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CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty, Deepika Padukone, Ranvir Shorey and Gordon Liu

Directed by: Nikhil Advani

Rated PG-13 for violence and martial arts action

By John Delia

In Theatres Friday, January 16

There is a lot to like in Chandni Chowk To China, but with it being around two and a half hours long with subtitles the film becomes a little too tedious. If you like marathon Chop Socky movies with a lot of well choreographed martial arts, interesting characters, a good measure of comedy and exciting new actors, then this film will give you a kick.
Chandni Chowk to China is the story of the epic heroic journey of Sidhu (Kumar), a simple cook from Chandni Chowk who longs to escape his dreary existence and looks for shortcuts with everything from astrologers and tarot readers to a magic potato. He believes in anything and everything except himself. His fate changes when two strangers from China claim him to be a reincarnation of a war hero from the past and enlist him to come back with them to their village in China. His opportunistic translator, Chopstick (Shorey), tells Sidhu of the women, wine and princely existence that await him in foreign lands; what Chopstick doesn't tell him is that he has become the village's best hope to take on the vicious gangster Hojo (Liu), who has been terrorizing them. When he meets Sakhi (Padukone) however, his life starts to change and not necessarily for the good.
The film is filled with an over abundance of story. Director Advani probably could have made two films out of the one, but instead he fills the movie with a lot of plots that you will probably identify. The initial story sounds like Kung Fu Panda, then turns into The Magnificent Seven; he throws in a lot of Jackie Chan, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and includes many bits and pieces of other films along the way. Actually it was fun seeing what film he was going to parody next.
On the bright side, the acting was very good, especially by Liu who plays the Chinese mobster who enlists his beautiful henchwoman to smuggle diamonds into China from India. His sinister smile and his weapon, Goldfinger’s Odd Job’s hat that slices off heads, really sets the tone of the film when Sidhu gets to China.
The cinematography is brilliant, showing the Great Wall of China, an interesting back ally look of India and some great vistas. The fighting sequences are photographed with some great close-ups and multi-angles making the battles exciting.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Chandni Chowak to China is a fun film but bring a pillow and a good pair of reading glasses. (2.5 of 5 Stars)