RRR review: an Indian action epic finds the universal thrills in revolution

In the famous “No Man’s Land” sequence from 2017’s Wonder WomanGal Gadot walks slowly across the barren battlefield, slowing down to deflect German bullets using her magical shield and wrist cuffs. She leaps with godlike agility across the fields. Her hair is blown by the wind, and the scores behind her are swelling in patriotic pride. There’s a similar moment in RRR (“Rise Roar Revolt”), S.S. Rajamouli’s action-drama hybrid about the adventures of two Indian revolutionaries who have divergent approaches to resisting British occupation in 1920s Delhi. There is a difference. RRR, it’s just one of half a dozen scenes of its kind.

The latest outsized action spectacle from Rajamouli — director of the much-beloved Baahubali movies, available on Netflix — mythologizes two historical figures, Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Konidela Ram Charan). Bheem in reality was a leader among the Gondi who worked with other groups against mining and landlords encroaching upon tribal lands. Raju, in the meantime, led guerrilla operations against imperial police stations to seize British guns, ammunition, and level the playing fields between colonizers and colonized.

This is the last point. RRRIn a storyline in which Raju is seen as a supercop with a mission of taking down the British power structures from within, That’s a minor liberty, however, compared to the fact that in the film, both Raju and Bheem have superheroic agility, strength, and fighting abilities. They can climb buildings such as Spider-Man and dodge bullets like Wonder Woman. Bheem (representing the element of water), counts all the animals in the forest as his allies and then bursts on to the battlefield with tigers, wolves, and other lions. Raju (representing fire), drives a fiery carriage and shoots flame-throwing arrows. Picture Benjamin Franklin joining Paul Revere in the MCU. Revere uses electricity to harness Franklin’s power, while Revere is able to use the speed and agility of the wind.

The superpowers aren’t the only liberty taken with their stories. RRR explains gaps in both men’s histories by proposing that they became friends after they each made their way to Delhi in the early 1920s — Raju as an undercover imperial cop, Bheem on a rescue mission to save a village girl kidnapped by a colonial governor. They never actually met. The film shows them bonding over mutual deeds. They’re two strangers who agree with a nod to embark on a dangerous impromptu rescue mission to save a little boy trapped by a flaming train accident on a Delhi river.

Subtlety, to put it mildly, is not Rajamouli’s thing. And so the director not only takes every opportunity available to hammer home the “fire and water” theme, he also works in dramatic slow-motion shots wherever he can. Bheem trips and knocks a silver tray out of a waiter’s hand at a garden party? Slowly, the tray falls and then stops spinning as guests look on with wide-eyed eyes and jaws open. After being denied a promotion, Raju spits on a bag of punches in frustration. These sweat drops are coming off his muscular, glistening shoulders and mustache.

RRR The film also explores large emotions, which is in keeping with the dramatic and intense shooting style. Betrayal, loyalty, legacy, and a variety of other themes are the main topics. An alternate title for this film might be SSS — “Secrets. Subterfuge. Sacrifice.” Compared to a stereotypical Bollywood film (which RRR is not — it’s a Telugu production), RRR It is very light on romance and music, with a lot of screen time being devoted to visual spectacles, gonzo action and patriotic enthusiasm. The dynamic between Bheem and Raju has shades of the macho bromance of John Woo’s 1980s movies, until it transforms into a superhero team-up. And Rajamouli’s camera is unabashed in its worship of these men, introducing them with protracted sequences designed to build anticipation for viewers’ first look at the characters.

However RRRIt does allow for some comedy and musical entertainment amid the mythologically inspired feats. Between the title card — which pops up around the 45-minute mark — and the intermission (sorry, “InteRRRmission”) break two hours in, RRR The show pauses to allow viewers to relax and enjoy a refreshing interlude. Raju has a sweetheart back home — his childhood friend Sita (Alia Bhatt), to whom he pledged eternal loyalty before leaving his village to join the Indian Imperial Police. So he acts as Bheem’s wingman, helping Bheem charm sympathetic Englishwoman Jenny (Olivia Morris) with his aw-shucks attitude and impressive dance skills.

Photo by DVV Entertainment

Jr NTR (the abbreviation used for N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Ram Charan, both Telugu superstars in their own right, show off those skills in the rousing “Naatu Naatu,” RRR’s only real musical production number. (Another song, “Etthara Jenda,” plays over the end credits, and Bheem puts his defiance into song while being punished for his revolutionary activities.) Longtime Rajamouli collaborator M.M. M.M. Rajamouli is a long-time collaborator. Keeravani also provides the music.

RRRThis movie is busy, with lots of action, scenes that involve a large crowd, set design and expensive CGI. Rajamouli is skilled at balancing the film’s many elements, so “overstimulated” isn’t quite the word for how walking out oF RRR feels. It’s more like the pleasant exhaustion after a good workout.

For Westerners who were not used to watching three hours of Indian movies per hour, the long running time was a barrier to entry. However, times have changed. RRRIt takes only 10 more minutes than Batman. On the other hand, although it’s set for release in 30 countries, the film assumes a familiarity with certain characters and iconographies that might go over foreign viewers’ heads. It is, however, a story about individuals fighting for their beliefs in the face of impossible odds. It’s about perseverance and the power of working together toward a common goal. Those themes are universally relatable — as is the giddy thrill of watching racist forces of imperial oppression get exactly what’s coming to them.

RRR It is currently playing in selected theaters around the world.

[Ed. note: We recommend viewers check local listings or contact the theater to make sure you’re catching the version of RRR you want to see. The film was shot in Telugu, but some theaters are running multiple screens with versions of the film dubbed into one or more of the other major Indian languages: Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam. A Telugu screening will give you the original voice performances with English subtitles.]