“Rage” is a black and white, Tarantino-smelling cinematic treat that captivates the viewer with its aggressively confident form, and its splashes of colour during the film’s stark murder scenes. The film opens with a quote from Malcolm X, “we are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us”, and the portrayal of a lion documentary playing on the TV in the hero's “hovel”, emphasizing the character’s internal struggle between his inherent brutality and the moral implications of his forthcoming actions.

  The documentary's themes of “survival of the fittest” underline the hero's predicament as he grapples with the decision to enact revenge and eliminate a perceived threat by killing. The line between hunter and hunted blurs, suggesting that the hero must tap into his animalistic nature to survive in a ruthless environment.

“Rage” prioritizes kinetic editing, handheld cinematography, and a mix of rapid pacing with moments of clarity reminding us of Doug Liman’s “The Bourne Identity”. 

 Rapid but controlled, with quick cuts that enhance urgency, the editing varies in tempo, slowing down for character moments and accelerating for action, while using rapid montages to establish tension and disorientation.  

Raz Bharath employs handheld shots during action sequences to immerse the audience, and tight framing to emphasize impact, making the viewer feel every hit or movement maintaining at the same time spatial awareness.

-creating havoc-

After the hero’s victorious exodus from the “fields” of violence and revenge, we have a transition from black and white to color which signifies a dramatic shift in his emotional and psychological state. Initially, the monochrome aesthetic represents a world devoid of joy and moral clarity, highlighting the hero’s inner turmoil. However, when the action culminates in his successful outcome, the infusion of color symbolizes a cathartic release, suggesting a transformation. 

  It implies that by embracing his darker instincts and completing his mission, he has injected life and vibrancy into an otherwise bleak existence, but also an unsettling truth: that with every act of brutality, there can be fleeting bursts of vitality, but at what moral cost? 

“Rage” cannot be praised for its originality, but surely it intrigues you into watching it until the last second. Looking forward to Raz Bharath’s next project.