Research is for Landlubbers
16th century naval warfare was hard enough. Imagine if 18th century Portuguese infantry were thrown in! Well, you don't have to because 2021's Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (മരക്കാർ അറബിക്കടലിന്റെ സിംഹം) presents just such a scenario. It's not a sci-fi film, it seems just to be very poorly researched, despite being the most expensive Malayalam movie ever made. The plot is ridiculous melodrama and the lead has no business weakly swinging a sword through an action sequence. But it's kind of a delight.
Reportedly based very loosely on the story of bandit-turned-admiral-turned-bandit-again, Kunjali Marakkar IV, it shows the man's hopeful youth, where he's played by Pranav Mohanlal, and the tragic events that forever embitter him to the Portuguese. When his country allies with Portugal, he becomes a Robin Hood figure, a folk hero who robs from the the empowered and somehow stands up for the little guy.
Now played by Mohanlal, who leisurely ambles through through the role henceforth, he's made an admiral when Portugal becomes the country's enemy. The ensuing naval battle has cgi on the level of a video game in which Portuguese ships vaguely resembling late 16th century galleons are manned by Napoleonic soldiers, most of whom are played by Indian actors speaking English.
It's still not as bad as later in the film when Kunjali is beset by Portuguese peasants wearing crisp white shirts and 20th century clip-on suspenders.
The best part of the film is a rather brief episode presenting the doomed romance between Kunjali's Chinese subordinate, Chinnali (Jay J. Jakkrit), and the daughter of a noble family, Aarcha (Keerthy Suresh). One of the better musical numbers is her duet with Chinnali with different string instruments.
Click to viewThe Indian characters have slightly more historically accurate costumes and, in any case, they're stunningly opulent as always for Bollywood.
Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea is available on Amazon Prime.