BOTTOM LINE
Mohanlal’s Fantasy Tale is a Complete Disaster
RATING
1.5/5
CENSOR
U, 2h 34m
What Is the Film About?
Barroz, a loyal servant, is bound by a centuries-old magic to guard da Gama’s treasure. For 400 years, he awaits a true descendant to claim the wealth. As the descendant arrives, Barroz faces challenges from those seeking the treasure for themselves. The film delves into themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the enduring power of legacy.
Performances
Mohanlal, the actor, is immensely underutilised in a character that largely reminds you of Kattappa in Baahubali. The one-note role barely tests his mettle and creates no impact at all. Maya Rao West, cast as Isabella, is only impressive in parts and the poorly-fleshed out character doesn’t help her cause. Guru Somasundaram is wasted in an inconsequential appearance while the likes of Tuhin Menon, Ignacio Mateos and Joshua Okesalako can’t find their way in this mess.
Analysis
After a highly successful innings in front of the screen spanning four decades, Mohanlal, in an unlikely turn, is making his directorial debut with Barroz 3D – an ambitious, kid friendly film with a universal appeal, set in a fantasy world, populated with a gamut of characters, packaged with a dash of drama, action and adventure.
Based on a Portuguese folk tale, Barroz starts in the 1600s, tracing the backstory of the titular character, who’s entrusted to guard the treasure of king da Gama from evil spirits, while awaiting the arrival of its true descendant. Cut to the present day world, Isabella is a 13-year-old rebellious daughter of a cold businessman facing opposition for a proposal to build a casino in Goa. What connects her to da Gama’s legacy and Barroz?
While Barroz looks back at his past with a hint of nostalgia, he seeks to unburden himself from the world by fulfilling a promise he made to the king (of handing over the riches to his rightful heir). The film is all about his pursuit to find Isabella, leading her to the treasure and eliminating all possible obstacles from her path. The film squanders its captivating, playful premise with the dull, snail paced treatment, bereft of emotion or any cinematic splendour.
The first hour is a snooze-fest, with the long, drawn out sequences testing your patience, doing little to transport the viewers into its fictitious, make-believe world. The character establishment is as indifferent as it gets. Mohanlal gives us absolutely no reason to care for the characters, their conflicts and struggles to piece the film together or provide any context.
All along, the viewer is expected to understand Barroz’s fondness for Isa, but the warmth doesn’t reach the screen. The film wants you to invest in Isa’s destiny and how Barroz lends a purpose to it. You’re supposed to feel sorry for the absence of paternal care/maternal love in her life, yet you only experience one emotion throughout – restlessness.
Post intermission, the film gains some momentum, but not enough to ensure a rescue act. Both the historical and the present day sequences struggle to serve as an emotional link to the story.The dialogues, aimlessly switching between Portuguese, English and Telugu, contributes to the chaos.The storytelling reeks of amateurishness, while the oddly placed songs add no value to the film. By all means, Barroz could also have been a great opportunity for a musical, but the exploration is quite half hearted.
Abstract ideas that could have been conveyed through a simple voiceover are pointlessly extended to several scenes. Equally disappointing is the absence of any feel for its ambience, artistry in the production design, costumes or the visuals in a film that has vast potential for world building. Everything is so disappointingly generic and banal. The climax offers flashes of hope, piquing your curiosity as it dwells upon the conflict between legacy and immediate benefits, showcasing the last-ditch efforts of the evil forces to capture the treasure.
While Mohanlal has already announced that Barroz would be his first and last directorial effort, it’s highly unlikely that audiences – both kids and adults – would remember it for the right reasons.
Music and Other Departments?
Young music sensation Lydhian Nadhaswaram’s composing debut is a disappointment – Isabella is the only song that’s easy on the ears for its melody, helped by Varshan’s soothing rendition. Mark Kilian makes a sincere effort to infuse life into the proceedings with an atmospheric score. While there are occasional sparks of brilliance in Santosh Sivan’s cinematography with the lighting, use of shadows, the uneasy mix of animation, CG, VFX dilutes the film’s visual appeal. The 154-minute runtime kills any scope for an engaging narrative, stretching the wafer-thin plot beyond necessity.
Highlights?
Interesting premise
Reasonably satisfying climax
Drawbacks?
Exhaustive runtime
Poor screenplay
Absence of any emotional link in the story, dull performances
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
Not even to the most loyal Mohanlal fan
Barroz 3D Telugu Movie Review by M9
