movie review ved

Thanks For Rating

Reminder successfully set, select a city.

• Nashik Times
• Aurangabad Times
• Badlapur Times

You can change your city from here. We serve personalized stories based on the selected city

• Edit Profile
• Briefs Movies TV Web Series Lifestyle Trending Medithon Visual Stories Music Events Videos Theatre Photos Gaming

Neetu Kapoor reveals Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt had planned a destination wedding South Africa

BTS named in 'Blockout 2024' list over alleged silence on Israel-Gaza conflict; ARMY defends them

Kartik Aaryan's relatives pass away in tragic Mumbai hoarding crash; actor attends funeral

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Fashion Evolution at Cannes

Did you know Imran Khan rejected '2 states' for 'Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola'?

Arjun Kapoor wraps up 'Singham Again', Ranveer Singh to finish by May end

• Movie Reviews

Movie Listings

Boonie Bears: Mumma Ki...

The Sabarmati Report

Desh Ke Gaddar

Auron Mein Kahan Dum T...

Rosy Maam I Love You

10 simple steps that will help change your life in 6 months

Niharika Konidela’s cool vibe mood in bold outfits

Shraddha Kapoor's travel photo highlights

Times when Trishakar Madhu showed her swag

Samantha Ruth Prabhu's vacation pictures

Aishwarya Rai's first look from Cannes 2024

Amruta Khanvilkar's Gorgeous Looks

Sreeleela's sassy creme-colored outfit stuns in a stylish photoshoot

Outfits to steal from Nora Fatehi’s closet

Kartam Bhugtam

Pyar Ke Do Naam

WOMB: Women Of My Billi...

Main Ladega

Luv You Shankar

Do Aur Do Pyaar

The Three Musketeers - ...

The Garfield Movie

The Boy And The Heron

Kingdom Of The Planet O...

Boonie Bears: Guardian ...

The Deep Dark

Padikkadha Pakkangal

Inga Naan Thaan Kingu

Uyir Thamizhukku

Aranmanai 4

Ninnu Vilaiyadu

Kurangu Pedal

Aa Okkati Adakku

Prasanna Vadanam

Paarijatha Parvam

Inti Number 13

Family Star

Tillu Square

Babu: No.1 Bullshit Guy

Om Bheem Bush

Sureshanteyum Sumalatha...

Guruvayoorambala Nadayi...

Marivillin Gopurangal

Malayalee From India

Pavi Caretaker

Varshangalkku Shesham

Avatara Purusha 2

Chow Chow Bath

Hide And Seek

Somu Sound Engineer

Nayan Rahasya

Bonbibi: Widows Of The ...

Pariah Volume 1: Every ...

Shri Swapankumarer Bada...

Shinda Shinda No Papa

Sarabha: Cry For Freedo...

Zindagi Zindabaad

Maujaan Hi Maujaan

Chidiyan Da Chamba

White Punjab

Any How Mitti Pao

Gaddi Jaandi Ae Chalaan...

Buhe Bariyan

Devra Pe Manva Dole

Dil Ta Pagal Hola

Ittaa Kittaa

Jaishree Krishh

Bushirt T-shirt

Shubh Yatra

Your Rating

Write a review (optional).

• Movie Reviews /

Would you like to review this movie?

Cast & Crew

Ved Movie Review : High on ammunition, low on firepower

• Times Of India

Ved - Official Teaser

Ved - Official Trailer

Ved | Song - Ved Lavlay

Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

ASHU RAJ 17 115 days ago

Ved movie explained true love beautifully on screen without using lust scenes jo ki Aaj kl ke movie ka trend bn chuka h har chiz me lust ghusa diya jata ��or jiske wjh se sb log love ka definition tk bhul chuke hain....I appreciate the director..script writer also nd our beautiful cute couple ritesh nd Genelia Deshmukh ��

shrushtimorajkar 1 197 days ago

Shib das mallick 74 228 days ago.

Movie reviews are all marketing gimmick in our country where a 3rd rated copy of Hollywood Superman movie like Pathan does multi hundred crore business and people are least interested with simple and soothing stories like Ved with an superb acting by Genelia D'Souza (this is my first Genelia film) also out of typical multistarer comedy by Ritesh after long time.

roy 37 263 days ago

This Movie Not a ved movie Original Movie Name Majili South Movie<br/>South Movie Majili Release Date 05/04/2019<br/>And Ved Movie Release Date 30/12/2022

ambhoremanisha 296 days ago

Visual stories.

Entertainment

How to make Pineapple and Pomegranate Raita at home

​10 Best black outfits of Rupali Bhosale​

​Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain's Saumya Tandon's trendy outfits

​All about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Cannes makeup perfection

Imtiaz Ali sheds light on Deepika Padukone and Ranbir K...

Riteish Deshmukh set to direct and act in Chhatrapati S...

"We feel blessed": Genelia Deshmukh celebrates one year...

Remember young Ranbir Kapoor, Yash Sehgal from 'Tamasha...

Rajinikanth celebrates Diwali with his grandson and dau...

Riteish Deshmukh: We cannot take the audience for grant...

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Get reviews of the latest theatrical releases every week, right in your inbox every Friday.

Thanks for subscribing.

Please Click Here to subscribe other newsletters that may interest you, and you'll always find stories you want to read in your inbox.

Popular Movie Reviews

Naach Ga Ghuma

Juna Furniture

Alibaba Aani Chalishitale Chor

Swargandharva Sudhir Phadke

• Program Guide
• Sports News
• Top 10 Lists
• Streaming Services
• Newsletters
• OTTplay Awards
• OTT Replay 2023
• Changemakers

Home » Review » Ved movie review: Riteish Deshmukh-Genelia D'Souza's film is beautiful but could've been immensely powerful »

Ved movie review: Riteish Deshmukh-Genelia D'Souza's film is beautiful but could've been immensely powerful

The movie could have ended a little earlier and it would’ve still been powerful.

• Shaheen Irani

Last Updated: 07.04 AM, Dec 31, 2022

Satya is madly in love with Nisha. One day, she leaves him. Unable to accept the reality, Satya looks to alcohol to numb the pain. Shravani marries him despite his image in and outside his family. Can she put up with his pain from the past?

Ved (Crazy) is a film that is miles apart from what crazy means. The movie is beautiful and heartwarming. However, it could have been extremely powerful and a story that would bring a twist to the film it is adapted from.

Riteish Deshmukh in the role of Satya is the perfect mix of Kabir Singh and Chulbul Pandey as a lover. His frustration and will to get into fights and kill is pretty evident and the actor is seamless in his character.

Ashok Saraf in the role of his father, Mr. Dinkar, is a cutie. He is also a pleasant surprise and his acting skill is just on point as always.

Genelia D'Souza's entry in the film as Shravani is unique and pretty. She is extremely adorable as his wife. She narrating her side of falling in love is extremely beautiful.

Ashok and Genelia's bond is the best thing to happen to the film. Them bringing Jodha-Akbar, Salim and Anarkali is natural and entertaining. The movie has hilarious moments that make it beyond watchable.

In the second half, Riteish and Genelia become extremely adorable. They have their moments – both heartbreaking and loving. Riteish's scene with sign language is like a cherry on the top of a delicious cake.

The song Besuri perfectly shows the bond between Satya and Shravani. The song also sees how their relationship has evolved over the years, making it an important track in the film.

Jiya Shankar in the role of Nisha has a brief yet lasting role. She comes back in the form of memories and all of them leave you smiling.

Ved has equal amounts of comedy and action. Every actor nails the scenes that require both.

Riteish and Genelia's bond, as one would expect, is the highlight of this cutely wrapped gift of a movie. The two tend to overpower the other but still leave you rooting for them as a couple.

The movie sees a drastic change and even if it gives off the Majili vibes, there's always more to Ved than what the Naga Chaitanya-Samantha's film offered. The end of this movie is so similar.

Ved Lavlay, as one would expect, is the end credit song. Salman has a surprise for everyone apart from the song and every Bhai fan will be left whistling.

Ved is a beautiful film. It is better than Majili in many places. The movie, however, sticks to the adaptation. This is even when Ved could have ended many scenes before, making it more powerful than it currently is. Nonetheless, this movie is hilarious and action-packed aka a masala entertainer everyone loves seeing.

WHERE TO WATCH

• New OTT Releases
• Web Stories
• Streaming services
• Latest News
• Movies Releases
• Cookie Policy
• Shows Releases
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Subscriber Agreement

Riteish Deshmukh (Satya Jadhav) Genelia Deshmukh (Shravani Jadhav) Jiya Shankar (Nisha Katkar) Ashok Saraf (Dinkar Jadhav) Vidyadhar Joshi (Murli Shinde) Ravi Raj Kande (Bhaskar Anna) Shubhankar Tawde (Jonty) Khushi Hajare (Khushi) Anjali Atre (Kaveri's Mother) Gautam Berde (Amars Father)

Riteish Deshmukh

After being abandoned by his lover, Satya finds himself entangled with alcohol and to overcome the grief his childhood lover and neighbour Shravani decides to marry him.

Recommendations

Advertisement

• Daily BO Update
• Daily Breakdown
• Hits & Flops
• All Time Grossers
• Highest Grossers
• Highest Openers
• Highest Weekend
• Best of Overseas
• Hollywood Highest
• Fact-o-meter
• Entertainment News
• Bollywood News
• Television & Web
• Fashion & Lifestyle
• Bigg Boss 17
• Hollywood News
• What To Watch
• Bollywood Movie Reviews
• Hollywood Movie Reviews
• All South Movie Reviews
• Tamil Movie Reviews
• Telugu Movie Reviews
• Kannada Movie Reviews
• Malayalam Movie Reviews
• Marathi Movie Reviews
• Web Series Reviews
• Music Reviews
• Box Office Reviews
• Trailer Reviews
• BO Filmometer
• Stars’ Power Index
• Directors’ Power Index
• 100 Crore Club
• Worldwide 200 Crores+
• Profitable Films
• Recommended Movies
• Upcoming Movies
• Released Movies
• Web Stories
• About Koimoi

Home » Reviews » Marathi Movie Reviews

Ved Movie Review: Unravels The Little Hope In The Third Act But It’s Too Late By Then

Ved has good things laced with predictability and that kills the vibe.

Star Cast: Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Jiya Shankar, Ashok Saraf, Shubhankar Tawde, and ensemble.

Director: Riteish Deshmukh

What’s Good: Genelia when she has no lines and she makes the effort to bring the pain of her character alive, she shines. A bit of the second half. Riteish knows how to make good montages is my takeaway!

What’s Bad: The lead pair is so weak at the language that not a single minute of them speaking it looks organic. Also, the ‘seen this already’ ghost lurks over the film.

Loo Break: In the first half while the love story is blooming. You have seen that a zillion times already.

Watch or Not?: Waiting for the OTT release isn’t a bad idea.

Language: Marathi (with subtitles).

Available On: In Theatres Near You!

Runtime: 148 Minutes.

An ambitious boy Satya (Riteish) from the outskirts of Mumbai aspires to be a cricketer. He crosses paths with a girl he falls in love with. Destiny takes her away from him and he continues to live in grief even after he is married to a girl who has loved him forever. It is about him finding his redemption and making peace with the past.

Ved Movie Review: Script Analysis

Marking his debut as a director, Riteish with his almost two decades of experience knows how to package a film in order to draw people towards it at least with the promotional material. He brought in a superstar to do a song (Salman Khan), hired one of the most prolific music composers to do the songs, and romanced/irked with his wife on the screen and the two have a hefty fanbase for them as a couple. Add to this a sport that is almost a religion in India, and there are almost all elements to make a film luring. But is that enough? Is packing a story and adding redemption by the end how we make films?

Screenplay by Sandeep S. Patil and Rushikesh Turai, Ved is a movie that drives on predictable notes from the word go. But the power that it possesses is creating moments. The film creates some scenes that work most efficiently in talking about the characters and the helplessness of the man-child that the protagonist of the movie is. One has to notice how Riteish adds an undertone of humour to the movie with situational comedy when he opens the movie with the hilarious commentary given by Siddharth Jadhav and Jitendra Joshi. Such is with emotions when the screenplay adds a touch of very mature romance between Satya and Shravani. The way she lends him money without making it look like he is dependent on him. It is all good to see.

Now I haven’t seen the original Naga Chaitanya starrer film, so can’t comment on which one’s better. Having heard that there are substantial changes made, it seems like there is some effort put in. A lot of it works because the filmmaker with his team takes extra efforts in creating the world around the three leading characters and does not just have them fill the mandatory boxes. But while all of this is good in parts, the larger story that will bind it together flickers. It is predictable for a big major chunk and kind of reminiscent of many films we have seen in the past with no attempt to make this version look any different.

A lot of it is also felt because the back stories take so much time that by the time Satya finds his redemption the audience is already gone ahead. The redemption part of it is good but the journey to it just weakens the grip. Also, what exactly is the timeline of this story? Even in the flashbacks when Satya and Shravani are married for 7 years already in the present, people talk about Collabs and social media like we do now. So is the present set in the future and the past is now? And where is this movie shot? They live somewhere near Alibaugh and travel to Mumbai by ferry. But there is so much inconsistency in detailing this location that you can see it easily.

Ved Movie Review: Star Performance

Riteish Deshmukh tried hard to be the mini-version of Kabir Singh/Arjun Reddy in his isolation but it doesn’t land as much. He does manage to show a range because not often is he allowed that in films that are fuelled by others. But, surprisingly, Marathi coming out of him doesn’t sound organic at any point considering he belongs to one of the most influential Maharashtrian legacies.

This is the Genelia we should have gotten years ago minus her Marathi, of course. Can’t blame her for the bad dialect because even Mr. Husband goes off there. But the way Genelia treats silences is surprising because we have never really got to see her exploring this part of her caliber. She is not just a chirpy girl but has to enact a lot of complex emotions and she does it well. Have to say it, this is a massive shift from Mister Mummy , a film I want to forget.

Jiya Shankar does what she is expected to and there is hardly any heavy lifting in her kitty. Ashok Saraf is back on screen in the mainstream after a long time and he is a performer we all must take notes from. Still using his demeanor to curate comedy it all lands perfectly even after years. More of Mama, please! So is everyone else in the secondary cast because they all do their jobs perfectly.

Ved Movie Review: Direction, Music

Keep aside the movie, Riteish Deshmukh has the art of directing montages. Just see the two song sequence Besuri and Ved Tujhe, and how he shows the flashback with slow-motion shots and sharp editing techniques. He blends the music, story, and performances so well. The camera also supports him in creating those. There is indeed a director in him but he is too bud completely yet. More on the main man chair might give us a skilled director someday.

Ajay-Atul’s music fits in the scheme of things for the film well. I am dicey about the recall value of this album though. Also, why is the title track featuring Salman put in the end and not somewhere in the middle? Not everyone sits through the end credits, so why not use it somewhere substantial?

Ved Movie Review: The Last Word

Ved has good things laced with predictability and that kills the vibe. The redemption comes late for the protagonist but the audience might find theirs much before that.

Ved Trailer

Ved releases on 30 December 2022.

Share with us your experience of watching Ved.

For more, read our Chandramukhi Movie Review here.

Must Read: Dharmaveer Movie Review: Prasad Oak Delivers A Breakthrough Performance In Pravin Tarde’s Film Which Is Much More Than Just Fans’ Service!

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Telegram | Google News

LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply

Related articles.

Imran Khan Defends His Rumored GF Lekha Washington Accused Of Being ‘Homewrecker’; Slams Haters, “I Had Been Separated From Avantika…”

Khatron Ke Khiladi 14: After Abhishek Kumar, Another Bigg Boss Contestant Backs Out! Priyanka Chahar Choudhary To Opt Out Too?

Crakk Star Vidyut Jammwal’s Films Ranked: From Delivering 100 Crore In A Single Year To Lowest Rated (IMDb) Bullett Raja At 4.9 – Where...

Check this out.

What To Watch This Weekend: Aavesham To The Great Indian Kapil...

Megalopolis: Francis Ford Coppola Allegations Explored As Executive Producer Denies On-Set...

Boardwalk Empire Star Steve Buscemi Attacked In Broad Daylight In New...

Heeramandi 2: Sanjay Leela Bhansali Making A Grand Comeback After His...

Revisiting Shah Rukh Khan Starrer Fan’s Failure: Ambitious Project Eventually Landing...

What To Watch After Queen Of Tears? Here Are 5 K-Dramas...

Don't miss.

Thank You For Coming Fame Dolly Singh Shares A Powerful Note...

Is Baby Reindeer on Netflix Based On A True Story?

King Charles Chooses To Meet David Beckham Over Son Prince Harry...

Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil Movie Review: Stellar Performances, Pop Culture References & A Predictable Plot

Dune: Prophecy Teaser Review: A Thrilling New Take On Denis Villenuve’s Universe, But Where Is Tabu?

House Of The Dragon Season 2 Trailer Review: The Dance Of The Dragons Begins With Bloodbath, Desperation, Greed & A Final Play For...

Panchayat Season 3 Trailer Review: ‘Sachiv Ji’ Jitendra Kumar Finds Himself Grinding Between ‘Pradhan Ji’ Raghubir Yadav & ‘Bhushan’ Durgesh Kumar’s Incriminating Politics

• Privacy Policy

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

• Start a new list…
• Add all films to a list…
• Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

Directed by Ritesh Deshmukh

Satya lives in a railway colony who dreams of playing for the railway cricket team and eventually representing Team India. Soon he falls madly in love with Nisha. However, Satya`s life takes a drastic change when a local Politician Bhaskar creates havoc in his personal and professional life. 12 Years Later, Satya is a drunk miserable man hopelessly waiting for his love. He is married to Shravani who has been crazily in love with Satya since her childhood. Who`s love has more madness - Satya or Shravani?

Ritesh Deshmukh Genelia D'Souza Jiya Shankar Salman Khan Ashok Saraf Siddharth Jadhav Jitendra Joshi Vidyadhar Joshi Vineet Sharma Khushi Hajare

Director Director

Ritesh Deshmukh

Producers Producers

Ritesh Deshmukh Genelia D'Souza

Writers Writers

Rushikesh Turai Abdul Rafay Chandio

Casting Casting

Rohan Mapuskar

Cinematography Cinematography

Bhushankumar Jain

Production Design Production Design

Durgaprasad Mahapatra

Art Direction Art Direction

Santosh Panigrahi RajuKumar Sahani

Composers Composers

Atul Gogavale Ajay Gogavale

Costume Design Costume Design

Karishma Gulati Amit Divekar

Mumbai Film Company

Romance Drama

Relationship comedy Bollywood emotional dramas Touching and sentimental family stories Show All…

Releases by Date

30 dec 2022, 28 apr 2023, releases by country.

• Theatrical UA

148 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by Vishwas Verma 🟠🟢🔵 ★★★★

one of the movies which are better than the originals. Majili is original and has its own essence, but Ved touches your soul more deeply. The actors did really well, saw them together after a long. The song "Besuri Me" was OUTSTANDING.

The kid wins hearts here.

Review by Yogesh Chhikara ★★½ 2

Jersey+Kabir singh =Ved Genelia😍

Review by Soumik Banerjee ★★★½

Ved may have multiple shortcomings. in fact, there is a high probability that many viewers will be offended by the movie's underlying messaging; however, the manner in which it expressed human emotions and represented distinct characters and their dynamics is, at the very least, praiseworthy.

Regarding praises, Genelia D'Souza deserves the lion's share, in my humble viewpoint. She is unquestionably the heart and soul of the entire thing. Screenplay, storytelling; she immediately elevated everything upon her introduction. Not to mention, the score composed by Ajay-Atul helped her immensely towards accomplishing her objectives. It is difficult not to fall in love with the music, the character of Shravani and Genelia's almost flawless performance.

P.S. That little kid, Khushi , leaves an impression. She's a special talent, if given proper guidance, she could make a big name for herself in this field, I wish her the best.

Review by Viren ★★★★

Absolutely among the best theatrical experiences!

Just when I felt that Marathi cinema is losing its charm, VED surprises me. Even though it's an adaptation, it certainly is better than the original in various aspects, such as direction, cinematography, music, casting, dialogues, etc. Exceptional performances from the cast, especially Ashok Saraf (Mama).

Can't believe it was Ritesh Deshmukh's directorial debut, as the film looked very neat, especially the slo-mo shots and fight scenes.

Ritesh and Genelia are certainly among my favourite couples in the show business. Also, the chemistry is very strong between them. VED movie is definitely their best work. Would love to watch Ritesh directing more movies.

Ved Lavlay...!

Review by anubhav2804 ★★★

My first Marathi film of the year and Ved was exactly how I envisioned it to be: a quintessential romantic drama featuring a straight forward story with a lot of masala, clichéd antagonist along with it's twists and turns visually elevated by the soulful music rendered by Ajay Atul. Riteish Deshmukh in this directorial venture has surely proven that he knows how to impress the masses and he does so convincingly. And before I forget, the chemistry between Riteish and Genelia is one to surely look out for. It really melted my heart. Overall, a proper romantic masala entertainer.

Review by No One ★★★ 2

wasn't feeling it until after halfway... they got me idk! also cool that the two leads of the movie showed up in the theatre after it ended

Review by Anakinra

Nobody reminded them that it's a movie and not a 3 hour IG reel.

Review by YFN Your Friendly Neighborhood ★★★½

.5 extra than the Original cause of Bhoi Appearance 🛐

Review by Shahzaann ★★★★½

THE BEST FEMALE ENTRY IVE EVER SEEN TILL NOW IN INDIAN CINEMA.

PS:VED TUJHA ON LOOP

Review by Rohit ★★★

Each star is for genelia ,  Last 10 mins and for that godly song  Otherwise its pure garbage

Review by ananbunz ★★★★

This movie questioned my feminism but I couldn’t help falling in love with the characters. 

P.S. this was my first Marathi movie and I’m definitely excited to check out more of them!

Review by Saiprasad Chavan ★★★½

The title of the movie is so apt.  "Ved" is an earnest & loyal remake. Such a feel-good, emotional and Romantic film from Marathi film industry after a very long time. Ajay-Atul's music and that title track is stuck in my head and I don't want it to go. This being Ritesh's directorial debut, he has done a fabulous job. Genelia and Jiya Shankar both have performed their roles pretty well. Overall a VED is a Fantastic Film and deserves all the praise and appreciation. Do watch it on Disney+Hotstar.

Similar Films

Select your preferred poster

NewsApp (Free)

Ved Review: Nothing New To Surprise

The 'been there, seen that' feeling is so strong with Ved that it punctures any possibility of a compelling watch, Mayur Sanap tells us.

The subject of star-crossed lovers and the theme of 'love conquers all' has been dealt with so frequently in films, television and literature that you may wonder what more there is to say about the topic.

If Riteish Deshmukh's directorial debut Ved is any example, the answer is: Not much.

Joining the remake bandwagon, Ved (meaning insanity) is the Marathi adaptation of 2019's Telugu film Majili , staring then couple Naga Chaitanya and Samantha. It paints the story about doomed love and what it means to love unconditionally.

The original film was largely an intense marital drama which became quite a rage in Tollywood, thanks to the immense fandom of the lead actors.

The charming pair of Riteish and Genelia has the same magnetic pull among the masses, so perhaps the idea of rehashing the hit formula was a great proposition for them (Genelia also serves as the film's producer).

But the 'been there, seen that' feeling is so strong with this Marathi film that it punctures any possibility of a compelling watch.

The story of Ved revolves around Satya (Riteish), an alcoholic and failed cricketer, who is a reason of constant worry to his docile wife Shravani (Genelia) and a burden on his frail father Dinkar (Ashok Saraf).

While the people around him are doing every bit to help Satya, he has been on a dangerous downward spiral for years due to an emotional void left by the love of his life, Nisha (Jiya Shankar).

Ved is essentially a tale of two halves.

The first half is largely about the meet-cute and blossoming of young romance between Satya and Nisha.

A generic setting of hate-turns-love and its imminent obstacles forms the initial proceedings until it abruptly shifts gears to a more serious and dramatic marital story.

The writing by Rushikesh Turai, Sandeep Patil and Riteish himself uses many convenient plot tools to bring the narrative forward.

As a director, Riteish makes sure not to make things too gloomy and keeps the narrative as light-hearted as possible.

The soothing music by Ajay-Atul is the beating heart of the film with Besuri being the real standout.

Riteish uses this song to form the beautiful montage that offers a good perspective on the backstory of Genelia's character. There is a touch of humour which prevents the audience from tipping over to the point where it all feels like an overdose.

The very competent Ashok Saraf tries to carry these scenes with a great zeal.

Riteish channels his inner Kabir Singh/Arjun Reddy to showcase the rage and angst of a lost Satya and he is especially good in these scenes.

From grief and anger, to frustration and cynicism, Riteish expresses a gamut of emotions in a fine performance. The biggest draw is seeing him and Genelia interact and despite their strangely hammy Marathi, they benefit a lot from their innately charming chemistry.

Of course, the big intrigue here is Genelia. She has a luminous presence and conveys more with her expressions than dialogues.

She plays a woman who is so obsessed with her unrequited teenage love that she just can't see life pragmatically.

Her Shravani is a meek, quiet wife stereotype who does not have any agency of her own.

She whimpers when hurt by her husband's heedless actions.

She has taken upon herself to support her husband, who is nothing more than a wimp but we see no efforts from her to instill any sense into him.

Isn't the reason why she got into the marriage was to see him do better?

If she really was so selfless, what prompts her to change her mind towards the end?

One is left longing for a greater insight into why and how their relationship has reached to this point.

It also does not help that the film emits a sense of extreme familiarity.

A wrecked love story due to girl's stern father.

A jilted lover as the hero.

A menacing baddie bitter about the hero.

A hero's disappointed father.

A loyal friend who exists only to support the hero.

We have seen these conventions, these characters, and these subplots many times before.

There's nothing new to surprise us here.

It bothers even more when the film appears to be complacent in its sappy melodrama confinement.

It attempts to heighten the emotional stakes for central drama towards the climax, but it is too late by then.

The film sparkles only in sporadic moments due to the allure of its lead pair, but at large, it remains a middling affair.

• MOVIE REVIEWS

More like this

Gold review, riteish-genelia's ved is a blockbuster.

Bollywood News   |   Current Bollywood News   |   Indian News   |   India Cricket Score   |   Business News India

• Entertainment
• WRITTEN UPDATE
• WEB STORIES

Ved Review: Riteish Deshmukh’s Film Is An Intense Love Story That Redefines Love

Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’Souza , one of Bollywood’s cutest and sweetest couples, will reunite on the screen once again. An upcoming romance drama movie in Marathi is titled Ved. It is produced by his wife, Genelia D’Souza, and directed by Riteish Deshmukh, who is making his directorial debut. Riteish Deshmukh, Genelia Deshmukh, Ashok Saraf, and Jiya Shankar are among the cast members of “Ved.” Jiya Shankar, a well-known TV actress, will also make her debut in the upcoming Marathi movie. Additionally, Ved, which is slated for release on December 30, 2022, is the official remake of the Telugu-language movie Majili from 2019.

Satya, a driven young man, who is from the outskirts of Mumbai, desires to play cricket. He resides in a railway colony, aspires to play for the railway cricket team, and ultimately wants to represent Team India. He meets a woman and falls in love with her. However, fate separates him from her, and he still lives in sorrow even after he marries a girl. Moreover, when local politician Bhaskar causes havoc in Satya’s personal and professional life, his life changes drastically. Years later, Satya is still waiting for his love in a drunken, miserable state.

His wife, Shravani, has been madly in love with Satya since she was a little girl. In addition, this is a movie about two different love stories that go insane in love. You may see youth, infatuation, energy, and many other aspects of life in Shravani and Satya’s love tale. The other love narrative, on the other hand, is a mix of understanding, sentiment, and grief. He needs to accept responsibility for his deeds and reconcile with the past.

Riteish Deshmukh, who is making his directorial debut, has almost two decades of expertise and the skills to promote a movie to attract viewers. One of the popular music composers was present to make the music, and Salman Khan performs in one of them. He also romanced his wife on-screen because they have a lot of followers as a couple. Furthermore, it’s important to note how Riteish uses situational comedy to give the film a humorous backdrop. It is evident when Jitendra Joshi and Siddharth Jadhav provide a funny commentary at the beginning of the film.

Ved, however, has a significant portion that is predictable and somewhat reminiscent of many previous movies. There was no extra effort to make this version appear any different. Additionally, the climax, which captures the insane love between a husband and wife, elevates otherwise mediocre writing. The Marathi accent appears to be difficult for Riteish Deshmukh, but Jiya Shankar caught everyone off guard. Genelia D’Souza still has the same freshness in her acting and dialogue delivery. She is simply brilliant. The editing and cinematography are fine.

Final Verdict

Ved is an overall good movie with an insane story. We merely needed a better narrative to explain the two recognized patterns of love. Mixing the goods in the film with predictability spoils the atmosphere in some scenes. Furthermore, the protagonist finds redemption much later than the viewers might. However, people who are madly in love or who love madly will surely enjoy this film. We give this film 3 stars out of 5.

In the meantime, Riteish Deshmukh and Genelia D’ Souza had appeared in films together in the past, but Genelia quit acting after getting married. However, she’s back in movies with her husband are back in movies, finally. Their last appearance was in the film Mister Mummy .

Follow Us:  Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Twitter  |

Youtube  |  Pinterest  |  Google News  |

Cinetales is on YouTube; click here to subscribe for the latest videos and updates.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Write your comment here

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You Might Also Like

Kartik Aaryan Transformation From 39 To 7 Percent Body Fat For ‘Chandu Champion’ Is Inspiring

Panchayat Season 3 Trailer: A Complete Package Of Village Politics, Humor, And Drama

Madgaon Express OTT Release: This Is When And Where You Can Stream Kunal Khemmu’s Film For Free

‘Mr And Mrs Mahi’ Trailer Review: Rajkummar Rao And Janhvi Kapoor Is Filled With Cricket And Romance

Trending stories.

Popular Stories

Shinda Shinda No Papa Movie Review: Gippy Grewal, Shinda Grewal, And Hina Khan Shine In This Hilarious Film

Srikanth Movie Review: Rajkummar Rao Is Brilliant In A Heartwarming Tale Of An Indian Entrepreneur

Teri Meri Doriyaann Today’s Episode 10th May 2024 Written Updates: Daljeet Takes Akir From Brar’s

© Cinetales | All Rights Reserved |

• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Link to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
• The Fall Guy Link to The Fall Guy
• The Last Stop in Yuma County Link to The Last Stop in Yuma County

New TV Tonight

• Interview With the Vampire: Season 2
• Spacey Unmasked: Season 1
• Outer Range: Season 2
• After the Flood: Season 1
• The Killing Kind: Season 1
• Bridgerton: Season 3
• The Big Cigar: Season 1
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Season 11.1
• Harry Wild: Season 3
• RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars: Season 9

Most Popular TV on RT

• Dark Matter: Season 1
• Bodkin: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Fallout: Season 1
• Doctor Who: Season 1
• A Man in Full: Season 1
• Under the Bridge: Season 1
• Blood of Zeus: Season 2
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Interview With the Vampire: Season 2 Link to Interview With the Vampire: Season 2
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

The Best Movies of 1999

300 Best Movies of All Time

Asian-American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2025

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga First Reviews: Anya Taylor-Joy Fires Up the Screen in a Crowd-Pleasing Spectacle

• Trending on RT
• Furiosa First Reviews
• Most Anticipated 2025 Movies
• Cannes Film Festival Preview
• TV Premiere Dates

Where to Watch

Watch Ved with a subscription on Hulu.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Riteish Deshmukh

Genelia D'Souza

Shravani Satya Jadhav

Satya Dinkar Jadhav

Jiya Shankar

Nisha Kumar Katkar

Ashok Saraf

Dinkar Jadhav

Siddarth Jadhav

Popcorn Reviewss

POPCORN REVIEWSS

• Date of Release: 30 December 2022
• Genre: Drama, Romance
• Language: Marathi
• Watch On: Theatres only

Farhad Dalal

Introduction

It is still a Tuesday and I am late to join the bandwagon of the latest Marathi Blockbuster film! With that I finished watching the new Marathi film Ved which is the official adaptation of the Telugu film Majili. The film marks the debut of Riteish Deshmukh as the director and that was one aspect that did make me curious on what he has to offer! One of the reasons for getting to this film a little later than usual was because of two reasons. One, because I had watched Majili days before Ved’s theatrical release which meant that Majili was still fresh in my mind. And two, because I had found Majili just about above average. You have to take note that Majili is a 2019 product which is pre-pandemic and so something which may have worked then may not necessarily work now. Having consumed a lot of content in recent time, I found Majili to be stereotypical with a watered down Kabir Singh like protagonist in the second half. The writing was patchy and very convenient for my liking. And all these factors did contribute to me delaying watching Ved as I really did want to give the film a fair chance despite knowing what to expect. I finally took the plunge last night, is Ved worth your time, stay tuned.

Story & Screenplay

An official adaptation of the Telugu film Majili, Ved follows the story of lost in love protagonist who doesn’t feel the love for his wife till his past begins to catch up with him. The story here is decent but if you have watched the original Majili then you would know exactly how this film would unfold. The screenplay standing at almost a 150 minutes does seem slightly long but I must admit it does make for a pleasant watch due to its spectacular music. First things first, this is NOT a frame to frame copy of Majili, it is an adaptation which is real good news to begin with. The drama is essentially of the two halves. It opens with a grief-stricken protagonist guiding his team to victory against the unfair tactics of the opposition backed by a local politician(with the backdrop of some hilarious commentary doing the rounds). Soon a flash back further enunciates his character and the character dynamics with the people around him. We get to know his passion for cricket and his ultimate cricketing ambitions. This until he falls in love! It is here that the viewer is submitted to a sweet little love story that does pack in every ingredient of a mass masala entertainer. So there is passion, aggression, comedy and action, all of it packaged in a decent first half. The drama is fairly engaging and engrossing but one vital difference between Ved and Manjili was the music that does add a lot of soul to the former, something that was lacking in the latter. The drama is fairly predictable going through a standard template for a love story. Even for viewers who may not have watched the original, the twist at the halfway mark would be predictable given how the promotion of the film centered around the real husband-wife duo of Riteish and Genelia. But even at this point, I did not seem to mind any of the proceedings which were moving about smoothly. It is the second half that has a little more soul than the first although my issue was that the stakes weren’t really raised in both Majili and Ved. But here in particular, there are genuinely heartfelt moments where the chemistry between the pair is infectious. The proceedings do mellow down from the highly intense first half where the focus here is on the amendment of relationships while acknowledging the past. The events are light and breezy although you would easily be able to predict where the drama is headed. The tenderness in the screenplay is what I did find more fascinating as compared to the original. I did feel that the second half did have a little more scope to pack in some more emotions but it prefers to be safe(and again nothing drastically wrong with it). The final act is simplistic but I did enjoy its execution a lot more here. There was an effort to make it slightly more layered and heartfelt. So overall, some of the mistakes in Majili are rectified in Ved that definitely makes a case for a better rendition.

Dialogues, Music & Direction

The dialogues are heartfelt and quite well penned especially in the second hour. The music by Ajay-Atul is that one differentiating factor that sets Ved drastically better than the original Majili. The soundtrack is beautiful, signifying every iota of emotion beautifully. If the songs aren’t integrated well, I happen to be distracted during that period, but here the songs are a breath of fresh air, that not only make you root for both the couples(in the first and second half) but the tunes also make their way into your soul through your heart. The soundtrack will definitely feature on my playlist going forward. The BGM is also really soulful, adding texture to the otherwise predictable drama. The cinematography is good, as is the editing. Director Riteish Deshmukh makes an impressive debut here. You can make out early on that he has just procured the skeleton of Majili and made it his own here. He does create some tender moments in both the love stories that did hold my attention. His direction was pretty good here!

Performances

The performances by the ensemble cast is outstanding here. Ashok Saraf as Dinkar is hilariously brilliant and he was in his full elements here. It was a pleasure watching him onscreen. Shubhankar Tawde is first rate here. Jiya Shankar as Nisha has a magnetic screen presence and does a phenomenal job here. I really wish to watch more of her going forward. I was the happiest seeing Genelia Deshmukh back onscreen. As Shravani, she is quietly charming only occasionally flashing her disarming smile. But the amount of emotions that she brings to the table is just brilliant(yes, she did seem slightly uncomfortable mouthing lines in Marathi but I shall let that pass). She is brilliant and shares crackling chemistry with her real and reel husband Riteish Deshmukh who is outstanding as Satya. His character was more about the body language, almost like two distinct characters packaged in a single film. He is really effective in communicating the right kind of emotions leading to a nice little character arc. I was the happiest watching Riteish and Genelia perform together once again, 20 years after the sleeper hit Tujhe Meri Kasam that marked the beginning of this ever-loving couple!

Ved, in all probability, is a better rendition of the original film Majili with some outstanding music and its performances making it a good one time watch. Available in a theatre near you.

Click here to read about other movie reviews

Other Links

IMDB | WIKIPEDIA  

FEATURED REVIEWS | BLOGS

2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Home

Latest Posts

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss on the latest updates.

Thanks, I’m not interested

Ved…The Visionary

Movie details, popular documentary movies.

Movie Reviews

Follow Moviefone

Latest trailers.

'If' movie review: Ryan Reynolds' imaginary friend fantasy might go over your kids' heads

Even with likable youngsters, a vast array of cartoonish characters, various pratfalls and shenanigans, and Ryan Reynolds in non- Deadpool mode, the family comedy “IF” isn’t really a "kids movie" – at least not in a conventional sense.

There’s a refreshing whiff of whimsy and playful originality to writer/director John Krasinski’s big-hearted fantasy (★★½ out of four; rated PG; in theaters Friday), which centers on a young girl who discovers a secret world of imaginary friends (aka IFs). What it can’t find is the common thread of universal appeal. Yeah, children are geared to like any movie with a cheery unicorn, superhero dog, flaming marshmallow with melting eye and assorted furry monsters. But “IF” features heady themes of parental loss and reconnecting with one’s youth, plus boasts a showstopping dance set to Tina Turner, and that all leans fairly adult. Mash those together and the result is akin to a live-action Pixar movie without the nuanced execution.

Twelve-year-old Bea (Cailey Fleming) doesn’t really think of herself as a kid anymore. Her mom died of a terminal illness and now her dad (Krasinski) is going into the hospital for surgery to fix his “broken heart,” so she’s staying with her grandma (Fiona Shaw) in New York City.

When poking around her new environment, Bea learns she has the ability to see imaginary friends. And she’s not the only one: Bea meets charmingly crusty upstairs neighbor Cal (Reynolds) as well as his IF pals, like spritely Blossom (voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge) and overly sensitive purple furry monster named Blue (Steve Carell). They run a sort of matchmaking agency to connect forgotten IFs whose kids have outgrown them with new children in need of their companionship, and Bea volunteers to help out.

'Welcome to Wrexham': Ryan Reynolds talks triumph, joy and loss of new season

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Bea is introduced to an IF retirement community located under a Coney Island carousel with a bevy of oddball personalities in the very kid-friendly middle section of the movie. “IF” low-key has the most starry supporting cast of any movie this summer because of all the A-listers voicing imaginary friends, an impressive list that includes Emily Blunt and Sam Rockwell as the aforementioned unicorn and superdog, Matt Damon as a helpful sunflower, George Clooney as a spaceman, Amy Schumer as a gummy bear and Bradley Cooper as an ice cube in a glass. (It's no talking raccoon, but it works.)

One of the movie's most poignant roles is a wise bear played by Louis Gossett Jr. in one of his final roles. Rather than just being a cameo, he’s nicely central to a key emotional scene.

While the best family flicks win over kids of all ages, “IF” is a film for grown-ups in PG dressing. The movie is amusing but safe in its humor, the overt earnestness overshadows some great bits of subversive silliness, and the thoughtful larger narrative, which reveals itself by the end to be much more than a story about a girl befriending a bunch of make-believe misfits, will go over some little ones’ heads. Tweens and teens, though, will likely engage with or feel seen by Bea’s character arc, struggling to move into a new phase of life while being tied to her younger years – not to mention worrying about her dad, who tries to make light of his medical situation for Bea.

Reynolds does his part enchanting all ages in this tale of two movies: He’s always got that irascible “fun uncle” vibe for kids, and he strikes a fun chemistry opposite Fleming that belies the serious stuff “IF” digs into frequently. But unless your child is into old movies, they probably won’t get why “Harvey” is playing in the background in a scene. And when “IF” reaches its cathartic finale, some kiddos might be wondering why their parents are sniffling and tearing up – if they're still paying attention and not off playing with their own imaginary friend by then.

site categories

Focus features acquires ‘last breath’ starring woody harrelson, finn cole and simu liu — cannes, breaking news.

• ‘Megalopolis’: What The Critics Are Saying

By Andreas Wiseman

Andreas Wiseman

Executive Editor, International & Strategy

More Stories By Andreas

• ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’: What The Critics Are Saying
• Vanessa Redgrave & Andrea Riseborough To Star In Paul Andrew Williams’ ‘The Nest’ — Cannes Market

After months of speculation, the critical book has finally been opened on Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis . The early word? Predominantly positive, with some very high highs and inevitably a few low lows.

Below, we run through some of the first reactions.

Related Stories

‘Megalopolis’ Review: Francis Ford Coppola’s Mad Modern Masterwork Reinvents The Possibilities Of Cinema – Cannes Film Festival

‘Megalopolis’ Cannes Film Festival Premiere Photos: Francis Ford Coppola, Adam Driver, Shia LaBeouf, Aubrey Plaza & More

He continued: “Halfway through, there’s a  very  audacious gimmick that tears down the fourth wall in ways younger filmmakers can only dream of. Coppola breaks many of the cardinal rules of filmmaking in the film’s 138 minutes but it upholds the most important one: it is never, ever boring, and it will inspire just as many artists as the audiences it will alienate.”

RELATED: ‘Megalopolis’ Debuts At Cannes With 7-Minute Standing Ovation

In a positive notice, Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri dissected the film’s “absolute madness” and called it the “craziest movie I have ever seen”: “There is nothing in  Megalopolis  that feels like something out of a “normal” movie. It has its own logic and cadence and vernacular. The characters speak in archaic phrases and words, mixing shards of Shakespeare, Ovid, and at one point straight-up Latin. Some characters speak in rhyme, others just in high-minded prose that feels like maybe it should be in verse.”

Indiewire’s David Ehrlich said on X: “The silliness is a feature, not a bug! a garish, epic, & utterly singular $120 million self-portrait that’s also a fable about the fall of ancient Rome & a plea to save our civilization (and its cinema) from itself. big fan.”

RELATED: Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or Winners Through The Years: A Photo Gallery

Joshua Rothkopf of the Los Angeles Times also was warm in his reaction: “I thrilled to Megalopolis in all its overstuffed, crazy ambition. Only an uncharitable viewer would call it a catastrophe. It’s definitely not boring.”

RELATED: Cannes Film Festival 2024: All Of Deadline’s Movie Reviews

David Jenkins of Little White Lies was also in the pro camp, posting to X: “Desole haters… Megalopolis rules.”

The UK’s Daily Telegraph gave the movie four stars, saying, “Coppola’s latest is like Succession crossed with Batman Forever and a lava lamp…Aubrey Plaza is fantastic in this full-body sensory bath movie which follows a struggle for power among the elites of New Rome.”

Not everyone was as glowing. The Guardian gave the film only two stars, saying: “Coppola’s passion project is megabloated and megaboring.”

RELATED: Aubrey Plaza Says Francis Coppola “Doesn’t Need My Defense”, Reveals The “Collaboration And Experimentation” Of ‘Megalopolis’

Vanity Fair ‘s Richard Lawson echoed that theme, with the brand noting in its headline: “Francis Ford Coppola’s  Megalopolis  Is a Passion Project Gone Horribly Wrong”, before continuing, “Maybe some cinephiles will see value in the  Godfather  director’s long-gestating epic. Many more, though, will be left scratching their heads.”

Tim Grierson of Screen Daily went further, saying on X: “It pains me to say that Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis is a disaster.”

RELATED: ‘Megalopolis’ Imax Global Release Will Be Limited; Release Date Contingent On U.S. Distribution But Late September Eyed For IMAX In 20 US Cities; Coppola Live Event Planned – Cannes

The official logline for the film reads: “ Megalopolis  is a Roman Epic fable set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believes humanity deserves.”

As we revealed earlier this week , the movie recently scored distribution deals in key European territories. Speculation is rife about what will happen to the film in the U.S. Interestingly, the international deals are for theatrical rights only and TV and VOD rights have been held back by Coppola’s team, potentially paving the way for a global streamer-type deal down the line. 

After tonight, what’s clear is the movie has a number of prominent critical supporters, perhaps more so than anticipated. Could Coppola make history by becoming the first director ever to win three Palme d’Ors? That doesn’t seem such a remote possibility right now.

Must Read Stories

‘megalopolis’ hits the palais; focus takes ‘last breath’; latest reviews.

‘Shōgun’ Goes On: FX & Hulu Eye Two More Seasons Of James Clavell Adaptation

How ‘young sheldon’ and ‘so help me todd’ said goodbye, la screenings are back: talent returns & slates get global.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

11 comments.

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Review: The Origin Story of Furiosa Has Dazzling Sequences, but George Miller’s Overstuffed Epic Is No ‘Fury Road’

Anya Taylor-Joy plays the title hellion as a heavy-metal Candide bouncing through the Wasteland, but despite some awesome action moments (and two mega villains), the feeling is one of inflated franchise overkill.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

• ‘Bird’ Review: Andrea Arnold Taps the Star Power of Barry Keoghan and Franz Rogowski but Returns to Her Bleak British Roots in a Coming-of-Age Fairy Tale 9 hours ago
• ‘Wild Diamond’ Review: Agathe Reidinger’s Drama About a 19-Year-Old Girl in Thrall to the False Gods of Social Media and Reality TV Announces the Arrival of a Major Filmmaker 1 day ago
• ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Review: The Origin Story of Furiosa Has Dazzling Sequences, but George Miller’s Overstuffed Epic Is No ‘Fury Road’ 2 days ago

The first thing to say about “ Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga ” is that it’s not like any other “Mad Max” film. The movie, which runs 2 hours and 28 minutes, is teemingly, sprawlingly, phantasmagorically ambitious. Where “Mad Max: Fury Road” was set over three days, “Furiosa” takes place over 15 years and tells the origin story of Imperator Furiosa in five chapters (which come with titles like “The Pole of Inaccessibility”). The film has a cast of thousands of depraved hooligan bikers with rusty weapons and rotten teeth. At times, it feels like they’re getting ready to gather for Wasteland Woodstock.

Popular on Variety

Most people would say “The Road Warrior” is greater. But “Mad Max,” in its cruder low-budget way, had a down-and-dirty B-movie virtuosity. “The Road Warrior” was bigger and grander. I decided — this was part of the fun of the game — that the greatest “Mad Max” film was whichever one you happened to be watching.

A few years later, Miller, perhaps high on his own legend (a syndrome that’s more or less built into being a visionary filmmaker), made “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” (1985), a threequel that had some splendid things in it — Tina Turner, the Thunderdome showdown — but that also turned into an inflated Jungian fairy tale about “saving the children” (a good idea in life, but not so often in movies). It wasn’t a terrible film, yet the series felt cooked, spent, diminished. It seemed as if “Mad Max” and “The Road Warrior” were too bravura in their drive-by nihilism to keep extending. Miller had made the two greatest action films of all time, and he moved on to other things.

But that, of course, wasn’t the end of the story. In a world of recycled IP, “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015), released 30 years later, did the impossible. It revived the series at full intensity, sweeping memories of “Beyond Thunderdome” under its spectacular wreckage, and creating a heroine — Charlize Theron’s hellacious buzzcut Furiosa — who was every bit as full-throttle commanding as Mel Gibson’s Max. True to her name, the film was so fast and furious that your eyeballs had to learn how to watch it, to follow the ballistic micro edits. But when you got onto the wavelength, the black magic of the “Mad Max” world was back. It was an epic desert drag-race miracle, a sequel worthy of the first two films — and, in that sense, maybe the third greatest action film ever made.

So what does one do for an encore to that ?

“Furiosa” tells the story of how its title character grows up, how she goes from being an innocent village girl, raised in the Green Place of Many Mothers (where she’s already daring enough to sever the fuel hose on a stranger’s motorcycle), to a kidnapped waif to a resourceful orphan who passes herself off as a boy to a devious hellion who bounces back and forth between dueling postapocalyptic underworld empires: that of the Warlord Dementus ( Chris Hemsworth ), the long-haired-and-bearded ruler of the Biker Horde that first absconds with her (leading them, Dementus rides in the chopper version of a “Ben-Hur” chariot); and that of Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), the ancient, gas-masked, white-maned cult leader of the Citadel, the colony of white-faced fighter disciples who Furiosa was trying to escape from in “Fury Road.”

“Furiosa,” by contrast, is a picaresque with a stop-and-go rhythm, as the young Furiosa goes from the frying pan into the fire, like a heavy-metal Candide, forming attachments through her survival instincts but never sticking with anyone for long. She’s a lone wolf in a world of scoundrels. Theoretically, that’s easy to understand, but a movie, almost by nature, needs to be about the forging of bonds. And “Furiosa,” as populated as it is with disposable warriors (and characters with names like Scrotus and Toe Jam and The Octoboss and The People Eater and War Boy), feels alienated and a touch impersonal. The film seems more invested in Miller’s elaborate and, at moments, overly digitized extensions of the Wasteland than in the people who inhabit it. In that way, it’s got a touch of Marvel-itis.   

The film seems all but designed to show off its world’s-end locations — the Citadel, the skull-faced cliff we already know well, and Gas Town, a petrochemical jungle surrounded by a giant moat, and the Bullet Farm. There’s one spectacular action sequence. It’s plunked into the center of the movie, and it involves a gleaming silver two-section tanker, with a jagged whirring read-end doohicky, the entire thing built out of spare parts, as it speeds along the desert blacktop with rogue bikers attacking it from all sides. We’ve been here before, but it’s sensationally gratifying to be here again: in the unholy thick of speed and murder, with warriors now dying by incineration.

Yet it’s never a good sign, at least in a “Mad Max” movie, when your most dazzling set piece comes in the middle. “Furiosa,” like “Beyond Thunderdome,” wants to be something loftier than an action blowout, but the movie is naggingly episodic, and though it’s got two indomitable villains, neither one quite becomes the delirious badass you want.

When the young Furiosa, played by Alyla Browne, is first captured, we think horrible things are going to happen to her. She is zoomed across the nighttime desert, where the gnarly biker who nabbed her plans to inform Dementus of the oasis she came from (which, in the Garden of Eden opening sequence, looks civilized enough to be the Whole Foods of the apocalyptic afterworld). But then Furiosa’s mother shows up to rescue her — a ruthless warrior named Mary Jo Bassa (Charlee Fraser) who knows how to repair and ride a Thunder Bike and is willing to die to protect her cub.

Then too, there’s something a bit off about how the movie comes close to cushioning the evil of Immortan Joe. This is a ruler who presides over a sick sect of suicide killers, and who extends his royal line by maintaining a harem of sex-slave wives. We know all this from “Fury Road,” of course. But since Immortan Joe’s Citadel is the place Furiosa is destined to end up, the film goes a little easy on it. Immortan Joe and Dementus cut a deal over gasoline, and given how dastardly both of them are supposed to be, the battle between them should have been more lavishly twisted.

The scenes where Furiosa passes herself off as a boy aren’t quite convincing; you have to just go with them. Then she grows up, and Anya Taylor-Joy takes over the role. She’s a powerful actor with a sensual scowl, but here, with hardly any words to speak, she’s at her most stoic. That seems on some level appropriate, especially when she propels herself through an entire road chase underneath a vehicle. But the character is more reactive and less hellbent than either Gibson’s Max or Theron’s Furiosa. For a while, Taylor-Joy’s Furiosa forms a connection with Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), a road warrior whose main lesson to her seems to be to wear blue greasepaint on their foreheads. Their partnership comes out of nowhere, then fades into nowhere.

More crucial: As much as I loved the character of Furiosa in “Fury Road,” do we really need to see her tangled, deep-dive-that-somehow-stays-on-the-surface origin story? It’s an impulse, at heart, that grows out of franchise culture, and maybe that’s why “Furiosa,” for all the tasty stuff in it, is a half-satisfying movie. Miller creates a volatile world to wander around in, and I suspect a number of viewers and critics will respond fully to that. But part of the genius of the “Mad Max” films is that when they’re pumping on all cylinders, even when they’re as grand as “The Road Warrior” and “Fury Road,” they are also, in spirit, as lean and mean as one of those lethal spiked jalopies zooming down the blacktop. In attempting to inflate his universe into something larger, Miller clutters it with pretension and makes it mean less. He takes his eye off the place where the rubber meets the road.

Reviewed at Dolby 88, New York (Cannes Film Festival, out of competition), May 6, 2024. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 148 MIN.

• Production: A Warner Bros. release of a Kennedy Miller production. Producers: George Miller, Doug Mitchell.
• Crew: Director: George Miller. Screenplay: George Miller, Nico Lathouris. Camera: Simon Duggan. Editors: Eliot Knapman, Margaret Sixel. Music: Tom Holkenborg.
• With: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, Charlee Fraser, Angus Sampson, Alyla Browne, Daniel Webber, Nathan Jones, Gordon D. Kleut.

More From Our Brands

Hear miley cyrus’ edgy cover of talking heads’ ‘psycho killer’, custom line just unveiled a new 127-foot superyacht in venice—and we got a first look, under armour plans revamp after dour earnings report, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, law & order: organized crime finale recap: joe’s gotta go — plus, grade it, verify it's you, please log in.

Advertisement

Supported by

‘IF’ Review: Invisible Friends, but Real Celebrity Cameos

The film is a slim story about a girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) who helps a crank named Cal (Ryan Reynolds) play matchmaker. Oh, and Bradley Cooper is a glass of ice water.

• Share full article

By Amy Nicholson

The big “IF” — as in “imaginary friend” — in John Krasinski’s treacly kids dramedy is a grizzly-sized purple goon who goes by the name Blue. The boy who conjured him was colorblind, he explains. Blue (voiced by Steve Carell) is one of dozens of dreamed-up creatures in Brooklyn who long for their now-grown BFFs to remember they exist.

At the Memory Lane Retirement Community underneath Coney Island, there’s also a pink alligator (Maya Rudolph), a superhero dog (Sam Rockwell), a worn teddy (Louis Gossett Jr.), a retro cartoon butterfly (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), a robot (Jon Stewart), an astronaut (George Clooney), a glass of ice water (Bradley Cooper), a gummy bear (Amy Schumer), a unicorn (Emily Blunt), a flower (Matt Damon), a cat in an octopus costume (Blake Lively), a ghost (Matthew Rhys), a soap bubble (Awkwafina), some green slime (Keegan-Michael Key), and an invisible blob who the credits claim is none other than Brad Pitt.

What’s more impressive: Krasinski’s imagination or the very real friends in his Rolodex?

Most of these characters merely stroll through the frame to say hello, or whine to each other in group therapy. Yet these celebrity cameos take up about as much space as the plot, a gentle, slim story about an unflappable 12-year-old girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) who helps a crank named Cal (Ryan Reynolds) play matchmaker for the lonely IFs.

If — and this is a rhetorical if — you’re still traumatized by the last shot of Bing Bong, the forgotten imaginary friend in Pixar’s “Inside Out,” breathe easy. There’s no existential threat (or narrative tension) about what might happen if the goofy gang remains consigned to oblivion. Palling about with kids again just sounds nice.

Bea, a solemn preteen with stick-straight hair, is the only child able to see all of the IFs, which is hard to reconcile with the fact that she also seems like the oldest little girl in the world; Reynolds, her foil, is regularly cast as the world’s most immature man, although here he’s been dialed down to a benevolent grouch. With her mother dead, her father (Krasinski) in the hospital, and her grandmother (Fiona Shaw) distracted watching Jimmy Stewart’s “Harvey” on TV, Bea is free to roam the streets of New York — which, to the fellow kids in the audience, might be as extraordinary as all of the shots of her strolling slowly through bedazzled fantasies. (The standout, odd as it sounds, is a musical number set to Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me,” that’s wholly divorced from its erotic context.)

Any child over 5 will predict the Keyser Söze twist in Bea and Cal’s relationship. But this is a film that spells out its intentions for an audience still learning its ABCs, a film where Michael Giacchino’s misty violins never stop insisting how to feel, where Krasinski’s goofy dad literally wears a heart on his chest.

Krasinski has the worthy goal of making a children’s movie with an air of prestige — like his characters, he’s striving to be remembered long past opening weekend — and so the cinematographer Janusz Kaminski obligingly fills the screen with handsome images of spiral staircases and leather-bound books. Still, only two scenes accomplish the transcendence Krasinski is after, and both involve the simplest of all special effects: a shot of an adult human being that asks us to use our own imaginations to see the child inside.

IF Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 44 minutes. In theaters.

Explore More in TV and Movies

Not sure what to watch next we can help..

“Megalopolis,” the first film from the director Francis Ford Coppola in 13 years, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Here’s what to know .

Why is the “Planet of the Apes” franchise so gripping and effective? Because it doesn’t monkey around, our movie critic writes .

Luke Newton has been in the sexy Netflix hit “Bridgerton” from the start. But a new season will be his first as co-lead — or chief hunk .

There’s nothing normal about making a “Mad Max” movie, and Anya Taylor-Joy knew that  when she signed on to star in “Furiosa,” the newest film in George Miller’s action series.

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Sign up for our Watching newsletter  to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

3 ved bordet - Jesus fra meg til deg

• Podcast Episode

Add a plot in your language

User reviews

• April 28, 2024 (United Kingdom)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 27 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘the damned’ review: an immersive civil war drama that whisks us into america’s troubled past.

Italian-born director Roberto Minervini’s latest feature follows a battalion of Union Army soldiers scouting the West and trying to stay alive.

By Jordan Mintzer

Jordan Mintzer

• Share this article on Facebook
• Share this article on Twitter
• Share this article on Flipboard
• Share this article on Email
• Show additional share options
• Share this article on Linkedin
• Share this article on Pinit
• Share this article on Reddit
• Share this article on Tumblr
• Share this article on Whatsapp
• Share this article on Print
• Share this article on Comment

Italian filmmaker Roberto Minervini’s artfully crafted movies, which include such works as Stop the Pounding Heart , The Other Side and What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire? , have always sat in a murky gray zone separating fiction from documentary.

Related Stories

Jeff zucker's redbird imi closes $1.45b all3media acquisition from wbd, liberty global, imax unveils 2025 film slate, including 'superman: legacy' and 'the fantastic four'.

His latest film, The Damned , is not technically a documentary: It’s set in 1862 at the height of the Civil War and follows a pack of Union soldiers treacherously exploring unmapped territories in the West. And yet, if it were possible to send a camera crew back into the past to capture such an event, the result would be something close to what Minervini delivers in this quietly intoxicating and existentially real war movie.

“Real” in the sense that there’s not much action except for one long and deadly battle sequence, while the rest of the film mostly entails soldiers sitting around and killing time, which is what often happens in war. And real in that the cast consists of average men who look the part, especially dressed in those dark blue Union uniforms, but talk more or less like men talk today. So again, we’re floating somewhere between reality and fiction, as if The Damned were a time capsule of the past that’s been washed in the light of the present.

That light is certainly alluring, with cinematographer Carlos Alfonso Corral (who also composed the music) filming the troops in exquisite shallow-focus compositions where the breathtaking Montana backdrops are slightly blurred. The aesthetic brings to mind Terence Malick’s The New World and Alejandro Iñarritu’s The Revenant — both were shot by the great DP Emmanuel Lubezki — which combined historical realism with an enhanced naturalistic style, finding untold beauty in America’s troubled and violent past.

Who, exactly, is attacking the Union Army is never made clear, and Minervini seems less concerned with historical details than with capturing a certain state of loss and confusion among the troops. “We’re killing other people, other Americans,” one trooper complains to the others, reminding us — in the same vein as Alex Garland’s Civil War , though much less bluntly — that we’re currently living in a divided country.

Although there are no main characters for most of the story, the film eventually focuses on four soldiers who split off from the rest of the squad to scout a route through the mountains. Instead of perishing together in one final battle, they gradually drift away into the fog of a war they never manage to fully grasp, hoping that they’re doing more good than evil, and that the Lord will deign to save them.

But as the title states, these soldiers may be damned from the get-go. When we cut back to the original camp at some point, there are only dead bodies left on the ground, in images reminiscent of Matthew Brady’s stunning photographs of Civil War battlefields. Minervini leaves us feeling that, although the Union did of course win the war, their victory would lead America back to where it is now, on the brink of another major schism. As Faulkner famously wrote: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”  

Full credits

Thr newsletters.

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Cannes hidden gem: ‘blue sun palace’ is a bracing look at the chinese immigrant experience in nyc, ‘thelma the unicorn’ review: brittany howard voices title character in a netflix animated charmer for all ages, how a french filmmaker traced the journey of trans women from gaza in cannes doc, david cronenberg is shrouded in mystery — even as he bows a painfully personal film at cannes, tony leung named jury president at tokyo film festival, hong chau had covid when yorgos lanthimos came calling with ‘kinds of kindness’.