Animal Review: The action thriller film stars Ranbir Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Bobby Deol, Rashmika Mandanna, Tripti Dimri, and others. Directed and written by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, he co-wrote the screenplay with Pranay Reddy Vanga and Saurabh Gupta. The cinematography is by Amit Roy, and Sandeep is also the editor of the film.
The music is by various artists: Jam8, Vishal Mishra, Manan Bhardwaj, Harshwardhan Rameshwar, Ashim Kemson, and Shreyas Puranik. The runtime is 201 minutes.
Animal Review Contains No Spoilers
If there’s one word I would use to describe Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s recent film, I’d say it’s “limitless”. There’s no limit to the obsession of a son with his father, no limit to the brutality and bloodshed on screen, and no limit to wildness beyond toxicity in a marriage, including unlimited dead bodies. After giving us a normal 5-7-minute introduction scene, the director decided to go all out and amp up the inhuman quotient to a level that one cannot predict in which direction it will go.
Animal is about Ranbir Kapoor doing all he can to save his father, Balbir Singh, played by Anil Kapoor. Until the interval, the makers didn’t reveal Ranbir’s name. I first wondered why they would keep it a secret. Then I realised the character doesn’t care about himself and is okay with just being known as Balbir’s son. Kapoor’s character takes pride in being the son; sadly, that’s not how his father feels towards him. So imagine the frenzy someone like him will unleash, whose existence is based upon seeking their father’s validation, but he doesn’t even get a shred of respect or attention in return.
Ranbir Kapoor’s daddy issues universe continues with Animal, but instead of sulking and going around rediscovering himself in a good way, he decides to take a murderous arc. The first half is a display of the character’s brutality to the fullest. There are hundreds of men dropping dead and an extreme slaughter. When there’s no physical violence happening, the characters are verbally and emotionally aggressive. The narrative is stuck, as the only idea we get about the plot is that Ranbir can go to any extent to protect his father.
In the second half, the plot picks up momentum as we see some family and marital conflict. But that doesn’t go on for a long time. In his mind, Vanga is clear that his latest directorial is high on violence and less on story. It feels weird to use the word violence repeatedly in this review. But that’s exactly what happens on the screen often. The story doesn’t want to preach or convey any powerful message, except for the fact that this grown-up man can do anything and everything only for his father!
But is the violence fitting all the time? Well, some scenes are definitely shot and choreographed well, especially the interval block. The entire sequence is executed terrifically and technically speaking; the use of music, slow-motion shots, cinematography, editing, and rage heightens your interest to the max. The BGM and Arjan Vailly songs elevate the heaviness and intensity of the scene. Kapoor definitely proves that he can shed his emo boy image and get into the ‘alpha’ side (as the film addresses in one scene).
As mentioned above, the premise is a major drawback of the Animal movie. Vanga gets your attention with the non-linear screenplay, keeping you engrossed in knowing what’s going to happen next. But once you reach the end, you realise it could’ve easily been a 150-minute story. So much time is spent repeatedly proving how cruel Kapoor’s character is, taking away attention from every other character, especially Bobby Deol. If he’s the main villain, why such little screentime after giving him such a promising entry? Imagine creating hype for Deol’s character only to underwhelm us with his arc.
In terms of performance, Animal is a Ranbir Kapoor show all the way. The actor owns every frame he’s a part of. He dominates every frame where he’s embracing his ruthless persona. Similarly, Kapoor surrenders to the vulnerability completely whenever the script demands it. He truly delivers one of the most audacious performances of his career. Anil Kapoor gives a stellar act, even though his screen presence is not as much as one expected it to be.
Rashmika Mandanna truly struggles with her dialogue delivery; however, her chemistry with Ranbir is steamy and wild. In the second half, the couple has a fight over a serious matter, and the conversation is such that we feel like we’re eavesdropping into someone’s bedroom. Yet it’s a bold scene to be included in a Hindi film, and a good one too.
Animal Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, Animal is 3+ hours of Ranbir Kapoor seeking validation from his father and taking the maniacal and wild route for the same. He’s stupendous, and the music and BGM are class apart. However, there’s very little substance in the story considering the length of the film. It’s okay to have extreme barbarity and bloodshed on screen, but anything that’s overdone is a buzzkill.
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