Moonwalk movie review: A heartfelt tribute to the breakdancing subculture

A scene from the movie Moonwalk.
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Evoking a time interval is a problem of a lesser order versus successfully transporting the viewers to that interval. A couple of rigorously chosen props is perhaps sufficient to tug off the previous, whereas the latter includes the arduous process of authentically capturing the zeitgeist of that point and hitting all the best notes to make it plausible for many who may need lived by way of these occasions. In Moonwalk, debutant filmmaker Vinod A.Ok. makes a daring try for the latter and lands stylishly on his toes, evoking the long-lasting dance transfer of the early Nineteen Nineties.

The world that he recreates is the early Nineteen Nineties within the coastal and rural belts of Thiruvananthapuram or somewhat extra particularly, the emergence of a breakdancing subculture amongst teams of youths throughout that interval. In fact, there are the grainy VHS tape visuals, Walkman, STD cubicles, disco-inspired costumes, frizzy lengthy hair, Michael Jackson fanhood and each different nostalgia-evoking materials from these occasions, however all of those are woven organically right into a straight-forward, easy plot that holds an emotional pull.

A part of Moonwalk’s zestful attraction rests with its contemporary forged of younger performers, a lot of whom weren’t in all probability born throughout the interval by which the movie is ready. But, that doesn’t come as a barrier for them in convincingly portraying the manner of the youths of that interval. Prasanth Pillai’s groovy disco-synth soundtrack which matches consistent with Ansar Shah’s cinematography units the rhythm for the movie fairly early on, managing to hook the viewers and carrying them alongside even by way of the mundane moments. He comes up with an era-evoking soundtrack that lends character, color, and an irresistible vitality to the movie.

The shortage of a serious, earth-shattering battle within the lives of those youths may be held towards the movie, however they do undergo sufficient experiences for his or her age, from selecting up avoidable fights attributable to their hot-headedness to dealing with parental pressures owing to their chosen artwork and the staple bodily makeovers that goes with it. The romances are fleeting affairs that fills the time between their dance practises and performances, however even these are imbued with some character just like the personally chosen mix-tape that one in every of them presents the opposite.

Vinod A.Ok., who has written the screenplay with Mathew Varghese and Sunil Gopalakrishnan, additionally performs with some attention-grabbing juxtapositions between rural and concrete youth in addition to the category variations that comes into play throughout interactions between them in addition to with the police power. The best way a few of the working class characters mix their new-found dance strikes to their jobs is a delight. The movie hits its excessive in direction of the tip with a solo dance efficiency that basically lifts it when it appeared to sag a bit. The character arc of the dancer additionally finally ends up as one of many highlights of the movie. In a manner, the character’s struggles are reflective of the challenges in bringing the movie to the theatres after it remained with none takers for some years.

Moonwalk is a heartfelt tribute to a time interval and to the breakdancing subculture that dominated the campuses and avenue venues throughout that point.

Moonwalk is at present operating in cinemas.