on the account of its slow pace and lack of emotional connect. At the box office, the movie will enjoy huge footfalls over the weekend due to Independence Day Holiday and lack of credible opposition at the cinema halls. The real struggle for the film however will start from Monday onwards, which would turn out to be the deciding factor of the fate of the film.... full review

So-So, by Shefali Saxena, Desi Martini : ...Emotionally gripping yet overstretched first half mars the entertaining second half!... full review

So-So, by Parichay Mehta, Desi Martini : ...Karan Malhotra had just one job. To remake the Hollywood film Warrior. And he made a mess out of it.... full review

So-So, by Krish Sripada, Desi Martini : ...The remake of Warrior could've been nice if not for the director's over-indulgence. Inconsistently swings between good and melodramatic!... full review

So-So, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...Brothers offers a whole new experience to MMA action. Hindi audiences will enjoy the novelty. But all said and done, this should’ve been done with a lot more finesse... full review

So-So, by IANS, Free Press Journal : ...While the story is credited to Gavin O’Connor and Cliff Dorfman, it is adapted by director Karan Malhotra and Ekta Pathak. There is a feeling of deja vu with the characters, the setting and scenes. They seem to be inspired by many Hollywood and Hindi films. Case in point is the street-fighting scenes which were recently witnessed in Anuraag Kashyap’s “Bombay Velvet”. Overall, “Brothers” is a well-made emotional drama worth a dekho for the paisa-vasool fight sequences.... full review

So-So, by rohit Vats, Hindustan Times : ...Karan Malhotra’s Brothers is not Warrior. It relies heavily on the formula-driven content. Having said that, Brothers still offers you some fantastic fight sequences and a matured Akshay Kumar. You can also consider it a new film rather than a Warrior remake and be happy about it.... full review

So-So, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...Brothers, despite its contrivances, leaves you choked more than once. How can it not, with all that unabashed emotional manipulation? Throwing in an item song, repeated flashbacks, and too many cutaways of an anguished wife (Jacqueline Fernandez), Malhotra lays it on thick to a premise already inherently melodramatic. He's further Bollywood-izing a plot that’s already 'too Bollywood' to begin with. The result is a film that’s trying a little too hard.... full review

So-So, by Surabhi Redkar, koimoi : ...Brothers is a remake that gets lost in the way since it is neither a complete rip off nor a refined Bollywood version. If you are looking for kick ass action, watch Warrior and if you are looking for a teary-inducing family drama cum action then watch Brothers.... full review

So-So, by Shubha Shetty-Saha, MiD DAY : ...The trying-hard-to-look-important Kiran Kumar (who plays Peter Braganza, a former MMA champ), the commentator-with-verbal-diarrhea-but-making-absolutely-no-sense Raj Zutshi etc. get in the way. A background score with lower decibel levels and smarter dialogues might have made this a better film. But still a good one time watch, especially if you are a fight junkie.... full review

So-So, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...The few gripping fights, Akshay Kumar's ace act, and a fabulous supporting cast makes the film reasonably watchable. Oscillating wildly between a sports movie and a melodrama, this is your dose of punch-drunk love!... full review

So-So, by Srijana Mitra Das, Times of India : ...On the plus side, Brothers adapts Hollywood hit Warrior with a Bollywood beat. The script builds a powerful contrast between a bleak first half and a lively second. Following brothers-mothers movies like Deewar, Brothers revisits Bollywood's 'Ma' obsession, offering action, adrenalin and abs too. However, its angst could have hit a much harder punch - for when blood sours, it explodes.... full review

Thumbs down, by Ameet Bhuvan, Desi Martini : ... Mess , stinking desolate ugly mess all over.... full review

Thumbs down, by Aneela Zeb Babar, Desi Martini : ...Oh Brother! What a Bother.... full review

Thumbs down, by Deepanjana Pal, FirstPost : ...The other problem is that mindless violence makes sense to Malhotra, judging from the way it dominates both this film and his previous one, a remake of Agneepath. Evidently, Malhotra doesn't believe violence has a psychology or reasoning. It, like gravity, just is, and we should be awestruck by it.... full review

Thumbs down, by Nupur Barua, fullhyd.com : ...Jacqueline Fernandez is required to look pretty, and to incite and entice Akshay Kumar. This she does with ease, and even seems pretty convincing as a mother of a pre-teen. Ashutosh Rana and Kiran Kumar, mostly the latter, light up the screen considerably. Shifaali Shah looks piqued, for some reason.... full review

Thumbs down, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...Also, for the record, both the actors bring out the mean streak in the boxing ring. Akshay and Sidharth do justice to the boxing bouts. There is also Kareena Kapoor who comes on screen for an item number in the hope of injecting some sizzle. Poof! It just fizzles! That's what happens when you try hard to look sexy. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Suhani Singh, india today : ...When at one point the commentator says that the audience needs some recovery time from the tournament, he may as well be talking about those in the theatre. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Uday Bhatia, Live Mint : ...Sidharth Malhotra is impressively bulked up, but there’s a lost look in his eyes that doesn’t go with the fearsome reputation he’s building up in the ring. The greying Kumar, on the other hand, makes for a terrific David; beneath the low-key intensity, there’s a sadness that’s very moving. Shroff is entertainingly bad—I only understood 20% of what he was saying, but it isn’t exactly a stoic performance, so I got the gist. Yet, any sins the actors commit are nothing compared to the rank sentimental choices made by the director. When David has Monty in a clinch during their climactic face-off, we cut to a childhood memory of the two of them hugging. It’s difficult to imagine anyone making mixed martial arts cheesier than it already is, but Malhotra manages that here.... full review

Thumbs down, by Saibal Chatterjee, NDTV : ...It makes so much noise that any sensible point about brotherly bonding and filial fidelity that it might be trying to make is completely drowned out by the decibels. Take your earplugs along. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...If they were so hell-bent on changing the script, Brothers should've picked the flamboyant, over-the-top WWF in place of MMA. It's more in sync with Malhotra's masala aesthetics and the memory of Akshay Kumar taking on Undertaker in Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi still delights. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Jyothi Venkatesh, Star Blockbuster : ...If only Gavin O'Connor, who had directed and co-wrote Warrior, ever sees how his story has been brutalized by Karan Malhotra, he’d be shocked. The film glamorizes mindless violence and I wouldn’t suggest it to those who have feeble hearts.... full review

Thumbs down, by AnuJ KUMAR, The Hindu : ...The production design is sleek as Karan manages to create the feel of a mixed martial arts tournament on screen and along the way he smartly places the whole brain versus brawn debate and makes a case for making these bloody fights legal. lThe problem is, be it emotion or action, Karan is in no hurry to say cut. At times it works for the emotion to seep in but many times over elaboration dilutes the punch. The music is a let down. Kareena Kapoor deserved a better song and choreography for the special appearance.... full review

Thumbs down, by Rummana Ahmed, yahoo! India : ...Such was the ordeal of sitting through the film, I was tempted to walk out at the interval. But I didn’t. And so I have this tale to tell: You can give ‘Brothers’ a complete miss, and you wouldn’t have missed anything at all.... full review

Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.

1 readers - 0 yays 0 so-so 1 nays

Nay! Thumbs Down, by Anuj

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Parental Guidance:

  • Violence: Lots of fight sequences as in actual MMA fights.
  • Language: Save a couple abusive words, clean.
  • Nudity & Sexual content: One suggestive, vulgar, dance in an open bar.
  • Concept: Brothers fight each other.
  • General Look and Feel: Nothing out of the ordinary.

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:
Story:
Lead Actors:
Character Artists:
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Music Director:
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Comments (4)

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Fan

@Meetu: No plans for Bangistan review?

@Fan I will review it. Was waiting for the show timings to be out.

jj

Keen to see how this one turns out. Had liked Warrior of which this is an official remake. Felt it did not have any scope for a Hindi remake.

Anuj

Quite a boring flick to be honest. Its a good old bollywood "bhaiyon ki kahaani" which is brought down due to pale direction and some uneven screenplay. The character sketching is shallow and the relationship between the brothers has not been dwelled upon enough. The premise of an MMA fight competition is not too encouraging either, considering that this sport has never really taken off in India. Perhaps unadulterated boxing would have been a better choice. Jackie & Akshay do well in their bit. However, Siddharth is a complete misfit. Neither does he look like a streetfighter and nor does he evoke enough emotion. This movie is a 2/5 unless you are a die hard Akshay Kumar fan. Even if you are, please stick to Baby or even Holiday/Gabbar because Brothers is a snoozefest right from the word go. The movie will however just about save itself at the box office courtesy its promotion and release timing (having Karan Johar produce a movie does have its advantages). 2/5

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