A criminal... he is also a human being. A thief got into a car parked on the street. I got in and I couldn't get out. So begins the story of the petty robber Raju. Like a mouse in a mousetrap, he is controlled by a man who demands a sincere confession of his sins, or one of the worst sins of which Raju himself does not suspect. Will he be able to escape this trap before the unknown gives him a very unpleasant surprise?
Indians are able to get themselves films for remakes, it is worth giving them credit. And these are not just good films, but with some zest so that they have the opportunity, without departing far from the original, to unexpectedly turn some of their social problems. What are the claims? This is a remake, guys, we only slightly embellished, honestly! And now the viewer is watching not a copied foreign product, but a film completely imbued with the Indian spirit, with an explicit appeal to the residents of his state and the whole country. They love to communicate with their people in this way. Why not, if it does some good. And by the way, it is not for nothing that the films of Spanish-speaking producers are most often chosen for this. The Spaniards, for example, do make a lot of philosophical films, more often than anywhere else in Europe.
This time the basis was chosen Argentine film '4x4' (2019). It was shot in a purely Spanish style, in their favorite manner 'claustrophobic' thrillers. What is most surprising, Satish Tripura went his own way and from that plot snatched only the main idea and a few episodes. It's just a great achievement that he didn't fear and copy everything clean. Because of this, both pictures turned out to be very different, so there is something to compare here, because you need to understand which country is closer. '4x4' more realistic and cruel. There is a problem that excites society, and remains in limbo. The solution has not been found, and the authors of the idea do not share their thoughts on what kind of solution they see. Even the title itself hints only at the genre of the thriller, without any social background. Our translators have called the film 'Mousetrap' and, in principle, it is a suitable option for its internal content. The Teluzhets, on the other hand, gave their film a telling title 'Beware of Thieves' which is why you won’t immediately tell us what awaits us there. I would say that they have a light version, along the way highlighting moral, family and social problems. And most importantly, the end very eloquently makes it clear how to act or not to act in such situations. I liked that ending better.
The main action is concentrated in a small space of the car interior. A petty thief is caught in a trap, the owner of the car begins to play with him in his clever games and ... here the films plot in different directions. In '4x4', the focus was mostly on the victim’s feelings. I note that the actor played his role well, and this largely contributed to the creation of the necessary atmosphere of despair and hopelessness of the hero’s position. But the antagonist, if you can call him that, turned out not to be so sophisticated, and he wanted very little - simple justice. And it's not that interesting anymore, given that viewers probably expected a thrill from the film.
In 'Beware of thieves' the situation is quite the opposite. Not that the main character here was not the center, he was also required to realistic play, but the actor, alas, was not as good as his colleague – it was clear that he was trying to play those feelings that should really be good to experience. But let it remain a minor remark, it is, in general, something else. The whole point of the film here lies in the repentance of the criminal and the attitude of society towards him. What was not in the original was remorse. Apparently, no one there really needs it. Here it was pressured from the beginning to the end. And then there was no cruelty, except for the fact that the guy for several days without food and water marinated in an iron jar. I think the expectation was that the film will be watched by teenagers as well. Of course, I do not know what age rating he was assigned, but in my opinion, it is better to start with young nails than after trying to correct someone.
There is a difference in the episodes with flashbacks, which were also deprived of the original, and most importantly – it is a completely different ending. To some, he may seem too naive, like in life this does not happen. What if I did? Why not consider such a scenario? Or is humanity so out of our lives that it’s gone? No, I don't want to believe it. And Indians also do not want to, since they make such films, even remakes. Yes, they have enough of their films (welcome to the South).
In the end, you need to make a conclusion – whether to look and what to watch. For realism and natural acting, you can turn to the Argentine version, and for philosophy and morality - to the Indian one. I would recommend reading the last one first. One more piece of good from the Indian side will not hurt us. Enjoy the viewing, everyone!