Taarzan Afterthoughts

Afterthoughts

This was quite a show! As I've said several times already, I have to pause and wonder just who was in mind when this script was pitched. There are times that are simply too "cute" for a film aimed at the 18+ crowd, and way too many intense moments that are probably inappropriate for anyone under ten years old. It certainly was not a bad film by any means, and the overall effect was a lot of fun! The editing was done well, the camera work was good, and the effects were all very impressive (well, except for one certain underwater scene). So, for a mostly light-hearted film about a "magical" car, you could do a lot worse.

Since this was my contribution to the tribute to Amrish Puri (Kartar Singh), let's take a moment to look at his role in Taarzan. Mr. Puri is often cited for his work as a villain in his movies. This is for a good reason - the man can certainly portray an evil man. He has a deep, sonorous voice, a face capable of making expressions that simply chill those they are directed towards, and can really put the rage into the role, should it be called upon. From the James Bond style villain Mogambo in Mr. India to the evil Thuggee priest Mola Ram in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, he will be remembered and feared. However, he does have a kind side, and that's what was portrayed here. Kartar, while being rather harsh with his biological son (who certainly earned a lot of the abuse he received), took Raj under his wing and made his dream possible through kindness and generosity. He saw that the reconstruction of Taarzan meant the world to Raj, and he encouraged and nurtured that endeavor. He also defended Raj's character when he was called into the police station for suspicion of murder. To Kartar, the mere thought of someone not being able to see what a genuine and wholesome boy Raj was seemed unfathomable. Kartar Singh was a man that once you proved yourself to him, he was an ally to the end. It was also nice to see Amrish-ji get to do some of his comedic work while dealing with his son, Golu. Every time those two were together, you knew a good chuckle was coming up. Well played, and enjoyed, Mr. Puri. You are missed.

Vatsal Seth (Raj Chaudhary) did a fine job as our hero. From the get-go, he comes across as earnest and trustworthy, if not a bit nerdy. His character evolution was satisfying to watch as he gained confidence in himself and in his abilities. I'll admit I was a little saddened that they thought they needed to remove his glasses once he became "cool," but he was still likable. I've not seen any other work from Mr. Seth, but I see no reason why he wouldn't be able to produce other enjoyable works.

Ayesha Takia (Priya) was also a lot of fun to watch. What I think I liked the most about her character was that she liked Raj from almost the beginning. Often times the nerdy guy has to spend the whole movie trying to prove his worth to the pretty girl, but this time out she was on board within the first half hour. Priya's support and devotion to Raj was certainly a major factor in building his confidence, plus they were just a sweet couple. Ms. Takia is a lovely young lady who seems to be having a lot of fun when she's on screen, and has a good rapport with Vatsal Seth. I wouldn't be surprised if these two ended up working together often.

Negatives:

This will be my last mention of this! While the movie wasn't too extreme either direction, it may have been a little more effective had they either made this for adults and had a pure revenge story, or instead made it safe for the little kids.
Similar to the first point, the villains in the piece were quite evil. In particular, using a small boy as a shield against the vicious car seemed like a line was being crossed somewhere.
Some of the jokes were quite played out after the first couple times of hearing them. If anyone else refers to something trivial as "the latest news," they're likely to get slapped.
The "effects" used for the underwater car scenes were really sad. This gap in quality was magnified by all the other well done digital effects elsewhere in the film.

Positives:

Fun songs! All of the tunes in this movie were enjoyable, and the cast looked like they were really getting into them!
Great CG work on Taarzan. Not to be overly critical of the state of digital effects in Indian cinema, but compare the CG work from Jaani Dushman to those seen in Taarzan, and one can see that improvements are being made in leaps and bounds.
Our heroes are genuinely likeable people, and their motives are wholesome and kind. A very likeable set of protagonists.
Overall just a fun movie! A bit silly at times, and rather dark at others, but on the whole this was pretty fun!

Well this just seemed fitting. For the ratings this time out, I have chosen to use the action figure that was always found hanging from "Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan's!" mirror.

Taarzan - The Wonder Car (2004)

Quality:						(Out of 5)
Entertainment Value:						(Out of 5)

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