The only way it could be meaningfully better, is if they used James Cameron to shoot it in 3D.
(Even Gold Cylons love Enthiran!)
A lot of the humor may come off as very antiquated/cliché, but it fits. Enthiran is essentially a great 80s US action film melded with a great 80s Hong Kong action film. That it’s also a drama, and a romantic comedy, and a retelling of Frankenstein, and about 5 more whole movies (oh, and a multi-tiered dance competition) layered on top is just a bonus. 😉
(It’s also the story of an aspiring medical student, looking very studious here.)
It’s a great film, to be sure… Those who dislike or don’t understand the Bollywood style may disagree. It’s easily the best Indian film I’ve seen, in terms of easy crossover to just about any other world market/mainstream US audience.
(Guns and Leather. Come on, what could be better or more universal?!?)
Avatar, by contrast, is Dances in Wolves in Space. The universe created and referred to is amazing if you think deeply about it, but the actual film/plot on screen pales beside the special effects.
(Okay, blewbs. Blewbs might just be better.)
Neither film wastes a second of screen time being just plain beautiful to look at, but Enthiran excels at keeping your brain exploding with twists, turns, and completely unexpected characters and events constantly added into the plot throughout the film, at times seeming completely non-sensical, but in a way that somehow adds to the whole.
(This reminds me: everyone who saw Bicentennial Man deserves a refund.)
If you haven’t seen either, see both. If you’re trying to decide which to watch again, I’d suggest Enthiran, especially for home viewing – the constant jumps between settings make bathroom/kitchen breaks much easier to manage.
This answer originally appeared on Quora: Is the Bollywood film Enthiran better than James Cameron’s Avatar?
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