Movie Review: The Last Confederate

Praiseworthy Effort!!
One thing about Europeans and Euro-Americans (White people in the US) that continues to leave me awed is their ability to take up even the most trivial incident and tell a hugely successful story which will subtly enhance their image in front of the world. The Last Confederate is a movie which showcases the true story of American Civil War Hero Robert Adams is a similar effort.

The movie is set in a period just before the start of the American Civil War and narrates the story of the life of Robert Adams, during the civil war years. The story portrays the passion, courage and love of the protagonist for his land, people and way of life. Robert is a southern planter who enjoys the good life, served by slaves, meandering from one party to another, supervising agriculture, riding fine horses, etc. He wants to continue leading the same life like the greater part of the southern white population. He falls in love with beautiful Eveline, a teacher from the North (Pennsylvania) and wants to marry her.

But with the federal government abolishing slavery the southern states decide to secede which leads to the Civil War. Robert Adams passionate about his land, lifestyle and people decides to enter into the fray and is recruited as captain of the Confederate forces. During the course of the war he is captured and imprisoned, but manages to escape and reunite with his love for a brief period. He reenters the battles and fights till the end of the war and emerges as the only surviving confederate soldier (at least according to the movie), thanks to the pity of a Union soldier who just fires in the air and lets him go.

If one were to watch the movie without bothering about any historical knowledge/ perspective, then this is a brilliant story and one can't help but become a great admirer of Robert Adams. But I am a big time skeptic, so when I watch any movie I examine the story, narration and characters with an array of lenses. Ideologically speaking this movie is a sham, for one thing the makers of this movie are glorifying a man who fought for slavery. What can be a bigger insult to democracy and equality than this? Then what is great about Robert Adams? He fought for Confederates to protect his land, which his fore-fathers and millions of other white people illegally, inhumanly and unethically usurped from native American tribes. He fought to protect his family and to have the freedom to continue to lead the same way of life, which is commendable, if one looks it from his side.

Summing up, I would say this movie has a lot of lessons for Indians. Here is Julian Adams the great-grandson of Robert Adams who produced, wrote and starred in the film. Look at our country, the first film about Mahatma Gandhi was produced, directed and acted out by foreigners. Till date no descendant of Prithviraj Chauhan, Maharana Prathap, Chattrapathi Shivaji or any other Indian Hero has ever bothered to sponsor/ produce any movie to tell the true story of their ancestor. Robert Adams is no historical figure in the US, but now thanks to this movie, his place in the popular perception has been created.

Indian film directors make movies showcasing the glories of people who invaded and plundered our country, killed our people and attempted to destroy our culture, traditions and religion. The most glaring example of recent times would be Jodha-Akbar starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. I wonder if our people will ever become enough patriotic and aware of our country and strive to create an honorable place for its heroes in the popular perception. Yes some movies have been made such as few about Shaheed Bhagat Singh, but this is simply not enough.

Movie Review: Kidnap

This is the only movie that I have seen "First Day First Show" and that too in the US of A. Well, basically I got free tickets to watch this movie at Everest Movies on October 1, 2008. I had heard about Imran Khan, nephew of Amir Khan and his supposedly great looks, acting talent, et al... so I was pretty curious when I went in and sat down in the stadium-style seats at the Hollywood Theater in Irving.

Being a Hindi Movie I kinda expected the standard theme, five songs, 2-3 item numbers, probably a few fight sequences and some tearful emotional dramas and finally everything ending well. And Kidnap pretty much offers the same fare. But right in the beginning I would like to make few things very clear: Imran Khan has been over rated, his looks are average and acting so so. The story line of the movie is different but has not been handled well enough. Minisha Lamba just knows how to gyrate her hips with utmost vulgarity and display ample skin and flesh and that is where her talent ends. Sanjay Dutt is quite good but his age is catching up, he must look for some roles which suit his age from now on.

Well now let me talk about the story and screenplay of the movie. Sonia (Minisha Lamba) is the spoilt and stubborn daughter of Sanjay Dutt and ____ (again I don't know who the actress is). But the couple is divorced because Sanjay Dutt's wife doesn't like him taking her for granted. Sonia gets kidnapped by an unknown person who doesn't want money but her father. The kidnapper, Kabir (Imran Khan) doesn't say what he wants but says he has kidnapped Sonia for revenge.

An arrogant Sanjay Dutt engages private detective Irfan (played by some actor I don't remember his name) and there starts a cat and mouse game between the kidnapper and the father of the kidnapped. Finally after a series of different types of incidents the girl is finally set right and in the process Sanjay Dutt and his wife fall in love all over again and become united. As the story unfolds it is revealed that, several years earlier Kabir would have been falsely indicted in a kidnapping case by Sanjay Dutt and sent to jail. A physically scarred and traumatized Kabir comes out of jail thirsting for revenge. What is surprising is that while in jail Kabir becomes a computer, telecom and technology whiz.

Surprisingly throughout the movie when Sonia remains kidnapped, she has a fantastic set of revealing clothes. She never covers her chubby belly throughout the movie and I wonder if she was kidnapped with a full wardrobe, though there is no indication of that. Even in the clutches of her captor, Sonia remains fully made up, wearing nice clothes and no sign of trauma or stress on her face. Perhaps because she is with a hot hunk? or I don't know why?

And last but not the least the movie doesn't end with Kabir and Sonia falling in love with each other. They just go their ways, he becomes a software engineer and she just a partying socialite, spoilt daughter of rich parents.

The best part of the movie however is the chase sequence when Kabir gives a run to Sanjay Dutt through a semi-constructed high-rise. Both the action stars go into a several sequences of dangerous-looking stunts climbing up and down high rise building.

There are totally five songs, and three are item numbers for Sonia which serve only one purpose of showcasing her body in all kinds of sensuous (often vulgar) are completely unnecessary. The other two songs which star Sanjay Dutt are ok and fit into the story quite well.

Finally my verdict of the move is a 2 out of 5 and totally passable. Don't go unless you get free tickets... it is not worth your money.