BRUCE LEE - THE FIGHTER MOVIE REVIEW

Srinu Vaitla offers another wholesome entertainer knowing where and when the audience would like to lay back, listen to the story and then jump in awe to enjoy the dance and the fights. ‘Bruce Lee-The Fighter’ is an action-drama with equal importance given to the deep rooted values in our lives. As a story, the film is still larger than life, but Srinu establishes a fine balance between cinematic liberty and logic.

Why the hero gets to effortlessly bash all the villains has always been a question; here it gets justified.  Ram Charan Teja’s right hand is inked with a Bruce Lee tattoo and he almost emulates the world’s greatest fighter during the roundhouse and the hook kicks. Ram Charan has tried his best to emote a variety of reactions and at the same time not go overboard in the emotional scenes. With full-marks being given to the fights, dancing is also a major skill set that goes with the Megastar lineage which Ram balances pretty well.

Coming to the story part, this film has a fairly simple line on which the story dwells. When the screenplay gets to be driven by the number of characters coming into the narration, the film gets to be interesting and attention worthy. The plot, without straying away from the core, keeps up the pace and the direction. Dialogues are neither conversation based nor theatrical. Palpable puns and quick wits save the footage from diversions created by misplaced song sequences. Though getting way too predictable beyond a point, Srinu manages to sustain the interactivity by sketching a heroine role that gets to travel throughout the film.

Rakul Preet Singh with her gifted looks has the potential to pull off roles. Learning the language has definitely helped her with close-up scenes and she indeed has a pleasing face in spite of all the whining. Even if with stereotypical characterizations and template melodrama, Bruce Lee becomes an engaging film, it is due to the controlled comedy, interesting fights and a fastened second half.   

Manoj Paramahamsa’s good camera work, Thaman’s enterprising music, Varma’s cuts and the overall production design support the film hand in hand, but little more attention to the specificities of the props could have added some authenticity. Seasoned artists like Sampath Raj, Nadhiya, Mukesh Rishi and Brahmanandham do the needful with nothing much to complain. Kriti Kharbanda on the contrary has not much to offer, but looks like a Barbie doll and is a potential heroine material. Arun Vijay has straightaway walked from the sets of Yennai Arindhaal but does nothing of those sorts in Bruce Lee. He is just the smart looking villain who wears fancy jackets and gets beaten up by the protagonist. If the director had not adhered to the age old model of commercial cinema and capitalized more on the action part, Bruce Lee-The fighter would have been a lot more original and different.

Due to the situational based comedy, non-exaggerated climax, Srinu delivers another winner that is sure to entertain.