Trapped : Movie Review
Now, this is a bit of a surprise to my frequent readers, but yes, I did watch a Hindi film and hence this review. If I'm honest, this one was a spur of the moment thing, so don't expect things to start heading that way, but I'll admit, a lil change of pace isn't so bad. Right, on with the review then.
'Trapped' has a rather niche appeal as a lot of the references would be wasted on audiences elsewhere. It's...almost, a one-man show, and in some ways reminiscent of the Hollywood film '127 hours'. But nowhere near as interesting in terms of plot and character development. As the trailer shows, the lead character, Shaurya (played by Rajkumar Rao) gets stuck in a high-rise apartment, in a desolate building in the middle of a crowded part of Mumbai city. How does he end up in this fix? That I can tell.
He desperately needs a 1BHK apartment, with a budget that is laughable (something I can relate to now), and he needs it tomorrow. He needs it because he thinks that the only way he can hold on to his girlfriend, who's about to be married off, is to marry her the next day and find a place for them. Yep. Anyway, while being shunned from broker to broker, an obviously shady-looking fellow says he's got what he's looking for. A 1BHK in his budget, and ready to move into right now. As long as he doesn't mind that it's in a building where nobody else lives, isn't even 100% finished yet, and that the room is on the top floor. The only person around is a hard-of-hearing watchman who stays near the entry gate. Also, you only get water for like a few minutes in the morning, so fill up. That, and the wiring is glitchy so your AC could trip the circuits, which need to be reset from a panel, outside the house. But it's in your budget, and you can have it now.
Oh, and there's no handle on the inside of the door you have to use the keys to get out as well. Shaurya wastes not a second to hand the brilliant salesman his money and take the keys. All seems to be going well in his deluded little world. Through a series of inane and absurdly stupid events of the next morning, Shaurya ends up locked inside his new flat, with the keys stuck in the door, on the other side. He just moved in, so supplies are...nil almost. His phone didn't charge overnight so he plugs it in to make a call for assistance. Seems only logical. Except that he's feeling a bit hot and stressed so he turns on the AC, which trips the power supply. And you remember where I said the panel was? Yep.
The rest of the movie is about Shaurya's survival in an apartment with no water supply, no food, no means of communication in an abandoned building, on the top floor from where no one can hear him scream or even see him for that matter. There are some clever moments and some funny moments in the film that keep it going, but for the most part, it feels like its dragging on. Sure, there is credit in Rao's acting to be the only one to hold the audience's attention for a large part of the movie. The way the movie has been shot does make for a decent viewing experience as well. But what it lacks is a credible, gripping story line. There just isn't enough to the plot, or to the character that would help the audience build some sort of connection.
It was an interesting watch, definitely a pleasant change from the usual slew of Bollywood sludge. But I'd say don't see it unless the tickets are quite cheap, and if you can, wait till you can watch it on your laptop at home. I'd rate this one 4 out of 9 Good Day biscuits. Thanks for reading!
'Trapped' has a rather niche appeal as a lot of the references would be wasted on audiences elsewhere. It's...almost, a one-man show, and in some ways reminiscent of the Hollywood film '127 hours'. But nowhere near as interesting in terms of plot and character development. As the trailer shows, the lead character, Shaurya (played by Rajkumar Rao) gets stuck in a high-rise apartment, in a desolate building in the middle of a crowded part of Mumbai city. How does he end up in this fix? That I can tell.
He desperately needs a 1BHK apartment, with a budget that is laughable (something I can relate to now), and he needs it tomorrow. He needs it because he thinks that the only way he can hold on to his girlfriend, who's about to be married off, is to marry her the next day and find a place for them. Yep. Anyway, while being shunned from broker to broker, an obviously shady-looking fellow says he's got what he's looking for. A 1BHK in his budget, and ready to move into right now. As long as he doesn't mind that it's in a building where nobody else lives, isn't even 100% finished yet, and that the room is on the top floor. The only person around is a hard-of-hearing watchman who stays near the entry gate. Also, you only get water for like a few minutes in the morning, so fill up. That, and the wiring is glitchy so your AC could trip the circuits, which need to be reset from a panel, outside the house. But it's in your budget, and you can have it now.
Oh, and there's no handle on the inside of the door you have to use the keys to get out as well. Shaurya wastes not a second to hand the brilliant salesman his money and take the keys. All seems to be going well in his deluded little world. Through a series of inane and absurdly stupid events of the next morning, Shaurya ends up locked inside his new flat, with the keys stuck in the door, on the other side. He just moved in, so supplies are...nil almost. His phone didn't charge overnight so he plugs it in to make a call for assistance. Seems only logical. Except that he's feeling a bit hot and stressed so he turns on the AC, which trips the power supply. And you remember where I said the panel was? Yep.
The rest of the movie is about Shaurya's survival in an apartment with no water supply, no food, no means of communication in an abandoned building, on the top floor from where no one can hear him scream or even see him for that matter. There are some clever moments and some funny moments in the film that keep it going, but for the most part, it feels like its dragging on. Sure, there is credit in Rao's acting to be the only one to hold the audience's attention for a large part of the movie. The way the movie has been shot does make for a decent viewing experience as well. But what it lacks is a credible, gripping story line. There just isn't enough to the plot, or to the character that would help the audience build some sort of connection.
It was an interesting watch, definitely a pleasant change from the usual slew of Bollywood sludge. But I'd say don't see it unless the tickets are quite cheap, and if you can, wait till you can watch it on your laptop at home. I'd rate this one 4 out of 9 Good Day biscuits. Thanks for reading!
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