DAM 999

wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do ^(?)

quick review:

A political thriller drama that irritates mainly because you are forced to watch it in 3D when there is no reason to. Other irritants like disjointed screenplay, an unengaging narrative, distracting accents seem secondary in comparison.

Director: Sohan Roy

Cast: Rajit Kapoor, Linda Arsenio, Ashish Vidyarthi, Joshua Fredric Smith, Vinay Rai, Jaala Pickering, Megha Burman, Jineet Rath

Running time: 110 minutes

Genres: Adventure, Docu-drama, Sci-fi, Thriller

More Movie Info

I'm always looking forward to stories told by new writer/directors and especially when almost the whole team is fresh. The most known faces in DAM 999 are Ashish Vidyarthi, Rajit Kapoor and Linda Arsenio from Kabul Express. But DAM 999 has a very choppy style of narration to thrill you.

That besides, just about everything else takes away from the sort-of, kind-of novel plot point. I saw the English version, so the accents of the Indian actors seemed very affected - Just like the Hindi of a non-Indian sounds in a Hindi film. I know it’s a difficult call, but watching Megha Burman exaggerate her Ts and Cs when her character is bred in Kerala(?) and is raised by a south Indian played by Rajit Kapoor who goes to great extent to bring on the South Indian language. I'm discussing the accents in such detail because they act as major distractions and don't allow the characters, which might be well written, to grow on you. Also, they take away from the performances.

Even if I let that go, there is another major nuisance glaring at you. 3D. Why? Not one scene, not a single one required the technology. DAM 999 unnecessarily ended up being two shades darker and made me spend those extra Rs.30 on the deposit for the glasses. Every once in a while I took the glasses off and the picture was crystal clear - which means it was actually 2D in play. What a scam, I tell you! And certainly a put-off.

The commentary at the beginning of the film alludes to the fact that the story is going to use the 'navarasa' to express various characters. Also, there is some mumbo-jumbo about the nine planets being the forces behind all life. And some other forced use of the number nine to justify the 999 in the title.

The story has nothing more to it than a politician controlling everything around him to achieve his political aspirations. The rest, including the entire set-up on the ship, are side-stories that aimed at covering the 999 mentioned above.

DAM 999 most certainly took on its plate a lot more than it could chew. 3D, navarasa, 9 planets, 4 languages, politics, social impact of dams, to name a few. The result is a combination of bland actors trying too hard to play out a plot that is all over the place.

- meeta, a part of the audience

13 reviewers^(?) - 0 yays 1 so-so 12 nays

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

So-So, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...Sohan Roy has an interesting topic but I guess, his leaning is more towards the emotions locked within a human body and its final release along with the flow of water.... full review

Thumbs down, by Anna Vetticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...Oh dear, what an insult to the Mullaperiyar Dam issue!... full review

Thumbs down, by Swati Rohatgi, Filmfare : ...It’s amusing to see a South Indian setting, English dialogues and Hindi songs with subtitles. It’s like whenever the actors get romantic they start singing in Hindi!... full review

Thumbs down, Free Press Journal : ...The story is just an excuse to bring together several exotic elements of the south and enjoined with a few foreigners in the cast, was probably intended to draw in a world audience.... full review

Thumbs down, by Nupur Barua, fullhyd.com : ...if you are expecting great music, then leave your ears at home. The Hindi songs are more than out-of-place in a movie where no Hindi is spoken at all, and the rest of the music is below average. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...Few would have heard of this silly picture set around a wily villain (Ashish Vidyarthi), was it not for Tamil Nadu chief minister K Karunanidhi, who saw in it a potential for panic among people in his state.... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...Who makes these movies? Who are they made for? Why couldn’t the filmmakers have got themselves a genuine Malyali actor who wouldn’t have been such a caricature as Kapoor is? ... full review

Thumbs down, by Komal Nahta, koimoi : ...Vinay Rai is expressionless most of the time; he’s supposed to look depressed but just ends up looking plain bad. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...Dam999 could make for an interesting watch had it just stuck to what it was supposed to be. In its present form, it's easily avoidable. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Ganesh A Nadar, Rediff : ...This dam movie also kills you with boredom. And why did they make it in 3D?... full review

Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Less about the dam, and more a love story, the film is set in lush Kerala.... full review

Thumbs down, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...But seriously, the film is less about the dam and more about stuff you fail to comprehend.... full review

Thumbs down, by SpiceZee Bureau, Zee News : ...The film at times looks clichéd with its moral sermons and tacky sequences that just doesn’t blend together.... full review

28 tweeters^(?) - 12 yays 0 so-so 16 nays

Tsajith: DAM 999 : A film that make aware us about a big reality. Great effort by Sohan Roy.....great camera works by Ajayan vincent.....

Thomas9605: Dam 999!! is super movie..... http://fb.me/1i7UvGF4j

sreekanthR1: all of u must watch DAM 999

samarajiva: Dam 999, the movie, does what years of talking could not: http://lirneasia.net/2011/11/dam-safety-rises-on-indian-policy-agenda/

pppullattu: dam 999 is superb

navaskjaleel: "DAM 999" is a perfect creativity.. @navaskjaleel

MKAmigos: Guys DAM 999 is filled with different emotions... Must watch

kumarmanoj1036: DAM 999 is a best film.But new Indian generation like Rock star,Desiboys etc.It reflects the new generation mentality.

jjjosna777: If a common man watch this movie DAM 999 he will understand the severity of a Dam collision

BolegaGossips: Dam 999 is an eye opener for all!

anujvishnu: very nice movie Dam 999 please watch this movie http://twitter.com/anujvishnu/status/140680169466765312/photo/1

abinthefreacker: Hi friends watch the movie Dam 999 for sure ... it's amazing

vishnugopal: Do yourself a favor and don't see Dam 999. #horror

shivamagrawal53: DAM 999 so flop movie.

rishi4u: Bad script and bad acting ruin DAM 999.

REGINGEORGE: Just now saw the movie DAM 999.⁰His motive is good....but he couldn't satisfy the audience....⁰My rating 1/5...

orangematrimony: Dam 999 movie destroyed all expectations......its a film....directed by who dont know basics of film making...no... http://fb.me/1pSsuItDZ

mohfaizal1: It's not dam 999, it's "DAMN 999"

miraclskannan: Dam 999 is bad film

meedan_kewl: Dam 999 Review: It’s Dam-med Disaster! http://goo.gl/fb/HMdqf #bollygossip #dammed #disaster #its #review

LovedTweet: Dam 999 Review: It’s Dam-med Disaster! http://su.pr/1IBbTY

kankahld: Dam 999: A bizarre film that provides no insight into the dam controversy: Concentrating on the magical properties of Ayurveda, a… #fb

Jithin_BK: #Dam 999 is more like a film made to sell India and concept of Ayurveda and karma to spirituality-hungry foreigners! Very very bad!

fpjonline: Damned unpleasant: Dam 999 ( 3D) Director: Sohan Roy Starring: Aashish Vidyarthi, Linda Arsen... http://bit.ly/rO46lQ Free Press Journal

faabbzzz: Dam 999 wud be a damning disaster, for the producer!! ;) as well as audience......#waste movie

billy_moh: #dam 999 A nonsense way of presenting a sensible subject. No impact Not effective, Dam 999 is Damn 110 minutes.

ANUGLYHEAD: DAM 999 is the crappiest movie ever!

anbudan_BALA: Sohan Roy (director of Dam 999), a cheap moron who whips up regional sentiments & fear psychosis is thought of as an intellectual !

2 readers - 1 yays 1 so-so 0 nays

Want to Watch, by Thampi Antony : Very informative

Yay! Thumbs Up, by aquabehold : 70

So-So, by tienda erótica para mujeres : Morton

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

Parental Guidance:

Violence: A politician sending out his goons to beat people up and having a snake bite people
Language: Clean
Nudity & Sexual content: One scene with a man and wife on a bed covered under a blanket
Concept: Fate vs making your own destiny.
General Look and Feel: Dull and dark because of the 3D

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:

Story:

Lead Actors:

Character Artists:

Dialogues:

Screenplay:

Music Director:

Lyrics:

DAM 999 - Cast, crew, links

Official Sites:

Website Facebook [Facebook page of DAM 999]

Twitter

YouTube

Wikipedia

IMDB

Director:

Sohan Roy

Lead Cast:

Rajit Kapoor, Linda Arsenio, Ashish Vidyarthi, Joshua Fredric Smith, Vinay Rai, Jaala Pickering, Megha Burman, Jineet Rath

Supporting Cast:

Vimala Raman, Thampy Antony

Editor:

Suresh Pai

Action Choreography:

Anal Arasu

Choreography:

Prasanna, Ajayan Vincent

Music Director:

Ousephachan

Costume Designer:

S B Satheesh

Art Direction:

Thotta Tharani

Running time:

110 minutes

Reviewer:

meeta

Language:

Hindi

Country:

India

Genres:

Adventure, Docu-drama, Sci-fi, Thriller

Comments (3)

Click here for new comment

meetu

@aquabehold I think Kerala is so much more beautiful than this...

Thampi Antony

Missing my name in the cast list
As the chief engineer at the end.

Thampi Antony has given this movie a Want to Watch(Very informative). Thampi Antony has posted 1 comments and has rated 1 movies. See Thampi Antony's page for more details.