Movie Review: Rakta Charitra 2

Critic's Rating: 3/5
Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Suriya, Priyamani, Sudeep, Radhika Apte
Direction: Ram Gopal Varma

Story: The sequel carries forward the tale of power and revenge which exploded in Rakht Charitra 1. The rebel leader turned politician, Pratap (Vivek Oberoi) consolidates his political base but is forced to retread the path of vengeance once again after a rival from the past, Surya Narayan Reddy (Suriya), chooses to avenge the assassination of his family. Surya swears vengeance against Pratap after his family is wiped out in a bomb attack and Pratap is hell bent on decimating his enemy, even if it means separating ways with his mentor and political veteran, Shivaji (Shatrughan Sinha).

Movie Review: The first few reels of the film are devoted to a recap where the director tries to introduce newbies to Rakht Charitra Part 1. And it's all done in a fast forward manner which makes the violence and the high-octane drama even more hysterical. Quite irritating. But soon, the film settles down to somewhat new territory where the story follows a similar format, albeit in a slightly more gripping manner.

Thematically, the drama unfolds in a familiar guns and gore fashion, where one bloody attack is followed by another as the two protagonists, Pratap and Surya, battle it out for supremacy and survival. But the violence is choreographed stylistically, the camera angles are unconventional and the action cuts explode in slow motion, adding a surrealistic touch to the killing fields of small town India. Also, this time, the characters manage to connect with the audience, because the chopping and blasting is interspersed with a bit of drama and dialogue.

Here and there, you do manage to get a few emotive sequences between Surya and his wife Bhawani or between Pratap and his wife Nandini. And yes, there is also a high voltage encounter between Surya and Pratap where the two blood-lusting enemies engage in a verbal duel instead of drawing blood.

But eventually, the film is essentially about revenge -- a dish best served bloody -- and the cycle of violence which leaves nobody spotless and clean.

Ram Gopal Varma makes no bones about depicting Indian politics in its ugly, brutish form, where there is a complete disregard for law and constitutional propriety. Both Vivek Oberoi and Suriya pitch in a powerful act as the eyes-blood-shot brigands, while Sudeep and Shatrughan Sinha flit in and out, mostly as bystanders. The film essentially belongs to the action director (Javed-Aejaz), since it is basically a montage of finely-crafted, high-on-adrenalin action sequences.

Rakht Charitra doesn't break new ground like Satya and Company, nevertheless it remains a must-see film for Ramu fans.
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