sun-nicholas11

Discovering a podcast featuring Susan Sarandon intrigued me to delve into "Dead Man Walking," a film she describes as centered on unconditional love. As a viewer, I found myself conflicted. It was challenging to empathize with Poncelet, given his lack of redeeming qualities, while comprehending Sister Prejean's idealism stemming from religious beliefs proved equally challenging. This portrayal could easily misconstrue her stance as condoning Poncelet's crimes.

The characters I connected with most were the victims' parents, mirroring my confusion regarding Sister Prejean's unwavering support for Poncelet. Their raw pain and unimaginable suffering resonated deeply, overshadowing the narrative.

Only later in the film did the true motive behind Sister Prejean's actions crystallize: her goal was not to condone but to lead Poncelet towards acknowledging his wrongdoing and the agony he inflicted.

This realization prompted thoughts about the necessity of someone with profound religious convictions to undertake such a role. While none of us may fully empathize with Poncelet, Sister Prejean's naive yet earnest endeavors and her unwavering love left me feeling overwhelmed.

Two elements truly distinguished the film: the exceptional acting and the deft editing. The scenes featuring close-up shots of Sister Prejean and Poncelet, as well as the camera's deliberate focus on the lethal injections towards the conclusion, transitioned from Sister Prejean to Poncelet to the victims' parents and then to the intrusive tubes transporting the fatal poison from the equipment into the veins, amplifying the emotional weight of the narrative. These moments were profoundly impactful, evoking a visceral response.

I often ponder an alternative film focusing more on the parents' journey, placing their grief and loss at the story's forefront rather than the periphery. Additionally, a different musical backdrop could have complemented the narrative better, as the chosen score felt discordant and out of place.

While it's great to see trans representation in Indian cinema, grotesquely violent as it may be, this film didn't quite do it for me. I'm not quite sure that Nawazuddin's superlative acting chops saved the film from its own convoluted ensnarement. I didn't quite get the mystery that shrouded the business that Haddi, our protagonist is a master of. The revelation of the mysterious business adding nothing to the plot except more gore and violence to the already blood-dripping entree that we as the audience is served. As well, Haddi's collaboration with the trans community of Delhi, who help him with their vengeance mission is also lacking. There are no scenes that show them bonding, we get no sense that relationships were built, sympathies were exchanged and a community that's so often oppressed rose to the occasion to take down the notorious and self-serving politicians. All in all, as a typical action-drama, I'd probably rate it higher (6) but in so far as storytelling goes, it fell short.