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Title of Work: Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva
Author: Ayan Mukerji
Genre: Fantasy, action, adventure
Duration: 168 minutes
Type: Film
Synopsis:
Set in modern-day India, the narrative is woven around the existence of Astras of power that have been protected by a group called the Brahmānsh since Ancient Vedic times. The most powerful of these Astras, named after the most powerful weapon of the Gods, is the Brahmāstra. A mysterious dark force is trying to wake the Brahmāstra, threatening the universe we know today. The new film sees hero Shiva (Ranbir Kapoor) journey into this magical world of Astras where he learns of his mysterious connection to the Brahmānsh and the Brahmāstra. Shiva discovers the truth both about his own destiny as a divine hero and about the great power that dwells within him, the power of Fire.
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Reasons for Recommendation
This review contains some spoilers.
Opening Hook: 10/10
The opening starts with a description of what the Brahmānsh are and the otherworldly strength they possess through Astras. The film does an incredible job of introducing the antagonist right off the bat, as they have a prominent presence throughout the film. Not only that, we are introduced to the beautiful cinematographic aesthetic that mirrors Marvel's Eternals. Additionally, it showcases the beauty of India as we navigate through various scenes in the country, learning more about its culture, people, and values through compelling storytelling.
Setting Development & World Building: 10/10
The movie did an excellent job of setting the somber tone from the beginning, introducing the concepts of astras and how the weapons have evolved over the years. The visual effects are absolutely stunning! It is a particularly bright movie with the use of astras as a magical power, but they mesh well with the film, making the viewer more captivated. Overall, we found it to be a stunning representation of Indian mythology and encourage everyone to give a watch if they're looking for more exposure to Indian film.
Romance: 8/10
The first meeting between Shiva and Isha is highly romanticized. To make this cheesier, Shiva breaks out in a catchy song and the lighting is adjusted to help set the mood. The attraction on Shiva's part looks realistic and that's part of what makes their romance really interesting to watch! His desperation to talk to her makes him forget all reason and hop on the side of the elevator, disregarding his surroundings. Although Isha plays a little hard to get in the beginning, she is quickly won over by Shiva's persistence.
We did find the progression of their relationship to be slightly too fast in the beginning when Isha admits that she likes Shiva, as it feels like they should have known each other longer. However, when Shiva admits that he loves her for the first time, he mentions it was love at first sight, so this could explain why their relationship seems faster than most relationships. We docked a couple of points because it felt a little abrupt in the beginning, but as the film went on and they went through hardships together, it developed into a stronger romance story that had us rooting for them.
Overall Impression: 8/10
The story had a wonderful resolution, but also left the possibility for continuation. The ending of the film features a potential preview of what's to come next and according to our sources, they're working on Part 2, which will be called "Dev"! They did a good job of building suspense to keep the readers entranced. The movie is a bit on the long side and can feel like it's dragging at certain points, but overall, it is a strong representation of Hindu culture and lore.
Interested in hearing of the songs that captured our hearts? Click the play button below! (Warning: contains scenes from later parts of the film)
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