Audience Member
Everyone knows the tragic ending - but the movie was all over the map - it didn't have a strong screen play - it had a powerful line up of actors but they were under utilised .. The victims in the movie acted more like zombies than actually suffering Overall movie is avoidable
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
Full Review
ranny l
his documentary drama is about something everyone should know about and make sure the human race should not repeat. What happened 30 years ago should have never happened and it is truly sad this film is based on this true story. Bhopal: A Prayer For Rain is not only a reminder of what happened, but a story we must remember, so we do not repeat it.
This film is a documentary, but is also a story and a drama. There is no comedic relief. There is strong messages and lessons to be learned.
The story begins when a multinational company, Union Carbide India opens a chemical factory which contains the number one most dangerous chemical to humans in the world. The company responsible for the factory is sadly not making much money and, as a result, they cut their safety regulations. This does not end up as a good idea for, in 1984, the factory had a major leak and the deadly chemical called MIC quickly shot into the air, and into the surrounding air which covered a major town called Bhopal. Thousands die while hundreds of thousands are injured and even today, 30 years later, are still ill.
This film truly shows this event well and shows how many people were effected by it and what the company who caused it did to help the victims. Nothing. Warren Anderson (Martin Sheen) not only doesn't help them, but the India court accuses him of mass murder and the "corporate shield" protects him so he is not affected whatsoever. Martin Sheen plays this role with true conviction.
This film is an incredibly sad story, I cannot choose a favorite scene. My least favorite is when the accident comes to the attention to Warren for the first time. Anyone would expect that he would be in shock or cry or just try to help them. What he does is blame the workers because he gave them an opportunity and they "ruined it." Then, he flees the country when he sees all the dead bodies and is accused of mass murder. I do not like this scene for I believe he should have at the least go to jail for the rest of his life.
This film is very mature so I recommend it for ages 13 to 18. I also give it 5 out of 5 stars for they did a wonderful job retelling this horrid event. This film is playing in select theaters now and is available for digital downloads and streaming.
Reviewed by Gerry O., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more youth reviews go to kidsfirst dot org.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
"We are Union Carbide, united in our efforts to build a better future for everyone."
Despite the fact it's already indicated at the beginning that they have incorporated certain facts in a different way, just to increase the dramatic effect of the film, I was stunned and shocked after watching this docudrama. Frankly, I had never heard of this industrial disaster that took place in Bhopal in 1984. A human tragedy that could have been avoided. But greed and indifference were the main causes leading to this human tragedy. Martin Sheen plays Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide, and is perfectly casted for this movie. He manages to portray Anderson as a man with some human feelings, while on the other hand his business instincts prevail again and he asks casually why an amount of pesticide isn't sold. However his contribution is outplayed by the typically Indian actors. Bollywood movies are unknown territory to me and I guess they usually aren't the epitome of superb performances or a stunning footage, but I'm convinced that the message of this movie was much more important.
December 1984, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. In a Union Carbide pesticide plant, a chemical reaction of water with Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) ensure that a deadly toxic gas cloud spreads over the surrounding slum. The next day there are around 2,000 casualties and hundreds of thousands of residents affected by the toxic cloud. Soon after another 8,000 victims would die because of that. 30 years later, there are still problems and casualties caused by this disaster. The combination of inadequate security, human errors and mismanagement caused this terrible disaster. Had the slip-blind plates been placed so water wouldn't mix with the chemical substance, if only the scrubbers were functioning (but they were under repair), had the refrigeration worked and was the torch installation not taken out of service, this could have been prevented.
A terrible topic about the disastrous consequences caused by human negligence and greed, which is played in a fair way by Indian actors. Especially by Rajpal Yadav as Dipil. A person who's lovable and sometimes comical at the same time. A rickshaw-puller whose vehicle was recreated into pleated iron after transporting a corpulent passenger, who's desperately looking for some work, so he can support his family, pay for the impending wedding of his sister and mainly keep his wife satisfied. He sees a chance to work in the factory as an ordinary handyman. Afterwards he's offered a better paid job (after the previous person dies because a drop of Methyl Isocyanate dripped on his arm, which subsequently is indicated as a typical accident because of an irresponsible act of the concerned person). Essentially he's technically incompetent for this job. But finally it's a dead simple task : he has to keep an eye on a pressure gauge and let someone know when it falls below a certain level. A beautiful rendition and a character that arouses pity every time. Motwani (Kal Penn) is a local reporter who fills his own newspaper with rumors and allegations against Union Carbide. In retrospect, he proved to be an important character in reality. These two together with Martin Sheen, are the key players in this drama. Mischa Barton is presented as the American journalist Eva Gascon, but soon she vanishes from the scene and you wonder what importance her part was anyway.
The known outcome is visualized in a simple yet effective way. Thousands of dying victims, coughing up blood and suffocating. Children looking around apathetically. Helpless doctors trying to save victims with the insufficient available resources. And while this drama unfolds, the chairmen of Union Carbide are trying to find a way out so they can put the blame on anybody but themselves. The fact that there's a description in the contracts about the slip-blind plates, is sufficient enough to conclude it's the factory managers fault. The final settlement made with Union Carbide was a compensation for damages of a lousy 470 million dollars. It shows once again what a human life is worth for such industrial giants. Sickening.
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Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Not the movie it should have been. The overlooked disaster in India deserves more attention but this is doesn't do a good job of giving the emotional resonance it deserves.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
Full Review
Audience Member
One of the best films I have ever watched. Bhopal wasn't just an industrial disaster; it was a human one. It reflects the failure of design, implementation, and a neglect for the inherent humanity found in all of us. These actors brought this story to life- made it human - and in doing so created an emotionally charged film that forces us all to reflect on what kind of world we want to live in. This one is must watch.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/02/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The gas tragedy in Bhopal way back in 1984 has been the worst industrial disaster of all time, and this movie puts across what happened, and more importantly, what made it happen.
The movie sets up the scene for the actual disaster by introducing the main players, Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide and Motwani, the journalist who just wouldn't keep quiet.
The events of the tragic night are beautifully captured on screen, bringing to the forefront the human element of this tragedy and how this one night completely demolished the lives of more than 30,000 people, with 10,000 dead on the first night itself.
That this film is the result of painstaking research, is evident in the attention to detail, and a nearly accurate reproduction of the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal.
All the cast are excellent, and the casting is also perfect, with every character looking the part.
The only drawback, I feel, is the romantic angle, which I feel was a bit unnecessary, but I guess a bit of cinematic licence is OK.
The director, Ravi Kumar, has kept the movie tight, and it doesn't drag at all, and keeps you involved right the way through, and he doesn't try to apportion blame to anyone, he simply puts the story out there, a story that needs to be told, and retold, till the people of Bhopal get justice.
Please go and watch this movie, you will not regret it.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/30/23
Full Review
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