MINOR SPOILER WARNING: Minor plot spoilers; if you have not watched the movie yet, it would be best if you did not proceed.
I am in no way a proficient reviewer of films, but upon watching Aloko Udapadi, which started airing on the EAP circuit on the 20th of January and continued for an inordinate amount of time, I thought it would a great disservice not to write about it.
Aloko Udapadi is the effort of a relatively young team of filmmakers; however, they have shown themselves to be masters in their respective fields, from direction to music. It outshines most modern movies to hit Sri Lankan cinema, and gives the local industry a taste of what it could be with the right tools.
In no way is this movie a serious drama that outlines the finer points of the human condition, rather, it is a epic on the scale of what you'd see in Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. The mere fact that this movie can be compared to such massive productions is in itself an achievement. Such is the quality of this movie that featured next-gen visual effects, polished production and well-choreographed action. While there are a few minor niggles and nitpicks that one must make, it is with great pleasure that I can say that this movie is definitely one of the more noteworthy cinematic creations to be released in recent times within our country.
The film follows the historical tale of King Walagamba, and his eviction from the throne by Chola invaders, as well as his consequent period in hiding which coincides with the onset of a long-term drought in the country. After regaining his throne, King Walagamba ensured the organization of an effort to commit to writing the Buddhist teachings of Lord Buddha, which is the climax of the story that the film leads up to.
The overall direction of the movie is top-notch, you can actually see the amount of hard work that went in to compiling every scene, with extremely good camera work and artsy angles being introduced. The film is a pleasure to watch even if you are not following the story closely. Every scene is brought together to a watertight finish, with the music as well adding the exact emotion needed at every turn. The music in itself is a wonder to behold, with a full orchestra being employed to make every scene come to life, and I thoroughly enjoyed the musical segment played as the background for the truly epic scene of the rain returning after the drought. The composition of the music is capable of invoking the exact emotion needed, and I found this to be spectacular.
The acting in the film is up to standard, which some of it being really good and some of it a bit substandard (as is the case in most movies). Uddhika who plays King Walagamba is a bit repressed at times, but he portrays the frustration and patience of a King forced in to hiding well. Portraying a king is always difficult as it ends up coming across as overacting at times, but Uddhika pulls it off well. For me, Roshan Ravindra, shone as the Brahmin Theeya, despite many others who I discussed the film with not liking his performance. He portrayed the role of an antagonist who is pressured on all sides very well. Another performance that really stood out was that of Godatta Thero, portrayed by young actor Sammu Kasun He successfully endeavored to bring out the emotional turmoil of a monk who is still attached to his ideals.
It must be said that I found a script a little tedious at times. For example, the most amazing scene of King Walagamba and his family being chased by chola warriors (where the music, camera and general atmosphere is on par with any other movie in the world), his consort Somadevi decides to jump out of the carriage to reduce its weight and save the others. This is somewhat marred by her unnecessary rhetoric, saying the King is the 'lifeblood of the nation and religion', which seemed a bit forced under the circumstances.
Young composer Milinda Thennakoon has really outdone himself on the musical score for the film which was absolutely right up there on par with epic films like The Lord of the Rings. Blending rousing orchestral work with Eastern themes, he has shown a true stroke of genius in coming up with just the right piece that melds into the mood of the scene, making the music one of the best aspects of Aloko Udapadi.
More than anything, the movie portrays the capabilities of a young and vibrant team, who are definitely going to give us a great deal of quality time in movie theaters in the future. So, minor nitpicks and misgivings aside, I believe that Aloko Udapadi is without a doubt a movie worthy of commendation.
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I am in no way a proficient reviewer of films, but upon watching Aloko Udapadi, which started airing on the EAP circuit on the 20th of January and continued for an inordinate amount of time, I thought it would a great disservice not to write about it.
Aloko Udapadi is the effort of a relatively young team of filmmakers; however, they have shown themselves to be masters in their respective fields, from direction to music. It outshines most modern movies to hit Sri Lankan cinema, and gives the local industry a taste of what it could be with the right tools.
In no way is this movie a serious drama that outlines the finer points of the human condition, rather, it is a epic on the scale of what you'd see in Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings. The mere fact that this movie can be compared to such massive productions is in itself an achievement. Such is the quality of this movie that featured next-gen visual effects, polished production and well-choreographed action. While there are a few minor niggles and nitpicks that one must make, it is with great pleasure that I can say that this movie is definitely one of the more noteworthy cinematic creations to be released in recent times within our country.
The film follows the historical tale of King Walagamba, and his eviction from the throne by Chola invaders, as well as his consequent period in hiding which coincides with the onset of a long-term drought in the country. After regaining his throne, King Walagamba ensured the organization of an effort to commit to writing the Buddhist teachings of Lord Buddha, which is the climax of the story that the film leads up to.
The overall direction of the movie is top-notch, you can actually see the amount of hard work that went in to compiling every scene, with extremely good camera work and artsy angles being introduced. The film is a pleasure to watch even if you are not following the story closely. Every scene is brought together to a watertight finish, with the music as well adding the exact emotion needed at every turn. The music in itself is a wonder to behold, with a full orchestra being employed to make every scene come to life, and I thoroughly enjoyed the musical segment played as the background for the truly epic scene of the rain returning after the drought. The composition of the music is capable of invoking the exact emotion needed, and I found this to be spectacular.
The acting in the film is up to standard, which some of it being really good and some of it a bit substandard (as is the case in most movies). Uddhika who plays King Walagamba is a bit repressed at times, but he portrays the frustration and patience of a King forced in to hiding well. Portraying a king is always difficult as it ends up coming across as overacting at times, but Uddhika pulls it off well. For me, Roshan Ravindra, shone as the Brahmin Theeya, despite many others who I discussed the film with not liking his performance. He portrayed the role of an antagonist who is pressured on all sides very well. Another performance that really stood out was that of Godatta Thero, portrayed by young actor Sammu Kasun He successfully endeavored to bring out the emotional turmoil of a monk who is still attached to his ideals.
It must be said that I found a script a little tedious at times. For example, the most amazing scene of King Walagamba and his family being chased by chola warriors (where the music, camera and general atmosphere is on par with any other movie in the world), his consort Somadevi decides to jump out of the carriage to reduce its weight and save the others. This is somewhat marred by her unnecessary rhetoric, saying the King is the 'lifeblood of the nation and religion', which seemed a bit forced under the circumstances.
Young composer Milinda Thennakoon has really outdone himself on the musical score for the film which was absolutely right up there on par with epic films like The Lord of the Rings. Blending rousing orchestral work with Eastern themes, he has shown a true stroke of genius in coming up with just the right piece that melds into the mood of the scene, making the music one of the best aspects of Aloko Udapadi.
More than anything, the movie portrays the capabilities of a young and vibrant team, who are definitely going to give us a great deal of quality time in movie theaters in the future. So, minor nitpicks and misgivings aside, I believe that Aloko Udapadi is without a doubt a movie worthy of commendation.
