Animal Review: Not Ranbir Kapoor, It's Vanga's Revenge Tale For Kabir Singh And Arjun Reddy

'Animal' depicts the drive for vengeance that turns one blind to both good and bad choices, much like any other revenge tale.

New Delhi: The filmmaker, Sandeep Reddy Vanga, made a vow to himself to make a truly violent movie after experiencing setbacks with Arjun Reddy and Kabir Singh, and he certainly delivers on that promise. Fans of the director may be glad to hear this, but those who felt offended by the toxic masculinity in his previous works may need some time to come to terms with this action-drama. Another pledge made by the main character, played by Ranbir Kapoor, to his father, is the foundation of the three hours and twenty minutes (extremely long) film. His vow to shield him to the absolute end. Like Vanga, he keeps his word and goes above and beyond for it.

'Animal' depicts the drive for vengeance that turns one blind to both good and bad choices, much like any other revenge tale. The notion that perspective matters more than truth is no secret, and an enraged person interprets right and wrong based on his values. Another argument goes that since movies are merely works of fiction, they shouldn't be interpreted literally. But opinions like these typically arise when the concern is men overstepping their bounds, and they vanish when the filmmakers tackle more complex social concerns. While 'Animal', which makes abuse visually appealing, is met with thunderous applause in theaters, film like 'OMG 2' receives a lot less attention and value despite offering an exemplary perspective on sex education. Movies that endorse women's desire and sexuality are vilified, but those that advocate men's entitlement to satisfy their sexual urges—regardless of the moral implications—are appreciated. In one of the most absurd scenes, guns are fired to celebrate Ranbir Kapoor's character Ranvijay's homecoming as he walks out of the house naked. That's how the "Alpha" man implies his manhood and sense of power.

At its heart, Ranbir Kapoor starrer is a family drama, but it is also a parenting lesson above all things. The filmmaker draws a compelling connection between Ranvijay's actions and his father Balbir Singh's workaholicism and his mistreatment of him. During one of the scenes, Ranvijay, a schoolboy, brings a gun into his sister's college to avenge those who have assaulted her. He gets a string of hard slaps across his face from his father as punishment, but he is also moved to a US boarding school. As he is gradually pushed away by his father—the one person he fiercely and obsessively loves—the caring and protective kid turns into a reckless adult. This may be taking things too far, but instead of being furious at Ranvijay for being so menacing owing to his 'high testosterone', one feels empathy for the character. It seems to be more of a cry for help and affection, but he turns that into fury, firing on every little inconvenience in his life. 

Vanga tries to take us to a time when men were the community's protectors and providers. He offers an exaggerated portrayal of what it means to express love to defend the deeds of his character. Presumably, he is lambasting the movies of this era that redefine the ideal man's persona by making him less toxic and more poignant. The film's violence makes your skin crawl, but you can get over it since the director conveys how the people live in a world where there is no norm and the game is played that way. That being said, this time around, the abuse and disrespect for women that was brought out in his previous movies has intensified.

Regardless of how hard someone tries to make sense of Rashmika Mandanna's character arc, she comes across as an enhanced version of Kabir Singh's Preeti, who had a few more dialogues than the latter did. The actor would need to contribute more to the narrative and have more screen time for her performance to be judged. She turns into a prop once again for Ranbir's character to flaunt his machismo. Although Ranbir and Rashmika have good on-screen chemistry, the protagonist easily grows into sexist and misogynist. He shows no regret for everything he does, whether cheating on her with another woman or pulling her bra string several times and giving her bruises. Still, she returns to give him a kiss and cuddle. Vanga once stated in an interview that if you can't slap your girl, it's not love. He reinforces this notion in the movie. 

If the same character were to appear in Imtiaz Ali's film, he most likely would be disobeying his father and turning to his romantic partner for comfort. However, the hero in this tale comes with guns blazing and swears to safeguard his father from any threat. When it comes to the narrative, Vanga deserves credit for crafting a crisp screenplay that grabs your interest at every twist; even the most outrageous scenes are adeptly handled. For what it's worth, the director undoubtedly understands how to amaze in the action scenes, whether it's Bobby Deol and Ranbir engaging in hand-to-hand combat or Ranbir showing plenty of swagger while hounding his foes.

The premise, with its clashing families and retaliation, evokes memories of the 90s Hindi cinema. Still, the seasoned actors' breathes new life into an old tale. The narrative's impetus, Anil Kapoor, acts with his eyes. He captures a father's despair and powerlessness quite accurately, even without spending a lot of words. However, Bobby Deol and Ranbir Kapor are the two cornerstones that sustain the solidity of the film. Kapoor carries the whole first half of the movie on his shoulders, proving time and again that he is more than worthy to do so. Regardless of one's hatred toward the character, the actor gains deeper admiration for precisely portraying it. Hands down, Kapoor has triumphed. It is fair to say that actor Ranbir Kapoor is back in all his glory after a long slump and some performances that fell short of expectations.

Speaking of comebacks, the star of the '90s is aptly nicknamed "Lord Bobby," wonderfully surprises us with his second outing in Hindi cinema. Deol plays a darker role that often overshadows Ranbir in the film. The character played by Bobby, Abrar Haque, owns the second half of the movie. He seems no less than an animal, blinded by wrath, seeking retribution for his family. Another aspect of the movie that completely steals the show is the soundtrack, which goes perfectly with the narrative. You get chills when you hear the song Arjan Vailly coupled with the horrific scene of Ranbir slaughtering people in a hotel hallway. 

While Animal is certainly gory, violent, and flawed, the audience's loud cheers indicate that it is entertaining. While it's hard to pin down whether or not it's worth seeing, it's not for the faint of heart or those who loathed Sandeep Reddy Vanga's prior works. Akin to how it began, the movie closes on a promise. A promise of a far bloodier sequel.