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| Animal movie review (Ranbir Kapoor) image credit X |
Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal is a high-octane Hindi action-drama that wants to take a different, psychology inflected road but trips over its own ambitions. The film (which stars Ranbir Kapoor in one of his most intense performances) traffics heavily in notions of masculinity, revenge and familial ties. But while it has the markings of a would-be blockbuster, its shallow storytelling and problematically constructed characters turn it into an emotionally empty spectacle.
Plot Overview: A Family Saga Drenched in Blood
Animal opens with Vijay (Ranbir Kapoor), a son craving his father’s (Anil Kapoor) approval. After a brutal attack leaves his father injured, Vijay’s odyssey descends into an unending quest for revenge. Fueled by raw fury and machismo, Vijay promises to defend his family’s steel empire while struggling with unresolved father issues.
The narrative positions Vijay as a modern anti-hero, a rebel whose violent actions stem from his emotional scars. Unfortunately, the film’s attempt to weave a Godfather-esque tale of loyalty and familial bonds is undermined by its overindulgence in testosterone-fueled drama.
A Performance to Remember, A Script to Forget
Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of Vijay is the movie’s clear strength. The way Kapoor can inhabit unsettling emotions from vulnerability to rage is entrancing. Whether in explosive action sequences or one-on-one confrontations, he delivers with a visceral intensity that keeps audiences engaged. He holds even more promise for his ability to shine in the emotional crescendo, an echo of Sanjay Dutt’s Vaastav.
But Kapoor’s brilliance seems wasted on a film that doesn’t rise to meet him. It is very little on the substance that suggests why Vijay gets so angry, and why he would lash out violently, leaving audiences to question what makes his character tick. Rather than delve into the psychological tension between father and son, the story skims the surface, relegating vital bonds to cliches.
Problematic Gender Dynamics
One of Animal’s obvious failings is how it depicts women. Vijay’s love interest Geetanjali (Rashmika Mandanna) is sandwiched between ambitions, demoted into a role of servitude without agency or depth. Her equation with Vijay is fraught with toxic masculinity, punctuated with inappropriate humour and abusive altruism. Mandanna’s Hindi dialogue struggle further diminishes her impact.
Vanga’s glorification of the “alpha male” archetype comes at the expense of nuanced storytelling. While pop culture often romanticizes flawed, rebellious characters, Animal takes this trope too far, presenting toxic traits without meaningful critique or context.
Technical Brilliance Amid Narrative Chaos
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| Animal movie review (Ranbir Kapoor) image credit X |
Animal is brilliant technically, even if narratively it doesn’t quite work. The action set-pieces are meticulously choreographed too, such as the Ranbir-Bobby Deol fight scene, which is not only intense but great eye-candy too. The music, especially the background score, elevates the atmosphere of the film, heightening the dramatic tension.
Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol try hard, but their underwritten roles put constraints on them. But Kapoor’s conflicted father and Deol’s menacing nemesis are filled with reams of backstory that could have enriched the plot, but instead both characters remain peripheral to Vijay’s journey.
Missed Opportunities
Animal is at its heart a story about family and loyalty, and the destructive power of repressed emotion. Instead, these themes are buried beneath oodles of violence and style-over-substance storytelling. The father-son dynamic, the emotional landscape that should give the movie its resonance, is the least-plotted thing in the story. Instead it’s a gimmick replaced with gimmick replaced with gimmick and grandiosity, with no time to establish emotional stakes.
With a runtime of over three hours, the movie’s problems are compounded further, stretching a thin plot into an exhausting experience.
Final Verdict: Style Over Substance
Animal is a visually stunning yet emotionally hollow film that relies heavily on Ranbir Kapoor’s star power. While Kapoor’s performance is a masterclass in intensity and commitment, it cannot compensate for the lack of a coherent and compelling narrative.
Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s obsession with glorifying the alpha male archetype, coupled with problematic gender dynamics and a lack of character development, prevents Animal from achieving its full potential. The film might appeal to fans of high-octane action and Kapoor’s acting prowess, but for those seeking depth and emotional connection, it falls short.
Conclusion
While Animal offers moments of brilliance, particularly through Ranbir Kapoor’s performance and its technical finesse, it ultimately succumbs to the pitfalls of style over substance. For a film that could have been a profound exploration of family and masculinity, it instead serves as a loud, blood-soaked spectacle with little emotional weight.
For viewers who appreciate intense performances and action-packed sequences, Animal might still entertain. But for those craving a layered narrative and meaningful character arcs, this film is a missed opportunity. Ranbir Kapoor deserves a script that matches his immense talent—and Animal, unfortunately, is not it.
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