rrr movie review essay

The Telugu language Indian action epic "RRR" (short for "Rise Roar Revolt") has returned to US theaters for an exceptional one-night-only engagement on June 1st following its initial theatrical release. Some hindsight has made it easy to guess why writer/director S.S. Rajamouli has only now broken through to Western audiences with "RRR" despite his consistent box office success. Rajamouli's latest is an anti-colonial fable and buddy drama about the imaginary combo of two real-life freedom fighters, Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju ( Ram Charan ). "RRR" is also a fine showcase for Rajamouli's characteristic focus on maximalist action choreography, overwhelming stuntwork and pyrotechnics, and sophisticated computer graphics.  

By the time he made "RRR," Rajamouli had already developed his brand of Nationalistic self-mythologizing with some help from recurring collaborators like regular story writer (and biological father) Vijayendra Prasad and both co-leads, who previously starred in Rajamouli's "Yamadonga" and "Magadheera," respectively.

Set in and around Delhi in 1920, "RRR" pointedly lacks historical context so that Rajamouli and his team can transform a straight-forward rescue mission into a rallying cry for reunification and also cathartic violence. Bheem, the avenging "shepherd" of the Adivasian Gond tribe, visits Delhi to track down Malli ( Twinkle Sharma ), an innocent pre-teen who's kidnapped from her Gondian mother by the cartoonishly evil British Governor Scott ( Ray Stevenson ) and his sadistic wife Cathy ( Alison Doody ).

Raju, a peerless Colonial police officer, befriends Bheem without realizing that they're at cross purposes: Bheem wants to break into Scott's fortress-like quarters to rescue Maali while Raju wants to catch the unknown "tribal" that Scott's lackey Edward ( Edward Sonnenblick ) fears might be lurking about. Raju and Bheem immediately bond after they save an unrelated child from being crushed by a runaway train, as clear a sign as any of Rajamouli's love for Cecil B. DeMille-style melodrama. ("Ben Hur" is an acknowledged influence for Rajamouli, as are the action/period dramas of fellow DeMille-ian Mel Gibson ).

It's also fitting that "RRR" is Rajamouli's big breakthrough since it's inevitably about Bheem as an inspiring symbol of quasi-traditional, boundary-trampling patriotism. Rajamouli has gotten quite good at incorporating potentially alienating elements, like his cheap-seats love of grisly violence and brash sloganeering, into his propulsive, inventive, and visually assured fight scenes and dance numbers.

Rajamouli has also already perfected the way he works with and uses his actors as part of his shock-and-awe style of melodrama. Rama Rao is ideally cast as the naively sweet-natured Bheem, whose messianic qualities are also effectively high-lit in a handful of rousing set pieces, like when a bare-chested Bheem wrestles a tiger into submission. Rama Rao's performance isn't the main thing, but it is the emblematic inspiration that, along with a "Passion of the Christ"-worthy scourging, understandably leads an assembly of Indian nationals to attack Scott and his bloodthirsty hambone wife in a later scene.

Likewise, Charan's steely-eyed performance in "RRR" is limited, but strong enough to be credibly superhuman. Rajamouli knows exactly how to capture his best sides, as in an astounding opening action scene where Raju descends into a rioting mob just to subdue and apprehend one particular dissident. Rao and Charan's bro-mantic chemistry and syncopated physicality have already made a viral success of the movie's splashy "Naatu Naatu" musical number, but that scene's infectiously joyful presentation is supra-human by design.

The spirit of the individual matters more than any single person in Rajamouli's movies and "RRR" is a perfect expression of that notion. It's also a decent reflection of Rajamouli's fame, which Film Companion South 's Sagar Tetali keenly suggests is "the triumph of directorial ambition over the actor-star—the triumph of a brand of storytelling over the South Indian star image."

With "RRR," Rajamouli repeats his preference for one nation under populist ubermenschen. Both Bheem and Raju are extraordinary men because they are, at heart, aspirational expressions of the people's will. Their lives, their loved ones, and their relationships are all of secondary importance—check out Bollywood star Ajay Devgn 's explosive cameo!—so it makes sense that the cast's images and performances are also blown up to James Cameron-sized proportions.

Like Cameron, Rajamouli has earned a reputation for pushing the limits of industrialized pop cinema. In that sense, "RRR" feels simultaneously personal and gargantuan in scope. Film Comment 's R. Emmet Sweeney is right to caution viewers regarding the towering streak of "Hindu-centric" Nationalism and characterizations at the heart of Rajamouli's "Pan-Indian address." Sweeney is also right to hail Rajamouli's dazzling "technical innovation." It's not every day that a new Indian movie—which are typically not advertised to Western viewers beyond indigenous language speakers, and therefore largely ignored by Western outlets—is presented as an event to American theatergoers. Attend or miss out.

Available in theaters tonight, June 1st, and also streaming on Netflix.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

• N.T. Rama Rao Jr. as Komaram Bheem
• Ram Charan as Alluri Sitarama Raju
• Alia Bhatt as Sita
• Ajay Devgn as Venkata Rama Raju
• Ray Stevenson as Scott Buxton
• Alison Doody as Cassandra Buxton
• Olivia Morris as Jennifer 'Jenny' Buxton
• Samuthirakani as Venkateshwarulu
• Shriya Saran as Sarojini
• Chatrapathi Sekhar as Jangu
• Makrand Deshpande as Peddanna

Cinematographer

• K.K. Senthil Kumar
• M.M. Keeravaani
• S. S. Rajamouli
• Sreekar Prasad
• S.S. Rajamouli

Writer (story)

• Vijayendra Prasad

Leave a comment

Now playing.

The Creep Tapes

Small Things Like These

Bird (2024)

Meanwhile on Earth

Christmas Eve in Miller's Point

Stockholm Bloodbath

The Last Rifleman

Weekend in Taipei

Youth (Homecoming)

Latest articles.

The Rise of Fourth Cinema

J-Horror Lives: Introducing “Missing Child Videotape” Director Ryota Kondo

“She Just Had an Accident”: “Seed of Chucky” at 20

Return to the World of “Horizon” with Two New Releases

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

Advertisement

Supported by

Critic’s Pick

‘RRR’ Review: A Hero (or Two) Shall Rise

Scenes of glorious excess make the screen hum with energy in S.S. Rajamouli’s action epic set in British colonial India.

• Share full article

By Nicolas Rapold

It’s not long in “RRR” before a tiger and a wolf collide midair during a brawl with one of the film’s two musclebound heroes. Scenes of glorious excess make the screen hum with energy in the latest feature from S.S. Rajamouli, the director of the “Baahubali” blockbusters.

Set in 1920s India before independence, “RRR” pairs two of the country’s biggest stars, N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (known as “Jr. NTR”) and Ram Charan, as superfriends from either side of a bloody colonial divide. A goofily gallant Jr. NTR plays Bheem, a warrior from the Gond tribe, while Charan smolders as Ram, a fearsome police officer who is underestimated by his white superiors. (The characters are inspired by two rebel heroes from the era, Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju.)

Bheem journeys to Delhi to rescue a Gond girl enslaved by the British governor and his wife, a couple of sadists. Ram has orders to identify and capture Bheem by going undercover with revolutionaries. Instead, the men unwittingly make fast friends when they save a child stranded on a river that’s on fire. (As one does.)

But their missions get inevitably entangled, and Rajamouli (who collaborated on the story with his screenwriter father, Vijayendra Prasad), stirs in an aw-shucks courtship between Bheem and the governor’s not-racist niece (Olivia Morris).

Rajamouli shoots the film’s action with hallucinogenic fervor, supercharging scenes with a shimmering brand of extended slow-motion and C.G.I. that feels less “generated” than unleashed. Here-to-there plot filler in “RRR” is instantly forgiven with each wild set-piece: Ram furiously tunneling through a hundred-strong mob outside his garrison, or the rumbling dance-off (the “Naatu Naatu” musical number) where Bheem and Ram giddily exhaust the British cads and delight the ladies.

The rousing anticolonialist battle royal concludes with one final fist-pump: an end-credit song celebrating political figures from across India.

RRR Rated PG-13 for violent sequences, some intense language and general mayhem. With subtitles. Running time: 3 hours 7 minutes. In theaters.

Explore More in TV and Movies

Not sure what to watch next we can help..

A Tearful Talk : Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, the stars of the new movie “Wicked,” reflected on their long ride together , getting through Covid and the actors’ strike, and avoiding “playing to the green.”

Capturing America : As the wildly popular TV western “Yellowstone” prepares to air its final episodes, we look at four ways it seized the country’s attention .

Recreating War-Torn London : “Blitz,” Steve McQueen’s latest film, set in 1940 during Germany’s bombardment of the British capital, draws extensively from wartime photos .

Streaming Guides:  If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Watching Newsletter:  Sign up to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows  to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

• LISTEN & FOLLOW
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

If you haven't been back to the movies yet, Indian epic 'RRR' is the reason to go

John Powers

Ram Charan stars in RRR, an action-packed bromance set in India in the 1920s. Raftar Creations hide caption

Ram Charan stars in RRR, an action-packed bromance set in India in the 1920s.

If you're over the age of, say, 40, you will surely remember the 1975 cult phenomenon The Rocky Horror Picture Show . Weekend after weekend, year after year, decade after decade, audiences turned up at theaters — often dressed in corsets, fishnets and other costumes — to shriek out lines ahead of the characters and sing along with the songs.

I've never seen anything like it — until now. A few nights ago, I went to a packed screening of RRR , an epic action-picture bromance from India. The screening had 900 people — some of whom had already seen the film 10 times — clapping and dancing from the opening credits.

Made by box-office titan S.S. Rajamouli, RRR induces such unabashed giddiness in its audience that Hollywood is witnessing a push to get it nominated for the Oscars. Forget Best International Feature Film, folks are talking Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor. And having seen RRR twice myself, I'm part of the bandwagon.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'rrr' is an interrrnational phenomenon.

Set during the British Raj in the 1920s, the movie tells the story of two heroes with impressive physiques and super-charged abilities. The tightly wound Ram — played by Ram Charan — works for the British as a crack military officer who we see quash a mass Indian uprising single-handed. His tiger-hunting counterpart, Bheem, played by N.T. Rama Rao, Jr., is a tribal villager who has come in disguise to Delhi to reclaim a young girl from his village who has been capriciously snatched by the evil wife of the evil British governor.

Ram and Bheem meet heroically while working in tandem to save a child from a train crashing into a river. Kindred in their bravery, they instantly become fast friends. But they don't know one important thing. While Bheem secretly opposes the governor, Ram is secretly working for him. They're bound for a head-on collision.

RRR — the title stands for Rise Roar Revolt — is populist filmmaking. Its emotions are simple, its anti-colonial politics broad. Rajamouli makes the British rulers of India even worse than they actually were, and they were mighty bad. But his mega-star lead actors play their roles with such ardent conviction that we don't merely believe in Ram and Bheem's friendship, we're moved by it. Rajamouli unfolds the many twists and turns of their story with such confidently rampaging energy that, by comparison, most Hollywood blockbusters feel anemic.

I'm normally bored by action sequences, but from the opening riot to the assault on the governor's mansion to the big prison escape — during which Ram rides atop Bheem's shoulders with guns ablazing — RRR contains more exciting action scenes than all the Marvel movies put together. Indeed, there's a slow-motion shot right before the intermission that is one of the most jaw dropping moments in the history of cinema. Just as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix offered American viewers a new vision of action, so RRR possesses a delirious inventiveness and originality that audiences will love. And I haven't even mentioned the marvelous "Naatu Naatu" song-and-dance sequence that recalls the dance-off between the Jets and the Sharks in West Side Story , but is vastly more alive.

You can currently see RRR on Netflix, and it's a good enough movie that you'll enjoy it. But if you can — and I'd urge local theaters to bring it back — you should see it on a big screen. For two reasons. First, Rajamouli is in love with the sheer bigness that makes movies so much grander than TV. Bursting with fights, rescues, wild animals, surging crowds, sadistic monsters, larger-than-life showdowns and mythic transformations, RRR is not a movie that leaves you asking for more.

Indeed, in these days when the box-office is way down, movie chains are wobbling, and experts wonder whether the movies will even survive, RRR makes the case for returning to theaters. It reminds us that movies are always more thrilling when they're part of a collective experience, when you can share the excitement with the people around you. That excitement is electric when you watch RRR . You may well leave the theater humming the catchy tune, "Naatu Naatu."

• Power List 2024
• Cannes 2024
• In-Depth Stories
• Web Stories
• Oscars 2024
• FC Wrap 2023
• Film Festivals
• FC Adda 2023
• Companion Zone
• Best Indian Films Forever List
• FC Front Row
• FC Disruptors
• Mental Health & Wellness

RRR Movie Review: A Celebration Of Outrageous Ideas That Mostly Works

Cast: Junior NTR, Ram Charan, Alia Bhatt

Director: S.S. Rajamouli

A group of men belonging to the Gond tribe in Adilabad are planning to attack the palace of a British general in Delhi. On the British side, there are police officers, guns, ammunition, and a hundred other items that could count as weapons.

And on the side of the men of the tribes led by Komaram Bheem (NTR Jr) all they have is a truck and a few scrawny men who believe in Bheem. They are also far from home and relatively cornered alone in an unfamiliar part of the world. You begin to wonder how they will attack without getting caught. Surely Bheem is not so naïve that he can't figure out he is going to get caught if he charges at the palace. Or is Rajamouli going to cater to fans and probably have NTR Jr bulldoze his way through the crowd?

And then the film reveals Bheem's real plan with the massiest of mass entries of NTR Jr. It's outrageous. It's stunning. It's hair raising. It's full of conviction and frankly makes you think what else could these men have done but this. And this is not some surprise or convenient twist of the screenplay for the sake of a goosebumps moment for NTR Jr and his fans. Rajamouli has planted clues and hints so that this pre-interval sequence becomes a stunning set piece for Bheem and his men. And because they are such underdogs at this point you can't help but cheer for them and applaud the audacity of the idea.

It's outrageous but it's fun. 

RRR starring Ram Charan and NTR Jr is a series of such equally outrageous ideas from the mind of Rajamouli. Take the premise and story. There are a couple of years of history that are missing on Telugu revolutionaries Alluri Sitaramaraju and Komaram Bheem. 

And Rajamouli simply asks what if they met? What if he narrated the story of how they impacted each other? What if he told the story his way? This historical fan fiction idea itself sounds so out there and implausible that Rajamouli is not just happy if they shared a cup of tea at a roadside stall. He wants them to fight together, against each other, atop each other, engage in a dance battle with Britishers, and ultimately save each other and give each other the purpose that defined their later lives. 

On top of the historical baggage of the two characters is the meta baggage of his leading men. Rajamouli wants to bring together two stars belonging to the two biggest families in the Telugu film industry which seems a mean feat considering that the families have had been political rivals, film rivals, and even their fans have been rivals leading to violence. 

Additionally, Rajamouli is not content just bringing two stars to be the two versions of the same as multi-starrer films do when they want to play safe and make sure neither leading actor is shortchanged. He wants them to have different emotional arcs, he wants them to be two full characters rather than two stars looking for equal footing on screen.

He also does not want to play it safe and simple as seen in other multi-starrer films such as Seethamma Vaakitlo Sirimalle Chettu or Gopala Gopala or Deva Das. These films either eliminated any elements of masala or had a clear hierarchy of stars.

To use a Baahubali-an metaphor Rajamouli wants to take the bull of masala films by its horns and make a proper multi-starrer that results in a great theatrical experience. 

And on paper, all of RRR's ideas work and they mostly translate on screen. 

Let's look at what works first. 

Rajamouli is interested in showing dualities through his films and maybe for the first time you see such literal interpretations of these dualities. Ram Charan and NTR Jr. Fire and Water. Patriotism and Personal love. Orange and Blue. Wild and Civilised. Utilitarian and Deontological. Maybe even Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

I was worried before watching the film that these would be ornamental and shallow ideas which might not have any emotional depth. But I was wrong on this one. You just need one example to understand why Rajamouli has covered his emotional bases.

There's a stretch in the second half and I don't want to spoil it for anyone so I'll be cryptic about it. A character is going through immense pain and this character is singing a song to console themselves. On the surface, it's about this character healing and this character spreading the message of patriotism through their song to others.

But the camera lingers on the one inflicting the pain. And the way their world and ideology begin to crumble. The character inflicting the pain has always assumed that weapons mean guns. And for the first time, this character sees that a weapon need not be a gun. It could be anything. Fists, legs, and even a song. And the camera shows fists punching the others inflicting pain, legs stepping on barbed wire to break fences, and then it lingers on to the character experiencing change. 

This is the film's best emotional sequence and probably the most important turning point within the larger journey of the film. 

And it is here that you get why Rajamouli is so obsessed with dualities and the story that he chose to tell. This scene tells you why the potential intertwining histories of two of the most celebrated figures in Telugu culture is so interesting to Rajamouli. It isn't just about bringing two big stars to act in a film or the potential box office numbers or even the chance to execute some outlandish and some downright silly ideas. 

It is also here that MM Keeravani, the music director, is in supreme form and you wonder how someone manages to make you think the music is mediocre before the release of a film and after viewing it you can't help but hum his songs. Komaram Bheemudo sung by Kaala Bhairava haunts you even after you leave the hall. 

Similarly, Rajamouli's story is not fully convincing as to how these Ramaraju and Bheem become such good friends suddenly. If the film was on mute it would have felt rushed but Keeravani and editor Sreekar Prasad save the screenplay with the way the song Dosti is pieced together audio-visually. Of course, NTR Jr and Ram Charan are great but it needed something more and the music director and editor land the bond between the principal protagonists. Other songs like Naatu Naatu and the soft hymns that are used to elevate a mass scene are prime Keeravani territory and there are barely any blunders he makes in those. 

It's also to Rajamouli's credit that he's extracted such fine performances from all his actors. It takes a special kind of film where you walk out thinking Alia Bhatt might have been the weakest link and that's not her fault because it has more to do with dubbing and her character length and the various times the screenplay uses her character Seeta as a crutch. I'll get to that later. 

Everyone has always known that NTR Jr is a great actor but somehow one could never name one film where he acted well throughout. There were scenes and stretches where he exhibited the full range of his acting prowess but there is no one film where it felt like his full potential was used. And finally, that film has come. In terms of histrionics which he always puts in fifth gear has finally mellowed in the hands of Rajamouli and he has toned it down by using NTR Jr's eyes more than his voice. There's a scene where he hears the voice of someone he's been looking for, for the first time in ages and his face lights up but it also panics because of the consequences of what it might mean for him and the other character if they recognize each other. He captures innocence and naïveté and the feeling of being wronged without resorting to melodrama like he usually does. 

Similarly, Ram Charan who had dispelled myths about his acting capabilities with Rangasthalam, gets a stoic character with a tragic past. There's a certain woodenness and sullenness to his Ramaraju. But for the first time the woodenness of his face works because of his acting and not because he can't. Early on in the film, he charges at a wrongdoer who broke a law. He's getting beaten up by a mob. And he's beating them up too. But there is this look of masochistic glee where the harder he gets hit the more determined he seems. And the pain passes onto the lawbreaker who thinks he's free. Unlike Bheem, Ramaraju has a more complex and layered character which is not an easy fan favourite. He does questionable things, his emotions are constantly in check, and his purpose is mysterious and broad. It is to Ram Charan's credit that he still manages to retain the audience's sympathy and empathy against an NTR Jr who is not only in sublime form but also has the more crowd-pleasing character.

But in this quest for a duality that isn't just plainly about giving each actor even character graphs and massy moments, Rajamouli seems to have taken lightly the one screenwriting principle that he has maintained throughout his career i.e. creating villains who seem more powerful than the hero(es).

But Ray Stevenson's General Scott and to an extent Alisson Dhody's Lady Scott are the weakest villains in Rajamouli's filmography. It's not just enough that they have an army of soldiers at their disposal or that they are racists and have no feelings about uprooting children from their homes. Those are clichés and you expect better and bigger from a filmmaker of Rajamouli's stature. 

This film needed its Gabbar Singh or at least a version of Helmut Zemo from Avengers: Civil War. Because once Bheem achieves his goals and Ramaraju goes through what he must, the third act of the film feels like an extension only to have some fan-pleasing set pieces. The set pieces are whistle-worthy for sure but they don't carry the same emotional weight as the earlier portions of the films did.

All of this is made apparent by two screenplay choices that Rajmouli is forced to make. The first is that all of Seeta's entries occur where convenient and depend on us believing in coincidences that bend the rules of Rajamouli's universe. We cut to one of her scenes in the first half to make us understand the motives of Ramaraju but it doesn't feel organic. Similarly, when she does enter in the third act it feels too convenient. But again, the premise of this sequence is great. It's an inversion of Hanuman going to save Sita and Rajamouli never makes a poor allusion to mythology. But he has created a poor villain which also leads him towards his second questionable screenplay choice. 

This involves the flashback of Ramaraju. Given where it is currently it feels like the journey expected of an audience is to go from "Why is he behaving like a villain?" to "Oh! That's why he was like that". Wouldn't it have been better to keep it upfront so the conflict between Ram and Bheem feels more like a tragedy that the audience cannot stop? But then again if Rajamouli does that then that will cause a bloated first half which leaves barely any drama for the second. 

I understand it's hard to create a more macho villain than the combination of Ramcharan and NTR Jr playing Ramaraju and Bheem but Lady Scott with all her venom seemed a more promising villain than General Scott. A little more bravery on this front would have made for a strong third act and not having the audience feel like the film ended abruptly.

But you never walk out of the theatre feeling like you've been shortchanged for the cash you paid. The questions that linger are more in the zone of what could have been an epic story is now reduced to an epic theatrical experience. And there is nothing wrong with that either, but because of the bar Rajamouli has set for himself you want to discuss and dissect each story and you want it to linger in your mind years later. Now what lingers is how you felt when watching the outrageous set pieces.

And they were goosebumps raising, whiste-worthy, crazy, insane. Did I say outrageous?

Related Stories

The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News

Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter

site categories

‘rrr’ review: s.s. rajamouli’s glorious indian action spectacle.

This Telugu-language action-adventure epic, available on Netflix, has become a worldwide sensation.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Send an Email
• Show additional share options
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Pinterest
• Share on Reddit
• Share on Tumblr
• Share on Whats App
• Print the Article
• Post a Comment

“Delirious” is the word to describe S.S. Rajamouli’s Indian action-adventure film that has become a worldwide phenomenon both in theaters and on Netflix since its summer release.

Related Stories

Red sea film fest unveils 38 titles for souk project market, including first asian, tv series projects, 'the shadow scholars' director eloise king on diving into the essay-writing industry in kenya and using ai to protect people.

Although the central characters are based on real-life historical figures, RRR (the title stands for “Rise, Roar, Revolt”) is strictly fictional, as one of the most extensive opening disclaimers ever seen onscreen takes pain to emphasize. (We’re also assured that all of the animals seen in the film, and there are plenty, are strictly CGI. Which is definitely a good thing for them.)

We’re introduced to the lead characters in two bravura action sequences before the opening credits, which don’t appear until some 40 minutes into the film. Ramo Rao Jr. plays Bheem, a burly member of the Gond tribe who attempts to trap a wolf only to come into hand-to-paw combat with a rampaging tiger, whom he manages to subdue through a combination of cunning and superhuman strength. Charan plays Raju, a seemingly superhuman Indian member of the British police who, when first seen, dives into a raging mob of what seems like thousands of rioting Indians to subdue a criminal and somehow manages to fight all of them off successfully.

When a little girl from his tribe is abducted by an evil British governor (Ray Stevenson, leaning heavily into his cartoonish role) who regards Indians as “brown rubbish,” and his equally wicked wife (Alison Doody, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade ), Bheem embarks for Delhi on a rescue mission. There he encounters Raju in an action-movie version of a “meet cute,” the pair making their acquaintance via a daring joint rescue of a boy from a burning river in a sequence that rivals anything James Cameron or Steven Spielberg has ever devised.

And, of course, there are musical numbers, including the instant classic “Naatu Naatu,” in which Raju and Bheem engage in a frenetically athletic dance-off with rhythm-challenged Brits that would have made MGM’s Arthur Freed proud. (I watched the film on Netflix, and can only imagine the hysteria the scene must have induced in theaters.)

Director Rajamouli, who in just seven years is already responsible for three of India’s highest-grossing films of all time, displays his obvious love of popular cinema in every wildly colorful, overstuffed frame. No matter that the CGI or aerial wire work is sometimes all too obvious, or that the frequent use of slow-motion borders on parody. It’s all presented in such visually dazzling fashion that your eyes are fully satisfied before your brain can make any objections.

And the two endlessly charismatic lead actors display such dynamic physicality in their hyper-muscular performances that they fairly burst from the screen. Their characters provide the most evocative screen bromance since Butch and Sundance.  

Full credits

Thr newsletters.

Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day

More from The Hollywood Reporter

Martha stewart wants a part two of her ‘martha’ doc because she feels “it left out a lot”, omar apollo prepared for ‘queer’ full frontal scene by sending nude to a friend: “you think i’m good”, cinema eye honors 2025 noms: ‘sugarcane’ leads all docs with six nominations, saoirse ronan on ‘the outrun’ and wanting to see more flawed female characters  , where to stream summer blockbuster ‘twisters’ on demand online, boyz ii men biopic movie in the works.

The Netflix Hit “RRR” Is a Political Screed, an Action Bonanza, and an Exhilarating Musical

When it comes to cinematic propaganda, blatant is better than insidious. Overt advocacy has the virtue of candor and the vigor of fervent emotion. A movie such as “ Top Gun: Maverick ” hides its messages under the guise of unexceptionable realities, whereas another new, high-energy, political action spectacle, the Indian film “RRR” (which was released theatrically in March and is now streaming on Netflix, where it’s in the top five), makes its statements explicit. It thrusts its imaginative artistry thrillingly and gleefully to the fore.

“RRR”—the title stands for “Rise Roar Revolt”—turns history into legend by way of heightened visual rhetoric. It’s based very loosely on the real-life stories of two Indian revolutionaries of the early twentieth century, Alluri Sitarama Raju and Komaram Bheem, who contested the oppressions of British colonial power. There’s no record of their having met, let alone joining forces. The director, S. S. Rajamouli —who also wrote the screenplay, based on a story by V. Vijayendra Prasad (his father)—derives a magnificent outpouring of creative energy from the inspiring fantasy of their volatile connection. (The movie’s original language is Telugu; the version shown on Netflix is dubbed into Hindi.)

On a motor trip through the Indian countryside, Catherine Buxton (Alison Doody), the high-handed wife of the British colonial governor, buys an Indian girl named Malli (Twinkle Sharma) as one might buy a pet. The governor’s party carts the child away over the protests of her mother, Loki (Ahmareen Anjum), who is brutalized by British guards. Malli is from the Gond tribe, which is said to hold fast together, and its so-called shepherd, Bheem (N. T. Rama Rao, Jr.), a fierce warrior, heads to Delhi to find her, disguising himself as a Muslim mechanic named Akhtar. The British governor, Scott Buxton (Ray Stevenson), is warned by an Indian police officer about the shepherd and his ferocity; Buxton orders his officers to find and capture the shepherd. One of his Indian police officers, Raju (Ram Charan), volunteers for the mission, planning to infiltrate the city’s revolutionary Indian circles. In Delhi, two Indian strangers see a boy drowning in the river and team up to rescue him; the two men, Raju and “Akhtar,” become fast friends. Raju is unaware that Akhtar is the warrior he’s looking for, and Akhtar is unaware that Raju works for the man whose household he aims to raid. The drama of their secrets, and the circuitous path of their ultimate collaboration (it’s no spoiler), involve scenes of moral and emotional horror that are redeemed in the high purpose of their historic mission.

The similarity in tone to other Indian action films is matched by what it shares with Hollywood blockbusters, too. The drama is built around action, stints on character, features very little dialogue that doesn’t advance the plot, and offers neither psychology nor history nor social context to enrich the historical framework. It’s a movie of shortcuts and elisions no less relentless than those of American superhero or superstar vehicles, but Rajamouli is an artist of a distinctive temperament and talent. He spotlights the halo of legend in an extended scene that introduces Raju, at a prison where Indian people are storming the gates to free a prisoner. There, Raju takes on the entire surging crowd by way of impossible acrobatics and eruptive martial artistry (highlighted by a madly rotating camera) that plays like a live-action cartoon. The element of fantasy is intensified by a sequence of Bheem’s rigorous self-imposed training, which involves single-handed battle with a wolf and a tiger.

There’s an overt element of exaggeration that bends the story into the substance and the tone of legend—the effect is of an onscreen tall tale. It’s a film of giddy, exhilarating hyperbole in which physical action pierces the barrier of impossibility but stops short of the supernatural or superheroic. And there’s a dashing graphic sense of composition and an assertively precise sense of rapid action that owes nothing to the generic jumble with which most Hollywood action scenes are filmed and edited. “RRR” is also filled with gore: streaming blood, spurting blood, bodies beaten and pierced and torn. Yet the combination of sharply determined political purpose and compositional artistry lends the horror an air of abstraction that stokes a sense of indignation or of justice without physical disgust or titillation.

The plot has twists and turns, hidden byways and surprising connections, that have the dazzle of magic tricks. The story’s omissions and truncations—an odd thing to refer to in a movie that runs to nearly three hours—contribute to the air of wonder and lend a jolt of astonishment to an extensive flashback that’s dropped in midway through. The drama is rooted in the absolute sadism, the monstrous and indeed genocidal racism of the British, the governmental terrorism with which Buxton reigns, the pathological bloodlust of power that Catherine flaunts, the dehumanizing prejudices of subordinate officers, and the vile politics of hiring indigenous people to do their dirty work. The story’s view of colonial despotism involves not only grievous economic inequality but also relentless political repression—and a sense of fear that’s nearly a sense of doom, signalled by the absolute ban on Indian people owning firearms and the tumult that results when even a single rifle falls into the hands of one of them.

For all its political determination, “RRR” is also a musical, and an electrifying one. The movie is filled with music and with characters singing at moments of grand political import; when Raju and Bheem manage to attend a high British social gathering, they convert a moment of cultural chauvinism into a spectacular dance-off. The frenetically athletic choreography involves gestures of a rapid-fire sculptural majesty to match the geometric flair of the images that capture it. Where the movie’s central dance is pugnaciously competitive, the fight scenes are dance-like, featuring moments of phantasmagorical splendor. One won’t soon forget the vision of a warrior carrying another on his back, with the one on top bearing two rifles and shooting them with deadly accuracy in opposite directions while the bearer breaks on the run through a brick wall. Or a runaway motorcycle being stopped with one foot as if it were a soccer ball, caught in midair, and hurled with the devastating force of a cannonball. Or a single flaming arrow igniting the entire countryside and yielding Wagnerian images of sublime destruction.

The drama of political unity that song lyrics characterize as “friendship between an erupting volcano and a wild storm” is also a flag-waving spectacle of patriotic pomp. The movie’s powerful sense of revolutionary virtue and collective purpose yields to nationalistic pride that’s danced and sung with uninhibited joy. The concluding production number, with militaristic bravado, spotlights the present-day purposes of this quasi-historical tale.

New Yorker Favorites

Can reading make you happier ?

Why walking helps us think .

The Vogue model who became a war photographer .

The perils of Pearl and Olga .

Sentenced to life for an accident miles away .

The resurgent appeal of Stevie Nicks .

Fiction by Lore Segal: “ Ladies’ Lunch ”

Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker .

FOLLOW US ON

Predictometer

• Critic Movie Review
• User Movie Reviews

RRR Movie Review: A film that’s meant for the big screen RRR is a teRRRific entertainer.

Rrr is a terrrific entertainer, rrr review {4.0/5} & review rating.

Everyone’s discussing RRR for a solid reason: SS Rajamouli. He pioneered the trend of PAN-India films with BAAHUBALI and BAAHUBALI 2. The second part — the facts are known to all and sundry — holds the enviable record of being the highest grossing *Hindi* film.

Naturally, the expectations from RRR — his third PAN-India film in a row — are massive. Also because it marks the Hindi debut of Jr NTR and it happens to be the second Hindi outing of Ram Charan . Two hugely popular actors of the Telugu film industry.

Both, Jr NTR and Ram Charan reunite with Rajamouli after a gap. For the uninitiated, RRR is Jr NTR’s fourth film with the master storyteller, while Charan reunites with Rajamouli after the mega-success of MAGADHEERA.

There’s a lot at stake this time. BAAHUBALI [2015] arrived with zilch expectations at that point of time. RRR is carrying the baggage of expectations and also has to deliver the numbers, after the historic success of BAAHUBALI 2 [2017]. The important question is, does RRR live up to the lofty expectations?

Like BAAHUBALI [both parts], Rajamouli goes back in time with RRR. The difference is, it’s about two revolutionaries this time. Also, RRR is set in the pre-independence era [1920].

Now let’s come to the point…

RRR is a solid entertainer that doesn’t make you restless, despite a marathon run time. The screenplay is wonderfully constructed, the twists and turns are attention grabbing and the nail-biting episodes as well as superbly executed action pieces keep you mesmerised till the final credits roll. The best part is, you don’t know the plot [Rajamouli hasn’t revealed much either, pre-release], so what unfolds on screen catches you by complete surprise.

The plot, without revealing spoilers. The year is 1920. The British are ruling India. The wife [Alison Doody] of a British officer Scott Buxton [Ray Stevenson] gets impressed by a tribal girl, Malli. She forcibly takes the girl away to Delhi, much to the shock of her parents and the rest of the tribe.

Komaram Bheem [Jr NTR] — who belongs to the tribe — promises to bring back Malli. When the British learn about Bheem and his mission, they decide to trace him at any cost. However, no one knows what Bheem looks like. A police officer, Alluri Sitarama Raju [Ram Charan], takes up the challenge.

Rajamouli’s films are desi at heart and soaked in entertainment. RRR is no different. He knows what his audience expects from him, which explains why every sequence is loaded with entertainment. Wait, Rajamouli also knows well that mass moments minus emotions will backfire, which is why there’s a strong undercurrent of emotions in his films. RRR has it as well.

Rajamouli has a fantastic sense of narrating an epic tale, which is evident when you look at the visuals. The introduction of Ram Charan first and Jr NTR later leave you stunned thanks to the sheer magnificence.

RRR Hungama: Jr. NTR, S.S. Rajamouli & Ram Charan’s most entertaining interview | Alia Bhatt | Ajay Devgn

RRR contains enough worthy material to hold the moviegoer’s attention for most of its run time. The emotional component is well balanced with subtle humour, drama, action pieces and of course, some stunning visuals that leave you awe-struck.

Any hiccups? Yes, the pace slackens in the second act, after intermission. Besides, a few sequences in this hour aren’t too convincing. Sure, it’s an entertainer and one shouldn’t look for logic, but, a few portions lack the impact. Also, Alia Bhatt’s character could’ve done with better writing.

RRR rests on Jr NTR and Ram Charan’s brawny shoulders. Jr NTR is exceptional, pitches a sterling act that doesn’t miss a beat. He gives RRR the much-needed power. Ram Charan is fantastic. Electrifying in dramatic and action moments. Winsome act adds weightage. Also, you are left awestruck by Jr NTR and Ram Charan’s dancing skills in ‘Naacho Naacho’. The choreography of this song deserves distinction marks.

Also, the two actors have dubbed their lines in Hindi themselves and the diction as well as the flow of words are perfect.

Alia Bhatt doesn’t get much scope, while Ajay Devgn appears in a well-written cameo. Ray Stevenson [Scott] and Alison Doody [Lady Scott] are effective as the antagonists. Olivia Morris gets limited scope. Shriya Saran is okay in a cameo.

The soundtrack has a smash hit number in ‘Naacho Naacho’, while ‘Sholay’ [end credits] is an apt track to conclude the film. KK Senthil Kumar's cinematography is spectacular and does complete justice to the scale of the film. Sabu Cyril's production design is superb. Rama Rajamouli's costumes are well researched and the detailing catches your eye. VFX [V Srinivas Mohan] matches global standards. Action sequences are one of the strengths of the film.

On the whole, RRR is a teRRRific entertainer that’s meant for the big screen. The film has the merits to emerge a massive hit. Don’t miss it!

• RRR Movie Review
• RRR Movie Reviews
• RRR Public Review
• RRR Movie Release Date
• RRR Film Release Date
• RRR Critic Review
• RRR Reviews
• RRR Film Reviews
• RRR Film Review
• RRR Hindi Movie Review
• RRR Hindi Movie Reviews

RRR Movie News

EXCLUSIVE: Shubh Mukherjee says, "SS Rajamouli epitomizes Indian cinema"; expresses his desire to direct THIS RRR actor, and it's not who you think!

EXPLAINED: Why the Prabhas starrer Kalki 2898 AD and other Pan-India films are available on different streaming giants

MM Keeravani says his Oscar-winning song ‘Naatu Naatu’ was not his “best” work: “When the recognition has to come, it will come somehow”

Kailash Kher talks about RRR's Oscar honour; SLAMS Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar win: "It showed Indians jumping into a pile of shit; DAMAGED our reputation"

“Jr NTR was already there and we were still figuring how to place the camera”, cinematographer Senthil Kumar shares surprising anecdote about RRR

RRR adapted as Broadway play in Japan; SS Rajamouli receives standing ovation, watch

• Facebook Comments
• Vijay 69 Movie
• Matka Movie
• Kanguva Movie
• A Real Encounter Movie
• Match Fixing Movie
• The Sabarmati Report Movie
• Dhai Aakhar Movie
• I Want To Talk Movie
• Singham Again Review
• Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Review
• Do Patti Review
• Venom – The Last Dance (English) Review
• Jigra Review
• CTRL Review
• Joker: Folie à Deux (English) Review
• Binny And Family Review
• Devara: Part 1 Review
• Yudhra Review
• Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Public Review
• Singham Again Public Review
• Bad Newz Public Review
• Chandu Champion Public Review
• Crew Public Review
• Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Public Review
• Fighter Public Review
• Salaar Public Review
• Dunki Public Review
• Animal Public Review
• Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 Box Office
• Singham Again Box Office
• Venom – The Last Dance (English) Box Office
• Bandaa Singh Chaudhary Box Office
• Navras Katha Collage Box Office
• The Wild Robot (English) Box Office
• Settlement Box Office
• Goodrich (English) Box Office
• Smile 2 (English) Box Office
• Aayushmati Geeta Matric Pass Box Office
• Akshay Kumar
• Katrina Kaif
• Ranveer Singh
• Deepika Padukone
• Vaani Kapoor
• Salman Khan
• Rashmika Mandanna
• John Abraham
• Ayushmann Khurrana
• Tara Sutaria
• Rajkummar Rao
• Box Office Collection
• Analysis & Features
• All Time Top Grossers
• Overseas Box Office
• 100 Crore club
• 200 Crore club
• Top Actress
• Box Office Collection 2023
• Box Office Collection 2022
• Box Office Collection 2021
• Box Office Collection 2020
• Bollywood News
• Featured Movie News
• Latest Box Office News
• Box Office Updates
• Box Office Business Talk
• Box Office Overseas News
• Latest News Slideshows
• Upcoming Releases
• Movie Reviews
• Bollywood Hindi News
• Parties and Events
• Latest Celeb Photos
• Celeb Wallpapers
• Movie Stills
• Movie Wallpapers
• Top Movie Video Songs
• Celebrity Interview Videos
• Movie Trailer Videos
• Party & Event Videos
• Exclusives & Specials
• Matka (Official Hindi Trailer) | Varun Tej |…
• Thug Life Release Date Teaser (Hindi) | Kamal…
• The Sabarmati Report | Official Trailer | Vikrant…
• Azaad Official Teaser | Ajay Devgn | Abhishek…
• I Want To Talk - Trailer | Shoojit Sircar |…
• Baby John - Taster Cut | Atlee | Varun Dhawan,…
• Latest Hindi News
• Latest Bhojpuri News
• Celebs@twitter
• Hungama.com
• Artist Aloud
• Hungama Games
• Music Reviews
• Bharat Official Trailer
• Download Celeb Photos
• Download Celeb Wallpapers
• Download Movie photos
• Download Celebrity Party Photos
• Download Movie First Look Poster
• Download Magazine Cover
• Download Movie On Set Photos
• Download Movie Wallpapers

• Date of Birth Month January Febuary March April May June July August September October November December Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Year 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937 1936 1935 1934 1933 1932 1931 1930 1929 1928 1927 1926 1925 1924 1923 1922 1921 1920 1919 1918 1917 1916 1915 1914 1913
• Gender Male Female

Skip this step for now

• Your Rating Click to rate on scale of 1-5
• Review Title

5000 characters remaining

Your browser is not supported

Sorry but it looks as if your browser is out of date. To get the best experience using our site we recommend that you upgrade or switch browsers.

Find a solution

• Skip to main content
• Skip to navigation

• Back to parent navigation item
• Digital Editions
• Screen Network
• Stars Of Tomorrow
• The Big Screen Awards
• FYC screenings
• World of Locations
• UK in focus
• Job vacancies
• Cannes Close-Up
• Distribution
• Staff moves
• Artificial intelligence
• Territories
• UK & Ireland
• North America
• Asia Pacific
• Middle East & Africa
• Future Leaders
• My Screen Life
• Karlovy Vary
• San Sebastian
• Sheffield Doc/Fest
• Box Office Reports
• International
• Golden Globes
• European Film Awards
• Stars of Tomorrow

Subscribe to Screen International

• Monthly print editions
• Awards season weeklies
• Stars of Tomorrow and exclusive supplements
• Over 16 years of archived content
• More from navigation items

‘RRR’: Review

By Tara Judah 2022-04-08T09:12:00+01:00

S.S. Rajamouli smashes records with his big-screen spectacular 

Source: Media House Global

Dir/scr: S.S. Rajamouli. India. 2022. 180 mins.

When it comes to spectacle, S.S. Rajamouli delivers. And then some. His latest action-packed audience-pleasing adventure epic  RRR  has smashed numerous box office records and helped revive cinema-going, especially for the domestic market. Riotous good fun from start to finish, RRR , a fictionalised account of two real-life revolutionaries fighting against the British Raj and Nizam of Hyderabad in 1920s India is being deservedly championed for reminding audiences what big screen entertainment is all about. 

Big, bold and bombastic, this is big screen entertainment at its best.

The second most expensive Indian film ever made, with a budget of $72 million (second only to 2018’s 2.0 which came in at $75 million), with the highest opening day collection by an Indian film ($31m), RRR has also just taken the mantel as the fifth highest grossing Indian film of all time (at the time of writing it has taken $99m at the global box office, with $65m of that from its opening weekend, and admissions continue to climb). Yet perhaps  RRR was   a sure thing given Rajamouli’s previous success with his Baahubali films; Baahubali: The Beginning (which took more than $100m globally) and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (which took $254m globally), and his two big star lead actors, N.T. Rama Rao Jr, grandson to Telugu actor politician N.T. Rama Rao, and Ram Charan, both of whom are multi award-winning performers. But what is most remarkable about  RRR , however, is its deeply affecting tone.

N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (aka Jr. NTR) plays the kind-hearted Komaram Bheem, revolutionary of the Gond tribes, while Ram Charan is Alluri Sitarama Raju, who waged armed revolution against British colonial rule. The similarities to their real-life counterparts are slight, with Rajamouli’s epic imagining what might have happened if the pair had met during the undocumented periods in their lives before their fights for India’s independence truly took hold.

The film begins in the Adilabad Forest, with the first ‘R’ accounted for – Sto R y – where a young girl, Malli (Twinkle Sharma) is taken from her mother at the behest of the British governor’s wife, who thinks the young girl’s henna artistry and charming nightingale song would make her an ideal addition to the mantelpiece. This is the narrative act that will later put everything in motion for Bheem.

The second ‘R’ comes from Fi R e, where we are first introduced to Raju (Charan), who will do anything to get a promotion – including a single-handed fight sequence that defies the odds and probably gravity just to prove his indomitable spirit, otherworldly strengths and oddly aligned allegiance to the crown. Set on the outskirts of Delhi, where riots are being led by Lala Lajpat Rai, Raju must do more than just ‘hold the line’ if he wants to get noticed. The action sequence that follows is nothing short of incredible, with Raju emerging as a jaw-dropping physical force to be reckoned with. This chapter also includes what must be the most impressive literal crowd scene (populated by people, not CGI) since Ben Hur.  

Finally – although at less than an hour into the 180-minute epic – the third ‘R’ is revealed – Wate R – which properly introduces Bheem, presented as the “shepherd” of the Gond tribes, on a mission (undercover as Akhtar) to retrieve the lost lamb Malli and return her to her mother, family and village. But Bheem is soon surpassing what might be reasonable expectations of a shepherd: wearing extremely short shorts, with dramatically dripping blood running down his face and upper torso, Bheem takes on a wolf and a tiger – both of which move in decidedly marvellous and unexpected ways, with all the animals in this production being computer generated.

The central conflict comes from the British wanting Bheem captured and Raju being the man to do the job. But plot becomes secondary in this over-the-top action adventure, where fantastically choreographed set pieces – including a human pyramid of colossal proportions that not only seems to defy physics but that also has a touch of the Busby Berkeley about it – take centre stage. RRR’s set pieces, which are matched only by the utterly charismatic performances of its two leads (who, for all of their earth-defiant fighting might as well be literal superheroes) give every instalment of the Marvel multiverse a run for their money.

The film’s early domestic success comes just as two of India’s biggest cinema chains, PVR Cinemas and Inox Leisure, merged to form a mega-circuit of 1,546 screens, and already RRR has had a significant impact in drawing domestic audiences away from smaller screens and into potential post-Pandemic recovery. (Although box office notched an impressive $515.5m in 2021 – an increase of 56% on 2020 – it is still at just 37% of where it was at before Covid hit.)

It’s no surprise. Composer M.M. Keeravani has crafted incredibly catchy tunes, which Rajamouli chooses to repeat like a heartbeat throughout, making the final crescendo even more satisfying. A Sreeker Prasad’s editing is so dynamic that the whole thing - at three hours, and with an intermission – feels like it flies by in an instant. For all of its historical absurdity – realism is nowhere to be seen here – there is no denying that Rajamouli has delivered exactly what audiences want: big, bold and bombastic, this is cinema entertainment at its best.

Production companies: DVV Entertainment

International Sales: Phars Film, [email protected]

Producer: D.V.V. Danayya

Cinematography: Senthil Kumar

Editing: A. Sreeker Prasad

Production design: Sabu Cyril

Music: M.M. Keeravani

Main cast: N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Olivia Morris, Shriya Saran, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, Edward Sonnenblick

Related articles

‘Raqqa: Spy Vs Spy’: Seville Review

2024-11-14T17:14:00Z By Jonathan Holland

High-octane Syria-set spy thriller

‘Passing Dreams’: Cairo Review

2024-11-14T16:22:00Z By Allan Hunter

Cairo opens with a defiantly upbeat Palestinian road movie about a young boy and his missing pigeon

‘Reading Lolita In Tehran’: Tallinn Review

2024-11-13T15:25:00Z By Wendy Ide

Golshifteh Farahani plays a literary professor trying to stem the tide of repression in revolutionary Iran

More from Reviews

‘Dismantling An Elephant’: Seville Review

2024-11-13T12:12:00Z By Jonathan Holland

A mother’s alcoholism casts a shadow over a wealthy Barcelona family

‘A Missing Part’: Seville Review

2024-11-13T10:24:00Z By Jonathan Holland

Romain Duris is a French father working in Tokyo who falls foul of Japanese custody laws

‘The Antique’: Seville Review

2024-11-12T09:00:00Z By Jonathan Holland

Georgia’s Oscar submission was shot in Russia and tracks exiles in St Petersburg

• Advertise with Screen
• A - Z of Subjects
• Connect with us on Facebook
• Connect with us on Twitter
• Connect with us on Linked in
• Connect with us on YouTube
• Connect with us on Instagram>

Screen International is the essential resource for the international film industry. Subscribe now for monthly editions, awards season weeklies, access to the Screen International archive and supplements including Stars of Tomorrow and World of Locations.

• Screen Awards
• Media Production & Technology Show
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy & Cookie Policy
• Copyright © 2023 Media Business Insight Limited
• Subscription FAQs

Site powered by Webvision Cloud

We sent an email to [email protected]

Didn't you get the email?

By joining, you agree to the Terms and Policies and Privacy Policy and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

User 8 or more characters with a number and a lowercase letter. No spaces.

username@email

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening This Week
• Top Box Office
• Coming Soon to Theaters
• Certified Fresh Movies

Movies at Home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 92% Heretic Link to Heretic
• 82% Emilia Pérez Link to Emilia Pérez
• 95% A Real Pain Link to A Real Pain

New TV Tonight

• 100% Say Nothing: Season 1
• 89% Silo: Season 2
• 87% The Day of the Jackal: Season 1
• 87% St. Denis Medical: Season 1
• 81% Bad Sisters: Season 2
• 84% Yellowstone: Season 5
• 81% Cobra Kai: Season 6
• 69% Cross: Season 1
• 71% The Creep Tapes: Season 1
• -- It's All Country: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 95% The Penguin: Season 1
• 72% Dune: Prophecy: Season 1
• 100% Arcane: League of Legends: Season 2
• 89% The Day of the Jackal: Season 1
• 94% Silo: Season 2
• 77% Disclaimer: Season 1
• 95% The Diplomat: Season 2
• 100% From: Season 3
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV

Certified fresh pick

• 87% The Day of the Jackal: Season 1 Link to The Day of the Jackal: Season 1
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Netflix’s 100 Best Movies Right Now (November 2024)

All Ridley Scott Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming.

Awards Tour

What’s Next for The Penguin and The Batman: Part II

Alfonso Cuarón Breaks Down Casting Cate Blanchett for TV and the Disclaimer Finale

• Trending on RT
• Gladiator II First Reviews
• Holiday Programming
• Nosferatu Reactions
• Verified Hot Movies

Where to Watch

Watch RRR with a subscription on Netflix.

What to Know

Intoxicatingly over the top, RRR pulls out all the stops to make the absolute most of its 187-minute runtime.

Top-notch singing and dancing combine with a terrific story to make RRR a three-hour feast of entertainment.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

S.S. Rajamouli

N.T. Rama Rao Jr.

Komaram Bheem

Alluri Sitarama Raju

Ajay Devgan

Venkata Rama Raju

Shriya Saran

More Like This

Related movie news.