Chak De India review
Includes spoilers
It's cliched. It's nothing new. It's predictable, it's very by-the-book, and it's about sports. These are all the things that Chak De is. You know that the team will go to the World Cup. If you've watched enough sports movies, as I have, you know that they'll get killed in their first game, and you know they'll win the next one. You know they'll go all the way to the finals, and you know it'll all come down to the last shot, and you know India will win.
You'd think with knowing what's going to happen, that CDI would be boring. Far from it. The way Chak De India is executed, you never feel bored, even if you know what's going to happen. The way it is presented on screen just takes your breath away, and you find yourself engrossed from the opening frame.
The game action shown is so crisp and precise, it keeps you engaged. You know what's going to happen, but you want to see exactly how it happens. You want to see if Preeti will finally pass to Komal, or vise versa. You want to see if Balbir will beat someone up. You want to see if Bindia will get over herself and finally do something for the team.
Shimit Amin spends a good amount of time on the girls, but not too much as to where the audience would get bored. I liked the introduction of the girls. I loved how simple they were, how ordinary they looked. As the movie went on, I cared about them all. Shimit Amin makes you care what happens to these girls, and watch how they grow into a successful team. They aren't actors, and many of them have probably never acted in their life, but they did such a good job giving life to their characters.
Standout scenes:
My favorite scene by far is the one in the bathroom, when Bindia comes on to Kabir. It shows her frustration, that she's willing to do anything to be captain again. And the way Kabir looks at her as he zips her jacket back up. The line he delivers is so powerful, it leaves a lasting impression. Brilliant scene.
The McDonalds scene was also very good. It wasn't a choreographed fight sequence, it just looked like a mess, which was exactly what was needed. I loved how Balbir stood up for her teammates and slapped the boy across the face a few times. Then how the rest of the team eventually got into it as well, even Bindia, kicking a guy while she was sitting down. I love how Kabir just sat there, watching, even eating, while they all fought. This is exactly what he was looking for. Also, when one of the boys is coming from behind with a cricket bat, and Kabir pushes him up against a wall and says 'attack from the front, not from the back like a coward'.
I love that the girls were pitted against the boys, and that the girls didn't win. The boys are stronger, faster, and more experienced. They should have won. But I also love the respect that the boys showed. That was something I didn't expect, and I thought it was a wonderful touch.
I really liked the first scene between Kabir and the girls. He's there introducing himself, and right away, when Preeti comes late, you see he's not taking things lightly. He's determined to get this team on the right track, and he lets them all know it. I also like the scenes on the field. When the fights start occuring, he simply tells them to get out. If they aren't willing to play as a team, they aren't playing, simple as that. The way he says it too. "Out!" Brilliant.
The Sattar Minute speech. So much passion, for India, for the team, for the gold, for redemption, for everything. If that doesn't motivate a team, I don't know what will.
I liked the relationship between Vidya and Kabir. Nothing romantic, just a girl who respects and listens to her coach, and the coach in turn respecting the player. If the rest of the girls had just looked at their relationship, things might have gone a bit easier.
I can't say anything more about the girls than I already have. They were all wonderful. I cared about people I didn't know, ordinary girls from all over the country. They all did such a great job, with little or no acting experience. The standouts were Komal, Bindia, and Balbir.
Kabir Khan. An amazing character, with the heart of a champion, and a hunger to regain much deserved respect. He was shunned for something he didn't even do, and he fought his way back to become a champion once again. He was loud, mean, insistent, tough, and very passionate. And that passion was passed on to his team. He was a brilliant coach, who maybe did work his players too hard, but he eventually brought them all together for the ultimate goal. He knew just how to treat the girls, and he did it perfectly. Shah Rukh was just amazing in this role. I love him for accepting it, I love him for digging in and doing his best with it, and I love the fact that this is one of his finest performances ever.
Rating: 9.8/10
It's cliched. It's nothing new. It's predictable, it's very by-the-book, and it's about sports. These are all the things that Chak De is. You know that the team will go to the World Cup. If you've watched enough sports movies, as I have, you know that they'll get killed in their first game, and you know they'll win the next one. You know they'll go all the way to the finals, and you know it'll all come down to the last shot, and you know India will win.
You'd think with knowing what's going to happen, that CDI would be boring. Far from it. The way Chak De India is executed, you never feel bored, even if you know what's going to happen. The way it is presented on screen just takes your breath away, and you find yourself engrossed from the opening frame.
The game action shown is so crisp and precise, it keeps you engaged. You know what's going to happen, but you want to see exactly how it happens. You want to see if Preeti will finally pass to Komal, or vise versa. You want to see if Balbir will beat someone up. You want to see if Bindia will get over herself and finally do something for the team.
Shimit Amin spends a good amount of time on the girls, but not too much as to where the audience would get bored. I liked the introduction of the girls. I loved how simple they were, how ordinary they looked. As the movie went on, I cared about them all. Shimit Amin makes you care what happens to these girls, and watch how they grow into a successful team. They aren't actors, and many of them have probably never acted in their life, but they did such a good job giving life to their characters.
Standout scenes:
My favorite scene by far is the one in the bathroom, when Bindia comes on to Kabir. It shows her frustration, that she's willing to do anything to be captain again. And the way Kabir looks at her as he zips her jacket back up. The line he delivers is so powerful, it leaves a lasting impression. Brilliant scene.
The McDonalds scene was also very good. It wasn't a choreographed fight sequence, it just looked like a mess, which was exactly what was needed. I loved how Balbir stood up for her teammates and slapped the boy across the face a few times. Then how the rest of the team eventually got into it as well, even Bindia, kicking a guy while she was sitting down. I love how Kabir just sat there, watching, even eating, while they all fought. This is exactly what he was looking for. Also, when one of the boys is coming from behind with a cricket bat, and Kabir pushes him up against a wall and says 'attack from the front, not from the back like a coward'.
I love that the girls were pitted against the boys, and that the girls didn't win. The boys are stronger, faster, and more experienced. They should have won. But I also love the respect that the boys showed. That was something I didn't expect, and I thought it was a wonderful touch.
I really liked the first scene between Kabir and the girls. He's there introducing himself, and right away, when Preeti comes late, you see he's not taking things lightly. He's determined to get this team on the right track, and he lets them all know it. I also like the scenes on the field. When the fights start occuring, he simply tells them to get out. If they aren't willing to play as a team, they aren't playing, simple as that. The way he says it too. "Out!" Brilliant.
The Sattar Minute speech. So much passion, for India, for the team, for the gold, for redemption, for everything. If that doesn't motivate a team, I don't know what will.
I liked the relationship between Vidya and Kabir. Nothing romantic, just a girl who respects and listens to her coach, and the coach in turn respecting the player. If the rest of the girls had just looked at their relationship, things might have gone a bit easier.
I can't say anything more about the girls than I already have. They were all wonderful. I cared about people I didn't know, ordinary girls from all over the country. They all did such a great job, with little or no acting experience. The standouts were Komal, Bindia, and Balbir.
Kabir Khan. An amazing character, with the heart of a champion, and a hunger to regain much deserved respect. He was shunned for something he didn't even do, and he fought his way back to become a champion once again. He was loud, mean, insistent, tough, and very passionate. And that passion was passed on to his team. He was a brilliant coach, who maybe did work his players too hard, but he eventually brought them all together for the ultimate goal. He knew just how to treat the girls, and he did it perfectly. Shah Rukh was just amazing in this role. I love him for accepting it, I love him for digging in and doing his best with it, and I love the fact that this is one of his finest performances ever.
Rating: 9.8/10