Cast: Aashi Rawal, Sharvil Patel, Mann Patel, Ugam Khetani, Stuti Dwivedi, Deah Tandon, Hardil Kanaba, Jimmy Sheirgill
Director: Amitabha Singha
Agreed, there are films that all viewers unanimously agree on and those which are so terrible, so technically inept, that their failures are hard to ignore. Amitabha Singh’s ‘Shortcut Safari’ is sadly one of those children’s films that will remain downright unwatchable.
The film deals with the story of seven children returning home from a nature trip that was organized by their school.
These kids force their cab driver to speed up and take an unknown path through the jungle, which leads to an accident. To repair the damaged car, the driver decides to venture alone into the forest, and tells the children to not step out until he returns (in 15 minutes). Since the driver doesn’t return, the children grow fidgety and are compelled to help themselves – which becomes the heart of the film.
The fact that ‘Shortcut Safari’ was promoted as an educational children’s film with a special focus on wildlife and forest conservation, we expected to also have the power that could have brought the much-needed change and awareness. Unfortunately, it neither works as a cultural influencer nor as an educational tool.
The half-baked nature of the story is difficult to ignore, courtesy the rushed, poorly executed, and slow screenplay.
Since the director neither has a clear perspective no a complete understanding of what he wants, the film ends up looking muddled and messy, and gasping for breath.
What makes the film all the more excruciating are the vaguely connected scenes. Most of the dialogues are clichéd and predictable. And the educational aspect seems forced and even a bit desperate in some sequences. In fact, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that the makers of made frantic attempts to educate the audience, but failed miserably at it.
Barring a few picturesque shots of the forest, the camera work is terrible much like its editing.
The only saving grace for this film is its music and Jimmy Shergill. While we still haven’t understood why he wears that bizarre comic cape, we like him to show what acting is all about in his tin y role in the film.
All in all a failed attempt at creating awareness on environmental protection.
Rating: 1/5
Comments
0 comment