Zoya Akhtar's The Archies Misses the Mark: A Woke Flop

The Archie comics remain a memorable part of my growing up years apart from the Indian ones like Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle. The Archies was fun particularly for its characters (Betty is my personal fave) and its cheerful high school backdrop. Bollywood has borrowed its elements earlier in Mansoor Khan's Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) and Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) as well as Student of the Year (2012). Zoya Akhtar now makes an entire movie on the comics... 

Adapted to the Indian milieu, the characters are transported to a fictional hillstation Riverdale, which comprises Anglo-Indian folks only. So far so okay. But Zoya tweaks the main characters unnecessarily. She prefers her Archie (Agastya Nanda) without freckles. Jughead (Mihir Ahuja, impressive) doesn't gobble up hamburgers like in the comics. Reggie Mantle (Vedang Raina) isn't the one we know in the book. He's painfully docile and uncharacteristically friendly here while the all brainy Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda) is a closet gay!!! 

Moreover, the Archies I read wasn't ever a woke but here, the high school gang initiate the save trees campaign which incidentally, is the crux of Zoya's two hours twenty minutes movie. The humour is bland, the Archie-Betty-Ronnie chemistry is non-existent and worse, those Hinglish songs popping up every now and then, add zero value to the narrative. 

I have loved Zoya's past directorials right from Luck By Chance (2009) to Gullyoy (2019). There's certain smartness and intelligence in her execution and presentation technique. Her characters are invariably well fleshed out and suit the actors playing them. On that front, The Archies will certainly rank as her weakest film till date. 

What about the star kids will be the obvious question here. Well, none of them leave any impression. Agastya Nanda is no hero material. Suhana Khan doesn't know A of acting. Khushi Kapoor, the better of this nepo-trio, is somewhat sincere as the lovable Betty Cooper. Having said that, it might not be the end of road for these kiddos as their influential parents may ensure they get hundred chances in future and even that coveted blockbuster hit through corporate bookings. Oh yea!!! 

Overall, The Archies movie is a bland humourless dish, best left untouched. Go for the comic guys!! 

Ratings on some key aspects* : 

1. Acting : 2/5 

2. Direction : 2.5/5

3. Music : 2/5 

4. Story, Screenplay and Dialogue : 1.5/5

5. Cinematography : 4/5

6. Editing : 3/5 

7. Costume Design : 4/5

8. Special Effects and VFX : 4/5

9. Action : NA

10. Production Quality : 4/5 

#SNRating for #TheArchies : 2 stars out of 5. 

- Sumeet Nadkarni 

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* - The overall film rating is not a simple average of all ratings on key aspects but a weighted average of the ratings where some crucial aspects (like direction, acting, story and screenplay etc) are assigned more weightage than others. 

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#SNRatings barometer:

1 star = Poor

1 & 1/2 star = Below average/ Avoidable

2 stars = Average

2 & 1/2 stars = Above average/ Risk it

3 stars = Good enough/ Endurable

3 & 1/2 stars = Definitely worth a watch

4 stars = Very good

5 stars = Masterpiece/ Outstanding. 

2023 SNRatings.

About Sumeet Nadkarni

Sumeet Nadkarni is a Chartered Accountant by profession and a self-styled film critic by passion. He reviews Bollywood movies and OTT releases on his popular personal blog #SNRatings. His film-related articles have appeared in leading publications in India. With a keen eye for cinematic detail and a knack for insightful critiques, Sumeet brings a unique perspective to the world of Indian cinema. Follow him for the latest Bollywood insights and unbiased film reviews. #FilmCritique #BollywoodReviewer