The film has intermittent moments of levity and begins quite well. Unfortunately the attempts to ply humour becomes strained with overdone slap-stick and extreme verbosity. Characters keep cropping up at William’s abode for no rhyme or reason. There’s no justification for the manner in which the screenplay adds characters and motives for those inclined to the reward.

The acting is solid, if not exactly extraordinary. And the Imax heightens the dread and the perception to incredible heights. CGI is also quite majestic. This is simply note-worthy entertainment brought about by the best technicians in the business of cinema.

Over-the-top performances, amusing pop-references and definitive clowning around allow for some jest but the overall takeaway is less than satisfying despite the by-and-large amazing sock-it-in-your-jaw graphics animation CGI work. Some sloppy visual effects and lack of overall coherence also mar the involvement. Kids will be amused no doubt.

No doubt that this is a frequently mined area of operation for most Hollywood flicks. But Villeneuve doesn’t take the by-the-numbers route to achieve his distinction. The characters are beautifully fleshed out.

Scott and his team get innovative in creating a framework for plausible realism, well aided by Janty Yates costumes, un-obstructive 3D effects and splendid space vistas. There’s suspense, thrills and excitement in ample measure and though this is speculative fiction, it appears so very real.

A decently played out drama about adolescence, sexuality and growing-up concerns in an upper class set-up where free thinking bohemianism is just a façade for traditional conservatism and bigotry. Though the story doesn’t develop well enough to provide thought-provoking moments, the sincerity and noble intentions of this enterprise is unmistakable.

While the story is interesting, the treatment and structure don’t quite fit in. Kunal doesn’t appear quite convinced about what he had to do and that shows. Zoa and Mandana don’t look so hot on the performance front either. Music, direction, choreography and action are indistinctive. So there’s precious little purchase to be had here.

Pawn Sacrifice is a fascinating drama, a biopic of sorts, that sheds light on the life and career of America’s most valued asset during the height of the cold war. And it’s not a weapon of mass destruction I am alluding to, but a homegrown champion whose mastery over the game of 64 squares put the chess giants, USSR, on the back foot.

There’s nothing really stellar about this enterprise other than the beauteous camerawork that makes Mumbai and Goa look like much sought after international locations. The production values are of course spiffy and the performances are overburdened by boring and extremely tedious verbosity. Teeshay and Tara Alisha Berry fit in but are unable to generate any sparks to keep you interested.

The entire run is typically sci-fi generic. Nothing remotely original or exciting transpires on screen here. There’s plenty of confusion in the plotting and the structural faults in the narrative doesn’t allow for any attachment. There’s no feeling attached to the brutalizing, maiming and killing of the opponents and this makes the enjoyment largely suspect.