BROTHERS MOVIE REVIEW

 

With a powerhouse cast comprising names such as Akshay Kumar, Sidharth Malhotra, Jackie Shroff and Jacqueline Fernandez, the film talks about two brothers who face off in the ring in an international MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) tournament in Mumbai called 'R2F'. The brothers have a lot of emotional scores to settle and it is not just a 'blow for blow' battle. We also have their father (the younger's son trainer as well) to complete the family triangle. 

 

Akshay plays the elder son, David, who doesn't think much of his father (Jackie Shroff) due to his drunken ways in the past. His equation with his younger brother, Monty, is also tainted as a result. How this trio comes to terms with one another during the course of the tournament is the crux of Brothers which gets off to a pretty dreary and slow start. Jackie Shroff overacts in this segment though his emoting skills are beyond questioning. 

 

A lot of time is taken to establish the premise, the characters and the film breaks at the intermission point just before the 'R2F' begins. The second half is all about the 'R2F' and how the brothers inevitably face-off in the end. 

 

The action scenes have been brutally choreographed (not meant for all kinds of audience) and both the lead heroes have put their respective bodies through an ordeal to look in fine shape. Akshay's grounding in martial arts must have stood him in good stead, and one must say that with his gray stubble, close crop of hair, ripped body and all the tattoos, Akshay epitomizes 'bad-ass'. The bearded Sidharth is all brooding and menacing, and he looks buffed-up and muscular, no doubt. Their casting is a big plus for the movie and their actions, workouts and moves in the 'Brothers Anthem' training montage is the best part of the film. Jacqueline Fernandez doesn't get to do much (as Akshay's concerned wife), and all her male fans must be disappointed as she doesn't flaunt much, as she usually does.

 

Brothers suffers from the over-the-top, dramatic and loud treatment employed by director Karan Malhotra (Agneepath fame). There is a Chikni Chameli type number here too, with Kareena Kapoor doing the honors. The way the 'R2F' is introduced and hyped-up extravagantly, tests our patience beyond a point. The emotional moments are over-done and turn out to be unintentionally amusing. The commentary employed for the matches is again exaggerated and filmy to the core. But there are of course merits like the lack of needless romance and comedy scenes, as Karan has focused on just the family and the tournament.

 

Give the film a shot for the powerful heroes it features. Sports buffs (boxing, wrestling kinds) would like the film better.