- What’s Good: Aesthetics, looks, feel!
- What’s Bad: Story, narration, screenplay, dialogues, performances, existence!
- Loo Break: There are 16 songs; choose any of them!
- Watch or Not?: Only if you haven’t read Archie’s comics, because if you have, you’ll hate it even more
- Available On: Netflix
- Runtime: 2 hours 23 minutes
In the nostalgic setting of 1964 Riverdale, a fictional hilltown in North India, dominated by an Anglo-Indian community, Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda) introduces us to ‘Green Park.’ Archie finds himself torn between the Brunette Veronica Lodge (Suhana Khan) and Blonde Betty Cooper (Khushi Kapoor), and their love triangle takes a confusing turn when Veronica’s capitalist father decides to ‘redevelop’ Green Park.
The Archies Movie Review: Script Analysis
The all-female writing trio of Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti & Ayesha DeVitre (Gehraiyaan, Kapoor & Sons) leans heavily on style over substance. Nikos Andritsakis’ camerawork captures the retro vibrance of Riverdale, but the predictable story constantly clashes with the film’s cute aesthetics. The ‘launchpad’ element for star-kids feels forced, with the inclusion of a song that cryptically mentions the lead actors’ names.
The Archies Movie Review: Star Performance
Suhana Khan & Khushi Kapoor’s debut performances leave much to be desired, with their portrayed laidback attitudes coming off as lazy. Agastya Nanda’s acting attempt is lackluster, lacking emotion. Vedang Raina and Yuvraj Menda, portraying Reggie & Dilton, shine in a standout sequence, while Dot’s portrayal as Ethel is both pretty and forgettable.
The Archies Movie Review: Direction, Music
Zoya Akhtar’s compromise on her usual vision to launch star-kids results in a mediocre film that fails to showcase her true capabilities. The film’s identity crisis, juggling between a slice-of-life drama and a musical with social issues, leaves it uncertain. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music, with sixteen songs in ‘Why School Musical?,’ falls short of replacing traditional dialogues, with only ‘Sunoh’ standing out.
The Archies Movie Review: The Last Word
Zoya Akhtar’s most uncertain work to date suffers from an identity crisis, juggling multiple genres without delivering a substantial narrative. The film’s teenage characters do little more than look beautiful, and despite its aesthetic appeal, it falls short of expectations. Two stars!
