"The Darjeeling Limited" not up to Wes Anderson's usual standards

This is not a traditional Owen Wilson comedy. You should not be wooed into renting this film expecting Wilson’s drawling Texan humor. Instead, this is primarily an independent film co-written and directed by Wes Anderson, known for his quirky dramatic comedies like “Rushmore.” Anderson is partly responsible for changing Bill Murray’s career trajectory from starring in true comedies to featuring in dull, sad, self-exploration journeys.

That is the major problem with the characters in “The Darjeeling Limited”: they are self-involved men whose emotional responses to their travels don‘t feel natural or real. Without much comedy to buoy the story or easily relatable characters to follow, the movie feels more like a trip through the desert – a dry, lifeless affair that seems to go on forever.

Francis (Wilson) contacts his two estranged brothers, Peter (Adrien Brody, “The Village”), and Jack (Jason Schwartzman, “Rushmore”) and plans a trip through India with them as a male bonding experience. Francis survived a life or death situation - proven by the bandages on his face - and has re-thought his life, wanting to have a spiritual experience and re-connect with his family. The brothers each have their personality flaws – Jack has issues with women and relationships, Peter is afraid of the upcoming birth of his son, and Francis must always be in charge. Their mother disappeared shortly before their father’s death and so these grown-up men also have some abandonment issues. What goes without saying in the film is that these are obviously privileged men who can afford to drop everything and travel about India, acting like insensitive westerners.

Anderson is not without skill as a director; many of his shots are well-considered and unique. The storytelling may have taken a backseat to these technical achievements, as the camera tends to focus more on the scenery than the characters. The film would have been more dramatic if it ever felt like the three brothers were in any real danger, especially with some of the shenanigans they pull off in an unfamiliar world.

Wilson feels restrained in the story – it’s as if Anderson doesn’t want his normally exuberant self to take over the story and give the viewer some real laughs. Instead, the story languidly unfolds, with three characters who don’t seem to like or particularly hate each other. When a film feels long at ninety one minutes, you know it went down the wrong track. “The Darjeeling Limited” is not a ride the average viewer is going to want to take.

Rated R for language.