S. S. Rajamouli directs N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan and Ajay Devgn in this fictional Indian adventure story which imagines two historical freedom fighters teaming up to fight the British Empire.

A violent chase through a thousand protesters. A tiger tamed with sheer muscle. An explosive bridge rescue that defies the laws of physics. Then the title card… Spectacle, OTT action, endurance song and dance numbers and an all heart narrative. There is little not to like about RRR. It is big on entertainment and sincerity. So many CGI animals, so many action set pieces that bring wonder back into your living room plus such sweet friendships and even a chaste romance. It is The Departed for kids, HK Heroic Bloodshed melded onto Marvel movie kinetics. Strange to think something so basic and naive has a clear populist and obvious nationalistic message. One that the liberal Western audiences who have embraced it as a slice of epic camp don’t fully understand… might automatically reject from a British, American or Russian filmmaker?

8

Perfect Double Bill: RRR is plenty for one sitting.

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