The light of human nature, a parallel world of suffering and hope! Review of Slumdog Millionaire

Since its release in 2008, Slumdog Millionaire has received critical acclaim, winning eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 21st Academy Awards. Hollywood's most popular film critic Roger Ebert described the film as "a blockbuster that broke the rules of Hollywood marketing".
The film tells the story of Jemima Malik, a child born in the slums, who eventually wins the grand prize and becomes a millionaire by participating in a TV quiz show, highlighting the simple light of humanity in a parallel world of misery and hope.
The reason why "Slumdog Millionaire" is so moving is that the camera presents a corner of India with a long history and a complex present situation, and many episodes in the film almost contrast the history and the present day of Indian society one by one, with the real struggles and harsh reality, but also with the kindness and simplicity that never give up in the darkness. 01, a parallel world of suffering and hope
Unlike Western culture, director Danny was inspired by the fatalism of indigenous Indian culture.
"In some of the conscious education and culture we receive, it says that 'man is destined to win' and that if you work hard you can change your destiny. In Indian culture, however, this destiny is so powerful that man is very small and meaningless in front of it. Each person has his or her own world and his or her own role, and all people need to do is to follow the will of God instead of doing their best."
At the beginning of the film, a group of children from the slums playing baseball in a so-called "private property" are evicted by the security guards, and the children are dressed in rags and have no food to eat. The film touches on all aspects of Indian social life, the extreme polarization of wealth in Mumbai, the squalor and chaos of the Indian slums, and the contradictions and conflicts of religious beliefs and the naked presentation of human nature.
The reality is cruel, however, the warmth of humanity is eternal, and there are children with hope and smiling faces by the river full of garbage. In the film, Jemima carries a dream, and rises to the challenge, and his perseverance makes him strong from weakness, while his persistence and tenacity also win the dignity and rebirth of a person, a country and a nation.
The strong contrast between beauty and ugliness, the parallel worlds of suffering and hope, such scenes are both heartbreaking and thought-provoking.
It is worth mentioning that the director Danny does not present the life of the poor to satirize the intoxication of the upper class world, and the montage in the film does not reflect or metaphorize, but uses the camera to present and record the truth. For the movie, no matter the strong comedy atmosphere or the Indian-style song and dance at the end, it cannot hide the cruel theme that the director wants to embody in the movie, that is, the appeal and improvement for the survival of slum people. In this world, Jemima is just a relatively lucky and perfect fairy tale representative, a dream and hope for the poor people, while the poor people who are more obscure and unable to change the status quo are the ones that society needs to pay attention to.
The short time they spend together in their early childhood makes the male protagonist Jemima and the female protagonist Latika fall in love with each other, and several times of separation and reunion make them become the firm guardians of each other's hearts; Salim is addicted to money, but in the end he lets Latika go, allowing them to meet, and he himself dies with the enemy, completely relieving the two people of their worries.
In the cruel reality of the slums, there is the nourishment and warmth of love, the support of brotherhood, dreams and other beautiful beliefs, idealism and realism coexist, suffering and hope at the same time. It also allows the audience not to be overly heavy when watching the film, and not to blindly believe in the truth and beauty of life, and to face the cruel reality, so that they can have the motivation to convert suffering into hope and get a better life experience. 02, unique narrative techniques
The film has a Hollywood narrative process, suspenseful filming techniques, but also has the characteristics of romanticism, and epic film atmosphere and pattern, the story is beautiful and vivid, without the suspicion of artifice and cumbersome.
At the beginning of the movie, a question-and-answer type of suspense is used to bring the audience into the plot. From the first question, "Who was the lead actor in the 1973 action movie "Captivity"", to lead the audience into the life of the main character Jemima, his life journey from childhood to the audience, the form of a question and answer seems to be a simple narrative form, behind the lead is Jemima one tragic encounter after another The question-and-answer format seems to be a simple narrative, but behind it is a series of tragic encounters of Jemima.
This unique narrative technique seems to be simple, but the scenes illustrated and the thoughts and emotions encompassed include various aspects, such as Jemima's love, affection, ideals, beliefs and profound problems of society. Jemima's life has a difficult fate, his mother died in a religious conflict, he was tricked to become a beggar, and almost blind, with the help of his brother, Jemima survived, such a dramatic life experience in the question-and-answer type of drama unfolded.
The director Danny seems to narrate the difficult growth of a slum boy, but in fact it is integrated with profound social issues, reflecting the traditional culture of India, but also combined with modern urban programs as a clue throughout, leading the audience through the question and answer format to find the growth story behind Jemima, bringing the audience more thoughts.
It is worth mentioning that in presenting the process of Jemima's growth, the film blends small questions into a fragment according to the audience's psychological acceptance order, and then forms a film from one fragment to another. In the process of combination, it does not make the audience feel the logic is confusing, but conforms to the audience's emotional and rational logic, and uses a storytelling way to elaborate profound connotations.
The audience can not only be satisfied with a clear plot summary and comprehend the spirit conveyed by the film, but also be able to follow the director's sequence and thoughts, clearly perceive every detail and structure of the film's narrative, allowing the articulation between shots to occur in new combinations, generating new meanings, and greatly enhancing the artistic aesthetics of the film. 03, The Light of Humanity
The love between Jemima and Latika runs through the whole movie. The conflict of religion not only destroys millions of families, but also destroys Jemima and Latika's family as well.
When Latika is separated from her parents in the storm and becomes an orphan, Jemima takes her in despite her brother's objections, and they develop a love for each other.
As a timeless theme in cinema, "Slumdog Millionaire" is a film that opens up as much space as possible for the audience to highlight the beauty of humanity through the portrayal of the hero and heroine's life moments.
The main character, Jemima, who grew up in the slums, can stuff garbage into his brother's underwear to "get back at" him, jump into a cesspit to get a star's autograph, pose as a "tour guide" to cheat American tourists, and steal tourists' money to sell at the market. to sell at the market. However, as a child, all these pranks cannot cover up a child's nature and childlike beauty in the process of growing up.
The presentation of these details is a relentless exposure and accusation of reality. A child in the formative years, enjoying the sun and rain, but have to do more things that are not in line with the age in order to make a living, the lack of proper guidance and education, will make the child's growth full of difficulties and helplessness. The precious thing is that Jemima insists on her innocence, her longing for love and her desire for freedom.
He never gives up his dream, nor does he give up his friendship and love. After escaping from the devil's cave, he still insists on returning to the fire pit to find his partner, and he comes across the singer who is blinded and gives him 100 dollars.
"Jemima, you're a big deal. You're lucky to have run out, and I'm happy for you, and I'm more unlucky."
Their friendship, the character's transparent kindness was touching, and it was Jemima's kindness that got him the whereabouts of Latika and the answers to the show's questions.
He cherishes his love, although he once had nothing, for his lover also does not have any promises and lofty ambitions, just insist on guarding each other, no matter how the world changes, the beauty of humanity in him has never changed.
At the end of the story, Jemima wins 20 million rupees in the limelight, and he runs all the way to the train station to meet with Latika who is waiting for him, and they sing and dance at the train station. At this moment, there is a change in style, from two hours of realistic atmosphere to the world's popular Indian Bollywood song and dance sequences, the happy ending to meet the audience's inner needs, the beauty and goodness of humanity in this moment has been duly rewarded.
Conclusion.
This film uses beautiful and innovative artistic expression, regardless of the changing scenes, beautiful Indian songs and dances to show the audience the ups and downs, suspenseful life experience of Jemima, reflecting the complex and incomparable reality of the current situation of society, provoking countless people's thoughts, worthy of the many awards received.
It tells us: behind the hustle and bustle, fame and fortune, what supports our growth and brings us happiness are always the most simple and true emotions, even in a humble and poor life, do not give up the truth and goodness, beauty and love deep inside, these are the most important things that lead the audience to fall without regret and persist in themselves.