The Archies is just a movie that could & should have been avoided in the first place by NetflixIndia & by a director like Zoya Akhtar who always have been associated with the best of cinema in India, it would have saved Netflix tremendous loads of money to fund in some quality content on the lines of TVF or maybe something like Kohrra or CAT.

Story : The Archies starts with the introduction to the town of Riverdale somewhere in the Northern India which is inhabited by the Anglo Indian's(citizens with mixed Indian & European ancestors).

We are introduced to the characters of Archie Andrews(Agastya Nanda), Veronica Lodge(Suhana Khan), Betty Copper(Khushi Kapoor), Jughead(Mihir Ahuja), Reggie Mantle(Vedang Raina) & Ethel Muggs(Dot.) enjoying their respective lives in this picturesque town.

The story directly dives into the return of Veronica & her family to the town of Riverdale, all the friends uniting back, Archie Andrews stuck in a love triangle & the intentions of Veronica's father to build a big hotel in the middle of Green Park which is heart & soul of Riverdale.

Performances : I shouldn't talk about it, because everyone acted really well except the main lead characters, having such a great supporting cast with expressionless lead cast was just painful to watch & it just doesn't end at expressions, even the dialogue delivery is just really bad especially for Suhana Khan & Khushi Kapoor, Zoya it seemed had intentionally avoided taking close up shots for any of the actors.

Direction and Screenplay : The Gully Boy director has always shown us how brilliant she is with her cinema be it Dil Dhakane Do or Made in Heaven, she knows on how to engage the audiences to the screen & over here it just seemed as if Zoya was not on director's chair, bad acting, non engaging screenplay, can't imagine Zoya not noticing all this during the shooting.

The credits where due, cinematography looked terrific(especially loved the entry scene of Dot on the cycle & camera switching from rear to front), colours/sets/costumes were all perfectly done.

Music : This is a musical story and it had to have great music, while some songs are really good such as Sunoh & In Rahoon Mein, the rest feel underwhelming & this is not the expectation when you have Shankar Ehsaan Loy at the helm of it.

Good/Bads : Avoid it, save time and probabaly go & watch something worthy, the movie shouldn't have been made in the first place because The Archies has so much to it that you just can't fit all in a short runtime, the audience needs to know Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge in detail, each character needed to have their own arc for the audience to feel for them & connect with them, this is what Riverdale did in the starting seasons even though it lost the grip in last few seasons but still the audience came back in for their favourite characters.

The main leads really need to excel on their acting capabilities, dialogue delivery & this movie did not offer them anything that they could take away from their debut launch except the hard lessons.

Zoya Akhtar has a dent on her sky high filmography with TheArchies but we still know how good she can be when she wants so waiting for the next Tiger Baby production.

I'm sorry what? If they wanted an Indian adaptation they could've done a simple believable story. It started with a such a ridiculous self effacing colonialism loving bootlicking concept. Its so tone deaf they have no idea people are reclaiming their lands, their origins and a story which makes half Indians half colonizers look superior and unique, is not going to fly well with the audiences. This is neither for Indians, nor NRIs nor the International audience who will be absolutely clueless because they have been brought up on slumdog Millionaire and will consider this a wannabe project. It makes its proximity to whiteness as a USP and is a leap ahead of something Karan Johar would make. Again self effacing as can be. I have to say I like Suhana Khan's debut a lot. Nothing against her she looks like a beautiful humble girl, a really promising actress and really believable for this role. I think she is meant for much grittier cinema. I am so excited for her future she has her dad's easy charisma and relatability but this show is not it. Wish her the best and would love to see more of her in future.

"The Archies" hits a sour note from the very start, thanks to a cast that delivers performances ranging from uninspired to downright cringe-worthy. The acting, a fundamental element that could have salvaged the film, instead becomes its biggest flaw.

Lead by a once-promising ensemble, the cast of "The Archies" appears disengaged, phoning in performances that lack authenticity and emotional depth. Even the usually reliable actors fail to inject life into their characters, reducing them to mere cardboard cutouts of their animated counterparts. The chemistry between the cast members is virtually non-existent, making it difficult for the audience to invest in the relationships and conflicts that unfold on screen.

One of the film's major pitfalls is the wooden delivery of dialogue, with exchanges feeling forced and devoid of natural flow. Emotionally charged scenes that should have been poignant become cringe-inducing, as the actors struggle to convey genuine feelings. It's a painful reminder of the importance of strong performances in bringing characters to life, and "The Archies" sorely misses the mark on this front.

Even the charismatic Archie Andrews, typically a beacon of charm, is reduced to a lackluster portrayal that lacks the energy and enthusiasm associated with the character. Supporting characters fare no better, contributing to an overall lack of cohesion in the ensemble cast.

In the end, the horrible acting becomes the defining feature of "The Archies," overshadowing any potential redeeming qualities the film might have had. The lack of chemistry, authenticity, and emotional resonance in the performances ultimately leaves audiences cringing and longing for the animated magic of the original characters, rather than enduring this live-action misfire.

Frankly speaking never liked Zoya Akhtar. She is really overrated. She copies everything and makes it worse. Coming back to Archies, calling it a movie is pure waste of my breathe. Actors are pathetic, there is no story. Same old cliches. Super rich trying to understand Poor's plight. Lol. This whole movie is a joke, and the joke is on them. Oh I forgot, it's a launch vehicle. But it launched them right out of the galaxy...Suhana Khan is really boring and bad actor. LA me kaise padhaya re acting. Other two are slightly better than her but that doesn't say anything about bad acting. Please do not watch this cringe fest !

The Archies is a movie set in the 1960s where you will hardly find any element to make you feel that way. This is a highly unrealistic, impractical movie which has been produced just to launch the already privileged ones.

The acting has been pathetic by most actors and they can't connect with the audience whatsoever. Suhana Khan is nowhere near to the legacy of her father. Agastya Nanda hasn't acted any better as well. The acting was way too lifeless without any expressions and emotions. I suppose last name shouldn't be the only criteria for casting actors in a film.

Overall the movie is a strict NO NO! Avoid it even if it doesn't cost you anything extra monetarily. After all time is also money, right?

What a horrible one this was. Wanted to just abandon the movie mid-way. Poor direction, poor storyline, poor acting. The actors didn't even look good. Their accents were funny. Seems like Zoya Akhtar made this movie just for a few Bandra houses. Amitabh Bachchan's grandson is not hero material at all. Suhana Khan didn't fit well. She is similar to Swara Bhasker. Rich roles won't suit them. Khushi Kapoor looked funny. Other actors looked plastic. Wasn't able to find one thing to praise in the whole movie. Maybe some other director could've saved the film. The casting too was poor. All that hype and promotion came down to nothing.

I had hoped to give this film negative ratings if possible. The storyline is incredibly stale and follows the typical Bollywood formula, making it mundane and uninteresting. The dialogues are irksome, and the acting lacks expression. It's perplexing why Netflix produces such uninspiring and dull movies. It's unclear who the target audience is, but it certainly doesn't seem to appeal to the younger generation. The actors contribute to the film's negative aspects with their boring, monotonous, and expressionless performances. Their dialogue delivery lacks vigor, and they struggle with maintaining a proper Hindi accent. I strongly advise against watching this movie as the time spent on it is time you'll never get back.

The Archie's is not just a bad film, it's a cinematic abomination that actively defiles the cherished memories of generations of fans. This soulless cash grab takes beloved characters and subjects them to an agonizing torture chamber of bland acting, ear-splitting music, and a story that makes paint drying look like a thrilling roller coaster ride.

Let's dissect this disaster piece by piece:

1. Acting that Would Embarrass a Middle School Play:

The actors in The Archie's deliver performances so wooden they could be used as firewood. Instead of capturing the vibrant personalities of the characters, they stumble through their lines with all the emotional depth of a cardboard box. The forced smiles and melodramatic deliveries are enough to make you question the very existence of acting as a profession.

2. Music that Inflicts Auditory Pain:

The soundtrack of The Archie's is a symphony of sonic torture. The songs are bland, uninspired, and forgettable before they even finish playing. They fail to capture the energy or spirit of the original music, instead sounding like rejected demos from a 1980s high school talent show. The choreography is equally atrocious, featuring awkward movements and formations that would make even the most uncoordinated person cringe.

3. A Story that Insults the Intelligence of a Single-celled Organism:

The plot of The Archie's is so predictable and tired that even a goldfish could predict its every twist and turn. It's a rehash of every cliché teen film trope you've ever seen, complete with the predictable love triangle, the "save the day" finale, and the characters learning some trite lesson about life. It's a complete waste of time that could be better spent watching paint dry or listening to nails on a chalkboard.

4. A Betrayal of the Source Material:

The Archies is a slap in the face to the original comics. It takes everything that made the characters and their world unique and lovable and throws it out the window. The film replaces the wit and charm of the comics with a bland, sanitized version that feels like it was created by a committee of accountants. It's devoid of originality and soul, leaving viewers feeling hollow and disappointed.

5. A Film that Should Be Encased in Concrete and Buried at the Bottom of the Ocean:

The Archies is a cinematic catastrophe of epic proportions. It's a film that should be studied in film schools as an example of everything that can go wrong in a movie. It's insulting to the intelligence of the audience, a waste of time and talent, and a stain on the legacy of the Archie Comics. If you ever come across this film, do yourself a favor and run the other way. Save your ears, your eyes, and your sanity.

The hate the new comers are getting is uncalled for. It's just their first movie. They obviously have to keep working very hard.

And the movie literally based in an Anglo-Indian community, the language used is just fine.(Appropriate enough for the Indianess...but also for the generation it is set in)

The movie on the other hand tried their best to make it this generation appropriate but failed in all except the fashion and maybe the musical side.

The storyline is tried too many times at this point, even schools perform this for their plays.

The direction was good as expected out of the star director.

Overall a great movie to watch to pass the time or a movie to watch during meals.

Didn't know it would be this bad... This movie was a big letdown. The story wasn't good at all, and the acting was even worse. There were parts that made me cringe, like when they kept saying "thank youuuu" over and over again. It was really irritating. Suhana's voice was very annoying, and Khushi's facial expressions made me want to skip her scenes. The songs were not pleasant to listen to either. Honestly, I can say that even if someone offered to pay me, I wouldn't watch this movie again. It was just that bad. I was really disappointed. Only the scenes were pretty but other than that please just don't watch this move!!!

The movie is simple and soft. It has no fighting or melodrama which other nowadays movies have. This movie is quite interesting like all the Riverdale Episodes. Just a small portion of story taken from the Archies comics. But the names, places, people and all the other things are same to same from the Riverdale Series. Just in Indian style. The story is good. In the beginning 20 minutes, you will bore. But after it will catch the pace with cast. You will go into a beautiful musical journey with the people you have seen and loved in original Riverdale series. The cast has given there 100% in the movie. And there are more than 100 cast members who are outsiders, only 3-4 are star kids. So, don't judge the movie just by watching the cast and trailer.

The movie is good with mixture of music and interesting characters which are same as the Riverdale series.

If you have watched the Riverdale series. I think you will definitely enjoy this series as it will give you the same memories as you got from the seasons of the original Riverdale series. Because taking everything from the series and putting it into the movie is not a easy task. Hats off to the writers and dialogues who has given the same emotions and depth to the characters as it was in the Riverdale series.

The cast is very vast and charming. You will see some faces which you have not seen from quite a long time and they have performed really well. The newcomers, Suhana Khan (Veronica Lodge), Agastya Nanda (Archie Andrews), Vedana Raina ( Reggie Mantle), Kushi Kapoor (Betty Copper), Mihir Ahuja (Jughead), Aditi Dot ( Ethel Mugs), Yuvraj Menda ( Dilton Doiley) has performed well as this is there first big movie.

So, if you are watching the film!!

So get ready to go into Pops and enjoy the burger and the famous pink milkshake with ice cream and cheery on the top!!

Anwar Says: Don't expect wonders from this Zoya Akhtar's Netflix release, just enjoy the nostalgia and childhood vibes sweep through every sequence. Don't expect star kids to do something extraordinary , just enjoy their innocuity and singing about everything . May not have the brilliance of Zoya's earlier films but the audience born in'60s and '70s would correlate and remember the railways book stall, where Archie's comics were available.

Mention of Cliff,Elvis and Beatles, bottles of Goldspot, ad of Cinthol soap on radio and icecream Sundays with Jughead, Betty, Veronica, Reggie, Dilton and Ethel around at Riverdale , what else you need to remember your adolescence. Coming to the performance , Khushi Kapoor as Betty and Vedang Rainna as Reggie looked matured. You can figure out Suhana Khan , as daughter of Shahrukh Khan , when she speaks. Aagastya Nanda as Archie has acting in his genes from his Nana and Nani.

Nobody has been shown as real villain, even Reggie doesn't envy Archie, both Betty and Ronnie love Archie but not at the cost of their bonding. Enjoy the lyrics of Javed Saheb with brilliance of Shankar- Ehsaan-Loy revisited music of ,60s. I would recommend a must one-time watch.

#Netflix #anwarsays #archie #musical #savethegreen #riverdale #suhanakhan #KhushiKapoor #AgastyaNanda #starkids #oldtimesake #nostalgic #moviereview #ZoyaAkhtar.

The movie feels so forced and Suhana just does not know how to talk. She fumbles a lot and can't act and same with Nanda. How was the casting done? By being deaf or blind? On top of forced acting, there is a sad storyline which just doesn't captivate the audience. English or Hindi or whichever language you watch, it just feels cringe and extremely boring. I am wondering what is the target audience for this. They have taken a brilliant comic and made a joke out of it with extremely bad acting. It reminds me of how Sonam Kapoor tried to do Emma and made a fool out of herself but I would still rate her a 100 times over than this . The story here is bad, the dialogues aren't delivered well. It just feels that Zoya lost her plot there and wanted to shove some gibberish to the audience. Everything in this movie is bad. If there was an option of negative ratings, I would have wanted to give that.

Zoya, why did you make this? And I am wondering why did I even watch this. Well, I dint finish it because I just couldn't.

The movie lacks the story and you can no talent interms of acting from these actors and when you see leads you will wonder how they even got this role. Especially character of Veronica, how can they give that role to someone who knows nothing. If you really want to watch something interesting watch Riverdale s1 &2.

There are so many songs in the movie which are no way near catchy. The whole reason why Riverdale was so successful because they used good old music and in case of bollywood they already had that too but they still tried making new music and boy it sucks.

Nothing interesting about movie, please ignore.

I don't know what we were expecting but this was not it. Sets and stuff was quite good but generally speaking I lost interest in the first 15 minutes. Awkward acting, nothing engaging. Fell flat .

There was Zero chemistry between any two characters. I'm trying really hard to point out positives but more than the sets or the intro ... nothing else was engaging or likeable.

For a story line or characters that have been so over told ... How they missed to make this barely watchable is surprising.

The netflix series Riverdale was painful but this movie just made the series seem worth watching:p

Put me in a daze.

I had been an admant Archies reader and I am so sorry to say that if I have come to the conclusion that this movies is marry shellys Frankenstein Archies, I would like to see the end very same an isolated Frankenstein isolated with his creator in an abandoned island . The least Pya could have done was introduce the characters to the new audience the viewer has zero attachment to the green park, the audience has zero clue on who is Archies who is Monika who is juggerhead. Everything is so messed up if I couldn't see it half way through I am sure most have not. Over all I'll say Zoya Akhtar is solely responsible for this Frankenstein creation. Even Robert de niro looked good in marry shellys Frankenstein. Kuddos to Zoya for destroying a classic. Ban her.

As someone who grew up immersed in the world of Archie comics, the movie provides a nostalgic journey through Riverdale. However, the overly staged scenes and picture-perfect aesthetics strip away the charming simplicity that made the comics so endearing. It's like watching beloved characters come to life on an overly polished stage, losing some of the quaint authenticity that made the original stories timeless.

Despite its generous budget, the movie unfolds like a meticulously staged school play, with scenes that feel too rehearsed and a picture-perfectness that borders on artificial. The characters seem confined to their designated spaces, leaving the film lacking the organic energy that often defines memorable cinematic experiences.

Suhana Khan and agastya nanda were really bad and did not perform well. Khushi Kapoor on the other hand was a treat I loved watching her on a screen reminded us of sridevi maam. DOT and dilton did a amazing job they should have received more screen time. But the 2 most fantastic and exceptional performance was by mihir ahuja and vedang raina. I loved the scene between Dilton and reggie it was so good. They gave the story away in the trailer it's just that nothing else to look forward in the movie. I hope they would have given preference to jughead and other characters story line. Because suhana khan and agastya nanda fumbled in dialogues and couldn't even keep up with the choreography they just weren't good.

The Archies" (2023) on Netflix is a cinematic catastroph. From its incoherent plot to unrecognizable characters, this film fails on every level. The misguided attempt at humor and a haphazard narrative make for a painful viewing experience.

What's truly cringe-worthy is the introduction of a new star cast, primarily consisting of star kids. Their performances are a masterclass in mediocrity, with wooden expressions and lackluster delivery that make you long for the days when acting was an art. The chemistry among the ensemble, if one could generously call it that, is non-existent, resulting in awkward and forced interactions that feel like a painful school play.

Cinematographically, the film is a jumbled mess, attempting to blend various styles without any cohesive vision. It's a visual assault that leaves you questioning the director's sanity. The iconic Archies characters are reduced to lifeless caricatures, and the once-charming dynamics among Archie, Betty, Veronica, and Jughead are lost in the sea of incompetence.

The soundtrack, featuring The Archies' music, is a feeble attempt to salvage the wreckage. Unfortunately, even the catchy tunes can't distract from the fact that this film is a prime example of how not to adapt beloved characters to the screen.

In conclusion, "The Archies" (2023) is a cringe-inducing disaster with a cast that epitomizes the worst in new-age star kids. Their performances, coupled with a chaotic plot and abysmal cinematography, make this film a regrettable addition to Netflix's library. Save yourself the agony, and bypass this zero-star debacle.

The film lacks life, grandeur and originality. The script is shallow, and the plot feels extremely stale, making the movie dull. It doesn't appeal to a culturally aware sophisticated audience. This movie might attract wannabe teenagers who doesn't know what life is outside their father's cocoon. This is not Hollywood, this is not Bollywood; this is lacking identity.

When a comic is recreated directors and actors should consider that execution of that nostalgic moments will be risky. Most of the time it ruins the original. This film, though musical was lacking that connection. So maybe the plan was to just make something for Netflix. Okay, there was one great line in the movie, to understand culture, one needs to go in, not out (of the country). Yes, then my question is is this movie in or out?

Zoya Akhtar's new venture, The Archies is not the most commercial undertaking in her magnificent filmography but it is sooo much more.

The Archies is not one of your mind-bending, intense drama kinda movie. You will know what the story is if you've seen the trailer, but this movie also about HOW to tell a story. Its not an Abbas Mastan plot, with Archies you get what you sign up for, but the dish is severed "well-done"...not undercooked, not over-delivered, no surprises but still a solid watch. It HAS a story unlike many releases this year. It takes you from point A to point B and makes you feel something at the end of it.

The casting is age-appropriate, set design always impeccable as you expect from a Zoya Akhtar movie. My last and only exposure to Archies was the Netflix show called Riverdale which is a thriller spin off of the children's comic book. Zoya has brought Archies back to its origin.

Its a new language of cinema. I'm sure grown ups like me will find this story trivial especially considering todays geo-political tensions BUT this movie has a niche in the younger, impressionable audience. Its a must watch for kids, theres something to learn here.

Although all bollywood movies are technically "Musicals" but Archies is unlike "A Bollywood Musical". It will instead remind of the western classics like Sound of Music or High School Musical. If who've consumed these western musicals then I'm sure you'll appreciate this very honest, very young, very different language of Hindi Cinema but yours truly The Zoya Akhtar and Tiger Baby Productions!

Never stop pushing the boundaries you guys!!

In first ten minutes you will see so many cliche scenes, that you just want to finish it in fast forward because you already paid for this month subscription fees to Netflix. I am big comics fan but I couldn't relate to one single character emotionally.

Movie is far from reality and if AI will be able to generate complete movie, their artificial character will perform better than these actors.

Cons: Bad acting, bad story line, bad judgement in background and music creation.

Pros: you paid for the Netflix subscription so you can watch it.

There is a scene where lead actresses was laughing where as it was an emotional scene as she is metting her after long time.

I don't know why did I even click on it. The acting is so bad. It's "beta uncle ko acting kr k dikha" type of acting. Suhana is doing so bad.

1. Her looks don't suit the role she's portraying. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER SKIN COLOUR. And It isn't about her looks in general. It is about her look IN RELATION to the character she plays. SLB rejected Kareena because she didn't have the landed artistocrat look required for Devdas. It's the same thing here.

2. Her voice modulation is cringy. You're playing a character set in an Anglo-Indian town. Stop prolonging every word, and please speak clearly.

3. Body language is v off. Sometimes it feels like she's just staring blankly at the person infront of her. Other times it looks like she already knows what the other person will say and is just waiting for her cues.

Idk what the future holds, or how big of a star Suhana will become, but this is a very underwhelming start. She's had a year to prep.