A while back I had written an article about how I think a few films will do based on their trailers. One of those films was Rock On 2, whose trailer I had liked and had predicted would do well based simply because of past record, the cast and the music.
And well, I was right for the most part.
Today I will be reviewing Rock On 2, the film that follows from its 2008 original, and we see where each of our beloved characters are now.
Woos:
The Story Now
The fact that they follow the original character and storyline from the first, into the sequel and into that only bring in a few fresh faces is something that I had always liked about Rock On 2.
And the strong performances by Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli, was never a concern for me. But I was a little apprehensive as to how Shraddha Kapoor was fare. And to be honest, she was not all that bad.
Which made the movie seem pretty good overall. The supporting cast too was quite good and held the weight of the film well.
Beautiful Meghalaya
Have to give full credits to the makers that they perfectly captured the beauty of Shillong, Meghalaya and its pure innocent and other worldly in how it is presented.
It is also a big move away from the noisy and populated Mumbai, where the original film was based.
The Film Is Only As Good As Its Story And In This Case Its Music
Where the first film dealt with young angst, vulnerability and confusion, this movie takes a very mature look as to what happens after the happily ever after.
One thing I appreciated of the film was how it focused on the fact that these people are no longer young men and have instead grown and the way life and events shaped them into what they are now.
I liked how even the music by Shankar Ehsaan Loy showed that maturity, I think it would be extremely weird if we had to see Farhan Akthar just repeating the same antics from the first film.
So where a lot of movies these days are focusing on just youth and not really dealing with what happens afterwards, Rock On 2 goes beyond that to actually address how as you grow and mature, your thoughts, dreams and passions to grow and change.
Thus, I believe Rock On 2 would be good for all ages, where Rock On portrayed the youth, Rock On 2 represents the older generation.
Different Topics Addressed
One last thing I would say that Rock On 2 has got going for it, would be the different issues that it touches upon.
Whether it is the conflict between Shraddha’s character and her father which brings out quite well the whole status quo between fusion music and how it is looked down upon by puritan musicians.
Or showing the creative arts industry, the music industry and the intricacies within it.
MEHS:
Well, for the most part I could not really find much negatives in this film, but one thing I was a little confused about was that most of the film was focused on making Akhtar’s character a messiah of sorts. Where Rock On had a more wider outlook that included the other members too, this film on the other hand seemed to focus primarily on Akhtar’s character only. Which seemed a bit weird to me??? As in why would you do that? Why rise him up to such a high standard?
And sure the cinematography of the beautiful Shillong was just breathtaking, but beyond a tourism advertisement, the place or the people from Adi’s village did not seem to be offering much in terms of plot or character depth.
This I feel was a missed opportunity by the creators as they could have added a very new and fresh perspective of the people from north east.
Also, perhaps now I am just nitpicking, but the music is definitely missing the fun and adrenaline as from the first one. However considering the theme of the film, I believe it was sort of needed also.
Verdict:
As a final verdict I would say that sure right now, Rock On 2 is a decent film, but coming from the success of Rock On, it does seem to be a little off in terms of energy. I think this one might appeal more to the older generation like those in their late 20s and early 30s, who are also at this stage of their life.
The young crowd might have a hard time connecting to it. But the performance, music and scenery of the film does make for a great watch and will surely not let you down.
I give it 3/5.
Other Recommendations:
http://edtimes.in/2016/08/madaari-review/
http://edtimes.in/2016/11/before-the-flood-review-why-leonardo-dicaprios-documentary-is-a-must-watch/
http://edtimes.in/2016/11/will-the-masses-understand-biswas-time-travel-cabs-video-ed-review/
