I watched this movie without knowing what it was about or who were starring in it. I was lured in by it being an Asian movie. And I must admit that this movie took me by surprised. It turned out way better than I had anticipated.
"Buddies In India" is an off-beat action comedy, much in the likes of the usual Jackie Chan movies. So this is something that we are all quite familiar with it. And there are, of course, pros and cons to this. One of the pros is that the formula is already well established and it makes for some very easy watching. A con would be that it could be considered a lack of new thinking and a lack of creativity.
Be it as it may, I was more than genuinely entertained by "Buddies In India". And director Baoqiang Wang really came through where it mattered in this movie, and managed to deliver a very entertaining and hilarious movie.
Now, the storyline in "Buddies In India" is fairly straight forward, actually to the point where it borders on being simplistic. But it still worked out quite well, because it makes for a movie where you just have to lean back and enjoy all the action and the comedy. The storyline, briefly summarized, is about an oddly matched pairing of two men as they are forced to go to India together at the wish of one of the men's dying father's last wish. Here they come face to face with a great many obstacles and hilarious situations.
"Buddies In India" combines action and comedy, much in the same manner as Jackie Chan movies do. However, it just doesn't have that impressive slapstick martial arts comedy that Jackie Chan is known for. Which is good, because that makes it less of a knock off in a sense. But still, "Buddies In India" managed to pull off both the action and the comedy in equal satisfying manners.
I hadn't expect to laugh as much as I did throughout the course of this movie. And I was especially brought to laughs during the chili eating contest scene and the aftermath of that scene. That was just so funny.
As for the action in "Buddies In India", well Baoqiang Wang actually pulled off some rather impressive things throughout the course of the movie, and it was done with enough elegance, grace and a comedy aspect that it never became violent in any manner. And that makes the movie very suitable for a family viewing.
"Buddies In India" snuck in from the sideline, but it turned out to be a rather impressive movie. And if you enjoy Jackie Chan movies, then chances are very high that you will also enjoy "Buddies In India". Thumbs way up to director and writer Baoqiang Wang for his accomplishment here.
