A review on Pakistani action thriller feature length film, ‘Waar’ (2013) [Strike]. The Production Houses are Mind Works Media & Off Road Studios while its Distributors are ARY Films and Mandviwalla Entertainment.
+ Crew
- Directed, Cinematography & Edited by Bilal Lashari
- Music by Amir Munawar
- Written & Produced by Hassan Rana
+Note
It is Bilal Lashari’s debut as a director, who has directed music videos and assisted Shoaib Mansoor in the film Khuda Kay Liye. It took three years to complete Waar. Shooting locations included Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad & Swat Valley (Pakistan), Rome (Italy) and Istanbul (Turkey). It is a stylized depiction of events surrounding the war on terror in Pakistan, including the attack on a Police Academy at Lahore in 2009.
+ Main Cast
- Shaan Shahid as Major Mujtaba Rizvi
- Shamoon Abbasi as Ramal
- Meesha Shafi as Laxmi
- Ali Azmat as Ejaz Khan
- Hamza Ali Abbasi as Ehtesham Khattak
- Ayesha Khan as Javeria Khattak
- Hassan Rana as Taha Ali
+ Plot
A retired security officer returns to save Pakistan from a major terrorist attack.
+ High Points
i – Shamoon Abbasi’s performance is the best in the cast. Shamoon most often given a negative role to play where the audience sees him as type cast. However, his work in Waar is terrific as he played the character as the script demanded it to be.
ii – Hamza Ali Abbasi is very good actor where his character as Ehtesham Khattak is memorable one in this film. The sibling relationship he had and shared screen time with Ayesha Khan was worthy to watch. This was the first performance and appearance I had watched of Hamza Ali Abbasi on-screen when it was newly released on cinemas. Other Honorable Mentions: Ayesha Khan, Meesha Shafi and Shaan Shahid.
iii – The action sequences are very admirable and of high standards in the ranks of our film industry.
iv – Bilal Lashari did a commendable work in cinematography. His film editing is also very effective.
v – The costumes designing dept. did an impressive job.
+ Low Points
i – The fight sequences were mediocre-choreographed especially between Shamoon Abbasi & Shaan Shahid in the end. Shamoon was making such an effort to fight while Shaan seemed to adopt the personality of Neo from Matrix series; stopping punches and kicks with such ease, only few were able to land on him otherwise Shaan is untouchable!
ii – Some people complained on the film having too much action, violence scenes. I on the other hand was fine with it as it goes with the flow of the film’s plot and narrative.
+ Overall
Waar is a notable example of high-tech action thriller where its scenes’ encounter tension which builds remorselessly and is spectacular to watch.
Rate: 3.50 out of 5 stars
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